It's been overstated that the purpose of our lives is to "worship God". Being a worship leader I believe that my job is to create the best opportunity for people to enter into worship. I think most of our life can be reduced to creating or taking opportunities...

Friday, October 06, 2006

An Unbeliever's Guide to God

I must confess that I'm an impressionable person. I'm a salesman, by trade and by heart. I love to influence, and honestly, I love to be influenced. I don't know that I'm the guy that people call for ideas, but if you come up with an idea that I can get behind, I'll sell your idea.

I've never come up with, or thought through anything new on my own, for all Truth is God's Truth and already exists. As Rob Bell puts it in his book, "Velvet Elvis," our job as Christians is to go through the world pointing out the truth of God. Our job is not to be right. When we become "right" we are separated from those we see as "wrong". John Fisher says that Jesus never sees the world as "wrong" so much as he sees it as "lost." What a great way to put our job in reaching the world.

Today I had a great, and revealing, conversation with a girl at work. She and I were talking about different kinds of churches and denominations. She mentioned that her husband doesn't like churches that are too "evangelical." I asked her to explain what she meant, and she said that he doesn't like it when he feels like the church is "pointing it's finger at him." Wouldn't it change the world forever if Christians put the fully-loaded pointer finger back in the holster and opted to bring light to the presence of God in the world instead. Our job is not to be right, but to declare the Glory of God. To point out His acts of power, provision, artistry, healing, compassion and the like.

So what does this have to do with my influence? Again, I love to influence and be influenced. But I really have to be careful not to see God in this world through my eyes and proclaim that as the only truth, like somehow I've figured it out. You see, we all see the world differently, but that makes us the same. We all have different ways of finding God in the world. Instead of pointing a finger at an unbeliever, condemning their sin, howabout digging into their soul to find out how they think God speaks to them? You never know what your influence might teach you about the Truth of God in the world.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Don't Step on a Crack, You'll Break Your Momma's Back!!

When I was a kid, I would sing dumb little lines like this one over an over again. It was fun though, to try to walk all the way home from the bus stop, not stepping on one crack. As hard as it was, there were times that I was sure that something bad would happen to my mom if I failed her! I'm not sure that I ever did it successfully, not necessarily that I stepped on a crack, I probably just let my ADD mind get distracted again... And don't worry, my mom's okay! She is probably seeking medical treatment, but more from what I put her through growing up than from back pain!

I have been reading a lot of Old Testament passages lately about the lengths that the Levites(Old Testament Priests) would go through to get prepared to meet with God. God gave them, through Moses and Aaron, all kinds of regulations of how to keep themselves pure before coming to the temple. They were to wash in such a way, and wear certain clothes, and keep from touching certain things. All of these commandments were given to the people, in the words of God, "So that they will not die." Not, so that they will receive a blessing, or so that they'll be happy. "So that they will not die." God meant business!

The Levites took the presence of God so seriously that when the High Priest went into the Most Holy Place, he wore a rope around his ankle and bells on the bottom of his robe. That way, if for some reason, ANY reason, he wasn't completely cleansed, and his disobedience before God caused his death, the other priests could still retrieve the robe he wore without entering into the Most Holy Place themselves.

What reverence. Makes me think twice about coming to the presence of God with something against my Christian Brother, or unconfessed sin, or with a rebellious heart. You should also decide that before you come to the presence of God, you purify your sacrifice. Don't be haughty or hasty with the presence of God. Walk carefully into His presence. Don't step on a crack!

Monday, September 11, 2006

The Danger of Familiarity


Studies have shown that the greatest chance for you to get in an vehicle accident is within 2 miles of your house. That was true for me. September 13, 2003, we got in a nasty accident just a little over 1 mile from our house. This case happened not to be my fault, but the girl who did claim fault was less than 2 miles from home too.

When we're familiar, our guard is down. We'll watch our kids more closely in a new neighborhood than we would one we've lived in for years. We'll get out the map for navigation through a new town, but where we're familiar, we don't feel we need it. Am I the only one that feels uncomfortable doing regular grocery shopping in a store that is not the one I most frequent?

When it comes to the things of God, there is also a danger in familiarity. We get "used" to God revealing Himself a certain way. We get "familiar" with His grace. We become so knowledgable about the things of God that we lose the careful steps we took when we first believed.

God woke me up again this week. I love it. My last post was telling how God brought me through a valley in my life. Recently, I haven't been in a valley, so much as I have just been "familiar". God in a box. Cliche' Gospel. Same words, lost meaning.

The unfamiliar only comes as we make ourselves vulnerable. My first time in a new grocery store is uncomfortable because it's different than what I know. My first time through a town is the same way. When we read the bible, we ought to carefully digest each word, not rushing as though we know what God's message to our hearts is, but looking around every corner to see what might jump out. God's got new, fresh experience for each of us in His word. But only if we'll make ourselves vulnerable to venture into the unfamiliar.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Stay Straight By Being Steady

I feel like I'm coming out of a valley in my life. This last month has been a real struggle for me. I've been pretty discouraged, often down-in-the-dumps, and unmotivated(Some of you may talk to my wife, and she'll tell you that I'm often unmotivated!). It's wierd though. At first I tried to tell myself that there was nothing wrong. Then I tried to hide it from everyone. Then it got so bad that I almost couldn't get out of bed. There was one day I was laying in bed at 10:30am still trying to decided whether or not I should still go to work for the day! What happened to push me off this cliff?!!! I don't know. I will tell you the purpose I found in it though. But first, a bunnytrail...

Metronomes. They're God's gift to music. It can be very difficult to keep the speed of a song steady when playing it, so to keep time you can use a metronome. It's this little tool that just toggles back and forth to keep time. As long as you follow it, you know you will always stay on the course(speed) of the song. This picture is of an older model. They have newer ones that will blink a light, or beep, or play a variety of sounds. They're just great... As long as you follow it. It wouldn't matter if it beeped or buzzed on every beat if you didn't follow it.

Like I said, I tried to figure out what I did that sent me over the edge. Nothing. In fact I had been doing the same things that I thought I should. I had been reading my bible... It was just very dry. I was praying... It just felt worthless. I even would play my guitar and sing old and new songs to God... it just seemed as though the only one hearing were the dogs(and they hide when I get out the guitar!). Then, in the midst of all of my questions why, I read a quote from Charles Spurgeon. He said that there were valleys in his life that he was really discouraged. But those times were always followed by greater mountains than he had ever experienced. He said that the discouragement was there to do nothing but refine him. He said that in order for God to breathe new life, He had to kill off all that should be dead. I realized that God really has been opening up my eyes to the darkness inside me. Thus the dark days I have been in.

The true test is in the metronome though. Some people get to a dark valley and decided that they don't like it so they ought to make some changes. They might stop reading the Bible when they feel it of no more value than the morning paper. They might quit singing songs to God for fear of being fake. They might quit praying especially if they feel like no one's listening. But our determination and discipline in those times, I believe, determines the height of the next mountaintop.

The day after one of my darkest, I read Isaiah 40. I had to find it so that I could get some sort of encouragement. I discovered something. Some versions say, "Those that WAIT on the Lord shall renew their strength." I read the NIV that said, "Those that HOPE in the Lord shall renew their strength." So, "who cares?" you say? I read some footnotes in the study bible that said that if we wait on God as if there is no other solution that will prove fruitful, we will find our strength. If I hope in the Lord, believing that the only answer lies in Him, then I'll find my strength.

It's the metronome. I started my walk with God believing that He alone was the answer. So, I read my Bible to see what He has to say. I pray believing that He hears. And I sing believing that His presence dwells in my worship. When I'm down, nothing should change.

In the valleys that we'll all endure, the way out is perfectly straight. Keep the disciplines you knew when you first came to believe. God will speak. He just may want to see what kind of mountain you can handle!

Friday, July 07, 2006

What's the Cry Inside of You?


Today's post is not my own. A great friend of mine. Greg Lathe, writes a devotional everyday, and today's really captured my heart, and so I thought I would share.

The Prayer of... You
I Chronicles 4:5-5:17, Acts 25:1-27, Psalm 5:1-12, Proverbs 18:19

"Reading through the one year bible, I've been forging my way through the beginning of I Chronicles. It is easy for us to pass over these lists of names w/o meditating on what God can tell us through this section of scripture. One such profound thought that came through my mind was... "I wonder if they have alphabet dice and that's what they name their kids..."

Anyway, that's not where we're going today. I Chronicles 4:10 is the Prayer of Jabez. This has become a very well known scripture over the past number of years. Bruce Wilkinson wrote a book on it, there have been songs, etc.

In the middle of this genealogy, there's a pause. It's for a man named Jabez. "Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request."
Much of what I've heard regarding this prayer has to do with the content of the prayer, but the meditation today is, in the genealogies of heaven, what happens when it gets to your name? What is your prayer? What is your passion? What is your heart's desire?

It can be easy that our prayer is reactionary to the needs around us, "Lord, bless this food..." "Help me deal w/ my mother in law...." "Help me find a new job..." "Deliver me from this pimple the devil gave me..."

I'm challenged today to pray the prayer that marks my life. "Lord, this is my greatest desire... this is what consumes me.... Have your way..."
For each of us it will be different. It's not like there's a formula. It's about diving in with all our heart. It's about crying out. It's about getting to know God and let him have complete control. It's living in radical surrender.

As you cry out today, my it be like it was for Jabez, "And God granted his request."

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Now You See It, Now You Don't...


Were you ever amazed at the bunny and the magician's hat as a child? Maybe you're still amazed, and that's okay, the point is that we've all seen something dissapear right before our very eyes.

This past Sunday God reminded me of this principle of worship.

I looked out on the congregation from the platform and noticed key individuals that God used to paint a wonderful picture of worship for me.

I noticed a husband and wife surrounding each other with tears and passionate prayers because of a physical miracle that's needed.

Right in front of me I saw a very close, and very large family who together were mourning the lost of a dear family member.

Then I saw a newly married couple with their son who I know have recently considered divorce because of the intense struggle in their relationship.

And then, in the midst of all of that God put a song in my heart... "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

How is it that anyone can keep strength and peace of mind in the overwhelming trials of life? How is it that someone nearing a physical death could keep solitude and regular sanctuary? How is it that a death in a very close family brings that family closer together? How is it that a struggling couple find peace of mind and peace of future to continue to walk the less-traveled road to reconciliation?

Easy. Eyes focused on God. "...The things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." It really works. When we're looking up towards God, affirming all these things about Him and His character, the world really does dissappear.

Now you see it, now you don't.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Dagon Down!



Everyone on the blog, this is Dagon. Dagon, this is everyone on the blog.

Dagon is the greek god of vegetation. He is the god that the Philistines worshipped. I read yesterday a little bit about him and thought I would share.

1 Samuel, chapter 5, tells us a really funny story, if you ask me. You see, the Philistines came and stole the Ark of the Covenant. In my translation(NLT) it calls the ark the Ark of God. The Ark of God was the place that the presence of God dwelled with the Israelites. Inside were several articles that were special to the Israelites, but above the Ark is where to find the presence of God. No one was to touch the Ark. Only the highest priests were even able to look behind the curtain at it, and only if they'd gone through the ceremonial cleansing first. And the people of God new His presence. They didn't mess around. One time a well-intentioned guy was helping carry the Ark as it began to fall. He lunged towards the bottom corner so that it would not hit the ground and he died instantly. Moral of this story: don't play around with the Glory of God! Right?!

Well, let's get back to Dagon... The Philistines steal the Ark. They're proudly marching back from battle with the Ark in view and parade it into the Temple of Dagon(sounds like Indiana Jones). They set the Ark down right beside and idol of Dagon(see picture above). Then, they left to celebrate their victory. "When the citizens of Ashdod went to see it the next morning, Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord! So the took Dagon and put him in his place again. But the next morning, the same thing happened--Dagon had fallen face-down before the Ark of the Lord again!" That time his hands and head broke off! Chapter 6, verse 20 sums it up, "Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this Holy God?" The next verse basically said that the Philistines couldn't get rid of the Ark quick enough. How funny...

Samuel had to tell all the Philistines to get rid of all of their idols, and obey only the Lord(7:3). We ought to too. This week I'm in Illinois for work and I had thought that this would be a good spiritual week for me to set apart my mind from the normal distractions I have in Milwaukee. It really has served as an opportunity for God to let me know of the other gods in my life. It's just as hard, maybe even harder to prioritize my time with God, even though I have more time. I idol position at work, time with friends, leadership books, and phone calls to my wife. All those things are good, but stood up against the presence of God, they will fall face-down. My life(and yours) ought to be based in the presence of God--we always say to have God as the foundation. Instead of making God a part of my life, I ought to make Him my life, and have all these other things be extras.

Learn from Dagon. If you don't get rid of your idols, they'll eventually fall face-down.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Watch Your Step!

A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. He later received in the mail a ticket for $40, and a photo of his car.
Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40.
Several days later, he received a letter from the police department that contained another picture - of handcuffs.

Have you ever stuck your foot in your mouth? Recently, I made a comment to a guy who was gone from work for a day. He had called in sick, but I had heard my boss say that he wasn't really sick, he was just using a sick day's pay. When he returned to work the next day I decided I'd play around with him for a little bit. I asked him how sleeping in was, playing with the dog, and having a nice lunch with his wife. Then I called him lazy, because all the rest of us had to split up his work while he was out playing around that day(did I mention that it was almost 80 degrees and sunny?). I no sooner finished my jest, when he, with one sentence, humbled me. He mentioned that he was on his way to work in the morning when his wife called and told him that her mother was being rushed to the hospital for a heart-attack. He turned the car around to take care of her morning routine(getting the kids off to school, etc.) and then join her at the hospital. In fact, he only got 4 hours of sleep because they were at the hospital so late. Haha.

Micah 6:8 says that, "the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Proverbs 14:16 reminds, "The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with great confidence."

Walk carefully in the presence of God. He(God) told Moses that he(Moses) couldn't even look at God's face. It's so glorious. I think God's exhortation to Moses is a great lesson for us today. We ought to be cautious in the presence of God--Carefully considering our surroundings, carefully making moves, carefully thinking. I've been a fool that "plunged ahead with great confidence" before, and I've had to dust myself off from the fall several times too! But, the wise go forward carefully, not taking advantage of God's presence, but fearing His power and glory.

We don't need kneepads to brace for the fall. We just need to fear God, and consider His presence with care.

Monday, April 03, 2006

Student Worshipper

I hated school. I had to beg my highschool senior english teacher to pass me. It really is embarassing. I wish I would have been more disciplined in my schoolwork.

Even when I got to college I struggled with finishing my schoolwork. I hated research papers the most. I never felt like doing the research.

As my responsibilities increase, I'm always having to learn new things. It's a new perspective in sales, or maybe a new customer that I have to get to know. I'm always learning... How ironic.

Our Human Resources department told me one time that the reason that our company offers tuition reimbursement is because they had discovered that an employee that is challenged in His mind is much more productive in the job than an employee who is not.

I think the same thing about our focus and discipline in worship. Just like the last post where we realize that we ought to keep things "fresh", I think we need to take it to another level.

How do you keep things fresh? It's not just by singing new songs... It's not just by switching up the worship team, or changing the key of the song... As much as I hate to say it... the "freshness" comes with discipline. I hate to say it because I hate to do it. I just got done with a song that says "teach me to love your ways." Why? Because I really don't like God's ways sometimes. I'm not good at discipline. It hurts. It's really uncomfortable. But it's necessary.

Tonight I was with a friend who mentioned that he feels the best when he's worshipping. I'll help him expand on that. He feels best when he's surrendered. When he's obedient to the ways of God.

Aren't we all? You'd think so, but we live opposite our understanding then.

My suggestion is that we be student worshippers. Let's discover God daily in His word. Let's uncover the mystery of His faithfulness as we put our belief to action. If we believe that God is really in control, we ought to let Him reign there and not try to buck His authority when He wants to discipline us. It really is for our own good.

And in the end, we really will have learned more; and we'll have yet another revelation of God to respond to with worship.

Class dismissed!

Friday, March 31, 2006

So Fresh!


When I was a kid I was in love with the show, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire".

I thought the jokes were funny, my parents appreciated the cleanliness of the content, and I just liked it.

I recently got laughed at because I said something was "fresh"! It was as though I told them that something was groovy! (I remember a letter from my dad to my mom that said she was "groovy"(sorry dad). Every generation, and every individual has some word to replace my "fresh" and my dad's "groovy". Even though the word is different, the point is the same. It's not in the word, it's in the object of the word. Whatever I'm describing fits well, is new, is "happenin' ", it's FRESH.

Keeping worship FRESH does the same thing. When the opportunity for worship you present has something new and fresh in it, you're allowing whoever you're leading a new way to see God. A new way to respond. You're taking the "rad" and making it "tight." You're taking the "groovy" and making it "slammin." I was joking tonight with some guys about the Jamba Juice chain. I suggested that we should use "Jamba" as a new word like "cool". "Man that was Jamba." I know it sounds dumb, and I was making fun of the fact that these words do change quite a bit, but I think it's an important principle. After awhile, just like "cool", our words start to lose their meaning. It's not that the attitude of our hearts has changed, just the ability to describe our hearts to God. Our words get stale and we need something "Fresh".

So let's use slammin' new ways to convey the groovy passions we have in our sweet hearts to our radically cool God.

Tight.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

The Beauty of All That Sings

Casting Crowns recently("recently" being over a year ago) came out with a new Album titled "Lifesong." One thing I really appreciate about that album is that they thread the word "lifesong" through every track. At first I thought it was a really dumb way to make the name of the title track a "buzzword", but then I started to appreciate the message.

I've really been into writing songs these last 2 years. I've really come to enjoy the process; I really enjoy helping others in their process of writing. It's so interesting to listen to someone else's music, or plain old writing for that matter. Sometimes what you hear are the cries of the heart, the hurts of the past, the joy of life, and the praise of God. There's not too much that hasn't been written about, or sung about. The human mind has created and created and created for centuries.

The great thing about Casting Crown's "lifesong" is that it describes the reality of each person's song. We all have one. Sometimes it's majestic, sometimes it's quiet. Sometimes it's violent, and sometimes it's soothing. When Mark Hall(of Casting Crowns) sings, "let my lifesong sing to You...", he doesn't mean 'let me be singing all the time because that will Glorify You." That might be annoying! Instead it's "let everything that I do be as pleasing to you, like I'm living out a well-crafted song."

I heard someone say that Christians don't speak lies--We sing them. It's an easy thing to sing a song to God. Anyone can do it. And it's funny, well, not-so-funny, I guess, that people who refuse to sing to God with their lips do so in their hearts just like you and I do. It's a good thing that God doesn't tattoo an "explicit lyrics" warning on our foreheads when we screw up! Hopefully, the songs that we're all writing to God with our actions and obedience and surrender are songs that are a sweet sound in His ear. The "record" button of our worship to God is always on. And He's always listening.

The next time you find yourself in the valley, make sure that your song(actions) sing a line of beauty to God, dependence on Him, and quick obedience to His ways.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Who's got the golden ticket?

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory was a favorite movie of mine when I was younger. In fact, when I would go to my grandmother's house with my brothers, that was one of the only movies she had for us to watch.

The characters of the movie find "golden tickets" in their Wonka bars, which affords them a trip through the Wonka Chocolate factory. Through the movie, Willy Wonka gets frustrated with some of the characters. I'm thinking to myself, if you wanted them to behave differently, you would think that you would change the way you responded to them, or just made clearer expectations at the front of the tour...

I read an article from Matt Redman recently which stated some truths he learned as a young worship leader. He mentioned that when he was young, leading worship in the youth group, he remembered singing the song, "Isn't He Beautiful." He enjoyed the song, but was approached following a youth service by a fellow youth leader who made the challenge that it may be a little much to ask a physically and emotionally budding teenage boy to say that God is "beautiful." The point of his article was to consider the audience that we're presenting the opportunity to worship, and plan the service with them in mind.

Would certain songs be a better fit in an older crowd? Younger Crowd? Howabout other cultural differences? How would the decisions of our music selection change? Or would it change at all?

Simply said, Wonka could have made the tour more enjoyable for everyone had he been more clear and concise with his directions. We, as worship leaders, ought to be clear and concise with the opportunity we bring before people to enter into worship, but to do that effectively, we must consider our audience.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

The Corner of Surrender and Promise



Exodus was always one of the most fun books of the Bible to read because it has so many good familiar stories. The end of the book, however, seemed to be just a bunch of rules for the ancient Israelites, and completely worthless for today.

Until recently...

I read the One Year Bible everyday, and last month brought me to the book of Exodus again. I started to get bored with the lists of rules and specific guidelines God was giving the priests and almost tuned out. I'm glad God got my attention again.

God tells the line of Aaron(the priests) all of the specifications for how to build the temple. He goes into detail about the tables for incense, the number of eyelets on the wall panels, and the dress code for the temple. The last thing he describes is the Ark of the Covenant. He mentions that the Cherubim on top of the Ark cover are to be hammered from one piece of Gold. I thought that was pretty cool, but then I was overwhelmed with the next part. After all of these rules and guidelines, God says, "And THERE I will meet with you." (Exodus 30:6)

Where is it that God will meet with us? In a bunch of rules? No. In our surrender. In our obedience. God promises that He will inhabit the praise of His people. What is the highest form of worship to God? Obedience. Surrender. Giving up our natural inclinations to the flesh and seeking the Godly. To hear the voice of God and follow. The level of our surrender and alignment with the ways of God will determine the level of the revelation of God to us. Paul said, "He must increase, I must decrease."

God inhabits our emptiness. Once we let go, He fills up.

I know where to find God. It's the corner, where the surrender of my will, and God's promise to inhabit my worship, meet.

Monday, March 13, 2006

We Don't Get It!

A friend told me recently about his new job. He said, "I enjoy the work, but I hate working with 'stupid' people!" I think we've all been there--You know, the place where we "get it" and someone else doesn't. It's good to be "in the know," but it also requires some responsibility.

There have been many times when I didn't want to know something. Maybe it was some information which required some action. Sometimes it's knowledge about the "wise" way to handle a situation, even though it's more "pleasing" to handle it another way.

Last night I heard a young speaker named Matt Brown speak. With his message so fresh in my mind I remember much of it, but one thing stuck out to me. It was as though God, through the Holy Spirit, made special application of Matt's message to me. Let me explain the "light bulb" moment I had, by expanding on his original statement.

Philippians 2:10,11 says that, "in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." We've heard this before, that one day(presumably in heaven) that every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Matt said something though that brought new life into that statement for me. He that he believes that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord BECAUSE in that moment we will see Jesus! Could it be that the Glory of God will be what draws every human and all of creation to its knees? What a thought!

1 Corinthians 13:12 says, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I read a commentary about this verse that says that in Paul's day, the "dark glass" was really a mirror, which was a shined piece of metal. It never really gave you a clear picture.

I think this way about worship. I'm thankful for the ways which God has revealed Himself. BUT we only see through this glass darkly. In our tiny, miniscule, blip on the radar understanding of God, we worship fully, but only to the extent of our understanding. My worship is my response to God, and every day He reveals Himself more deeply as I dedicate myself to knowing Him.

There is coming(SOON!) a day when I will see Jesus FACE TO FACE! What a revelation! God told Moses that he wouldn't even be able to handle a glimpse of the Face of God. But I'm going to see Him FACE TO FACE! What will I do? I think I'll be impressed with myself if I'm able to stay at my knees and confess that Jesus is Lord. I think I might fall facedown and speechless!

1 Corinthians does say "Every knee." That means the unbeliever will also bow. Listen to this, from Matthew 24:30, "Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

A day of rejoicing for the found, a day of sorrow for the lost. BOTH will bow in reverence and confess Lordship at the FULL revelation of God.

Awesome.

Saturday, March 11, 2006

I'm a needy man!

I love getting new CD's. Things have been different this way since the creation of I-tunes where I can download a whole album of songs more inexpensively than buying the CD jacket. However, next to the music, I enjoy the CD jacket. I love to go to the back of the lyric sheet, past all the words laid out perfectly in form, to what's usually the last page. It's where the recognition section is. The "thanks to..." section. You know what I'm talking about. I love to read those because you get such a great idea of who the artist is from seeing who they recognize as an influence to their album and/or lives.

I'm all about accolades. I think it's great to be recognized. I love to aknowledge people and I love to be aknowledged.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:3 that, "blessed are those who know their need for God."

In January of 2005, I made a resolution to credit God with all the things that happen in my life. Whether or not I was successful is another story, but I intended that year that I needed God and I ought to give Him credit(worship Him) for all the things that happen in my life.

What an important attitude to have! Whether it's "God is blessing me with good things," or "God is trying to teach me through this trial," recognizing our need for God puts us in a "blessed" position. Jesus is the one that said that!

It's a "blessing" to know that God--the FAITHFUL, ALL-POWERFUL, ALL-KNOWING, Ruler over EVERYTHING--is the one that supplies for and satisfies my every need.

I'm blessed to worship God in the midst of my need.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

How Far Do You Swing?

When I was young I remember heading off to the park with my two brothers(I'm in the middle, you know). We enjoyed the park because once in a while there was a cute girl there, but most of the time we enjoyed the park because we liked to play on the playground equipment. My favorite Jungle Gym piece was the swings. I could say my favorite "is" the swings because I still really enjoy them. I just don't get to do it as much... anyways... I remember having competitions with my brothers on the swing sets. There was only one factor for who would win the competitions: whoever could swing the highest won. I don't recall if I was a regular winner, or if I just whined about losing. Nevertheless, I remember the competition.

Several years ago I led worship for a College-age Christian fellowship service where a missionary was invited to speak. I finished the worship set like I always did, she talked about whatever she talked about, and we all had a great night. If I'm sounding vague with the details, it's because I wasn't impacted much by the normal programming of the night. I don't remember so much as her name, but I'll never forget her exhortation. After the service was completed she told me that worship was nice, but I didn't mention the name of Jesus one time in any of the songs, nor did I say His name in prayer. She simply reminded, "If [worship] doesn't point to Jesus, what's the point?"

Today I passed a school while driving and noticed some kids on the playground dodging raindrops as they expelled their energy between classes. I saw two kids on swings. I was quickly reminded: Sometimes we get caught up in a lot of different things regarding the worship set. We consider style, theme, quality of musicianship, and dynamics. We're always trying to get "better." These are noble aspirations. However, I hope we never forget what our focus ought to be: "Jesus Christ and Him crucified"--I Corinthians 2:2. Just like the kids competing for the heights on the swings, their motion always comes back to the point of their pivot.

Jesus, Be the Center.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

The Opportunity Begins

Let's begin with a definition and some opening thoughts...

It’s all about the opportunity.
Worship leader(WL) job description, “The job of the worship leader is to create the best possible opportunity for someone to enter into worship by eliminating distractions and leading by example.”

It’s not about personal agenda.
Being elevated to a WL is being elevated to a greater servant.
There’s no room for personal agendas

Worship Leadership is more about who you are than what you do.Your ability to lead directly relates to your relationship with God when you’re not leading. The more you develop worship in the quiet of your relationship with God, the greater your ability to lead. The “revelation” or “conversation” between you and the Lord during a worship service you lead, will be more clear/less clear based on how you worship alone.

What's the song and dance about?
Leading people in worship can be really satisfying. It’s always great to see and hear the people of God turning their hearts towards Him in worship.
In our worship services, regardless of whether they are in a home, a smaller organization of believers for a meeting, or a regular service in the church, our job as WL’s is to fashion together a group of songs that create an attitude of worship that invokes a response to God from the people we’re leading.
As WL’s, your challenge is to go beyond meaningless recycling of your few favorite songs and creatively lead the congregation to respond to the truth of who God is in meaningful expressions of love, devotion, praise and obedience.
You may well spend more time up front in the meetings in which you lead and influence the tone of those meetings more than any other leadership role present for the same event. This is a large responsibility, which you must carry with integrity and a vision for the overall purpose of the church. Yours is a vital role so use it well!

Back to the heart of worship
We use the word worship in rather a narrow way today. The Bible sees worship as the response of every part of our lives to God. It embraces our relationships, our priorities, our work and our evangelism as well as the times when we meet together as God's people. It is important that we lead those times together in a way that makes this clear to people.
Our congregation is made up of people from many church backgrounds, or no church background, all of which creates a challenge towards brining people together in unity. It is vital to understand and make the most of this by using a whole range of musical styles and approaches within our meetings, rather than just trying to imitate your favorite worship leader or style of your favorite song. The aim of worship is to glorify God, not to try and 'make everyone else do it my way'.
Do keep in mind that there may be some people present who aren't yet Christians so there needs to be a simple consideration of the songs used and the implications of their words in light of the truth of the Gospel. Worship whets the appetite of the unbeliever. To see people rejoicing in God and declaring His Lordship is attractive to the unbeliever’s soul.
Worship in Spirit and in Truth.
Check through the words of your songs to see whether they will make sense to people (do they make sense to you?) and whether what they say is true to the gospel. Biblical worship is a response to truth so what we sing really matters.
When we lead worship in “truth” we are using the opportunity before us to teach the attributes of God. We also can teach healthy responses to the love of God. Since we can use worship to teach, we have the responsibility to make sure of the truth of what we’re leading.
When we lead worship in “spirit”, we’re just declaring and believing that as we worship God, it’s like a conversation where he speaks to our souls. Since God chooses to inhabit the praise of his people, then we have the responsibility to create the atmosphere where people can respond to the “spirit” of worship.

Singing to a different tune
It is tempting when you are up front to allow the focus of attention gradually to shift onto you and away from God. In our culture we’re used to worshipping human personalities and it is vital that we don't let this happen in Christian worship. Model leadership that is clear and Biblical but humble and self-effacing, with the focus firmly on God and not on you or the brilliance of the musicians. It is a great challenge but also a great opportunity for service to the Great Servant (Jesus) who was unconcerned about his personal status but who's character was second to none.