Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Birthday Pondering
Monday, September 15, 2008
Sooooo Sorry!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Lessons From Camp
Monday, July 7, 2008
Living versus Dying
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Prayer and Email
We can tell a lot about our priorities by our habits. One of the things that I find myself addicted to doing is checking my email. When I get up in the morning, I want to check it. When I get to the office, I check it. When I get home from work, I want to check it. I don’t know why. Most of the time its just someone peddling the latest pill or wanting me to verify my bank number so they can steal my money. But I have this feeling that I am going to miss out on something important or to not get a message from someone that needs to get ahold of me.
I wish I had that same urgency about prayer. Don’t get me wrong. If you were to ask me what is more important prayer or email, I would definitely say prayer. But sometimes I get so caught up in the information of this physical world, that I lose my sense of urgency for information from the Spirit. I want to encourage you to join me in developing the “urgency” for our information from above. I don’t want to miss out on the vital information that the Spirit is wanting to give me to make this day a success.
Habit changer ideas:
- Each time you go to check your email, stop in silence first and see if the Spirit has a message.
- Each time you send an email, stop and say a prayer for someone on your list.
- Each time you delete an email, let it remind you to ask God to purge the sins and weights that beset you.
- Each time you save an email, ask God to remind you of His goodness and faithfulness.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Summer Musical Arts Camp for Kids
One of the things that I love about this camp is that kids who never knew they could sing or dance or act or create sets get an opportunity to try it out and see what they can do. There are so may kids who do not get a chance to be exposed to the arts in this fashion and it is great to be able to do it in a safe Christian atmosphere.
If you are not doing anything on Friday, June 27th at 7:00pm, you need to get a ticket and plan to be at Willy Wonka. It will be worth the effort!
See you then!!!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Off the Beaten Path
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Happy Birthday Brandy!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Wisdom Tooth....Urrgghh!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Mother's Day
Monday, May 5, 2008
"Been Long Time"
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
All or Nothing
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The Transition Part 2
Thursday, April 10, 2008
The Transition
A few things to watch out for in times of transition: First, watch out for the tempo or even meter changes. Tempo changes can become the intersection that causes the most crashes mainly because it is something that is inside of the leader and not so much written on a page. It is important for the worship leader to communicate in some fashion the tempo or even the feel that he or she is expecting out of the band or choir. So watch out for those tempo changes.
The second transition that can cause major problems is the key change. It is very important to figure out how you can make as smooth of a key change as possible and still get the punch that a key change gives to music. I went to a church one time and cringed at every key change because it usually took the guitarist a measure or so to realize that everyone else had changed keys. So watch out for the key changes.
Lastly I want to say that we need to watch out for the dynamic changes. By dynamics, I mean the volume changes. Worship happens in swells many times and it is important that everyone ride the same wave. If the worship leader is trying to get quiet and more intimate and the drummer and guitars keep slamming it, then the whole dynamic transition is lost. The opposite is true as well. If the worship leader is attempting to build a dynamic swell and the drummer leaves the cymbals for the high hat, you may end up wiping out. So watch out for the dynamic swells in a worship set.
I know that this blog has been filled with metaphors. I hope that you enjoyed and agreed with each comparison and assessment. May all of your transitions be right!!!
(Next time we can talk about life transitions)
Thursday, April 3, 2008
So why submit?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Lessons from Saying Goodbye
Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter Trilogy 2008
I want to use this blog as a forum to say how blessed I am to be able to work with the people that I work with. Everyone from the staff at CFA to the choir, and most important to me, the orchestra. We have an incredible team of people that always put in their best and it shows. It is so awesome to actually look forward to getting together with the people you work with and the people you worship with. I love my guys (and gals) and love to see them each and every week. I know that we asked a lot of you this season. Thank you for your patience and dedication to His work here at CFA,
You are all the best (with Nacho accent).
Thursday, March 20, 2008
A Canoe vs. A Cruise Ship
Monday, March 17, 2008
Easter Trilogy Week 2
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Living is Growing
Monday, March 10, 2008
Easter Trilogy Week One
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Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Easter is Right Around the Corner
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I don't know about you and your church, but around here things are hopping getting ready for our Easter Trilogy. Yes, you read it correctly...Trilogy. CFA has now begun the tradition of having an Easter Trilogy which is a three part sermon/drama/musical series leading up to Easter. This year we are doing the life of Moses on March 9th, the life of Joseph on March 16th, and the life of Jesus on March 23rd. This is a great way to build enthusiasm around Easter and provide something that people can invite their friends and family to.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Give Them the "Lazy Eye"
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Saturday, March 1, 2008
GPS for the Soul
The other day Brandy and I were using it on our trip to Chapel Hill and I made the comment that no matter what wrong turn we may make, we can still drive with confidence because the GPS adjusts and gets us where we are going. You know it is kind of that way in our walk with the Lord. We no longer have to feel lost in life. We have the Holy Spirit that will lead us and guide us no matter where we find ourselves. If we will only learn to trust and rely on the Lord's leading as easily as we do that GPS, we will find ourselves not only driving with peace and confidence, but living with it as well.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Where sin abounds...
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
From a Puppy's Perspective
When Maggie and I got home, I took her out in my back yard to let her get used to her new home. It was hilarious to sit back and watch her simply explore all of her new surroundings. The people that had lived in the house before me also had dogs. Their dogs evidently loved to dig holes. I know because I would always twist my ankle stepping in them when I mowed. Grass had grown over these holes and so you couldn't really see them unless you were looking right down at them. Maggie, being so little, would be walking along and all of a sudden disappear into one of these holes. She would pull herself together, crawl out and keep right on going. I would try to tell her, "Maggie, watch out for that hole", but being that our communication was not that good, she would march right on and fall into the very hole I had tried to warn her about. This happened several times. I found myself saying, "I warned you Maggie, that's what you get when you don't listen."
All of a sudden God spoke very quietly to me and said, "That's how I feel sometimes, I see the potholes in your life coming and try to warn you, but you keep plowing on not acknowledging the fact that I have a better vantage point than you do and can guide you around those holes if you would only let me." I stopped in my tracks, reviewed the situation and then realized I am just like that puppy. I think I know it all. But there is a Master whose ways are higher than my ways and whose thoughts are higher than my thoughts and He can help me navigate through the backyard of life safely if I will only learn to listen.
Today be willing to stop and listen and let the Holy Spirit speak to you. Let His Word be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path. God is a loving God who wants to protect and care for you. Trust Him and let Him lead.
Monday, February 18, 2008
It's Kind of Like Golf...
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Why am I saying all of this? Life is like golf in some ways. For some of us, we try to hit straight and true and if it wasn't for the little sprinkler heads in the fairways of life, we would always be successful. Then there are some of us that seem to duff the ball off of the tee and then all of the cart paths and rocks in life seem to place our ball in great position. What is so funny is that when the sprinkler head causes our ball to hop up on the green in putting position, we celebrate the sprinkler head and might even thank God for it. But when that same sprinkler head knocks our ball out of bounds, we curse the sprinkler head and complain that they should never be put there.
How many times in life do we praise God for the variables that go our way and then doubt God's love when the same variables do not seem to work in our "favor."? I want to encourage you today to not be double minded but rather single minded in your belief that all things work together for good when we love God and believe in His purpose for our life.
There is another saying in golf that goes something like this, "All that matters is the score card in the clubhouse." In other words, no matter what good looking shots or bad looking shots got you there, all that matters is the final score. That's where God's grace comes in. You see no matter how badly I may feel like my game is going, ultimately I know that in the clubhouse of life I win because Jesus has already shot the perfect game and I get to turn in His scorecard. I have traded my unrighteousness for His righteousness. What a thought! So don't let your game get all bent out of shape because of the variables that are out of your control. Swing strong and confident knowing that in the end...you win!!!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
One of the Pitfalls of Recruitment
I try to always stay away from making this one mistake...never beg, bribe, or bargain anyone into your worship ministry. If you have to beg, bribe, or bargain to get them into your program, you will have to beg, bribe, and bargain to keep them committed to your program. I would rather not have a position filled than to have it filled with someone who really doesn't want to be there in the first place. I believe that God adds to the church and to the department as He sees fit. Let God bring passionate and competent people to your side before filling the position with someone that will cost you dearly to have to remove later on.
Musicians attract musicians. Develop a passionate group of musicians who are committed to the ministry and other like minded musicians will follow.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
What's Love Got to Do With It....
Paul writes to the church at Corinth that if I do good deeds, if I speak in the languages of angels, if I give my body to be burned and don't have love as the motivating force, then all of those "accomplishments" are in vain. There are many reasons to do nice things for others. Some do it to return kindness shown to them. Some do it to get attention or praise from others. Some do it because they feel obligated to do it. Some may even do it because they think it is their religious duty. But if love is not the driving force, Paul says that compared to the beautiful symphony of love, your actions sound like a clanging symbol.
So what's love got to do with it....I would say it has everything to do with it.
Please let me know if you like our postings by emailing us at www.inspireworship.com. Thanks and Happy Valentines Day!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Rambling from a Funeral
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Who's getting Who's Attention?
For instance, if you feel that you have to get God's attention, your worship will be all about trying to impress Him (as if we were capable of that). We would say things like, "Come on people, if you bless the Lord He will come and answer our prayers" or you will clap and shout and dance (kind of like the prophets of Baal) until you have worked yourself up into a tizzy. That approach borders on mysticism. It says that if I say the right thing and do the right thing, God will not be angry or dispassionate towards my situation and will come and intervene on my behalf.
But if you come in with the approach to worship that God is trying to get your attention, then your worship may look a little different. The old chorus says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus.... and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." Is it possible that spiritual things happen in worship because we get spiritual. In other words, is it possible that James was correct (which he was) when he wrote that "if we draw near to God, God draws near to us." So when you lead worship, you are not trying to impress God. Instead you are taking a group of people and hopefully leading them from their carnal approach to things and letting them see God for who He really is. God is never dispassionate towards us. He wants to be involved in every part of our life. But worship that the Father is looking for is in "spirit" and in "truth." Both of these things are eternal things, not temporal. So I think God is looking for people that will get their mind off of the temporal and earthly things, and worship in His arena - spirit.
So when you are leading worship, take serious your responsibility not to get God to come down to your level, but rather help your people get up to His.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tackling the Hard Issues
The Love of Broadway
Whew!! What an evening we had last night. Three Strands Ministries at CFA hosted a Valentines Banquet and the entertainment was provided by 4 couples singing love songs from 7 different Broadway shows. We of course also had our faithful band playing along. I am definitely not the stage acting kind and really was stretching myself last night. Brandy and I sang “They Say It’s Wonderful” from Annie Get Your Gun and “When I First Saw You” from Dreamgirls.
Someone asked what was the purpose of the show, because there was no Gospel presentation given. It got me to thinking about how the church must be true to our calling to win the lost. But I think that the church also can be a place to offer an alternative to the world for good, clean entertainment. Brandy had some co-workers that visited last night because of the show. One of them left in tears because of how much they enjoyed it. We now have an opportunity to invite that person to other events as a result of our “secular” show. Don’t miss an opportunity to reclaim the arts and music as a tool to introduce the lost to the people of God.
What does IWM do?
Inspire Worship Ministries is designed to be flexible enough to benefit churches of all shapes and sizes. Most people wonder how it is we help churches. So I will give you a hypothetical scenario that shows how our ministry works.
Pastor John Doe calls me and says that he has heard of our ministry and would like some advice on how to expand his worship ministry. I then set up a lunch or dinner appointment and sit down with Pastor Doe and find out as much about his current structure as possible. I then ask the pastor to describe in as much detail as possible what he wants his worship ministry to look like one year and five years from now. Based on this information, I make recommendations on how he might go about putting things in place that will start the church on the path towards his vision.
Sometimes the pastor may have us come in and do a weekend of workshops where we communicate the visions through Biblical and practical instruction. Sometimes we establish a short term mentoring relationship in which case we will be coming alongside them and helping them walk through their transition for up to 13 weeks. I have been told that one of our greatest strengths is that we have lots of ideas. Our consulting is probably our greatest tool for pastors. I do not have all the answers, but I try to help you find them.