ZOE Conference 2013 Registration

Greetings, ZOE friends, old and new! We are excited to announce that the 2013 ZOE Worship Conference, “Here With Us”, will be held in Nashville, TN at the Otter Creek Church on October 25-27. This year our conference and CD will have a Christmas theme...specifically, Advent. Advent teaches us what “God with us” really means. Advent is about waiting… waiting on the Lord, watching for Him, believing in Him… even when He is silent. Advent celebrates the absolute truth that God is faithful and that His steadfast love is present, even in difficult times, to bring a deep peace unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. It takes what can become a very commercial holiday season that can leave us empty and lonely and infuses it with life and hope.

Recently, some of the other ZOE singers who are also worship ministers and I had a conversation about the things that are most helpful to us. We asked the question, "What would WE want and need in a conference?" Well, we love to worship. So, we want to have great times of celebratory and heart-felt worship as the ZOE Group leads us (including a Saturday afternoon worship session with song writer and worship artist, Carl Cartee from Fellowship Bible Church in Nashville). We also want some inspiring Biblical feeding. So our key note speakers, Mike Cope, Jonathan Storment and Jeff Walling will take us deep into the Word.

We also need tools...tools to help us be better at this calling on our lives. So, we've worked hard this year to broaden our break-out sessions to address both topical and thematic things like Josh Ross's and John Mark Hicks's classes all about waiting on the Lord, while also offering practical worship ministry, technical, and hands-on creative and inspiring classes. We hope that some of these classes about leading praise teams, innovative lighting ideas, worship planning, caring for your voice, innovative ways of using art, Planning Center, and more will help you not only leave feeling refreshed spiritually, but also equipped to do the technical parts of your job.

And, back by popular demand, we're doing another New Music Pre-Conference to kick off the weekend! In addition to the great new music we’ll learn at the conference from the upcoming ZOE CD “Here With Us,” New Music Nashville will provide an opportunity for attendees to discover even more great new songs for worship. Beginning on Friday morning, attendees will have a chance to learn a dozen new songs with Randy Gill, DJ Bulls and rehearsal accompanist Jerry Reed. These selections are brand new arrangements in a variety of styles that will be wonderful additions to your church’s repertoire in the coming year. A folio of the new music by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Israel Houghton and others is included in the price of the Pre-Conference. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to be part of what one participant last year called “the greatest a cappella worship choir ever assembled!” The songs are great, the singing is incredible and it's just a blast! You won't want to miss New Music Nashville!

We know how hard it can be to take time away from your home church--whether you're a volunteer or a full-time minister. We know it's difficult to make time to go other places on the days when your job seems to count the most. But it's YOU we have in mind as we've carefully begun painting this canvas that will be "Here With Us". We're planning all sorts of surprises this year...and don't want you to miss even one of them. We would love for you to stay through the weekend and then worship with us Sunday morning too as Mike Cope and I close out the conference.

My prayer is that the Lord would begin building excitement and anticipation in your hearts as we look ahead to October 25th when we will gather and experience the Lord in ways that will shape our lives and ministries. I'm praying that these hope inspired words, "God with us", will begin to just haunt you....ring in your ears...and surround you on days of trouble and in times of rejoicing.

Registration opens tomorrow (July 29th). SIGN UP! Do it! I promise, this is one ZOE Conference you won't want to miss. I'll see you in October! I CAN. NOT. WAIT! Go here to register! www.zoegroup.org

Here WIth Us

Don't forget to save the date on your calendars for the first ever ZOE Christmas conference in October! October 25th-27th in Nashville at the Otter Creek Church. You can register online at www.zoegroup.org

We begin recording our first ever Christmas CD this Friday. We're excited and covet your prayers as we enter this process!

Save the Date! ZOE Worship Conference 2013

We are pleased to announce that the 2013 ZOE Worship Conference will be October 25-27 in Nashville, TN at the Otter Creek Church! This year we will be focusing on the season of Advent.

Christmas--the happiest time of the year? Often we feel pressure to feel that way based on the way the media and movies portray the holidays. However, Advent teaches us what "God with us" really means. Advent is about waiting...waiting on the Lord, watching for Him, believing in Him...even when He is silent. Advent celebrates the absolute truth that God is faithful and that His steadfast love is present, even in difficult times, to bring a deep peace unlike anything we've ever experienced. Come join us as we celebrate Emanuel, God with us.

More information on the conference will be released in the coming months. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email Kim at kim@zoegroup.org.

ACU Welcome Week Candlelight Devo

Tuesday night I went to the annual ACU Welcome Week candlelight devo in the ACU amphitheater. It was awesome...as always. It had been almost 20 years since I had been to it. I loved hearing the more than 1000 voices sing with passion to the Father. Many of the songs were ZOE songs/arrangements. It was surreal in a way. I thought of my friends who had written some of those songs...probably having no clue the life it would have within my particular tribe, and wished for them.

My buddy Chris Davis who wrote "Here In This Place" probably never imagined how his song would be tied in a very emotional way to the beginning of all these students' college experiences. Chris is a good friend and a good man.

I'm wondering if my friend Eric Wyse ever imagined the picture above when he wrote "Light the Fire"? Eric and I produced several kids records together for Parable Bookstores and we've done multiple projects together including the Hymns project for Family Christian Bookstores. I love and miss you, Eric! Please come see us.

I'm wondering if my friend from Belmont Church, Rob Still, could have ever imagined how "A New Anointing" would take on a life of its own? Rob has often told me how ZOE brought that song to life. Worship Leader Magazine had used our recording to introduce that song in their Song Discovery program. I wished for him as I heard these kids belting it out. A season for a NEW anointing! Powerful words for these kids in this time in their lives.

And every time we sing Shout Hallelujah, I think about the night in the studio when Randy Gill introduced us to that song. It's one of my favorites! I love how Randy has helped shape the worship vocabulary within our tribe and beyond.

One of the MOST bizarre things is how songs take on a life of their own. I stood there as the students sang these songs and listened as the girls all sang the adlib parts by memory...parts that my wife Sheryl, Jason McArthur, Zach Wilson and others made up while we were in the studio. I listened as the tenors soared on parts in "Salvation Belongs to Our God" and "Worthy is the Lamb" and remembered how the tenors and altos haggled (a serious ZOE tradition) in the studio over who would sing which part. The tenors always want to sing the alto parts. HA! And those students were just belting it out. There were no screens....no lyrics...they just all knew them by heart. It was so incredibly moving. I just cannot express how full my heart was that night.

I doubt most of these kids knew any of the background or history of these songs. I did some quick math in my head that night and realized that they were all 3 and 4 years old when the first ZOE CD came out. Talk about a fossilizing moment!! What they WERE thinking about was worship. They seemed to be transported right into the throne room of God. And, after all, THAT is what it's about.

I walked away that night thinking about my ZOE family...all the experiences, the journey, the laughter and tears, the prayers....and I thanked God. It's in times like that when words completely fail you. But I know that in ways I cannot know, the Spirit was able to help me as I prayed. As we have said from the beginning in ZOE...there is only ONE audience and it's our Father. He is the Almighty, Abba, Alpha and Omega, King of kings and Lord of lords. His glory is above the heavens. What I saw Tuesday night was that His fame and glory were being celebrated in powerful ways. Hallelujah! May this generation take that to even higher heights! I want to be a part of THAT! We serve a mighty God! I stand in the shadow of the cross and feel so thankful that I have a hope in Him. Without Him, I am nothing. He gives Life. He takes my meager offering and makes it into something I could never imagine. He takes my brokenness and makes beauty from ashes. He loves beyond my wildest imagination. I want MORE of God and LESS of me! Praise God for his unfailing love!

ZOE on the Radio

ZOE fans...tomorrow on 95.9 fm "The Light" they will air "All Because Of Jesus" & "No Sweeter Name" by The Zoe Group. If you'd like to tune in via the web so to http://www.thelight959.com/ 

A CAPPELLA JUKEBOX is on every Saturday at 12:00 pm (eastern standard time)

Special thanks to Brian for highlighting ZOE!

Jason and Alisha McArthur Prepare for Maddox!

Tonight the ZOEs gathered with other friends to celebrate the anticipated arrival of Maddox McArthur. Jason and Alisha looked great and it was so fun to see them being showered with love and baby gifts! We can't wait to meet baby Maddox!

David England, Amy Westerman, Karin Hensley, me, Jason McArthur, Alisha McArthur, Sheryl Thomas, Melissa Kirby

ZOE in Conroe

Come join us this weekend as ZOE travels to the greater Houston area. We'll be at Conroe Church of Christ on Saturday and Sunday. Hope to see you there!

(thanks to Marc Kondrup for this art work!)

Where Joy and Sorrow Meet

It's Saturday of Holy Week...the place of waiting, wondering, doubting, hoping, watching. Where is resurrection? Where is the promise? Is He who He said He was? Sorrow...joy. These emotions living in tension.

There is a place where hope remains
In crowns of thorns and crimson stains
And tears that fall on Jesus' feet
Where joy and sorrow meet.

ZOE in Midland, TX

Our weekend in Midland was great. Thank you to Marc Kondrup for these great pictures!

Part of the afternoon was spent teaching new music in sectionals. The basses look particularly excited here. :)

Saturday we led a night of worship for Golf Course Road

We all shared in a very powerful time of family communion. Families and friends went together to different communion stations around the sanctuary and shared the supper together in true fellowship.

Sunday morning we led worship at Golf Course Road along with their team

The ZOE Group, the team from Southwest in Amarillo and the team from Golf Course Road in Midland.

Thank you again to all who made our weekend such a blessing!

Midland, TX

ZOE is heading to Midland, TX tomorrow to sing. We'll be singing Saturday night at 7pm and then for both services Sunday Morning at the Golf Course Road Church of Christ. Join us if you're anywhere near.

I am looking forward to seeing all our Midland buddies! Sheryl and I are staying with Tod and Lee Ann Brown--long time friends (Lee Ann is Stephen Bailey's sister). We'll hopefully get to see Alan and Holly Brown too. A big thanks goes out to Kent Rogers, Marc Kondrup and Charlton Taylor for all the pre-planning and leg work. We're really looking forward to being with you all.

ZOE's version of "You Were There" I've always loved Sheryl's voice on this. It's especially fitting for this season of Lent and upcoming Holy week. We'll be doing a special Palm Sunday worship service in Midland, TX next weekend. March 27-28

Nuggets

There've been a few nuggets over the past few days...

Recently I've had the sweetest series of bed time discussions with my 7 year old daughter Ella.
She was struggling with some things and I told her the other night..."Ella, God loves you. And you know what? He doesn't love you because you're mine...when He looks at you He says-'See that girl? I am CRAZY about her because she belongs to me.' He knows exactly how your brain works. He knows exactly how your heart is put together and how you think and every feeling you have and He's crazy about you. He knows what makes you tick. He knows what makes you mad. He loves you when you mess up. He loves you when you do great things. He loves you and feels jealous and protective of you. You are uniquely created and He loves every part--inside and out."

She beamed. Then she began asking questions like, "How can God be so many different places at once? How can He be in your heart, mommy's heart, my heart...? Is it sort of like a reflection? Like God's reflection in all of us?"

I took a second to gather my jaw off the ground and then I told her that was a very, VERY good question. I did my best to explain omnipresence and we talked a lot about the Holy Spirit. Very precious discussion.

Then Ella asked, "Daddy, how do we know the Bible is from God? I mean it's not like he just rained down Bibles on everyone."

Wow. I told her what I believe about it and about the Holy Spirit's involvement.

Ella said, "Daddy, how do you know when God is speaking to your heart?"

I told her that it's something that we work on our entire lives. Sometimes for me it means being still and meditating or dedicating time to listen or journal. Ultimately, the best teacher of how to hear God is God himself. We agreed to pray together every day that God would teach us how to hear His voice and listen for Him. Needless to say...I walked out of her room that night and went back to my bed and quietly sobbed. Precious, precious moments that last a lifetime.

I don't want my kids to think there's an answer for everything. There's not. I say, "I don't know" a LOT. We talk about stuff and agree to think about it pray about it. I think God works in that open space...much more than he does our black and white theological safety nets.

In other Thomas news, Sam got a Webkinz dinosaur for Christmas which he as now appropriately named "Dino"..."Dino Scott Thomas". Sam is a little bundle of joy. Somehow he wakes up every morning and springs out of a bed with his classic smile. WHOSE CHILD ARE YOU??

We had a major ZOE Group meeting yesterday. Visioning, future, trouble-shooting, relationship building...it was a long day but needed and very valuable. We've all been on this journey together since 1996. That's a long time. God has blessed us and we pray that our vision and plans be lost in His will.

The ZOE team will be doing several worship weekends this year. If you're interested in booking us to come, please contact me at zoebst@gmail.com . So far we have Midland, Malibu, Athens Alabama, Houston, and Tyler on the books.

I haven't said it in a while, but I want you to know I'm thankful for you. Thank you for stopping by my blog and reading. I pray that today you would feel refreshed by the Lord's presence.

ZOE Conference 2009 "Inside Out"

I made it home from the NCL Spirit (I will post some pics and video later from that trip). I came back just in time to finish out the 2009 ZOE Conference. Friday night we had several families over for dinner. It's always such a great time to see special friends.


Two of my very best friends and our sons...Peter and Brayden, Sam and me, and Josh and Noah.

Baby Brayden and Lindsey

Pete and Sam

Maddie and Brayden (the kids were enthralled with Brayden)

Philp Organ, Kevin Penna and Peter Wilson...waiting to sing with ZOE at the conference

Amy Westerman and Karin Hensley preparing to sing with ZOE

Greg Taylor served as the MC for the weekend at ZOE

Josh captivated the audience yesterday afternoon. I love his heart. He's a good man and a good friend. I've learned a lot from Josh.

Rich Smith teaching at the ZOE conference

After the conference, we went out to celebrate. There's a new Texas BBQ place in Brentwood called Judge Beans. INCREDIBLE!! It was like a little piece of home in Tennessee. I've lived here 14 years but still consider TX home.

Family! Zach, Peter and Lindsey, Sheryl and me, Taylor and Bruce

Ella really loved holding Brayden. She loves babies but really LOVED Brayden.

Peter and Sam.

Bruce and Taylor stayed with us for the weekend along with Sam and Scott Souder. I didn't get any pictures with Sam and Scott. It was so awesome having all of them in our home.

This morning we stayed in and had our own devotional here with The Morgans, Wilsons, and Souders. It was a very special time. Afterwards, Taylor made the most incredible breakfast. I am so grateful for them and how they've blessed our lives over the years.




Bruce and Taylor are so great with our kids. Bruce won them over a couple of years ago when we were all at the beach together in Malibu. Bruce helped them rehearse for an afternoon "show". The kids ate up every second of it.

Sam made up the words to this one. He likes to sing it...a LOT. It is the song that never ends....yes it goes on and on my friends...!

Though I missed most of the weekend, I was so thrilled to get some time with all those who were here for ZOE and to get to worship with everyone at in the Saturday sessions. It was a great day! I am exhausted this afternoon and ready for a looooooong nap. I have a lot to process from the weekend and a LOT to be thankful for!

To everyone who came to the conference--God bless your travels home. Hope to see you next year!

ZOE Project Almost Complete!

Here's a picture of ZOE with Randy Gill out at First Avenue Sound in Franklin. It's been a good recording process and I am looking forward to the mixing process so I can hear everything we've done and start mixing it!

Sheryl and Randy ended up co-writing a song together. It's great too! YAY, Sheryl!!

This is a Chris Lindsey original..."We Believe". I love Chris and really appreciate his gifts. I'm so glad his song is on this project!

11 Songs MOSTLY Done

Last night we had a great but LONG night in the studio. We did the "re-do" on "Hallelujah, We Will Sing" and recorded most of "Amazed". I absolutely LOVE this song. I've been wanting to put it on a ZOE record for a couple of years. Thanks to D.J. Bulls, we finally got an arrangement that I liked and that works really well for us. Sheryl has a solo at the beginning but for last night I laid down the scratch pass. So, what you'll hear in this first one is a faint scratch vocal solo and then the group. The second video clip is after we added the trio on top of the group vocals. Seriously, I cannot express how much I love this song. It's probably my new favorite. I have always loved the lyric and I love the soothing nature of the melody. It's one of those songs that just takes me there in heart.

beginning with scratch vocals

with added trio vocals....

I was holding up the phone to let DJ hear how his arrangement turned out. He really did a great job! Thanks, DJ!

Tonight we will record "Breath of Grace" and a song that Sheryl and Randy co-wrote. :)

10 Songs Done

Well...we're now 10 songs into our recording project and sufficiently exhausted. Last night was a bit rough. But, we recovered tonight and are back on track! We also celebrated Peter and Lindsey's baby...only a few weeks from being born. I like to call him "Foncho" Wilson. :)

"I Will Rise"

"Hallelujah, We Will Sing"

8 Songs Down

We had a good night in the studio again tonight. We got two more songs MOSTLY done. Later this week we are adding all the ZOE kids to one of the songs we've done. We're probably insane for even considering it, but it will be fun!

Here are a couple of samples...

Jesus Messiah

All Because of Jesus

Inside Out

We've gotten 6 songs MOSTLY completed on the new ZOE record. Tonight Jason McArthur was back with us (seen being his goofy self in the second video down there). It was old home night. Loved it! I tweaked my back a month or so ago and have gotten to a place of incredible pain this week. Tonight was almost unbearable...but having Jason there made me laugh and helped me not think about it as much. Jason and I go back to ACU days. Waaaay before he was a big-wig Vice President of A&R for a record label. I have stories. But, in the interest of friendship and time, I'll save those. :)

Here's a little sample of the latest...



Michael W. Smith's "A New Hallelujah"

"From the Inside Out" (the title cut from this CD)

CMA Fest with Reba / ZOE Recording

Today was the big CMA Fest opening. The booth looked great! Reba (who is new to Big Machine Records this year) came and signed autographs for the first time in 12 years. She had a huge number of fans show up. She was very nice and personable. Thanks again to Justin McIntosh for allowing me to partner with him on designing the booth.

Reba McIntire

She's seriously like Benjamin Button...she seems to just get younger!

In other news, ZOE began recording this week. We've been doing this now for 12 years. Sheesh! It's so fun being together again and we just seem to all fit together like a hand in a glove. We've gotten 4 songs recorded so far...

Kevin Penna, Peter Wilson and me

Amy Westerman and Karin Hensley

Here's a little taste of "No Other Name". This was our first hearing of what we'd done...it's very raw and still has some parts missing, but is sounding good so far! David England completely cracked me up in this video clip.

Here's a little sample of a song called "Speak O Lord".

Team Hoyt

Amy Westerman sent us a message last night after finding a random YouTube posting of the Team Hoyt video with our (ZOE's) version of "Redeemer". The song was edited some by whomever made it but still sounds good. This YouTube video has been viewed almost 5 MILLION times. That is crazy!! Thought I would share the link with you guys...

My blogger isn't working well today and it's not letting me give you a link...but if you select and copy paste this it will take you to the video... OR, I've added a link to it under my favorite sites if you want to just click that...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJMbk9dtpdY