Likely the thing most crucial to our success in life (outside of God's will making you successful) is being prepared. I'll confess that I kind of like the rush of doing things last minute but that's probably one of my greatest weaknesses. It plays out in forgetting to do things related to my job and also in my spiritual life. Sometimes I think I let the thrill of working on the fly cover the reality that I should be prepared with prayer and time with God.
As I've spent the morning trying to prepare for a week of vacation it seems to me that one of my goals for 2009 should be to prepare more diligently - both in work tasks and my spiritual life. It's not that I don't prepare most of the time - I'm quite a bit more diligent and steady at spending time with God and administrative tasks than I ever have been and yet I know I could be better. So off with procrastinating and on with "the new self" :)
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Reframing New Year's Resolutions
I've never been a New Year's Resolver. In days gone by I've had a pretty low view of those who make NYR's. I believe this mostly comes from my experience with the kinds of resolutions people make and how often they are kept. I mean, hardly anyone makes them to begin with and those who do tend to stick with things like lose weight, exercise more, watch less TV or even the ever so nobel read my bible or pray more. Those resolutions are good ones to make but it seems to me that the percentage of people who keep their resolutions is about negative 10 to the ninth power. In other words, practically no one.
I think it's because we need to reframe NYR's. See, because so many people fail to take the resolutions seriously we fail to take them seriously - at least that's my theory. So my solution is to come up with a list of goals I want to accomplish in 2009. I know, I know - what's the difference? Nothing in reality. But practically sometimes renaming something flips a switch in our minds and gets us to think differently and act differently.
So, what about you? Are you a successful resolver or are you like me and need to reframe? Either way I've come to think that setting goals for your year is a really good thing. Its highly unlikely that you'll become the person you mean to become or more correctly the person God wants you to become if you don't spend some time thinking about what that looks like and how you're going to get there. Perhaps you could start with the traditional catergories: spiritual and physical. Set a goal for each of those and if you achieve them you'll be much better off at the end of 2009.
I think it's because we need to reframe NYR's. See, because so many people fail to take the resolutions seriously we fail to take them seriously - at least that's my theory. So my solution is to come up with a list of goals I want to accomplish in 2009. I know, I know - what's the difference? Nothing in reality. But practically sometimes renaming something flips a switch in our minds and gets us to think differently and act differently.
So, what about you? Are you a successful resolver or are you like me and need to reframe? Either way I've come to think that setting goals for your year is a really good thing. Its highly unlikely that you'll become the person you mean to become or more correctly the person God wants you to become if you don't spend some time thinking about what that looks like and how you're going to get there. Perhaps you could start with the traditional catergories: spiritual and physical. Set a goal for each of those and if you achieve them you'll be much better off at the end of 2009.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Submit to your leaders...no matter how far away they live
Yesterday at WLA Mike preached a sermon on New Year's Resolution and suggested three people that you might want to study/emulate this year in an effort to move your life closer to what God would want for you. I think this can be a really way to conform your life to the image God has in mind for you. The Bible makes it clear that this is something we should do:
"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith."
Our world is so small now. The internet makes it easy for us to have spiritual leaders who impact us greatly but live thousands of miles away. I'd like to share with you the top four distance leaders in my life this year and hope that these men would inspire, challenge and encourage you this year.
1) Erwin McManus: Erwin is lead pastor and "cultural architect" (love that title) at Mosaic in Los Angeles. I love Erwin's passion for challenging us to become and influencer of culture and to become all that we can be in Christ.
2) Francis Chan: I first got to hear Francis speak at the Willow Arts Conference this past June. His message touched me deeply. I bought his book Crazy Love immediately. It's a call for us to consider Christ's radical call to love people with everything we have as more than metaphor. To take it literally. Beware... this book WILL mess you up.
3) Mark Driscoll: Mark is reformed theology for the postmodern man. He has much to read and emulate but recently he did a sermon series on Song of Solomon called "The Peasant Princess". This series on marriage as God intended should be required viewing (available through iTunes under Mars Hill's video podcast) for everyone thinking of ever getting married. Honestly, that's not hyperbole - the advice throughout that series has changed my marriage in ways that I could never thank Mark enough for.
4) Andy Stanley: the son of Charles Stanley continues to do his name sake proud. I think Andy is putting out leadership material as awesome as Willow was putting out in the mid 90's. Any book by Andy is worth reading. However, his podcasts are equally awesome. Andy has a knack for condensing a whole sermon into one memorable phrase that sticks with you and changes your thinking. Adding him to your weekly routine will allow God room to relevantly and practically change your life.
So there - four men who, despite their distance, very much feel like friends and mentors. Perhaps they won't all work for you but I'd wager adding any of them to your 2009 routines will inspire and challenge you in ways you'd be glad of when we start partying like it's 2010.
"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith."
Our world is so small now. The internet makes it easy for us to have spiritual leaders who impact us greatly but live thousands of miles away. I'd like to share with you the top four distance leaders in my life this year and hope that these men would inspire, challenge and encourage you this year.
1) Erwin McManus: Erwin is lead pastor and "cultural architect" (love that title) at Mosaic in Los Angeles. I love Erwin's passion for challenging us to become and influencer of culture and to become all that we can be in Christ.
2) Francis Chan: I first got to hear Francis speak at the Willow Arts Conference this past June. His message touched me deeply. I bought his book Crazy Love immediately. It's a call for us to consider Christ's radical call to love people with everything we have as more than metaphor. To take it literally. Beware... this book WILL mess you up.
3) Mark Driscoll: Mark is reformed theology for the postmodern man. He has much to read and emulate but recently he did a sermon series on Song of Solomon called "The Peasant Princess". This series on marriage as God intended should be required viewing (available through iTunes under Mars Hill's video podcast) for everyone thinking of ever getting married. Honestly, that's not hyperbole - the advice throughout that series has changed my marriage in ways that I could never thank Mark enough for.
4) Andy Stanley: the son of Charles Stanley continues to do his name sake proud. I think Andy is putting out leadership material as awesome as Willow was putting out in the mid 90's. Any book by Andy is worth reading. However, his podcasts are equally awesome. Andy has a knack for condensing a whole sermon into one memorable phrase that sticks with you and changes your thinking. Adding him to your weekly routine will allow God room to relevantly and practically change your life.
So there - four men who, despite their distance, very much feel like friends and mentors. Perhaps they won't all work for you but I'd wager adding any of them to your 2009 routines will inspire and challenge you in ways you'd be glad of when we start partying like it's 2010.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
So this is Christmas
And I'm wondering...what have you done? Tell me your greatest Christmas moment of 2008.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Ever wonder if your role is important?
Have you ever showed up on a Sunday morning and wondered whether or not you're really needed? Sometimes the music doesn't really need another instrument, does it? Or perhaps another vocal seems one too many? Or maybe your technical position seems to be totally redundant or unappreciated. I think these are pretty natural thoughts perhaps especially at 7am when we'd way rather be in our warm bed.
This past weekend illustrated to me why each role is invaluable even when at first glance you might not think you're needed. Take the role we call service manager. This past weekend I had no role (which is an odd thing) and scheduled a service manager. I do this for a couple of reasons not the least of which is just getting to mingle more with the people of the church and to worship with my wife on occasion. This past weekend was a pretty basic service and to be honest I had second thoughts about dragging our service manager out of bed. I could have done the job, mingled, and sat with my wife the whole service. I left her on the schedule anyhow and in hindsight, I'm totally glad I did.
we ended up having a huge computer problem 20 minutes before the service, things started late and we still had no video for 20 minutes. I was stressed. Our service manager did an amazing job and I couldn't have done the job without her!
So what's my point? This: sometimes you can't see the ways in which you will be a blessing to someone until you're there and you give God the chance to take your role and effect life change in someone else. Sometimes the line you play as a part of the band stands out and inspires someone to worship God all the louder. That extra voice? Maybe its the sound God uses to remind us of His presence through a felt emotion and the medium through which His wonder is experienced. You may never know how much the service you offer is used by God but I'd be willing to bet this has been true of you when you least expected it.
This past weekend illustrated to me why each role is invaluable even when at first glance you might not think you're needed. Take the role we call service manager. This past weekend I had no role (which is an odd thing) and scheduled a service manager. I do this for a couple of reasons not the least of which is just getting to mingle more with the people of the church and to worship with my wife on occasion. This past weekend was a pretty basic service and to be honest I had second thoughts about dragging our service manager out of bed. I could have done the job, mingled, and sat with my wife the whole service. I left her on the schedule anyhow and in hindsight, I'm totally glad I did.
we ended up having a huge computer problem 20 minutes before the service, things started late and we still had no video for 20 minutes. I was stressed. Our service manager did an amazing job and I couldn't have done the job without her!
So what's my point? This: sometimes you can't see the ways in which you will be a blessing to someone until you're there and you give God the chance to take your role and effect life change in someone else. Sometimes the line you play as a part of the band stands out and inspires someone to worship God all the louder. That extra voice? Maybe its the sound God uses to remind us of His presence through a felt emotion and the medium through which His wonder is experienced. You may never know how much the service you offer is used by God but I'd be willing to bet this has been true of you when you least expected it.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Strengths Finder 2.0 says I am...
Strategic
Futuristic
Achiever
Learner
Individualization (which means identifying and deploying people where they are uniquely gifted)
Those of you who know me - do you think this is true?
Futuristic
Achiever
Learner
Individualization (which means identifying and deploying people where they are uniquely gifted)
Those of you who know me - do you think this is true?
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Honestly... I think Canadians have much to learn from Americans
I know I said this (or something like it)after I got back from Washington but it popped into my head again today. This time its regarding our relationship to God. I'm not going to talk here about how much more culturally acceptable it is to be Christian in the US than in Canada but I'm going to address and underlying problem between the average American Xian and that of Canada: we don't believe God is as big in Canada as he is in the US.
I love our country. I love the church. Above both of those I love God and love seeing him made much of. I feel like often times we acknowledge God, give him a tip of the hat but we don't look at Him as the God who moves mountains... who's Spirit moves in power and who can do "immeasurably more" in our lives and country. Canadians are too polite for that. I think the biblical term is lukewarm. We don't claim promises because it would be presumptuous. We don't dream big because its not humble enough. We don't ask because we don't think we're worthy to receive. Let us remember... we bear the image of God as much as our American friends and as such, our potential is as enormous as theirs.
I don't want to be an American. I don't think America is a better country. I do think we need passionate Canadians to care about God's image in this country. More rightly understood, we need to respond to God's call to be effective ambassadors of Him in this land. We need to take risks, get outside our comfort zones, engage culture and win souls for the kingdom of God. Let us not be doomed to be spit out of the mouth of our Lord but to be embraced as those who did well and with whom he is well pleased.
I love our country. I love the church. Above both of those I love God and love seeing him made much of. I feel like often times we acknowledge God, give him a tip of the hat but we don't look at Him as the God who moves mountains... who's Spirit moves in power and who can do "immeasurably more" in our lives and country. Canadians are too polite for that. I think the biblical term is lukewarm. We don't claim promises because it would be presumptuous. We don't dream big because its not humble enough. We don't ask because we don't think we're worthy to receive. Let us remember... we bear the image of God as much as our American friends and as such, our potential is as enormous as theirs.
I don't want to be an American. I don't think America is a better country. I do think we need passionate Canadians to care about God's image in this country. More rightly understood, we need to respond to God's call to be effective ambassadors of Him in this land. We need to take risks, get outside our comfort zones, engage culture and win souls for the kingdom of God. Let us not be doomed to be spit out of the mouth of our Lord but to be embraced as those who did well and with whom he is well pleased.
Monday, December 15, 2008
What's the first thing you think of...
...when you watch this?
Me? How will the church leverage this and change its methods for the Kingdom?
Me? How will the church leverage this and change its methods for the Kingdom?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Featured Blog Fridays: Flowerdust.net
Anne is a social netowrking genious. She also has a huge heart for the poor. Put them together and you get a self-made (well God made but you know) activist.
Check out Flowerdust
Check out Flowerdust
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Unity - there's power there
Last week's big news was the whole coalition government hoopla. Suddenly the man who did the worst campaign in Canadian history was poised to take over leadership of the country. Why? Supposed unity between the three opposing parties. However, it now seems Dion was not able to hold the coalition in unity and now it's old news.
The power of unity is an amazing thing. If you want to make a statement you can. If you want your statement to be noticed, make it with all the other like minded people you can find. All of your individual statements can do not hold the same weight as one unified statement from all of you together. This hit me as I received about 7 invites to various Facebook groups protesting the coalition. It seems to me that searching for a group that already exists and joining with them would have been better than every 5 minutes another group popping up. Chances are the one big group, unified in purpose, would have created a bigger stir than the 20 groups with 10 members each.
The church could learn this lesson too I think. Jesus desired unity for us. He prayed for it for us probably because he knew we'd fail miserably at it save by His power and grace. It seems to me we'd get a lot more done if unity was our goal. Too often churches see each other as competition not as co-laborers.
I really like what Lifechurch.tv started in its One Prayer campaign. I'd encourage you, find ways by which you can be united with more Christians. The is power in unity.
The power of unity is an amazing thing. If you want to make a statement you can. If you want your statement to be noticed, make it with all the other like minded people you can find. All of your individual statements can do not hold the same weight as one unified statement from all of you together. This hit me as I received about 7 invites to various Facebook groups protesting the coalition. It seems to me that searching for a group that already exists and joining with them would have been better than every 5 minutes another group popping up. Chances are the one big group, unified in purpose, would have created a bigger stir than the 20 groups with 10 members each.
The church could learn this lesson too I think. Jesus desired unity for us. He prayed for it for us probably because he knew we'd fail miserably at it save by His power and grace. It seems to me we'd get a lot more done if unity was our goal. Too often churches see each other as competition not as co-laborers.
I really like what Lifechurch.tv started in its One Prayer campaign. I'd encourage you, find ways by which you can be united with more Christians. The is power in unity.
Some great ideas for changing a life at Christmas
I really think we as Christians should look to leverage our Christmas giving to change lives at Christmas time. At WLA we're supporting many ministries not the least of which is Advent Conspiracy. Giving money to a cause instead of to a scarf of questionable significance is one way to change a life through giving.
I also think there are certain gifts you can give that might help stimulate life change. For me, books are a particularly good way to get me thinking and so I thought I'd do a list of the top 10 books that are changing my heart and mind. All of these books are available on Amazon for a reasonable amount of money...
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson
Unceasing Worship by Harold Best
The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus
Unchristian by David Kinnaman
Visioneering by Andy Stanley
In a Pit WIth a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
Expositions of Romans by Martyn Lloyd Jones
God is the Gospel by John Piper
The ESV Study BIble
I've read all of these books this year and each one presented me with much to think about and grow from. I'd wholeheartedly recommend any of them to the believer on your list!
I also think there are certain gifts you can give that might help stimulate life change. For me, books are a particularly good way to get me thinking and so I thought I'd do a list of the top 10 books that are changing my heart and mind. All of these books are available on Amazon for a reasonable amount of money...
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson
Unceasing Worship by Harold Best
The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus
Unchristian by David Kinnaman
Visioneering by Andy Stanley
In a Pit WIth a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
Expositions of Romans by Martyn Lloyd Jones
God is the Gospel by John Piper
The ESV Study BIble
I've read all of these books this year and each one presented me with much to think about and grow from. I'd wholeheartedly recommend any of them to the believer on your list!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Featured Blog Fridays: Lifehacker
This one falls kind of outside of the general scope of the purpose for this blog but just in case some of you are as geeky as me: www.lifehacker.com is worth the look.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
You have to love C.S. Lewis
... and not just cause its cool for Christians to like him. Lewis is one of the greatest Christian minds in history...or so I have come to think. Here's a quote I read today that resonates with me right now:
"We need to be reminded more than instructed."
Do you find that to be true? Isn't it so easy to forget the simplest things you've already been taught and apply them, let alone adding more to your mound of knowledge? Would we be better representatives of Christ if we worked on knowing and applying just some simple truths? What's your take? How does this thought impact you?
"We need to be reminded more than instructed."
Do you find that to be true? Isn't it so easy to forget the simplest things you've already been taught and apply them, let alone adding more to your mound of knowledge? Would we be better representatives of Christ if we worked on knowing and applying just some simple truths? What's your take? How does this thought impact you?
Monday, December 1, 2008
World AIDS Day
Today is World AIDS Day. AIDS is one of the worst epidemics in human history and one of the churches greatest opportunities to show the love of Christ and his passion for justice to our world. My heart has been broken for Sub-Saharan Africa. I hope to visit and serve there sooner than later. Would you pray for those afflicted by this epidemic and for the church as it seeks to show love?
To learn more about the scope of this problem visit CBCNews.ca
To learn more about the scope of this problem visit CBCNews.ca
Friday, November 28, 2008
Featured Blog Fridays: Xpiritmental
Our friends over at Electricurrent recently start a blog which, despite it's anti-Mac flavor recently, I gladly draw your attention to. They write well and I just like them all (especially you Andrew ;) )
Check it out
Check it out
Doh...
I wrote and posted (or so I thought) a whole blog post yesterday about our philosophies and actions lining up with regards to our money. Maybe its best I didn't post it. In any case the simple question is do you think you are spending you money as wisely as Jesus would want? This is yet another question coming to me via Francis Chan that is just wrecking me in the best way possible.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Running with the Lost
Well I've officially been around Mike Wilkins too much. Ok maybe not too much... just enough to start adopting some of his actions as my own. Some of you may or may not know that I've been running off and on for 3 years now. In June I started running regularly and now I run about 36km a week.
When I started looking at ways in which my philosophies don't line up with my actions I realized that my commitment to personal evangelism had all but dried up since moving to London. There are some reasons for that but none that are good enough to stand in the way of me taking action now.
So what did I do? I decided to go over to the local running shop here in St. Thomas and strike up a relationship. I purchased my new jacket for winter running from them and then asked about running clubs they have. On Saturday morning I went running with them for the first time. I couldn't stay for too long afterward but I was glad to go and meet a few people.
I honestly believe every Christian should be intentionally spending time with those who don't know Christ. We all have time. We all are commanded to. There is no excuse... I think I've tried them all.
Today's questions: What are you doing to spend time with those who need to hear about Jesus? In what ways might you be making excuses that need to be overcome?
When I started looking at ways in which my philosophies don't line up with my actions I realized that my commitment to personal evangelism had all but dried up since moving to London. There are some reasons for that but none that are good enough to stand in the way of me taking action now.
So what did I do? I decided to go over to the local running shop here in St. Thomas and strike up a relationship. I purchased my new jacket for winter running from them and then asked about running clubs they have. On Saturday morning I went running with them for the first time. I couldn't stay for too long afterward but I was glad to go and meet a few people.
I honestly believe every Christian should be intentionally spending time with those who don't know Christ. We all have time. We all are commanded to. There is no excuse... I think I've tried them all.
Today's questions: What are you doing to spend time with those who need to hear about Jesus? In what ways might you be making excuses that need to be overcome?
Monday, November 24, 2008
The difference between philosophy and action
Recently I was challenged by a statement much like this: "I don't care about your philosophy, I care about what you ARE doing".
Actions speak louder than words. Our core values are reflected in how we spend our time, not how well we can articulate our stand on some issue or another. We can easily go through life nodding our head in agreement with good ideas and stirring messages but the bottom line is that if we don't act on our agreement then we might as well not agree at all.
James 2:14 reminds us that "Faith without works is dead". DEAD. In our pursuit of holiness we need to remember that its not just enough to work on what we think is right and wrong. We need to reflect what we believe in how we steward our resources. Our time. Our money. Our houses. Everything we have should be a reflection of what we believe. If its not then maybe we need to act on making it so.
One of the greatest complaints about the church these days is that we're hypocritical. The up and coming generation looks at the greater majority of us and see that our life is out of sync with what we say we believe. We don't look enough like Jesus as he is described in the bible. People are infectiously attracted to Jesus. They aren't infectiously attracted to us. Why? I think the answer is often obvious... the question is, what are you and I willing to do about it.
Here's the question I'd like us to discuss today... In what ways are you personally convicted about moving beyond philosophy and toward action?
Actions speak louder than words. Our core values are reflected in how we spend our time, not how well we can articulate our stand on some issue or another. We can easily go through life nodding our head in agreement with good ideas and stirring messages but the bottom line is that if we don't act on our agreement then we might as well not agree at all.
James 2:14 reminds us that "Faith without works is dead". DEAD. In our pursuit of holiness we need to remember that its not just enough to work on what we think is right and wrong. We need to reflect what we believe in how we steward our resources. Our time. Our money. Our houses. Everything we have should be a reflection of what we believe. If its not then maybe we need to act on making it so.
One of the greatest complaints about the church these days is that we're hypocritical. The up and coming generation looks at the greater majority of us and see that our life is out of sync with what we say we believe. We don't look enough like Jesus as he is described in the bible. People are infectiously attracted to Jesus. They aren't infectiously attracted to us. Why? I think the answer is often obvious... the question is, what are you and I willing to do about it.
Here's the question I'd like us to discuss today... In what ways are you personally convicted about moving beyond philosophy and toward action?
Monday, November 17, 2008
My wife sure knows how to treat her husband
So I'm sitting in what is perhaps my favorite place in the whole world. Niagara-on-the-Lake is amazing. We've been here no less than 5 times since we moved to London because its just so relaxing. Mel and I always spend great time dreaming here. It gets us away from work for a while which, no matter how much you love work, is a good thing :) So when I found out on Friday that Mel had booked us into our favorite place here, Cecile's House as a surprise, well, I was pretty thrilled :)
I'm realizing more and more the power or a good marriage. One where each person is putting aside their own wants to serve the other. I guess its easy to say that given how much I've been served this week but I hope the Lord will help me to be as much a servant to Mel as she is to me.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
I'm realizing more and more the power or a good marriage. One where each person is putting aside their own wants to serve the other. I guess its easy to say that given how much I've been served this week but I hope the Lord will help me to be as much a servant to Mel as she is to me.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Friday, November 14, 2008
And something to entertain you...
Several people I know could use a good laugh. I sincerely hope this works for you:
Featured Blog Fridays: Stuff Christians Like
The sheer volume of material Jon Acuff posts makes his blog worth mentioning. If that weren't enough then Stuff Christians Like is worth mentioning because the content falls into one of two categories:
a) Hilarious. Most of the posts are just plain funny. Please, leave stuffiness at the door because much of this is poking light hearted fun at silly things churches do... but having grown up in the church I can think back on occasions that illustrate most of Jon's point.
b) Impacting. On occasion Jon just nails you with an insightful post to bring your day into focus.
This balance is why I love reading (or maybe wading) through SCL's blog. I hope you enjoy it!
a) Hilarious. Most of the posts are just plain funny. Please, leave stuffiness at the door because much of this is poking light hearted fun at silly things churches do... but having grown up in the church I can think back on occasions that illustrate most of Jon's point.
b) Impacting. On occasion Jon just nails you with an insightful post to bring your day into focus.
This balance is why I love reading (or maybe wading) through SCL's blog. I hope you enjoy it!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Unceasing Worship pt4 - Authentic Worship
Here's a quote from page 75 of Harold Best's book Unceasing Worship:
"The church desperately needs and artistic reformation that accomplishes two things at once: first, it takes music out of the limelight and puts Christ and his Word back into prominence; and second, it strives creatively for a synthesis of new, old and crosscultural styles."
How does that hit you? When you come to worship, is the music in the limelight or Christ? Is Christ's glory preeminent in your mind or is the creation of music? Does it matter more that Christ was glorified or if we did a good job? I ask myself these questions more desperately than I ask them of you. Authentic worship is first concerned about the glory of God and not the style or excellence of the music. Those questions need to be asked but if they are primary and Christ is not, we're missing the mark.
And what of a synthesis of styles? How much should we focus on this? Should we focus on it more? Can any church really be good at truly blending styles? Understand, we're not just talking hymns mixed with the new stuff but Best is suggesting music from around the world has a place in our services. How would that make us feel?
These kinds of questions are prevelant in the minds of people at our church right now. Perhaps these are some of the most practical questions we need to be asking. I am glad we're wrestling with them and I pray that we won't be crippled by the asking of them but to hear from God where he wants us to land and then move forward in confidence.
So what about it? Where do you think we need to do better? How are we succeeding at this? Weigh in!
"The church desperately needs and artistic reformation that accomplishes two things at once: first, it takes music out of the limelight and puts Christ and his Word back into prominence; and second, it strives creatively for a synthesis of new, old and crosscultural styles."
How does that hit you? When you come to worship, is the music in the limelight or Christ? Is Christ's glory preeminent in your mind or is the creation of music? Does it matter more that Christ was glorified or if we did a good job? I ask myself these questions more desperately than I ask them of you. Authentic worship is first concerned about the glory of God and not the style or excellence of the music. Those questions need to be asked but if they are primary and Christ is not, we're missing the mark.
And what of a synthesis of styles? How much should we focus on this? Should we focus on it more? Can any church really be good at truly blending styles? Understand, we're not just talking hymns mixed with the new stuff but Best is suggesting music from around the world has a place in our services. How would that make us feel?
These kinds of questions are prevelant in the minds of people at our church right now. Perhaps these are some of the most practical questions we need to be asking. I am glad we're wrestling with them and I pray that we won't be crippled by the asking of them but to hear from God where he wants us to land and then move forward in confidence.
So what about it? Where do you think we need to do better? How are we succeeding at this? Weigh in!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Wow...I think I'm getting lazy
I realize that I haven't been blogging much lately. Sorry about that. Tomorrow I will write part three of "Unceasing Worship". For now, let me direct you attention to this quote I've been mulling over from Seth Godin's blog under the title "The Sad Lie of Mediocrity":
Doing 4% less does not get you 4% less.
Doing 4% less may very well get you 95% less.
Wow.
So in keeping with the theme of this blog I'd ask all of you Christ followers - are you inclined to fall for the sad lie of mediocrity? Are you like me and sometimes want to think "its for the church... its good enough". I wish my actions always matched up with my convictions but they don't. However, I do believe with all of my heart that God DESERVES and DEMANDS the best we have to offer. I'm going to try to dig 4% deeper... not so God will love me more but because he is worth it.
Doing 4% less does not get you 4% less.
Doing 4% less may very well get you 95% less.
Wow.
So in keeping with the theme of this blog I'd ask all of you Christ followers - are you inclined to fall for the sad lie of mediocrity? Are you like me and sometimes want to think "its for the church... its good enough". I wish my actions always matched up with my convictions but they don't. However, I do believe with all of my heart that God DESERVES and DEMANDS the best we have to offer. I'm going to try to dig 4% deeper... not so God will love me more but because he is worth it.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Featured Blog Fridays: Fuel by Barbara
Did you know that WLA's very own Barbara Postma is also a blogger? I really love reading Barb's blog because it's thoughtful, creative, relevant and BIblical. I'd encourage you to go on over and check out her thoughts as well at Fuel.
I think I'm going to make this a regular thing... to point you to a different blog on Fridays where I hope you can glean some nugget of truth to help you be closer to Christ on a day to day basis.
I think I'm going to make this a regular thing... to point you to a different blog on Fridays where I hope you can glean some nugget of truth to help you be closer to Christ on a day to day basis.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
America Votes and John Piper makes us think
I saw this video yesterday and thought it was worth sharing on election day. It's got some interesting thoughts in it and being that Piper always seems to have a great Godly perspective, I hope it gives us all something to chew on today and to inform our thoughts as we watch the events of today unfold
Monday, November 3, 2008
Advent Conspiracy
I truly believe that the greatest problem facing the North American church is that the people who call themselves a part of it do not look significantly different than those who are on the outside. We have been called to a radically different life than most of society and yet we (yes I am keenly aware this includes me) simply go on living the same life as everyone else with the exception that I got to church regularly. For a really great book on this read Unchristian.
As I think about how my own life needs to change in order to reflect the radical transformation that I know Christ calls me to and enables me for my love for material things is a hugely practical way that I can change. God really started to speak to me about this about a month ago. I'm taking some practical steps to be more in line with where I think he wants me to be. However, when I watched this video I was really convicted. I think Christmas would look much differently for my family if I'd seen this a few months ago (yay for being on top of shopping and budgeting this year...boo for not listening more closely to God).
Gets you right in the gut huh? So what are you going to do about it? It'd be great to hear some ways we can all see Christmas differently or how you've already been taking steps to remove the love of things from your life.
As I think about how my own life needs to change in order to reflect the radical transformation that I know Christ calls me to and enables me for my love for material things is a hugely practical way that I can change. God really started to speak to me about this about a month ago. I'm taking some practical steps to be more in line with where I think he wants me to be. However, when I watched this video I was really convicted. I think Christmas would look much differently for my family if I'd seen this a few months ago (yay for being on top of shopping and budgeting this year...boo for not listening more closely to God).
Gets you right in the gut huh? So what are you going to do about it? It'd be great to hear some ways we can all see Christmas differently or how you've already been taking steps to remove the love of things from your life.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
A prayer we could all pray...and me most of all
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred,
let me sow love;
Where there is injury,
pardon;
Where there is error,
the truth;
Where there is doubt,
the faith;
Where there is despair,
hope;
Where there is darkness,
light;
And where there is sadness,
joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled,
as to console;
To be understood,
as to understand;
To be loved
as to love.
For it
is in giving
that we receive;
It is in pardoning
that we are pardoned;
And it
is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
St. Francis
Where there is hatred,
let me sow love;
Where there is injury,
pardon;
Where there is error,
the truth;
Where there is doubt,
the faith;
Where there is despair,
hope;
Where there is darkness,
light;
And where there is sadness,
joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled,
as to console;
To be understood,
as to understand;
To be loved
as to love.
For it
is in giving
that we receive;
It is in pardoning
that we are pardoned;
And it
is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
St. Francis
Friday, October 31, 2008
Unceasing Worship; Unity and Mutual Indwelling
So we won't be talking today about authentic worship. I missed an important section. The third chapter deals with what Best calls mutual indwelling. This chapter gave me a headache. There are some deep and mysterious concepts in it. Therefore, I'll say this... READ THE BOOK! For those of you who won't be able to for one reason or another I will do my best to present a basic outline of the idea of mutual indwelling. As a starting point I'll say this: The concept comes down to
UNITY
In point form here are the concepts that make up Mutual Indwelling:
a. God is our dwelling place (Psalm 90)
b. Christ (being fully God) is our temple and greater than the temple
c. We are God's building (1 Cor 3:9) and corporate temple (1 Cor 3:16-17)
d. Christ is the chief cornerstone of the church and we are the redeemed living stones that make up the temple with Him (1 Pet 2:4-8)
e. We are each temples in which Christ dwells
So this leaves us with Temples (each of us) within a temple (the church) within a temple (Christ). So we are individuals and yet we dwell within one another in the sense that we together make up a single living temple, the church.
Are you still with me?
How can this be? Mr. Smith hates my music. Mrs. Jones disparages me at congregational meetings. Brother Killarny wants to spend money on the building while Sister Mildred wants to up our giving to global missions.
Then we get slammed...what about me? How do I offend? How do I promote disunity? How can unity exist in such a place?
Grace. Infinite grace that flows from the Father and Son and Spirit to us as we pour back to Him and to one another.
So the question: to what degree are we as worshipers and artists called to promote and encourage unity while still being the unique people God has made us to be?
UNITY
In point form here are the concepts that make up Mutual Indwelling:
a. God is our dwelling place (Psalm 90)
b. Christ (being fully God) is our temple and greater than the temple
c. We are God's building (1 Cor 3:9) and corporate temple (1 Cor 3:16-17)
d. Christ is the chief cornerstone of the church and we are the redeemed living stones that make up the temple with Him (1 Pet 2:4-8)
e. We are each temples in which Christ dwells
So this leaves us with Temples (each of us) within a temple (the church) within a temple (Christ). So we are individuals and yet we dwell within one another in the sense that we together make up a single living temple, the church.
Are you still with me?
How can this be? Mr. Smith hates my music. Mrs. Jones disparages me at congregational meetings. Brother Killarny wants to spend money on the building while Sister Mildred wants to up our giving to global missions.
Then we get slammed...what about me? How do I offend? How do I promote disunity? How can unity exist in such a place?
Grace. Infinite grace that flows from the Father and Son and Spirit to us as we pour back to Him and to one another.
So the question: to what degree are we as worshipers and artists called to promote and encourage unity while still being the unique people God has made us to be?
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Difficult Simplicity
Jesus is central. Everything points to him. In Him all things were made and are held together by the power of His hand. Focus on that for the next 1000 years. I bet you still won't get it.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Unceasing Worship: Continuous Outpouring
I hope there has been enough time for people to read, reread and digest the first post on Unceasing Worship. I likely won't post more than twice a week on this topic because I think its one we all (myself included) need time to think on and process. Now that some time has past I'd like to move on to the second big though: Continuous Outpouring.
I'll admit to having a bit of trouble with this. These words never appear together in the Bible. However, I think it is an idea that is more than implied just as something like (for those of us at WLA's Thanksgiving service dealt with) Edwards' doctrine of Continuous Creation. The term is never introduced Biblically but never the less it seems sound.
So what is Continuous Outpouring? Well there are two words so let's look at them separately and then how they might be proven to be true Biblically.
Continuous: Relentless. It implies Continuity. Best says "I keep breathing until I die". That's a good way to think of it. We HAVE to, by nature, continue to do this. For God its represented in His own name for Himself: I AM THAT I AM. His word abides forever; Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever
Outpouring: Best admits there are other words he could have used. I won't list them. However, its important to know that its the scriptural force that caused him to choose this word. Most notably its used to describe Jesus sacrifice...being poured out as an offering.
Best suggests that continuos outpouring is shown to be true in three significant ways. First, by the nature of God. Father, Son and Spirit continually commune in perfect harmony with one another. They constantly interact with each other. Their love is perfect and never ending. Its in God's nature to be continuously outpouring. Second, he shows it in creation. Refer back to Edwards' doctrine of continuous creation. Thirdly, the doctrine of Imago Dei reinforces this. We can see continuous outpouring in ourselves. If our proposed definition of worship is to be accepted we have already admitted - we are constantly, continuously even, worshiping something. We are always ascribing worth to something. In an unfallen world it would always have been God. Fallen worship means we can be distracted. However, just as we always worship, just as we always breathe, God always pours out and its that part of Him that's in us that makes continuous outpouring true in light of Imago Dei. Lastly, continuous outpouring is shown to be true in the life and ministry of Christ. He relentlessly gave of himself, focused outward, right until death where the ultimate self-proclaimed outpouring happened. There is much scriptural force to this concept.
So, can we accept this idea? Does continuous outpouring help us to understand worship? I believe it does. I believe it shows why our current definitions of worship come up short.. why referring to music as worship is not good enough. Next time I'll look at authentic worship... what it is and what it is not in light of continuous outpouring.
I'll admit to having a bit of trouble with this. These words never appear together in the Bible. However, I think it is an idea that is more than implied just as something like (for those of us at WLA's Thanksgiving service dealt with) Edwards' doctrine of Continuous Creation. The term is never introduced Biblically but never the less it seems sound.
So what is Continuous Outpouring? Well there are two words so let's look at them separately and then how they might be proven to be true Biblically.
Continuous: Relentless. It implies Continuity. Best says "I keep breathing until I die". That's a good way to think of it. We HAVE to, by nature, continue to do this. For God its represented in His own name for Himself: I AM THAT I AM. His word abides forever; Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever
Outpouring: Best admits there are other words he could have used. I won't list them. However, its important to know that its the scriptural force that caused him to choose this word. Most notably its used to describe Jesus sacrifice...being poured out as an offering.
Best suggests that continuos outpouring is shown to be true in three significant ways. First, by the nature of God. Father, Son and Spirit continually commune in perfect harmony with one another. They constantly interact with each other. Their love is perfect and never ending. Its in God's nature to be continuously outpouring. Second, he shows it in creation. Refer back to Edwards' doctrine of continuous creation. Thirdly, the doctrine of Imago Dei reinforces this. We can see continuous outpouring in ourselves. If our proposed definition of worship is to be accepted we have already admitted - we are constantly, continuously even, worshiping something. We are always ascribing worth to something. In an unfallen world it would always have been God. Fallen worship means we can be distracted. However, just as we always worship, just as we always breathe, God always pours out and its that part of Him that's in us that makes continuous outpouring true in light of Imago Dei. Lastly, continuous outpouring is shown to be true in the life and ministry of Christ. He relentlessly gave of himself, focused outward, right until death where the ultimate self-proclaimed outpouring happened. There is much scriptural force to this concept.
So, can we accept this idea? Does continuous outpouring help us to understand worship? I believe it does. I believe it shows why our current definitions of worship come up short.. why referring to music as worship is not good enough. Next time I'll look at authentic worship... what it is and what it is not in light of continuous outpouring.
Monday, October 27, 2008
ESV Study Bible now available
I went over to the Upper Room and got the new ESV study Bible today. I've been waiting for it to come out for a while now. Pastor Mike uses it for all of his sermons and its highly recommended by John Piper and Mark Driscoll which makes it awesome in my books.
If you don't have an ESV Bible I think you should get one. As my cell group has been studying Colossians inductively this year we've been using a commentary to help us along. Almost every time the commentary suggests the best wording for a passage its the version of a verse the ESV uses. Why is that important? Because sometimes the english language is confusing and IMHO its important to know as precisely as possible what the BIble says. Several versions are best but if you get one to use most often this is the one as far as I understand.
Besides the great translation there are maps, summaries, cross references, articles and more that will help you understand God's word more fully.
I just used mine this morning to follow along with a podcast and loved the extras I got out of the test and sermon because of it. If making it to the Upper Room seems tough you can get it from Amazon
If you don't have an ESV Bible I think you should get one. As my cell group has been studying Colossians inductively this year we've been using a commentary to help us along. Almost every time the commentary suggests the best wording for a passage its the version of a verse the ESV uses. Why is that important? Because sometimes the english language is confusing and IMHO its important to know as precisely as possible what the BIble says. Several versions are best but if you get one to use most often this is the one as far as I understand.
Besides the great translation there are maps, summaries, cross references, articles and more that will help you understand God's word more fully.
I just used mine this morning to follow along with a podcast and loved the extras I got out of the test and sermon because of it. If making it to the Upper Room seems tough you can get it from Amazon
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Halloween...
So being a dad puts a new spin on how you look at things. Take Halloween for instance. When I was a kid we went out to get candy and dressed up in some silly costume in order to be allowed to retrieve said candy. Being the I was raised in a good Christian home we were not permitted to dress as anything demonic - witches, ghouls, goblins etc etc (although perhaps Goblins should have been allowed since they are a part of the LoTR universe and as such not demonic in the truest sense of the word). For all of my childhood years though I did participate in Halloween.
However, as I got older and my sister entered the years of candy getting, my parents got more and more convicted about participation in All Hallows Eve and so my sister and her friends were provided with a "Harvest Party" at which they got dressed up and received candy from the kindly folks at our church instead of running around out of doors to get candy from their neighbors. As I've thought about it I've come to think this largely missed the point as so many well meaning Christian alternatives to pop culture do. Instead of providing a really positive alternative and choosing not to participate at all in something we believe is wrong we section ourselves off from culture and basically do exactly the same thing as culture does but we don't engage with them in doing it. What are we saying by doing this? You people are demonic and we want nothing to do with you! We still want the holiday but we don't want to do it along side of you. The subtle shift is away from condemning the act and towards condemning our neighbors themselves. We miss any opportunity to redeem the event and culture and just end up looking silly in the process. No one is fooled when we do exactly the same thing as they do but do it inside the walls of the church and call it "Christian". People ask "aren't you still celebrating Halloween"? Our answer "OH NO! We're celebrating the harvest on October 31st by dressing up and giving piles of Candy to our kids (what does candy and harvest have to do with one another? Furthermore, did we not just celebrate the harvest on Thanksgiving?)!
And as if the whole point of the holiday we're enough reason to get out of it there is the awful truth of how many obese pounds on our children's backs we condemn them to by participating. Most people would agree that North America has a gluttony issue and our kids are suffering because of it. Its on the news every second evening at 6 o'clock. Yet we send our kids out once a year to collect pillow cases full of refined sugar? Who in their right mind would go up to a child and hand them 10lbs of candy and say "here you go...finish this off in a week"? No one. Why? We know its bad for them. So why do we pretend its ok at Halloween?
These are the thoughts I've been thinking as I process whether I'll be letting Layla participate in Halloween. The other side of the fence is that I don't want to come across as cultish or anything. If there's a part at school I'll likely let her dress up and have fun with her friends. But we won't decorate. She won't go out and get a 10lb bag of candy. We likely won't give candy to kids. What do I have in mind instead? I think we're going to take a small family trip around Halloween to some place she wants to go. It's an alternative that invests in our family and doesn't seem like we're just condoning the whole practice without calling it Halloween. I want he to know why we're not doing it like everyone else.
What do you think? Am I missing something? Am I just an idiot? I'd be happy to have further confirmation that my wisdom is foolishness. Let's talk.
However, as I got older and my sister entered the years of candy getting, my parents got more and more convicted about participation in All Hallows Eve and so my sister and her friends were provided with a "Harvest Party" at which they got dressed up and received candy from the kindly folks at our church instead of running around out of doors to get candy from their neighbors. As I've thought about it I've come to think this largely missed the point as so many well meaning Christian alternatives to pop culture do. Instead of providing a really positive alternative and choosing not to participate at all in something we believe is wrong we section ourselves off from culture and basically do exactly the same thing as culture does but we don't engage with them in doing it. What are we saying by doing this? You people are demonic and we want nothing to do with you! We still want the holiday but we don't want to do it along side of you. The subtle shift is away from condemning the act and towards condemning our neighbors themselves. We miss any opportunity to redeem the event and culture and just end up looking silly in the process. No one is fooled when we do exactly the same thing as they do but do it inside the walls of the church and call it "Christian". People ask "aren't you still celebrating Halloween"? Our answer "OH NO! We're celebrating the harvest on October 31st by dressing up and giving piles of Candy to our kids (what does candy and harvest have to do with one another? Furthermore, did we not just celebrate the harvest on Thanksgiving?)!
And as if the whole point of the holiday we're enough reason to get out of it there is the awful truth of how many obese pounds on our children's backs we condemn them to by participating. Most people would agree that North America has a gluttony issue and our kids are suffering because of it. Its on the news every second evening at 6 o'clock. Yet we send our kids out once a year to collect pillow cases full of refined sugar? Who in their right mind would go up to a child and hand them 10lbs of candy and say "here you go...finish this off in a week"? No one. Why? We know its bad for them. So why do we pretend its ok at Halloween?
These are the thoughts I've been thinking as I process whether I'll be letting Layla participate in Halloween. The other side of the fence is that I don't want to come across as cultish or anything. If there's a part at school I'll likely let her dress up and have fun with her friends. But we won't decorate. She won't go out and get a 10lb bag of candy. We likely won't give candy to kids. What do I have in mind instead? I think we're going to take a small family trip around Halloween to some place she wants to go. It's an alternative that invests in our family and doesn't seem like we're just condoning the whole practice without calling it Halloween. I want he to know why we're not doing it like everyone else.
What do you think? Am I missing something? Am I just an idiot? I'd be happy to have further confirmation that my wisdom is foolishness. Let's talk.
Friday, October 24, 2008
What does God look like?
Have you ever stopped to wonder at what God looks like? I think most of society thinks God looks like Gandalf. Maybe if you're a movie goer then Morgan Freeman's visage pops into your mind. I am really coming to hate even the mere thought that anyone could think they'd know how to depict God by a simple visual image. Everything is going to fall short. Has any person you've known ever done any of the following:
Created the Universe.
Seriously...the list can stop there. It doesn't need to go beyond that. God. Created. the. Universe. Can you imagine that? No. You can't. God is so much more powerful than you that your feeble mind could never even comprehend his appearance and you would fall dead if you ever did see him.
Do you feel insufficient enough yet? I know it might sound blunt and harsh but this is the truth. We are insufficient and God is not. God is powerful. God is also gracious and merciful. God has chosen to reveal himself through his word. So although we might not be able to know what God looks like we CAN know him! What an amazing thought! What a gift! The God who created the universe makes himself known to feeble, sinful people like us.
In response to this gift we are to do all we can to know God as well as we can. I'd pose this question to you: what do you need to do to know God better? And for discussion: what are you doing right now that you feel is helping you to know God more?
For more on this topic check out Pastor Mike's sermon this Sunday. For those of you who are not WLA'ers and might be interested you can always check out our website for the sermon audio on Tuesdays.
Created the Universe.
Seriously...the list can stop there. It doesn't need to go beyond that. God. Created. the. Universe. Can you imagine that? No. You can't. God is so much more powerful than you that your feeble mind could never even comprehend his appearance and you would fall dead if you ever did see him.
Do you feel insufficient enough yet? I know it might sound blunt and harsh but this is the truth. We are insufficient and God is not. God is powerful. God is also gracious and merciful. God has chosen to reveal himself through his word. So although we might not be able to know what God looks like we CAN know him! What an amazing thought! What a gift! The God who created the universe makes himself known to feeble, sinful people like us.
In response to this gift we are to do all we can to know God as well as we can. I'd pose this question to you: what do you need to do to know God better? And for discussion: what are you doing right now that you feel is helping you to know God more?
For more on this topic check out Pastor Mike's sermon this Sunday. For those of you who are not WLA'ers and might be interested you can always check out our website for the sermon audio on Tuesdays.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A new blogging series: Thoughts from Unceasing Worship
I'm going to spend the next period of time trying to bring thoughts from the book Unceasing Worship every day. It might be something that I'm working through, a quote that I found interesting or something challenging I've read. I'll just start at the beginning of the book and move forward. Hopefully it will inspire those of you from WLA to take me up on my offer to get the book. For now, let's be sure we know just exactly what we're talking about.
What is Worship?
This is such a fundamental question - what is worship? I mean, most of us who call ourselves Christians say we worship but I wonder what we mean when we say that? Do we mean that we gather together to sing? That's certainly part of it but not the whole. Are praise and worship different? What about contemporary worship and traditional? I'd like to suggest that all of these categories are for the most part fruitless. They miss the point. Worship is not about music only.
It's become popular to say that worship is a lifestyle. That statement sounds true, doesn't it? There are two problems with it though. Firstly, no one does anything about it. If worship is a lifestyle then why do we insist on labels like worship music, worship service, the worship time...lifestyle implies a continuous being. If one chooses to live a lifestyle they don't stop all of life to do that, they simply are what they've chosen to be.
Second, and more importantly, it's not true. Worship is not a lifestyle or even like a lifestyle. Worship is simply something EVERYONE does. Christian, atheist, or any other system of belief, we all worship something. It would be better to say that worship is human nature than a lifestyle. See, we are always ascribing worth to something. Hopefully its God. However, it can often be things or heroes or money or any range of things we choose to make more valuable in any given moment than God. If we are choosing to live in a worldly way at any point we are worshiping that thing, that value system, and not God. Worship is continuous...we are always directing ourselves toward something and with that in mind I present to you the definition Harold Best gives to us for worship:
Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god. (18)
Have I convinced you? Is there more to it? Less? Is he wrong? Take some time and think on it...I'll come back tomorrow and lay out for you his biblical foundations for this definition. In the meantime, leave a comment or ask questions of one another.
I hope through this process that God gives me the grace not to seem condescending or prideful. My heart and hope is that by fleshing these thoughts out in public that I'll encourage you to join me in thinking deeply about worship, about who God is and about how we can serve him better and make his greatness known more vibrantly. I'll ask you to call me out if I'm getting out of line and I'll do my best to submit to God through the instruction he brings to me through you all.
What is Worship?
This is such a fundamental question - what is worship? I mean, most of us who call ourselves Christians say we worship but I wonder what we mean when we say that? Do we mean that we gather together to sing? That's certainly part of it but not the whole. Are praise and worship different? What about contemporary worship and traditional? I'd like to suggest that all of these categories are for the most part fruitless. They miss the point. Worship is not about music only.
It's become popular to say that worship is a lifestyle. That statement sounds true, doesn't it? There are two problems with it though. Firstly, no one does anything about it. If worship is a lifestyle then why do we insist on labels like worship music, worship service, the worship time...lifestyle implies a continuous being. If one chooses to live a lifestyle they don't stop all of life to do that, they simply are what they've chosen to be.
Second, and more importantly, it's not true. Worship is not a lifestyle or even like a lifestyle. Worship is simply something EVERYONE does. Christian, atheist, or any other system of belief, we all worship something. It would be better to say that worship is human nature than a lifestyle. See, we are always ascribing worth to something. Hopefully its God. However, it can often be things or heroes or money or any range of things we choose to make more valuable in any given moment than God. If we are choosing to live in a worldly way at any point we are worshiping that thing, that value system, and not God. Worship is continuous...we are always directing ourselves toward something and with that in mind I present to you the definition Harold Best gives to us for worship:
Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god. (18)
Have I convinced you? Is there more to it? Less? Is he wrong? Take some time and think on it...I'll come back tomorrow and lay out for you his biblical foundations for this definition. In the meantime, leave a comment or ask questions of one another.
I hope through this process that God gives me the grace not to seem condescending or prideful. My heart and hope is that by fleshing these thoughts out in public that I'll encourage you to join me in thinking deeply about worship, about who God is and about how we can serve him better and make his greatness known more vibrantly. I'll ask you to call me out if I'm getting out of line and I'll do my best to submit to God through the instruction he brings to me through you all.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Francis Chan gets "radical" again
If you've been following for a while then you might remember Francis Chan from a few other posts. Well tonight I found this article. And this is the paragraph that got me most:
Demonstrate your faith by giving dangerously.
In other words, put your money where your mouth is. I came to an elder meeting one morning with this suggestion: If we "love our neighbor as ourselves," then wouldn’t it make sense to spend on our neighbors what we spend on ourselves? What if we set up our budget so that half of our income leaves the church and goes to other ministries? To my surprise, the elders decided that morning to commit half of the budget to people and ministries outside of Cornerstone. It’s been almost a year now, and we’ve been able to give approximately 55 percent of our money away.
Unreal. Can you imagine doing this? As I think about it though, doesn't it make sense? Isn't God's economy so much different than ours? Wouldn't the church be known by its love so much more if we did radical things like this? I pray that to the degree any of us are called to re-steward what we have that we'd be faithful to do so.
Demonstrate your faith by giving dangerously.
In other words, put your money where your mouth is. I came to an elder meeting one morning with this suggestion: If we "love our neighbor as ourselves," then wouldn’t it make sense to spend on our neighbors what we spend on ourselves? What if we set up our budget so that half of our income leaves the church and goes to other ministries? To my surprise, the elders decided that morning to commit half of the budget to people and ministries outside of Cornerstone. It’s been almost a year now, and we’ve been able to give approximately 55 percent of our money away.
Unreal. Can you imagine doing this? As I think about it though, doesn't it make sense? Isn't God's economy so much different than ours? Wouldn't the church be known by its love so much more if we did radical things like this? I pray that to the degree any of us are called to re-steward what we have that we'd be faithful to do so.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
How does Google make so much money?
So I've spent a good part of my day today getting my macbook syncing with my Google Calendar and contacts. As I've sat here doing all of this in a relatively add free environment the thought crossed my mind - just how does Google make money? I mean my perception (which I understand isn't true) is that Google just makes cool apps for the betterment of mankind. You know, sort of like the Gandalf of the internet. They ride around the web collaborating and creating peace and harmony for the peasants in such a way that most of us don't even know they are there.
No matter how they make their billions of Googly dollars I've got to give them credit. They appear to be the most benevolent group of billionaires on the planet. Good show!
No matter how they make their billions of Googly dollars I've got to give them credit. They appear to be the most benevolent group of billionaires on the planet. Good show!
Monday, October 20, 2008
First weekend on a Mac...
Well last week I moved over to Mac. My work laptop was on its last legs and I'd been considering moving over to Mac for sometime. The new Macbook was released last week and so I took the plunge. For the most part it has been a pretty easy transition. The biggest pain so far has been getting my Outlook information into Entourage. However, everything else has just been plain old fun. I think this is just a great illustration of what alot of people in my generation are looking for in products these days. We're not really so concerned with familiarity. It's more important that the products have an "it" factor. Uniqueness is important (or at least the perception of uniqueness).
The apps are cool and easy to use. Everything is intuative. The whole interface is just cool. The laptop is fast and feels great in your hands. It's just cool. I'll let you know as time goes on if I have any negative impressions. So far...nope.
The apps are cool and easy to use. Everything is intuative. The whole interface is just cool. The laptop is fast and feels great in your hands. It's just cool. I'll let you know as time goes on if I have any negative impressions. So far...nope.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Ever wonder why this blog is called "Unceasing Worship"?
I stole the name from a book by Harold M. Best. The book expounds on a theology of worship much more broad and inclusive than what we typically label as worship in the church. I read it some time ago and am reading it again. It really is a fantastic book, one that is forming my thoughts on worship and ministry and one that I'd highly reccomend you read. In fact, I'm giving consideration to using it as a vehicle by which we can evalute our ministry here at WLA.
You can get a copy of it here. I'll likely be blogging about it as time nmoves forward but for now, let me give you the definition of worship offered up by Harold which I think is fantastic:
Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god.
The big thoughts for me today...this involves way more than music. So, how do we more accurately create a church of joyful worshippers in light of this definition? Do we like this definition?
You can get a copy of it here. I'll likely be blogging about it as time nmoves forward but for now, let me give you the definition of worship offered up by Harold which I think is fantastic:
Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god.
The big thoughts for me today...this involves way more than music. So, how do we more accurately create a church of joyful worshippers in light of this definition? Do we like this definition?
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Blog Action Day - Global Poverty
Hey All,
I'm ashamed to say I didn't know about this sooner. Today is Blog Action Day...a day when bloggers unit to raise awareness. This year the focus of BAD is global poverty. This is an issue that has been ripping me apart for some time now. God is breaking my heart for this issue. Increasingly I look for ways to contribute and one of my goals is to go on a missions trip to Africa and get my hands dirty by helping in a tangible way.
The whole point of this is to create a discussion. Well I'll ask this question...what, if anything, are you doing to help with the issue of global poverty? Are you sponsoring a child through Compassion Canada? Are you buying products that support companies looking to irradicate poverty? Are you signing petitions from companies like one.org? These are all simple, effective ways to help. I encourage you, do what you can and remember that Jesus said "whatever you do for the least of these, so you've done for me".
I'm ashamed to say I didn't know about this sooner. Today is Blog Action Day...a day when bloggers unit to raise awareness. This year the focus of BAD is global poverty. This is an issue that has been ripping me apart for some time now. God is breaking my heart for this issue. Increasingly I look for ways to contribute and one of my goals is to go on a missions trip to Africa and get my hands dirty by helping in a tangible way.
The whole point of this is to create a discussion. Well I'll ask this question...what, if anything, are you doing to help with the issue of global poverty? Are you sponsoring a child through Compassion Canada? Are you buying products that support companies looking to irradicate poverty? Are you signing petitions from companies like one.org? These are all simple, effective ways to help. I encourage you, do what you can and remember that Jesus said "whatever you do for the least of these, so you've done for me".
What do Layla, John Mayer and SCL have in common?
Sometimes weird things just happen. Here's one of them. Back during Mel's pregnancy, somewhere around month 5 I think (I made that up...but it sounds right) we discovered that John Mayer would be playing at the Molson Amphitheatre on July 7th. Now, John is my favorite musical artist these days and so any time he comes close I figure its a great chance to see him. Well Melissa's due date was July 8th or 9th depending on what colored wheel we listened to so it kind of messed up our plans to see John for the third time. However, I saw this as an opportunity to make a bold statement and select July 7th as the date Layla would actually be born on. I mean, she's her daddy's girl and I knew she would want to allign herself with her dad's likes and so she did. In fact, she was born right about the time John was taking the stage for his encore. She knows how to make daddy proud!
Now, here's where it gets weird. One of my favorite blogs to read is Stuff Christians Like. I don't always get to read everything he posts but most of it is good stuff. Great for a chuckle and sometimes thought provoking. Well, when you have a baby, blog reading sort of takes a back seat for a few days and in the blogsphere that's like a trillion years or something. So I missed a lot of Jon's posts in July.
Fast forward with me now to this past weekend. Barbara Postma references Jon's blog on "Is this John Mayer or The Message Bible" and much to my shame I had no clue as to what she was referring. So, being the great friend she is, Barbara goes back and digs through the archives at SCL and finds me the post. I read it and, again, much to my shame got one wrong. I thought I was a better Mayerite than this. So naturally I want to share this post with you, my friends, and so went back to find the link today and discovered not only was it posted during my absence from the blogsphere but it was posted the very day after Layla and John took the stage together. HOW WEIRD IS THAT!
Ok so maybe its not so weird but hopefully it made for a good read and a bit of family history you didn't know before hand.
Now, here's where it gets weird. One of my favorite blogs to read is Stuff Christians Like. I don't always get to read everything he posts but most of it is good stuff. Great for a chuckle and sometimes thought provoking. Well, when you have a baby, blog reading sort of takes a back seat for a few days and in the blogsphere that's like a trillion years or something. So I missed a lot of Jon's posts in July.
Fast forward with me now to this past weekend. Barbara Postma references Jon's blog on "Is this John Mayer or The Message Bible" and much to my shame I had no clue as to what she was referring. So, being the great friend she is, Barbara goes back and digs through the archives at SCL and finds me the post. I read it and, again, much to my shame got one wrong. I thought I was a better Mayerite than this. So naturally I want to share this post with you, my friends, and so went back to find the link today and discovered not only was it posted during my absence from the blogsphere but it was posted the very day after Layla and John took the stage together. HOW WEIRD IS THAT!
Ok so maybe its not so weird but hopefully it made for a good read and a bit of family history you didn't know before hand.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
120 Minutes
I've been a bad blogger lately. I haven't been consistent about it. I supose my excuse would be that I don't have enough time. That's simply untrue. Seth Godin agrees with me. WEll actually, I stole the idea from Seth Godin. I was reading said blog last week and it hit me...I have far more time than I realize. And lately I've been trying to spend my time doing things of merit. I could still do more. So I pose the question to you - how would your life be different if you reclaimed 120 wasted minutes? Perhaps you could spend time with God. With your family. You could read something intellectually or spiritually stimulating. You could get better at something. Go ahead...put the remote down! I dare you!
Me? I'll start by blogging more.
Me? I'll start by blogging more.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
YouVersion for Blackberry
I absolutely love the Lifechurch.tv team. Not only do they go to great lengths to preach the name of Christ in every relevant way for His glory and the salvation of lost people but they're just about the most creative and generous church I've found. They are highly committed to sharing the bountiful resources that God had given them with other churches. For instance, they share many of their graphics, sermons and series ideas on an open source website for free with other churches. Great stuff.
The thing I wanted to highlight today was their new app called YouVersion is available for the Blackberry. You can find it here www.youversion.com/bb/It'll give you a searchable Bible for quick reference on your blackberry. Enjoy, compliments of LifeChurch.tv
The thing I wanted to highlight today was their new app called YouVersion is available for the Blackberry. You can find it here www.youversion.com/bb/It'll give you a searchable Bible for quick reference on your blackberry. Enjoy, compliments of LifeChurch.tv
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Vision - its not just for leaders
So here I am back from Men's Weekend. The thing I always look forward to most is the time alone with God on Sunday morning. We all spend 2.5 hours reflecting on our life as men in Christ and coming up with a battle plan for the upcoming year. I would call this a vision for my life in the next 12 months. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think enough people come up with visions for their life. I think in general we look to leaders for vision. We fail to realize how important a stated, measurable vision is for every area of life. Call them goals if you want. Whatever word you want to use, create a vision for the important areas of your life.
Proverbs 29:18 says "without vision the people cast off restraint". Some translations say "the people die". I think that's a bit extreme, death that is, but to cast off retraint I think is really appropriate. That's the problem with people really. We fail to see the vision of better life that Christ is calling us to...that by having lives that are more in line with that of Christ that His glory would be more known through us. Casting off restraint is what gets us into trouble. We start to do the things we know we shouldn't because we're not being disciplined. So we get fat and we gossip and we sleep too much or look at porn or whatever it is the casting off of restraint makes us do. Its only by seeking to follow the example of Christ and being CONFORMED to his image that we really are able to make His glory known. Think of it this way...do you remember those jello molds your mom used to make (or you make)? Without the confines of the mold the jello doesn't look much like anything. But with a bit of constraint the jello can take the shape of the mold its placed into. Our life in Christ needs confines. We need restraint.
So for me I've made a list of goals for my time with Christ, for prayer, for my character flaws, for my health, for my family and in several other areas. I don't do these things to make God love me...he already does. Thank God for his grace! I do these things in the hopes that I might be a more accurate reflection of Christ and be increasingly so as each day goes by. Sola gloria deo!
Friday, October 3, 2008
A weekend with Men
Camping. Fire. Tests of strength. These are the things a weekend away with other men are made of. I look forward to WLA's men's weekend every year and not just because I love fire. In fact this will be our first year with fire. So it can't be for the love of fire. In fact its because it always proves to be an excellent time of learning, challenge, reflection and connection with God. There's something about 52 men in one room all focused on serving the Lord with all their heart that is inspiring.
I'd ask that you pray for us. Pray that God would convict and shape us. That we would catch a glimpse of his greatness and be change by the experience. Pray that in doing so together we would become better followers of Christ who desire accountability and who desire to be better husbands, fathers, sons and brothers.
I'd ask that you pray for us. Pray that God would convict and shape us. That we would catch a glimpse of his greatness and be change by the experience. Pray that in doing so together we would become better followers of Christ who desire accountability and who desire to be better husbands, fathers, sons and brothers.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
New Lincoln Brewster Record - I Love It!
Well it may come as no shock that on many levels Lincoln is my personal favorite worship artist out there. I'll admit there are better corporate worship writers out there (Mr. Tomlin and the Hillsong Team win those awards IMHO) but for the best blend of great songs with great lyrics, musical excellence, great production and just enjoyable listening Linc wins for me.
His new album, Today is the Day, is just a continuation of this. For us at WLA it probably doesn't hold more than 2 songs we could do on a Sunday but it's quite diverse and I think you'll see churches of many styles and creeds using music from this album. Lincoln asserts himself even more solidly on this record as the king of guitarists because some of the riffs and licks he does are simply sick! For me, I find myself praising God for the talents he gives to his children because of Lincoln's guitar skills.
All in all I'd reccomend this record to you as a solid listen and an inspiration on many levels.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Back from Vacation
Well here I am back from vacation in Markdale, ON and Washington DC. Check out Facebook for the photographic highlights. I've learned/relearned a few things while being away:
1. Layla and her car seat are not friends
2. I love hanging out and dreaming with my wife
3. Canada does a poor job of honoring its heros
4. My love for good theology increases everyday and that love translates into a deeper love for God.
While away I took the opportunity to engage my mind in several podcasts (20+ hours in a car will do that to ya) and while in Markdale I read "God is the Gospel" which I'm sure many of you have read as it's standard WLA literature, being Piper and all, but it took me this long to get to it. I was so completely impressed with Mr. Piper's grasp of the Word and his obvious passion for it. The centrality of Christ is such a lost art form and one that everyday I want to learn more of and make more real in my life - personally and professionally.
Add to this experience the hours of Mark Driscoll podcasts that I listened to and, well, I'm just really loving the love God is giving me for his Word and for his Son. Its deepening. Its changing my passions. I pray that God will continue this regenerative grace that He's showing me and that as far as it is up to me I will be faithful to study and grow in love and knowledge of my Father.
1. Layla and her car seat are not friends
2. I love hanging out and dreaming with my wife
3. Canada does a poor job of honoring its heros
4. My love for good theology increases everyday and that love translates into a deeper love for God.
While away I took the opportunity to engage my mind in several podcasts (20+ hours in a car will do that to ya) and while in Markdale I read "God is the Gospel" which I'm sure many of you have read as it's standard WLA literature, being Piper and all, but it took me this long to get to it. I was so completely impressed with Mr. Piper's grasp of the Word and his obvious passion for it. The centrality of Christ is such a lost art form and one that everyday I want to learn more of and make more real in my life - personally and professionally.
Add to this experience the hours of Mark Driscoll podcasts that I listened to and, well, I'm just really loving the love God is giving me for his Word and for his Son. Its deepening. Its changing my passions. I pray that God will continue this regenerative grace that He's showing me and that as far as it is up to me I will be faithful to study and grow in love and knowledge of my Father.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
You've got to admit...
American's know how to create a sense of awe. I went today and saw many of the famous sites of Washington, DC. As I looked at the White House, Lincoln's visage, the Korean and WWII memorials I kind of wished I had some part to hold in it all. The history is so rich, so storied and dispite an overly high view of themselves you've got to give the American's credit...there is something to be proud of and they show it to the world BIG TIME. They are patriotic to the core.
In Canada we don't get this. I've been to Ottawa several times. Its ok but its not like Washington. We have things to be proud of. Even then fact that we won our independance without a fight...that's something to memorialize. But we don't. We don't invest into patriotism. I think its why we don't invest in our Olympic programs and why the Americans do. But now I guess I'm rambling.
You know, its not just countries that ought to be committed to honoring and remembering milestones. Families should. Churches should. So many significant moments go by without recognition. Why is that? I think often its because either we don't see enough value in it (Canada's problem) or because our pace of life has tings zooming by so quickly that we just let the opportunities slip from our hands.
Mel and I talked today about marking milestones and living life to create milestones. We really want to pursue the accumulation of significant experiences not things. And as we accumulate those experiences as a family we want to celebrate and remember them. Take pictures. Journal. Buy small but meaningful souvenirs and don't let them collect dust. Do ANYTHING that will help you remember the life you life with the people you love and create a "patriotic" passion in your own family.
In Canada we don't get this. I've been to Ottawa several times. Its ok but its not like Washington. We have things to be proud of. Even then fact that we won our independance without a fight...that's something to memorialize. But we don't. We don't invest into patriotism. I think its why we don't invest in our Olympic programs and why the Americans do. But now I guess I'm rambling.
You know, its not just countries that ought to be committed to honoring and remembering milestones. Families should. Churches should. So many significant moments go by without recognition. Why is that? I think often its because either we don't see enough value in it (Canada's problem) or because our pace of life has tings zooming by so quickly that we just let the opportunities slip from our hands.
Mel and I talked today about marking milestones and living life to create milestones. We really want to pursue the accumulation of significant experiences not things. And as we accumulate those experiences as a family we want to celebrate and remember them. Take pictures. Journal. Buy small but meaningful souvenirs and don't let them collect dust. Do ANYTHING that will help you remember the life you life with the people you love and create a "patriotic" passion in your own family.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Fall in Love
Isn't it completely obvious when someone is in love with someone? They have that doe-eyed look...the flutter about...they sing randomly. It's just obvious. It makes other people wish they were in love, doesn't it? This is the scene in many a move where the two girl friends get together after a romantic night before and the in love friend is gushing and the other somewhat less attractive but still nice friend says "oh, I wish I had that!".
Above every other thing we can do to shine is to be in love - with Christ. I was listening to a sermon last night and it hit me like a ton of bricks...am I obviously in love with Jesus? Do I talk about Him all the time? Do I flutter about because of the joy I have that radiates from our relationship? If I don't have that I don't have anything! The kind of joy that comes from loving Christ is the best light I can shine...it's the only light worth shining.
Let's try hard together to love Jesus more. Let's love Him more deeply by spending time in His word and understanding Him more. Let's love him more passionately by letting every joy in our lives eminate from His love for us. Let's be the best kind of light...the light that's produced by love.
Above every other thing we can do to shine is to be in love - with Christ. I was listening to a sermon last night and it hit me like a ton of bricks...am I obviously in love with Jesus? Do I talk about Him all the time? Do I flutter about because of the joy I have that radiates from our relationship? If I don't have that I don't have anything! The kind of joy that comes from loving Christ is the best light I can shine...it's the only light worth shining.
Let's try hard together to love Jesus more. Let's love Him more deeply by spending time in His word and understanding Him more. Let's love him more passionately by letting every joy in our lives eminate from His love for us. Let's be the best kind of light...the light that's produced by love.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Find a good piece of land
Analagous to the "let your light shine" is the "City on a Hill" metaphor. The point is, let people see you that they might glorify the Father, right? So, where you are is as important has how you are. A light under a bushel doesn't do any good and a city that isn't readily found doesn't do much good either.
So my question is, how strategic are you with where you settle down or spend your time? I don't just mean your house but just where you go in your day to day activities. Right now I'm sitting at this coffee shop in St. Thomas. I go to the same one every time hoping that I can build a relationship with the people who serve me and get a chance to share Christ with them. I try desperately to go to the same hairdresser all the time. Her name is Michelle...I want to invite her to Christmas Eve service.
I need to remember that my neighbourhood and everyone in it should be view the same way. I've got some interesting neighbours but I want Christ to help me to be helpful to them too.
So what about it? What changes could you make to ensure your light is seen and is helpful to more people who need to see the light?
So my question is, how strategic are you with where you settle down or spend your time? I don't just mean your house but just where you go in your day to day activities. Right now I'm sitting at this coffee shop in St. Thomas. I go to the same one every time hoping that I can build a relationship with the people who serve me and get a chance to share Christ with them. I try desperately to go to the same hairdresser all the time. Her name is Michelle...I want to invite her to Christmas Eve service.
I need to remember that my neighbourhood and everyone in it should be view the same way. I've got some interesting neighbours but I want Christ to help me to be helpful to them too.
So what about it? What changes could you make to ensure your light is seen and is helpful to more people who need to see the light?
Find a good piece of land
Analagous to the "let your light shine" is the "City on a Hill" metaphor. The point is, let people see you that they might glorify the Father, right? So, where you are is as important has how you are. A light under a bushel doesn't do any good and a city that isn't readily found doesn't do much good either.
So my question is, how strategic are you with where you settle down or spend your time? I don't just mean your house but just where you go in your day to day activities. Right now I'm sitting at this coffee shop in St. Thomas. I go to the same one every time hoping that I can build a relationship with the people who serve me and get a chance to share Christ with them. I try desperately to go to the same hairdresser all the time. Her name is Michelle...I want to invite her to Christmas Eve service.
I need to remember that my neighbourhood and everyone in it should be view the same way. I've got some interesting neighbours but I want Christ to help me to be helpful to them too.
So what about it? What changes could you make to ensure your light is seen and is helpful to more people who need to see the light?
So my question is, how strategic are you with where you settle down or spend your time? I don't just mean your house but just where you go in your day to day activities. Right now I'm sitting at this coffee shop in St. Thomas. I go to the same one every time hoping that I can build a relationship with the people who serve me and get a chance to share Christ with them. I try desperately to go to the same hairdresser all the time. Her name is Michelle...I want to invite her to Christmas Eve service.
I need to remember that my neighbourhood and everyone in it should be view the same way. I've got some interesting neighbours but I want Christ to help me to be helpful to them too.
So what about it? What changes could you make to ensure your light is seen and is helpful to more people who need to see the light?
Pay attention to the Little Things
How often do you look for litte ways to make the lives of those around you better? I know so often I get bogged down in the everyday stuff and forget that just a simple act of helping can speak volumes about the God I claim to serve. I challenge you to look today for just little ways you can go the extra mile. See if people don't notice. I bet if we did it consistantly that light would shine a whole lot brighter.
Stop being grumpy
I think I am grumpier than the average person. Sometimes I just don't feel like being around people. It rears its head at the worst times. For instance, I'll go to the grocery store and get up to the counter with a lovely cashier and just suddenly stop being socially interested and grunt my way through the transaction. I am certain that when I leave the till I've made the cashier's day worse and I certainly didn't help show her Christ.
We tend to think of Jesus command to be a light to mean that we need to do out of the ordinary acts of love and kindness. Although I think this is part of it I do think we miss many of the everyday opportunities to show his love in small tangible ways. Sometimes many small showings of love to a particular cashier, in amongst all of the grumpiness of the other customers, might just help to shine a light into their life that would illuminate her to the love of Christ. So, Tim, STOP BEING GRUMPY.
We tend to think of Jesus command to be a light to mean that we need to do out of the ordinary acts of love and kindness. Although I think this is part of it I do think we miss many of the everyday opportunities to show his love in small tangible ways. Sometimes many small showings of love to a particular cashier, in amongst all of the grumpiness of the other customers, might just help to shine a light into their life that would illuminate her to the love of Christ. So, Tim, STOP BEING GRUMPY.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Where is our temple these days?
I had an interesting (at least I think so) thought yesterday. I was thinking about the Old Testament temple and the care the people took to make sure it reflected the majesty of God as best as it could. And then I wondered - what's the equivalent reflection of our desire to see God's majesty made known today?
As far as I can tell there are two possible outlets for this: the church or our bodies. It really depends on how you look at it. Either we look at if from a practical point of view and decide the church, the physical structure where God's people gather to worship is the equivalent or we take literally the biblical teaching that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and say that our bodies are the temple of the Lord. No matter how we look at it I think the North American evangelical community largely misses the opportunity to witness to the greatness of God.
I think most of us would agree that option 2 is the biblical option. But then are we living up to this reality? Are we seeing ourselves as temples? Are we doing our best to make the structure as well kept as possible? More importantly, in the heart, the holy of holies, are we working with the Lord to clean the dirty places of our hearts and allowing the overflow of our hearts to reflect the one who we say lives in us? It pains me to admit that I know I'm often not a great reflection of this. Recent studies would suggest that the average Christian isn't...we don't appear to be any different than those that aren't following Christ.
I think we as Christians need to be asking God more and more to make us look different. Help us to hate what God hates. Help us to loosen our grip on the material. Help us to shine a light that the world might see Christ and be attracted to Him. I think I'm going to try and come up with one way each day this week that this temple can reflect the glory of God better.
What ways is God calling you to be more accurate a reflection of His glory.
As far as I can tell there are two possible outlets for this: the church or our bodies. It really depends on how you look at it. Either we look at if from a practical point of view and decide the church, the physical structure where God's people gather to worship is the equivalent or we take literally the biblical teaching that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and say that our bodies are the temple of the Lord. No matter how we look at it I think the North American evangelical community largely misses the opportunity to witness to the greatness of God.
I think most of us would agree that option 2 is the biblical option. But then are we living up to this reality? Are we seeing ourselves as temples? Are we doing our best to make the structure as well kept as possible? More importantly, in the heart, the holy of holies, are we working with the Lord to clean the dirty places of our hearts and allowing the overflow of our hearts to reflect the one who we say lives in us? It pains me to admit that I know I'm often not a great reflection of this. Recent studies would suggest that the average Christian isn't...we don't appear to be any different than those that aren't following Christ.
I think we as Christians need to be asking God more and more to make us look different. Help us to hate what God hates. Help us to loosen our grip on the material. Help us to shine a light that the world might see Christ and be attracted to Him. I think I'm going to try and come up with one way each day this week that this temple can reflect the glory of God better.
What ways is God calling you to be more accurate a reflection of His glory.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
A message to Francis Chan: please continue to mess with my mind
So last Saturday I showed the WLA arts team a video that really messed with me in June. It was Francis Chan at the Willow Arts Conference. I recently read an article he wrote for Worship Leader Magazine in which he talks about how his church is trying to get back to a biblical model of church. Here's what he writes:
There are probably many of you who want your church to function like the early church, but how do we get there? Start with what you can control. In other words, start with yourself. It's wrong to blame others for the condition of the Church. And it's silly for leaders to blame followers.
The elders at Cornerstone (his church) started with what we could control. We can't control other people. We can't make the people at Cornerstone "break bread in their homes" or "sell their possessions". We also can't control God. We can't make Him do "wonders and miraculous signs" through us...I can however sell my possessions as others have need. I do have control over that, so that became our first step. As we do our part, we trust God to bring about the "awe" and "wonders" in His time.
It was a beautiful time of sharing as our elders laid "everything" at each other's feet. We surrendered the keys to our cars, homes, and bank accounts. I actually believed the elders who looked me in the eyes and said, "What's mine is yours. If anything ever happens to you, I will support and care for your kids as much as I would care for my own. I will be your life insurance."
He goes on to tell of how that mentality is now starting to spread in their church. WOW! How awesome is that! If we are to make God known through our love, how obvious must it be to those around them that they love God?
This is messing me up again. I realize how much I love my "stuff". I realize how much more I could do if I surrendered my stuff to God...sold some off to be more free to love and help others. I don't know what this looks like for me yet but I think I'm going to try it.
There are probably many of you who want your church to function like the early church, but how do we get there? Start with what you can control. In other words, start with yourself. It's wrong to blame others for the condition of the Church. And it's silly for leaders to blame followers.
The elders at Cornerstone (his church) started with what we could control. We can't control other people. We can't make the people at Cornerstone "break bread in their homes" or "sell their possessions". We also can't control God. We can't make Him do "wonders and miraculous signs" through us...I can however sell my possessions as others have need. I do have control over that, so that became our first step. As we do our part, we trust God to bring about the "awe" and "wonders" in His time.
It was a beautiful time of sharing as our elders laid "everything" at each other's feet. We surrendered the keys to our cars, homes, and bank accounts. I actually believed the elders who looked me in the eyes and said, "What's mine is yours. If anything ever happens to you, I will support and care for your kids as much as I would care for my own. I will be your life insurance."
He goes on to tell of how that mentality is now starting to spread in their church. WOW! How awesome is that! If we are to make God known through our love, how obvious must it be to those around them that they love God?
This is messing me up again. I realize how much I love my "stuff". I realize how much more I could do if I surrendered my stuff to God...sold some off to be more free to love and help others. I don't know what this looks like for me yet but I think I'm going to try it.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Jesus CAN'T be his friend...can he?
This is unreal. Probably the worst song I've ever heard (thanks Andrew :| )
To give you and idea...may favorite verse is:
Once I tried to run, I tried to run and hide
But Jesus came and found me and he touched me down inside (WHAT!)
He is like a Mountie (yes the red coat kind), he always gets his man
He will zap you any way he can. ZAP!
To give you and idea...may favorite verse is:
Once I tried to run, I tried to run and hide
But Jesus came and found me and he touched me down inside (WHAT!)
He is like a Mountie (yes the red coat kind), he always gets his man
He will zap you any way he can. ZAP!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
While we're remembering...
September 11th will always be different. The terrible tragedy at New York in 2001 is forever etched in our minds. It changed America. I changed Canada. I think it changed a lot of the world.
Everyone will be talking about it today. Here's a thought...as we remember that tragedy and pray for the families of those who passed on let's add in a prayer for the unnoticed tragedies happening today. For the thousands of children who will die from lack of basic nutrition. For genocide. Pray that God would use the events of 2001 to continually wake us up to reality of a hurting world and that he'd moblize the church to change it increasingly to be the kingdom he came to bring to earth. Remember them...and remember every injustice. Be righteously furious about it and commit to doing something about it.
Everyone will be talking about it today. Here's a thought...as we remember that tragedy and pray for the families of those who passed on let's add in a prayer for the unnoticed tragedies happening today. For the thousands of children who will die from lack of basic nutrition. For genocide. Pray that God would use the events of 2001 to continually wake us up to reality of a hurting world and that he'd moblize the church to change it increasingly to be the kingdom he came to bring to earth. Remember them...and remember every injustice. Be righteously furious about it and commit to doing something about it.
Books without Pictures
If you've been around West London any length of time you've undoubtedly heard Pastor Mike crack this joke. He encourages to grab a book without pictures. What he means is read something theologically deep. Something challenging.
To be honest when I first got here I was very keen on this idea. Reading deep books was something I did in university and it was never very fun. You know what though? It's probably the best exercise I've been engaged in during my tenure at WLA. I've only read a few in two years but the ones I've read have literally changed my view of God and his Son and the Holy Spirit. The exercise has drawn me closer to the God I so desperately want to serve. It stretches my mind to ask tough questions about who God is and what he wants from us.
In a very real way the Word IS God and the Word WAS God. The Word became flesh. My relationship to the Word is directly linked to my relationship to Christ. The more I know about the Word the more I know about Christ. The closer I get to knowing the real Word the closer I get to knowing Christ.
So I encourage you...pick up a tough book about the Word. Don't be lazy. I know I tedn to be but as I'm discovering in all kinds of ways these days hard work is worth the pay off. In this case it's the best kind of payoff...knowing God more intimately. If you want reccomendations ask Pastor Mike...he's the king of books with no pictures.
Incidentally let me be direct with my female readers (boy I might get in trouble for this)...this is likely less appealing to you than some of the male readers. I don't know why that is but it's certainly not because you're not bright enough to make it through these books! The girls I know are incredibly intelligent. I think it's a left brain/right brain thing...but don't shy away from tough reading. Don't make excuses - try it. You might end up liking it!
To be honest when I first got here I was very keen on this idea. Reading deep books was something I did in university and it was never very fun. You know what though? It's probably the best exercise I've been engaged in during my tenure at WLA. I've only read a few in two years but the ones I've read have literally changed my view of God and his Son and the Holy Spirit. The exercise has drawn me closer to the God I so desperately want to serve. It stretches my mind to ask tough questions about who God is and what he wants from us.
In a very real way the Word IS God and the Word WAS God. The Word became flesh. My relationship to the Word is directly linked to my relationship to Christ. The more I know about the Word the more I know about Christ. The closer I get to knowing the real Word the closer I get to knowing Christ.
So I encourage you...pick up a tough book about the Word. Don't be lazy. I know I tedn to be but as I'm discovering in all kinds of ways these days hard work is worth the pay off. In this case it's the best kind of payoff...knowing God more intimately. If you want reccomendations ask Pastor Mike...he's the king of books with no pictures.
Incidentally let me be direct with my female readers (boy I might get in trouble for this)...this is likely less appealing to you than some of the male readers. I don't know why that is but it's certainly not because you're not bright enough to make it through these books! The girls I know are incredibly intelligent. I think it's a left brain/right brain thing...but don't shy away from tough reading. Don't make excuses - try it. You might end up liking it!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
28
I turned 28 today. I don't know that my age makes me feel much different but certainly a quick relfection on what's happened this year makes me feel different. Here are some things that have happened that make me feel different about life:
I'm a father
I've been more consistent in my time with God than ever
I'm praying more
I lost 20 lbs this year (55 in the past 3 years)
I feel more conscious of others
My passion for the lost has increased
I'm more stretched
I'm doing more about my passion for the lost
My heart has been broken by God more often
I'm sure there are more things to list but those are the ones that feel significant right now. I'm so happy. I feel blessed. I can only hope that God is as active this year as he was last year. Praise be to God for his abundant blessings.
I'm a father
I've been more consistent in my time with God than ever
I'm praying more
I lost 20 lbs this year (55 in the past 3 years)
I feel more conscious of others
My passion for the lost has increased
I'm more stretched
I'm doing more about my passion for the lost
My heart has been broken by God more often
I'm sure there are more things to list but those are the ones that feel significant right now. I'm so happy. I feel blessed. I can only hope that God is as active this year as he was last year. Praise be to God for his abundant blessings.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Who's style is it anyway?
So the WLA arts team had a meeting on Saturday. We watched a great video from Francis Chan which I wanted to show to launch us into the new year thinking about how we can better reach our mandate of creating a church of joyful worshippers. Francis reminded us that although it's sin not to do the best we can for God there is more...effort is not enough. The point for us...let's pursue God first. Let's get on our face and recognize that it's only God who changes people and if we want a church full of joyful worshippers we need to seek God to do that. It's not our job to do it.
Close to the end of the meeting we got in a discussion about worship and style. I am not surprised by this as it seems to be the focus of most of the problems encountered by worship ministries. Always has been. In the 80s the discussion was do we move from hymns with piano and organ to a full time worship band with modern music. These days it usually has less to do with if we'll do modern music but much new stuff we do compared to the favorites of yester-year. This is a loaded question and one I think every church answers differently. As I said on Saturday I really think these conversations are missing the point a bit as I feel our selection of songs should be topically (lyrically) driven but the question does get asked and should get addressed. I think there are two things at play here - what's the stance and desired/believed mission of your church and what are you equipped to do. So for the sake of fleshing this out here is how I'd answer the question for us, today, at WLA.
I know that WLA is very committed to the entire body of believers. Young and old are equally valued and important to us. In order to facilitate worship for the whole body of believers every church who tries to do this makes compromises. Some churches choose to run multiple service or multiple sites/venues. This allows them to give people more of what they want. That philosophy can work. This is not the choice we've made up to this point. These days we're choosing to try and do services that makes compromises on both sides and hopefully creates a worship environment that gives everyone a similar opportunity to worship. It's true...we do music that is more modern than traditional. However, we make our best effort to put music from many eras into our sets - new music, older choruses and hymns. However, we also choose to tone down some of the newer music both in volume and edginess in order to be as broad in appeal as we can. I think it's important to remember both sides are making compromises every week. Maybe neither side is ever completely happy...but that's ok. People do need to always remember that worship is not about them...it's about the body worshipping God. It's God's honor we're primarily concerned about. Fortunately there is no biblically mandated worship music style that we need to adhere to. As long an our hearts are right and our theology is in check then God can be honored.
The second part is to do the best we can with what we have. Some of this is staff oriented and much of it is volunteer oriented. For instance, these days we don't have any hymn specialists active on the team nor am I aware of any who want to be active. To do an all hymns service on a regular basis we'd need people like this to pull it off well. Also, we don't have enough of the kind of musician necessary to do an all Hillsong United style service, just for instance. We have people how can, for a short time, do either of these things well enough to make it through a song or two but not to carry the weight long term. God has blessed us with a team of people who have a breath of talents,styles and abilities and as we select our music for worship and put together teams we keep this in mind. Fortunately it happens to support the view of worship the church wants to have for the time being.
I'd be daft in a post like this not to admit that the people who are selecting the music don't have influence in this. And yes it's true that 3 of the 4 worship leaders and right around the 30 mark and so fall into the younger half of our church. This is intentional as WLA is doing our best to rejuvenate the church and grow up new leaders. We are doing our best though to make sure these leaders are choosing from a large, broad list of songs. It's important to remember that if the list of leaders were a bit older we'd lean a bit more to the older side and thus the younger people in the church would be more dissatisfied than they are now.
So where does that leave us? I think it leaves us to admit that no one's philosophy will ever make everyone happy. Also, we must remember that God's glory is the ultimate goal here. Division in the body over music style does not achieve that goal. We're all making compromises from our personal desires and that's the way the body should be working together. As far as I'm concerned and my job is concerned I'm committed to doing my best to create an environment where as many people as can be welcomed into worship are welcomed. If someone is ever feeling like they can't worship at WLA I'd warmly encourage them to give me a call, send me an email or walk into my office one day. I'd love to hear from them and see what of their wisdom can be fused with that of the rest of the body to create the kind of worship environment we're striving for...the kind where God is glorified and His style is paramount.
Sola Gloria Dei
Close to the end of the meeting we got in a discussion about worship and style. I am not surprised by this as it seems to be the focus of most of the problems encountered by worship ministries. Always has been. In the 80s the discussion was do we move from hymns with piano and organ to a full time worship band with modern music. These days it usually has less to do with if we'll do modern music but much new stuff we do compared to the favorites of yester-year. This is a loaded question and one I think every church answers differently. As I said on Saturday I really think these conversations are missing the point a bit as I feel our selection of songs should be topically (lyrically) driven but the question does get asked and should get addressed. I think there are two things at play here - what's the stance and desired/believed mission of your church and what are you equipped to do. So for the sake of fleshing this out here is how I'd answer the question for us, today, at WLA.
I know that WLA is very committed to the entire body of believers. Young and old are equally valued and important to us. In order to facilitate worship for the whole body of believers every church who tries to do this makes compromises. Some churches choose to run multiple service or multiple sites/venues. This allows them to give people more of what they want. That philosophy can work. This is not the choice we've made up to this point. These days we're choosing to try and do services that makes compromises on both sides and hopefully creates a worship environment that gives everyone a similar opportunity to worship. It's true...we do music that is more modern than traditional. However, we make our best effort to put music from many eras into our sets - new music, older choruses and hymns. However, we also choose to tone down some of the newer music both in volume and edginess in order to be as broad in appeal as we can. I think it's important to remember both sides are making compromises every week. Maybe neither side is ever completely happy...but that's ok. People do need to always remember that worship is not about them...it's about the body worshipping God. It's God's honor we're primarily concerned about. Fortunately there is no biblically mandated worship music style that we need to adhere to. As long an our hearts are right and our theology is in check then God can be honored.
The second part is to do the best we can with what we have. Some of this is staff oriented and much of it is volunteer oriented. For instance, these days we don't have any hymn specialists active on the team nor am I aware of any who want to be active. To do an all hymns service on a regular basis we'd need people like this to pull it off well. Also, we don't have enough of the kind of musician necessary to do an all Hillsong United style service, just for instance. We have people how can, for a short time, do either of these things well enough to make it through a song or two but not to carry the weight long term. God has blessed us with a team of people who have a breath of talents,styles and abilities and as we select our music for worship and put together teams we keep this in mind. Fortunately it happens to support the view of worship the church wants to have for the time being.
I'd be daft in a post like this not to admit that the people who are selecting the music don't have influence in this. And yes it's true that 3 of the 4 worship leaders and right around the 30 mark and so fall into the younger half of our church. This is intentional as WLA is doing our best to rejuvenate the church and grow up new leaders. We are doing our best though to make sure these leaders are choosing from a large, broad list of songs. It's important to remember that if the list of leaders were a bit older we'd lean a bit more to the older side and thus the younger people in the church would be more dissatisfied than they are now.
So where does that leave us? I think it leaves us to admit that no one's philosophy will ever make everyone happy. Also, we must remember that God's glory is the ultimate goal here. Division in the body over music style does not achieve that goal. We're all making compromises from our personal desires and that's the way the body should be working together. As far as I'm concerned and my job is concerned I'm committed to doing my best to create an environment where as many people as can be welcomed into worship are welcomed. If someone is ever feeling like they can't worship at WLA I'd warmly encourage them to give me a call, send me an email or walk into my office one day. I'd love to hear from them and see what of their wisdom can be fused with that of the rest of the body to create the kind of worship environment we're striving for...the kind where God is glorified and His style is paramount.
Sola Gloria Dei
Friday, September 5, 2008
The fourth is like the 3rd
Community. You may think to yourself that loving one another is akin to being in community but I beg to differ. I think love is a command given to us by God and we have to obey it. Community carries more choice with it. So my prayer for love is more one that we would obey God more in his call to love. My prayer for community is that through common joy and struggle in serving at WLA we will increasingly WANT to be with each other, share with each other, pray for each other. I want us to WANT to do life together, not just be obligated to do so.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Prayer number 3: Love
Jesus said "By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another". One of my deep desires is that the Arts team at WLA would be a place where people find love and support. I believe it's the foundation on which being able to work together is built. I pray that we will increasingly be a group who loves one another in action and deed, bearing one another burdens and celebrating life together, and by keeping each other accountable. May God bless us with radical love for one another and for WLA and for London.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Prayer #2: Unity
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. - John 17:22,23
This was Christ's prayer for us and for the sake of our community of faith I'm praying it for us as well.
This was Christ's prayer for us and for the sake of our community of faith I'm praying it for us as well.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
First week of the new ministry year: what I'm praying for
This is the first week of the new ministry year for just about every church in North America and for me it feels like New Years. I don't really see January 1st as the start of a new year I see September 1st that way. So as I look towards this year I've got some things I'm praying for. I'll try to articulate them in order of importance this week but perhaps it will become to monumental of a task.
I do know what's most important and most pressing on my mind: that God would be so pleased as to send the Holy Spirit on our congregation in such a way that there would be a tangible difference in the people and congregation of WLA
I think talking about the Holy Spirit has become old school or something. It should be something we talk about more. When Jesus left this earth he said that it was good that he was leaving because only through his leaving could the Comforter come. In essence saying the Comforter is better than having me in person. Soak that in. It's good that Jesus is gone because now the Holy Spirit is here. I want desperately for the Spirit to come on us in power so that our church will be a place where there is no doubt that God is up to something amazing, for his glory. I'd be pleased to know there are others praying for the same thing.
I do know what's most important and most pressing on my mind: that God would be so pleased as to send the Holy Spirit on our congregation in such a way that there would be a tangible difference in the people and congregation of WLA
I think talking about the Holy Spirit has become old school or something. It should be something we talk about more. When Jesus left this earth he said that it was good that he was leaving because only through his leaving could the Comforter come. In essence saying the Comforter is better than having me in person. Soak that in. It's good that Jesus is gone because now the Holy Spirit is here. I want desperately for the Spirit to come on us in power so that our church will be a place where there is no doubt that God is up to something amazing, for his glory. I'd be pleased to know there are others praying for the same thing.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Have you heard about twitter yet? It's the new thing the hip kids are doing. Check out www.twitter.com . My first thought was that facebook does this already. But sometimes facebook does too much. This does only status updates so I know what people are doing and they know what I'm doing. Cool concept. If you join up let me know. My Twitter page is www.twitter.com/timheerebout
Friday, August 29, 2008
Another blog to consider
I read this a week or two ago:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/08/the-dead-zone-o.html
It's a really interesting principal. Here's the question I wrestle with...how does one go about choosing to be "real" or "slick". People are always wanting things to get better. But if it's true that just being real gets us as far as being slick...shouldn't be be striving as hard or as happy to be real as we are to be slick. I know from my perspective being real would be a lot better than always trying to get more slick but probably not making it too far up that side of the hill.
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/08/the-dead-zone-o.html
It's a really interesting principal. Here's the question I wrestle with...how does one go about choosing to be "real" or "slick". People are always wanting things to get better. But if it's true that just being real gets us as far as being slick...shouldn't be be striving as hard or as happy to be real as we are to be slick. I know from my perspective being real would be a lot better than always trying to get more slick but probably not making it too far up that side of the hill.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Whatcha think about this?
"If we design our service experiences for a younger audience, we’re more likely to reach that younger person and we’ll also reach older folks. The reverse is not true. If we designed our service experience for an older audience, the younger crowd would not show up."
http://tonymorganlive.com/2008/08/24/are-you-comfortable-with-being-uncomfortable/
Do you:
a) Strongly Disagree
b) Somewhat Disagree
c) Don't know
d) Somewhat Agree
e) Strongly Agree
http://tonymorganlive.com/2008/08/24/are-you-comfortable-with-being-uncomfortable/
Do you:
a) Strongly Disagree
b) Somewhat Disagree
c) Don't know
d) Somewhat Agree
e) Strongly Agree
Lazy blogging is sometimes more effective
I found it hard to decide what to blog on today...then I read this.
http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2008/08/theological-preoccupation.html
I resonate with this so much. I come from a hyper-evangelism background. It is now engrained into who I am and I doubt that will ever change. I desperately want to see people come to know Christ. However, I've seen churches that "win" a lot of people to Christ and then fail to help them grow up.
The more I get to know, and really know, the Word the more I love it. The more I want to know about it and apply it to my life. I want desperately to help people know it and apply it to their lives.
It's a shame these two loves don't more often meet and get practiced. I admit, it's tough. I don't think that's an excuse for not trying to have church be about both.
http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2008/08/theological-preoccupation.html
I resonate with this so much. I come from a hyper-evangelism background. It is now engrained into who I am and I doubt that will ever change. I desperately want to see people come to know Christ. However, I've seen churches that "win" a lot of people to Christ and then fail to help them grow up.
The more I get to know, and really know, the Word the more I love it. The more I want to know about it and apply it to my life. I want desperately to help people know it and apply it to their lives.
It's a shame these two loves don't more often meet and get practiced. I admit, it's tough. I don't think that's an excuse for not trying to have church be about both.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Careful what you pray...you might just get it.
So I've been doing my best to pray for stretching, ruining and healing the last two weeks. A great idea in theory. I'll tell you though that this weekend was one of the most stretching I've had in a long time. It got me thinking...you'd better not pray for something unless you WANT it to happen. Don't ask God for things just to sound good because you might just get what you ask for. Be serious about it. Give it careful thought.
I'm glad to say that even though it's been a tough weekend that God has worked in my heart and brought some things to light that I think I needed to wrestle with and will continue to wrestle with. I'm glad I asked...I pray for each of you that you'll be glad you asked too.
I'm glad to say that even though it's been a tough weekend that God has worked in my heart and brought some things to light that I think I needed to wrestle with and will continue to wrestle with. I'm glad I asked...I pray for each of you that you'll be glad you asked too.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Heal me.
The Great Physician. Jesus Christ is our only hope for healing and redemption. I think most people have addictions and vices. Maybe not the big ones like alcohol or drugs but we all have something. Money. Sex. Something that we just can't get enough of.
Part of having IT is calling on Christ to heal us of our diseases. It's what he came to do. When Christ was heaing people physically during his time on earth he was showing us part of who he is and what he came to do. He came to heal the human soul and to help rid us of our sin.
Be real and honest. What is your addiction? Where does sin exist in your life? Call on Jesus to heal you and to work mightily in your life that others might see IT and give glory to the Great Physician.
Part of having IT is calling on Christ to heal us of our diseases. It's what he came to do. When Christ was heaing people physically during his time on earth he was showing us part of who he is and what he came to do. He came to heal the human soul and to help rid us of our sin.
Be real and honest. What is your addiction? Where does sin exist in your life? Call on Jesus to heal you and to work mightily in your life that others might see IT and give glory to the Great Physician.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Two Quotes, One Intention
I've come across two quotes this week that I really resonate with. I thought I'd share them:
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." - George Bernard Shaw
"And may God bless you with enough foolishnessto believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim can not be done" - Franciscan benediction.
Being safe and reasonable doesn't line up with the life I think Christ calls us to. I want to be as foolish and unreasonable as I need to be to do something great for the Kingdom.
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." - George Bernard Shaw
"And may God bless you with enough foolishnessto believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim can not be done" - Franciscan benediction.
Being safe and reasonable doesn't line up with the life I think Christ calls us to. I want to be as foolish and unreasonable as I need to be to do something great for the Kingdom.
Ruin me
The natural state of my heart is cold. Unfeeling. I have been conditioned to guard my emotions and the put up walls around my vulnerability. Don't feel too much, you might get hurt. Don't think about things too much, you won't like what you see. This is how the world teaches us to deal with pain and suffering...ignore it and it will go away.
This is not the way God wants us to be. God desires for us to care deeply for the oppressed, for the broken, for the poor and the orphans and the widows. He wants us to be in pain for them...for our hearts to be broken on their behalf. In order to have IT we need to be ruined to core for those who need God. Whether they need to experience his love in their lives or whether they just need to have their physical needs met our hearts need to bleed for them. Jesus said "whatever you do for the least of these you also do for me".
Are you allowing your heart to be ruined? Are you doing something for the oppressed for the sake of Jesus? Pray with me that the world would not win the war for the condition of our hearts but that God would come and do as he promised for Israel:
"...I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes..."
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Stretch Me
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to feel like this guy? I'm certain it's not comfortable although Stretch here always has this goofy, obnoxious super hero-guy smile on all the time. I've tried doing the splits...it's not that fun Stretch! On the upside being able to reach uncomfortably far has it's advantages. I mean when my wife sends me to get that one dish at Christmas time we never use except at Christmas time and it's all the way at the back of the cupboard and far out of the reach of my 5'9 1/2" frame it'd sure be handy to be able to just stretch my way on up there, wouldn't it?
And so it is in life that at times we need to be stretched in order to accomplish things that might be coming in our future. The work of being stretched is rarely fun but it's necessary. See, I firmly believe that God wants to use us in ways that if we could see now would baffle and amaze us. But we're not ready. We need to be stretched so that when the time comes to reach a higher height we can get there. I'm praying these days that God would stretch me in ways that take me way out of my comfort zone so that I can be someone he calls on to really make his glory known to others. Are you willing to stretch too?
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Let's be honest...IT is more than this
I'm going to go in a different direction with this week's blog than I thought. IT saved the best for last. I started the blog for this week before reading the last 2 chapters of IT and I've got to say above anything else these two chapters really hit me hard. Craig rightly addresses the crux of the issue here...that if our ministries/families/lives are to have IT then WE (I) have to have IT. If we don't have IT then how can we possibly expect anyone else to have IT?
I want IT but don't often have IT. I've been a part of IT and know what IT feels and looks like. I have high hopes and expectations for the Church Universal, WLA, my family etc. Often I talk big about how things should be but don't live up to my own expectations. Frankly I can't live up to my own expectations. I don't experience IT to the degree I want to because I don't have IT right now. I NEED God to do this in me. And so to have IT is to have God with me, working in me, and through me. To experience that I have to be committed to pleasing God first and foremost. So often I'm looking to please people...to have a slick, well put together morning when I should be looking to have the Holy Spirit moving in power. I'm not repenting of wanting to do things well just of wanting to do them well in order to look good.
Sometimes I'm more in love with the Church than with Christ. Craig told his story of coming to this realization and it hit me square in the face. That's me at times. I want the church to be great more than I want to know Christ and more than I want people at the church to know Christ. It's a painful realization and it's not always true but sometimes it is.
So the question for me is how do I get to the place to allow God to consume me rather than the church or anything else consume me? Craig proposes we pray in three ways which have been helpful to him and I'm going to adopt. The rest of the week will be dedicated to looking at these three prayers: stretch me, ruin me, and heal me.
My question to anyone out there this morning...is Christ your first love or something else? If He is not our first love then IT is likely not close by.
I want IT but don't often have IT. I've been a part of IT and know what IT feels and looks like. I have high hopes and expectations for the Church Universal, WLA, my family etc. Often I talk big about how things should be but don't live up to my own expectations. Frankly I can't live up to my own expectations. I don't experience IT to the degree I want to because I don't have IT right now. I NEED God to do this in me. And so to have IT is to have God with me, working in me, and through me. To experience that I have to be committed to pleasing God first and foremost. So often I'm looking to please people...to have a slick, well put together morning when I should be looking to have the Holy Spirit moving in power. I'm not repenting of wanting to do things well just of wanting to do them well in order to look good.
Sometimes I'm more in love with the Church than with Christ. Craig told his story of coming to this realization and it hit me square in the face. That's me at times. I want the church to be great more than I want to know Christ and more than I want people at the church to know Christ. It's a painful realization and it's not always true but sometimes it is.
So the question for me is how do I get to the place to allow God to consume me rather than the church or anything else consume me? Craig proposes we pray in three ways which have been helpful to him and I'm going to adopt. The rest of the week will be dedicated to looking at these three prayers: stretch me, ruin me, and heal me.
My question to anyone out there this morning...is Christ your first love or something else? If He is not our first love then IT is likely not close by.
Monday, August 18, 2008
I want to have IT
I really love to read. I love to read because it challenges me. My mind works this way...I read something, I get re-energized, I want to incorporate what I've read into my life. This often happens when I open God's word (as I hope it does for you!) but it can also happen when I read other books. Most often it's books on leadership and the church.
The most recent book I've devouered? Craig Groeschel's (pastor of LifeChurch.tv) newest book called IT: How Churches and Leaders can get IT and Keep IT. Craig's church has IT. Two years in a row now they've been recognized as the most innovative church in America. They have 13 campuses. They minister to over 25,000 people each weekend. People come to Christ weekly. Baptisms are constant. They leverage everything they can for the cause of Christ. Sounds amazing and exciting, doesn't it?
So how does Craig propose we get IT? He proposes there are 7 elements that contribute to IT. It's not that if you do these things IT will happen. More like, IT tends to follow these things and if you don't have them it's unlikely you'll find IT where these things are lacking.
Today's IT factor: Vision.
The KJV quotes Proverbs 29:18 as "Without vision the people perish". God knows the power of vision and means for his people and his church to have clear vision. I like how Craig describes clear vision. It has to be memorable, portable and motivational. I think a good vision has to be all three. A catchy phrase that doesn't inspire people is worthless. A great vision that can't be applied to every aspect of ministry (or life if it's a personal vision) is useless.
Vision is so vital to our lives. To our ministries. Even if you don't "lead for a living" you should be thinking about vision. Pray with me for vision in our lives, our churches and our ministries. Without it, we perish...or we might as well perish.
PS - another great book on this topic which is applicable to anyone reading this is Visioneering by Andy Stanley. You can get both of these books on amazon.ca
The most recent book I've devouered? Craig Groeschel's (pastor of LifeChurch.tv) newest book called IT: How Churches and Leaders can get IT and Keep IT. Craig's church has IT. Two years in a row now they've been recognized as the most innovative church in America. They have 13 campuses. They minister to over 25,000 people each weekend. People come to Christ weekly. Baptisms are constant. They leverage everything they can for the cause of Christ. Sounds amazing and exciting, doesn't it?
So how does Craig propose we get IT? He proposes there are 7 elements that contribute to IT. It's not that if you do these things IT will happen. More like, IT tends to follow these things and if you don't have them it's unlikely you'll find IT where these things are lacking.
Today's IT factor: Vision.
The KJV quotes Proverbs 29:18 as "Without vision the people perish". God knows the power of vision and means for his people and his church to have clear vision. I like how Craig describes clear vision. It has to be memorable, portable and motivational. I think a good vision has to be all three. A catchy phrase that doesn't inspire people is worthless. A great vision that can't be applied to every aspect of ministry (or life if it's a personal vision) is useless.
Vision is so vital to our lives. To our ministries. Even if you don't "lead for a living" you should be thinking about vision. Pray with me for vision in our lives, our churches and our ministries. Without it, we perish...or we might as well perish.
PS - another great book on this topic which is applicable to anyone reading this is Visioneering by Andy Stanley. You can get both of these books on amazon.ca
Saturday, August 16, 2008
iRESTed
no posts yesteray on purpose. what good activity should you not do in order to better use your time to rest?
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sometimes Resting means Resting
What kind of person are you? Are you the kind of person that needs to unplug entirely in order to rest? Or, are you the kind of person that needs to remain a bit attached to your work in order to know that things are going well enough around the office so that then you can relax? Think about it? What kind of person are you?
I know that I'm the first kind of person. I often fail to realize that God has made me a certain way and that he means for me to be just exactly that person and so, to the degree that he's given wisdom and insight into who I am, I should use that insight to my advantage. The problem is I don't. Just about every time I'm on "vacation" I do something small that has to do with work and think I can just kind of slip in and slip out of that mode.
My email account is my worst enemy.
So what am I going to do? From now on vacation is vacation. I'm going to make it a priority to be away from my house, my computer and anything else that can be "workish" and rest. How about you? Could you see yourself unplugging like that?
ps - If Mike is reading this don't feel guilty about our meeting on Friday. It was my choice :) But I'll make better choices later.
I know that I'm the first kind of person. I often fail to realize that God has made me a certain way and that he means for me to be just exactly that person and so, to the degree that he's given wisdom and insight into who I am, I should use that insight to my advantage. The problem is I don't. Just about every time I'm on "vacation" I do something small that has to do with work and think I can just kind of slip in and slip out of that mode.
My email account is my worst enemy.
So what am I going to do? From now on vacation is vacation. I'm going to make it a priority to be away from my house, my computer and anything else that can be "workish" and rest. How about you? Could you see yourself unplugging like that?
ps - If Mike is reading this don't feel guilty about our meeting on Friday. It was my choice :) But I'll make better choices later.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Rest doesn't mean do nothing
One of my greatest struggles when I'm on vacation is to continue to spend time with God. It seems that in doing nothing I'm inclined to take it to the extreme and stop everything that feels like it takes effort. The reality is that our life as Christians always takes effort. Matt 11:29 says "take my yoke upon you...and you will find rest for your souls". See there is work involved in the Christian life - always. However, when it comes to really resting, the work is worth it as it will bring us the ultimate kind of rest, rest for our souls. So if you're like me and still have rest time to come, don't rest entirely. Do the work required to rejuvenate the very depth of your soul.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Resting: What not to eat?
I don't know about you but I really try to think before I eat. Sometimes I over-think what I'm going to eat. It's probably a function of having been an overweight kid since birth (popped out at a whopping 9lb10oz) and having just really got control of my weight in the past 3 years (was 250lbs). But you know as right as I think it is for us to care about our health and to treat our bodies as temples I think there are times when we're resting and we should focus more on enjoying what God has given to us than what not to eat.
I feel a bit like the Apostle Peter in Acts 10. Here is this smorgasbord of food in front of me (well yesterday it wasn't so much that as the menu at "The Wharf" in Port Stanley) and God says "eat". I look over the menu and say "but God...this food has too much white flour and carbs - I can't eat this." And I really think God is saying "I made this for your enjoyment. Eat. Don't be so uptight. If I say it's clean, it is." You see, just like resting, there are times to work hard at our diets and times to relax. Here's to relaxing!
I feel a bit like the Apostle Peter in Acts 10. Here is this smorgasbord of food in front of me (well yesterday it wasn't so much that as the menu at "The Wharf" in Port Stanley) and God says "eat". I look over the menu and say "but God...this food has too much white flour and carbs - I can't eat this." And I really think God is saying "I made this for your enjoyment. Eat. Don't be so uptight. If I say it's clean, it is." You see, just like resting, there are times to work hard at our diets and times to relax. Here's to relaxing!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Rest - it's not a four letter word
Well at least it's not THAT kind of four letter word. In our society there are pockets that believe taking time off and resting is unacceptable. I don't prescribe to that model of thinking. Don't get me wrong - I believe that working hard is VERY important. I believe it's even biblically mandated that Christians be hard working people. However, it's equally mandated that we rest. God instituted the Sabbath. In some very real way resting was the first religious observance. The oldest ritual in our faith is the Sabbath. And just as God has set out the Sabbath as rest, so he sets out different seasons of rest in our lives. This week is one such time for me. I hope God will use this time to refresh me for the hard work to come. I pray for all of my friends that this summer has brought times of rest for each of you. If you haven't found rest yet, take time if you can.
Friday, August 8, 2008
In-Ear Monitors...a love hate relationship
I know for most of the members of the WLA arts team In Ear Monitors (IEM's) conjure up really positive thoughts or cause them to sin in our hearts with dreadful thoughts of what they would do to their arts pastor for intriducing the foul inventions.
I think people have two major complaints about IEM's. The first is the feel...they just kill the feel. This problem is due to two things...first that they don't push as much air as people are used to and so the "vibe" (yes intentional) is lessened. The second reason is fit and sound quality. If the IEM's are uncomfortable then the whole experience of using them can be quite negative.
Fortunately there are ways around this. The first is to get a better set of earphones. Yes, they exist and yes I'm admitting the ones we provide are not the "best" option. They aren't terrible but they aren't the best. The IEM's we have at WLA are single driver ear phones so they don't carry much bottom end. Bottom end is a big part of the "vibe" thing...as Queen pointed out large bottom end makes the rocking world go 'round (paraphrase...gosh I hope I don't get in trouble). How do you solve this? Like you would for any speaker system...add a sub-woofer. That's right, some ear phones have as many as 3 speakers built into them for better sound. Another option for increasing "vibe" is that some ear-phone makers offer an "ambient" option so you can get a bit of the stage sound mixed into your IEM's. Pretty cool.
The other fix is to get a moulded ear piece. You can make an impression yourself or go to an audiologist to have one made for you. This means the ear bud will fit your ear exactly, never slipping, never coming out, and will sound better because the foamy bit never gets in the way.
Now, I've never really mentioned this much before because the technology has always been a bit expensive. But I've just found a company that does this for much cheaper than I previously thought possible. I'm providing links to two companys, the first is the less expensive option and the second is the industry standard with the ambient option (add $100 to any set of ear phones) but they're at least twice as much money as option 1. If you've got any questions about this drop me a line! (If anyone is reading this who cares)
http://www.freqonline.com/tourdefreq.htm
http://www.ultimateears.com/_ultimateears/products/custom/ue5pro_description.php
I think people have two major complaints about IEM's. The first is the feel...they just kill the feel. This problem is due to two things...first that they don't push as much air as people are used to and so the "vibe" (yes intentional) is lessened. The second reason is fit and sound quality. If the IEM's are uncomfortable then the whole experience of using them can be quite negative.
Fortunately there are ways around this. The first is to get a better set of earphones. Yes, they exist and yes I'm admitting the ones we provide are not the "best" option. They aren't terrible but they aren't the best. The IEM's we have at WLA are single driver ear phones so they don't carry much bottom end. Bottom end is a big part of the "vibe" thing...as Queen pointed out large bottom end makes the rocking world go 'round (paraphrase...gosh I hope I don't get in trouble). How do you solve this? Like you would for any speaker system...add a sub-woofer. That's right, some ear phones have as many as 3 speakers built into them for better sound. Another option for increasing "vibe" is that some ear-phone makers offer an "ambient" option so you can get a bit of the stage sound mixed into your IEM's. Pretty cool.
The other fix is to get a moulded ear piece. You can make an impression yourself or go to an audiologist to have one made for you. This means the ear bud will fit your ear exactly, never slipping, never coming out, and will sound better because the foamy bit never gets in the way.
Now, I've never really mentioned this much before because the technology has always been a bit expensive. But I've just found a company that does this for much cheaper than I previously thought possible. I'm providing links to two companys, the first is the less expensive option and the second is the industry standard with the ambient option (add $100 to any set of ear phones) but they're at least twice as much money as option 1. If you've got any questions about this drop me a line! (If anyone is reading this who cares)
http://www.freqonline.com/tourdefreq.htm
http://www.ultimateears.com/_ultimateears/products/custom/ue5pro_description.php
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