What I Feel Is Missing From “Corporate Worship” & What I’m Going To Do About It In 2019…

I want to be a part of bringing some things back to “The Christian Worship Experience” that my wife and I both have seen are missing…

I saw a vision in my mind of a puzzle with missing pieces…

The reality is, the “main stream worship experience” is often missing and lacking in expressions that we can find in the word of God.

The “corporate worship model” does not usual make room for those in attendance to release a “new song” or a “prophetic word of knowledge.”

The direction I am heading is to not speak ill of the corporate model, but to supplement the common corporate experience with ALTERNATIVE VENUES THAT LEND TOWARDS EXPANDED EXPRESSIONS AND PRACTICES IN WORSHIP… Some being spontaneous singing (the new song), the song of the Lord (prophetic word through song), word of knowledge and other gifts of the spirit, prophecy, scripture reading and prayers… Realize that I just listed 5 biblical, first-century New Testament Church practices that you won’t often find during Sunday morning services…

There is a NEED for venues and events that are purposed for these expressions to come forth…

So 2019 is going to be a progressive journey towards BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE LIVING ROOM OR BRINGING THE LIVING ROOM TO THEM… Events from homes to churches where an “open-mic policy” will be in play… Where WORSHIP LEADERS become FACILITATORS FOR WORSHIP… I’ve been doing this for years here and there but 2019 is the year where I feel I MUST NOT ONLY create venues and events but to TEACH & SHARE regarding BIBLICAL WORSHIP PRACTICES that will be lost in the next generation if we don’t pass them on… If we only focus on the corporate model of singing songs alone…

SOUNDS FROM THE LIVING ROOM will be a new theme of mine moving forward… The sounds of spontaneity and one-anothering edification rising from the CHURCH!

I’m excited to be a part and to share more moving forward… Jason

ANNOUNCING my journey to becoming a Certified Healthcare Musician

THE ANNOUNCEMENT: I am currently a student CHCM (Certified Healthcare Musician). I am enrolled in a certification program that, when completed, will enable me, as a professional therapeutic musician, to play in any number of healthcare facilities in order to positively influence the atmosphere. This certification will also enhance and bring even more credibility to the various non-healthcare venues of music that I have and will continue to release via healing, contemplative and inspirational music.

Finding the right program has taken months, but this search has finally led to me discover what I’ve enrolled in and already begun study in. This program is accredited through the National Standards Board for Therapeutic Musicians (NSBTM) which consists of leaders in the therapeutic music field who have joined together to develop and maintain standards for therapeutic musician training programs and their graduates.

http://www.nsbtm.org/ 

The program is based on scientific studies of the effect of sound, avoids mysticism and speculation, and is compatible with Judeo-Christian beliefs.

WHY AM I SEEKING CERTIFICATION AS A PROFESSIONAL CERTIFIED HEALTHCARE MUSICIAN?

I’ve played music publicly in many various venues since beginning music in 1998. I’ve played for various sized crowds, leading worship songs. I’ve played for many hours in prayer rooms. And, I’ve played in small venues like coffee shops, living rooms, church staff rooms, retreats and even business board rooms.

The desire to seek this increased education and certification really stems from what I have personally ALREADY SEEN occur in these venues when I was able to release music in a way that brought relaxation, peace, inspiration, contemplation and healing to those in attendance. I’ve seen what music can do. I’m seeking these credentials in order to help create more scenarios like I’ve seen and to open others eyes to the awareness of and the validity of the power of music played and released with this intent as opposed to entertainment or as a backdrop for our expression.

If you asked me, “What scenario would you most like to release music in?”, I would immediately bring up the biblical account of David playing for Saul. It records that when David would play, Saul would be at ease. We often think music changes the atmosphere. The reality is, music changes US. I most identify as a musician with David in this scenario.

My desire is to begin creating more venues for this form of musical release, not only in medical environments, but in homes, corporate offices, churches and more. The reality is that venues for this type of musical release ARE NOT MAINSTREAM. What this means is that I can’t go down to the local coffee shop to release music this way. I can’t go on staff at a church to release music this way. What I have had to do, and will continue to pioneer, is to simultaneously create the venues for the release of therapeutic music as I also pioneer this intentional style and release of music.

In a culture where most attendees of a musical venue would either feel the desire to be entertained or participatory, therapeutic music venues allow for those in attendance to be released from these cultural practices to relax… to just be… to receive.

In summary of my intent for this certification, my desire is to open up the awareness of the potential that music holds, that it’s much more vast than what our current culture lends itself to. For those who would possibly question my own personal beliefs and 15+ years of study & experience regarding the connection between science, spirituality and sound, I’m excited to bring increased validity to my beliefs and future musical practices by joining forces with the National Standards Board for Therapeutic Musicians.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Along with playing in medical environments, I’m excited to expand the practice of and frequency of playing music in homes for one-on-one sessions and group sessions, house concerts, business board meetings, church staff meetings, re-creational retreats, prayer meetings and more.

There is a large difference between saying the music CURES versus saying the music HEALS.

YOU WILL NEVER HEAR ME SAY THAT MUSIC CURES ANYTHING.

The terminology “cure” and “curing” belongs solely in the medical profession only.

HEALING, on the other hand, has to do with physical, emotional and spiritual alignment.   I literally believe that God has gifted me as a “musical chiropractor.” After an hour of music with me, you will feel aligned, tuned in, inspired and re-created.

The evidence and reality that music heals is biblical, scientific and medical. As a Christian, I am also excited about expanding the mindsets of Western Christians, in particular, to these truths and practices.

I look forward to what the future holds.

Jason Heilman

Modern Day Minstrel

Future Certified Healthcare Musician

Why House Concerts/Alternative Venues for Heilman Ministries in 2012… and beyond…

(Written December 10, 2011)

 Last night, I went to a house concert in Dallas, TX played by a long-time friend of mine. It was incredible for a number of reasons. One, the location: I loved walking up the creaky stairs of the old building venue to apartment H. Others: I enjoyed walking in to a room full of people, sitting down on the big chair I shared with my wife, eating gluten-free cupcakes while sipping on a choice beverage as my friend released his songs and sounds over the course of the next hour and a half. I was refreshed, recreated and inspired.

One of the reasons I went was to observe; to investigate how he went about things during the entire evening. Why? Because God is speaking to me to begin doing the same thing, but in a little bit different way…

For about a decade now I’ve been traveling all over the USA, and even into some other nations, playing music at conferences, events, church meetings, etc… I’ve led for 10,000 as well as for 100. I’ve loved doing this and I will continue to do this… But there is something God is stirring in me for house concerts as well as other alternative meeting venues…

In my book, I share about a couple of times when I, my wife and our team had played in a living room, business office or similar venue. There was a dynamic in that small venue that lent itself towards a very fruitful time of refreshing, prophetic ministry. This is the kind of ministry we feel we are most called to. In fact, my latest CD “I Can’t Wear This Armor”, was recorded live in a living room with about 30 people. My favorite parts on that CD are the times when you hear the crowd of people releasing their songs… So basically, going forward, we are feeling led towards creating & ministering through venues like this on a more consistent basis.

My friend, whose house show we went to, has recently been on a 15,000 mile national house concert tour through which he’s been able to hold dozens and dozens of gatherings in only a few months time. The fact that he holds his gatherings in homes opens up a broader opportunity to release his music versus if he looked only to clubs… In a similar way, I feel led to do the same. Rather than only look to opportunities in churches, I see such vast opportunities to be able to create musical/moving/art ministry venues through alternative opportunities…

Often, I meet people (who are not necessarily in local church leadership) that love our ministry, love what we do and would desire to have us minister in their “neck of the woods.” Rather than only look for church venues to release our ministry, I believe it’s time to simply create other ways by which we can travel and do what we do through alternative venues.

Another thing I look forward to is the relational aspect of these venues. Conversely, over the course of a year, we held meetings in a local house of prayer on a monthly basis. When 20 people showed up in a room that could seat 150, it felt a little distant. Take those same 20 into a home, and you’ll have a different experience. So the Lord spoke and said, “Jason, you’re doing the right thing but you need to shift the venue.” As I sought God on what He meant, I felt impressed to no longer try to host meetings on my own at a “neutral location”, but to work with hosts who would be willing to help coordinate venues for the release of the ministry God has called us to.

That made me really excited. House concerts, and venues like it, allow me to work with a host or co-hosts that will invite and help spread the word to others. It becomes more personal. We hang out before the meeting starts, we eat & drink, I read a little excerpt from my book and then we engage into the Presence through music, dance and the arts in a unique, warm setting. That sounds really good to me! Picture yourself sitting back in your recliner, listening to a beautiful piano/strings medley while my wife dances the heart of God amidst the soft sound of a worship artist’s brush strokes on their canvas… You were made to sit back, drink a beverage, relax and release your worship sounds in an atmosphere of God’s presence like that. That’s my calling, to create that place for people and I want to do this now more than ever before.

I’m not going to quit ministering in churches or conferences. I just feel that God is emphasizing this type of venue for us and our ministry. I’m really excited about it, and I hope you are to. Right now I am booking the 2012 Potential of God’s Presence Book/Worship Tour, and I hope you’d be interested in hosting whether you are the pastor of a church of 1,000 to the owner of a living room with a couch, a few chairs and an electrical outlet.

This writing/blog was meant to be a little intro into my heart on all this, but I have more detailed info for those willing to consider hosting us. I hope to be in touch with you soon.

(For more info please email us at contact@jasonheilman.com)

Jason Heilman

 p.s. – CD Project: We plan to record many of our upcoming house concerts for the purpose of creating a compilation album filled with the best moments from these gatherings… 

Examples of House Concerts & Alternative Ministry Venues via Heilman Ministries

I’m releasing this part of my upcoming book to give more context to some of the things that we have experienced during prophetic ministry in small, alternative venues as mentioned in yesterday’s blog post… enjoy

From Chapter 7 of The Potential of God’s Presence

Sub-Chapter: Walking In the Word

After you receive a word from the Lord, and after waiting for what can be years of standing on that word in prayer, there will come a time for a breakthrough. There will come a time when what you’ve been believing for manifests itself on the earth. It is a time of excitement and joy. It is also, oftentimes, just another beginning. Since entering the public realm of music ministry, I have ministered through music in many ways. I have played for hours in various worship and intercessory ministries. I have led corporate worship gatherings for both my home church and while traveling throughout the United States in conferences and meetings. I have taken teams to the nations and done exactly what I saw in my spirit back in school when I told others that I would have a prophetic team of artists that would travel to the nations. At this time, with all of the ministry that I, my wife and those that joined us have done, I believe we are only standing on the precipice of what the Lord is going to do.

During the summer of 2007, my wife and I led a team of musicians on a month-long tour through The Czech Republic and the UK. During this excursion, I began to notice a trend consistently occurring through our ministry. We seemed to be carrying an anointing that would produce atmospheres of rejuvenation and refreshing for others wherever we would go. I recall one such time of ministry that took place in the home of our hosts in Prague. I felt led to get the band together and we had the entire ministry leadership team from Prague sit down on couches in the living room. We then began to just play and sing over them for over an hour. It was a refreshing time for the team from Prague, and I felt so honored to be able to minister to them in that way. One of the things I thought after this was, “I wonder how often this team of leaders actually receives ministry like this.” I knew for a fact that it was not very often, if at all. I also began to feel, through that experience, that to minister in that way as musicians was something that needed to become increasingly prevalent in the entire Body of Christ, not just in our ministry.

During the summer of 2008, we again were out ministering, this time in Honolulu, HI. (No “suffering for Jesus” jokes, please.) Our team had been ministering at a mission located in the area of the city known as China Town. Over the course of that week, we had ministered to people who came in off the streets. It was a great time, and we really bonded with the team that actually ran the ministry. I was impressed by the Lord that our team needed to gather the team from the mission into the office there so that we could minister to them. This team from the mission was amazing. Many of them were formerly in similar situations to those that they ministered to. By the grace of God, they were now at a place in their lives where they could minister to others. Over the course of the week, we saw how they poured out their lives to serve these people. This team ministered there week after week, some for years, and I knew they needed a time of encouragement.

I asked the leader of the ministry if we could get everybody up to the office. When everybody was there, we began to play music and sing over them. The prophetic unction began to well up inside of me and in others on our team. We began to sing songs of encouragement over the workers. My wife began to dance around some of the women on the team and tears began to stream down their faces. We laid hands on the men and encouraged them as brothers in Christ. Many of the mission team had never experienced anything like this. Again, I felt honored to encourage such laborers in the Kingdom of God. To be honest, almost anyone can come in for a week and minister at a mission like we did. But these were the dedicated ones who poured years of their lives into the ministry. We were able to strengthen and encourage them in what they were doing for the Lord.

The foundation of the prophetic ministry is to comfort, encourage and exhort others in the word of the Lord. There are so many teams of people like the leadership team in Prague, or the mission team in Honolulu’s China Town that need encouragement along the way. I began to realize that a major part of our minstrel’s calling was to use our gifts to encourage and strengthen others in the presence and word of the Lord. I figured that if I could not stay in a geographical location to make a long-time impact, the next best thing would be to strengthen those that could and that were.

Second Corinthians 1:3–4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” God had brought a team of prophetic minstrels into that mission to pass on the encouragement that God had placed in us to give. The cycle continued that next day when that team passed it on to those that came in for a meal. And we believe that the cycle will continue, as those men and women come from the streets of China Town to the place where they will be set free to minister to others in the way that they were ministered to.

It had been ten years since that spring night at Christ for the Nations when I first heard the calling to the minstrel’s anointing. In those years, I had ministered through music in churches, conferences and as a part of missions teams all across the United States and through the nations of the earth. But it had only been in the last few summers of mission tours that I really felt like I was tapping into the true minstrel’s calling and anointing. In that living room in Prague and that office in Honolulu’s China Town, we were able to freely flow in that calling and anointing.

I believe that in order to see the minstrel’s anointing flow, there are certain conditions that need to be in place. These conditions involve a venue for release, an informed and expectant people and an anointed minister or ministry team. When we ministered to the mission team in China Town, we had the venue of the mission office. We had a place set apart for us to be able to freely flow the way the Lord wanted to flow through us. We also had a group of people who understood how we were about to minister and had their expectations set to be ministered to in a prophetic way. We told them that we were going to play our instruments to create an atmosphere conducive to the moving of the prophetic. They sat in chairs, closed their eyes and prepared their hearts for what was coming. They received from the ministry because they expected to. And, obviously, we were the team ready to minister.

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