Here And Now

We want to be a church where freedom reigns

We want to be a people full of grace

We want to be a shelter where the broken find their place

We want to be a refuge for the weak

We want to be a light for the world to see

We want to be a love that breaks the walls and fills the streets

All are welcome here

As we are

As we are

For our God is near every heart

Let Your mercy rise

Let Your hope resound

Let Your love in our hearts be found

Let Your grace run free

Let Your name bring peace

Heaven come in the here and now

We want to be the door that's open wide

We want to see compassion come to life

We want to carry truth that shines a beacon in the night

We want to see this city filled with hope

We want to bring peace to the troubled soul

We want to tell the story of a God that we can know

All are welcome here

As we are

As we are

for our God is near every heart

Let Your mercy rise

Let Your hope resound

Let Your love in our hearts be found

Let Your grace run free

Let Your name bring peace

Heaven come in the here and now

So let justice roll like a river wild

And let mercy grow like a burning fire

Let it come in the here and now

Your kingdom come til it rules the earth

And Your will be done all around the world

Let it come in the here and now

All are welcome here

All are welcome here

All are welcome here

As we are

As we are

For our God is near every heart

Let Your mercy rise

Let Your hope resound

Let Your love in our hearts be found

Let Your grace run free

Let Your name bring peace

Heaven come in the here and now

So let justice roll like a river wild

And let mercy grow like a burning fire

Let it come in the here and now

Your kingdom come til it rules the earth

And Your will be done all around the world

Let it come in the here and now

Anniversary

Wow. Yesterday I was reminded of an anniversary that I forgot I had. Well, I remembered that the event took place, and it was, indeed, a very special day, but it's not really something I consistently keep in my mind...especially not enough to celebrate its anniversary. The thing is, it's probably one of the things in my life that's actually worth rejoicing over and commemorating.

On November 7, 1993, I was baptized, and there was much to celebrate! There were six of us who stood up that day and wanted to make a public profession of our faith in front of our church family. I can recall wrestling over the decision for a few weeks beforehand. Did I really want to take this stand? What did I really believe? I knew I believed that Jesus died for me, but had I ever stepped up and made that faith my own? I remember crying in my room...sobbing, is more like it. Mostly, I was scared because I also knew it meant standing up and speaking in front of everyone, but I knew I needed to do it...no, I wanted to do it. It was worth facing that fear. I finally realized that I needed to surrender everything and make a declaration that Jesus Christ was my Lord and Savior.

I love how baptism symbolizes what takes place in our hearts at the time of our salvation:

• We've accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
• We've shared in His death and resurrection.
• We've died to our old life (going under the water) and received new life (coming out of the water).
• We were symbolically washed clean and our sins were forgiven by His death on the cross.

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

I recently saw a few baptisms during a sermon I was watching online, and I loved the pastor's wording that he used.  I just think it so beautifully captures the incredible presence of God in our lives as believers:
I baptize you in the name of the Father Who loves you, the Son Who gave His life for you, and the Spirit that lives inside of You.

Breaking Free

Recently it seems like I've been involved in conversations with several different individuals and groups of people that revolve around our response (or lack thereof) during worship...specifically the time we set aside for singing/music within our respective church services. It's something that I've thought about in the past. Something that's bothered me on occasion. Something that I've wondered whether or not I'm actually justified when it frustrates me.

I've seen a change in my own response, and it's interesting to track the progression that's occurred especially over the last few years. When I think of my response today, compared to my past, there's an amazingly stark contrast. I remember when I was first introduced to "praise & worship" music and how awkward it felt when a scattered few started to clap. And that first time I saw someone across the auditorium raise their hand...bizzare. But now I'm the one clapping and raising my hands...and not just turning my palms up in front of me, but both arms are often flung straight up in wild abandon. I've found that when the Holy Spirit's stirring in my heart, I can't help but respond physically. And I especially can't help the joy that flows out of my heart and spreads across my face.

Like I said, I'm actually bothered now when people don't respond. I've experienced some frustration when I've lead worship, looked out into the congregation, and been met with stone cold expressions. It hurts my heart to think that such a large body of believers can gather together with the express purpose to worship our Father corporately, and yet for all intents and purposes appear to not be moved in any way.

But I've been pondering today if I actually have a right to be upset?? I think the crux of it comes down to a question of each person's heart. And the problem is that I have no way to be able to judge what's going on inside of people at any given time. Maybe it comes so easily and so naturally to me because I'm just an emotive person, and that's the way God's designed me to respond. Is one way of worshiping better than another? I don't think so. Maybe some people aren't singing because they need to take the time to actually stop and soak in the words. Maybe other people are actually responding in their own respective ways, but I don't understand it because we're not wired the same way.

With that said, I do think that in some way we all have a genuine struggle to break free from things that hold us back from really meeting with God. I know that I'm constantly battling the noise of life. There are things that pull for my attention and take my focus off of communing with my Father. For others, it might be an inability to break free from tradition or a fear of change. Or maybe we're just worried about what other people might think. We can be overly conscious of everyone around us, and we can't break free from caring about the opinions of others. I really believe that satan loves to keep us in bondage, and he will do anything and everything to keep us from our relationship with Christ.

I was just reading in 2 Samuel this week about David bringing the Ark of the LORD back to Jerusalem. King David was celebrating in the presence of the Lord. He danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. (i.e. he was all but naked) Typically there tend to be certain traditions and rules that govern the way royalty is expected to act. When you're the king, people are definitely going to be watching you. And David's wife, Michal, wasn't too pleased with his display. She came out to meet him in disgust saying, "How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!" But I love David's response. David retorted, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD, so I celebrate before the LORD. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!"

Now I'm not suggesting that anyone go and get naked. Please...don't. :) But what I am saying is that putting everything aside, it doesn't matter what people think. It doesn't even matter if we do, in fact, look foolish to people around us. Ultimately the only thing that matters is God's opinion. He is reason enough to put aside our inhibitions. He is the reason we worship. And there is freedom to be found in surrendering everything to Him. It's my prayer that as we continue to grow in our walk with God, that we'll recognize the things that hold us back, be able to break free from them, and genuinely meet with our Father.

Perfect

Does Mr. Perfect remind you of someone?
Go look in the mirror.
Any resemblance?
No.
Oh, really?!
Interesting. Well, let's keep that in mind...

There's a common thought that a lot of people have about the church that I think is terribly sad. So many think that they need to be perfect in order to set foot inside a church. That if the church really knew everything about them, they wouldn't be accepted. That they'll never escape the sideways glances, the pointed fingers, and the whispered accusations. Their past will always haunt them, and they'll never be good enough. And unfortunately, it seems that the church is often actually the root problem behind propagating this attitude, because far too often these scenarios are exactly what's happened.

It breaks my heart to hear that in the one place where people should be able to experience grace, love, and forgiveness, they are met with judgment, contempt, and guilt. It makes me sad to see how often people who need to be loved on the most are the ones who are shut out most frequently. I know...because I've done it. And it makes me sick to think about how awful that is. It's so far opposite from how Jesus treated people, and it's wrong. It's even more upsetting to realize how many times we as the church get in the way and destroy Jesus' message by being so self-righteous.

No one is perfect. Period.

There's nothing that we could ever do to earn our salvation, and there's nothing that we've ever done that can't be covered by God's grace and love. It's only by the grace of God that we have been saved!

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

So next time you're tempted to think you're better than someone else, think again. The next time you start to think that you're perfect, go look in the mirror again. I guarantee that you won't see Mr. Perfect looking back at you.

My apologies for the implied cuss word, but I love how Perry Noble lays it out so well in one of his blog posts:  “This Sh_t Is Awesome!”

Appreciation

Going south and being away from the normal routine for a week really gave me fresh perspective on several fronts. For instance, I didn't realize how much I needed to be recharged, poured into, and refilled on a spiritual level. Yes, I go to church every week, and I love my church. But to me, being a part of a church is more about giving than receiving. But by volunteering in the area where I'm currently serving for the majority of Sunday mornings, church doesn't usually end up being the place where I'm "fed". So I'm realizing that if I'm not seeking other sources for personal spiritual enrichment, my tank slowly starts to deplete. If there's no source of input, then it's not going to take long before the quality, energy, and effectiveness of my output starts to suffer. And that's just not healthy. I want to serve in excellence and always give out of my best.

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and based on what I've experienced serving within the church as a volunteer, it's made me wonder how much more our pastors need to be recharged, poured into, and refilled. Pastors certainly have been given an amazing gift. Ephesians speaks to a few of the spiritual gifts that God's given certain people: It was he who gave some to be...pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

Have you ever stopped to think what a monumental task God's entrusted into the hands of your pastor? He's commissioned them to safeguard His people. He's empowered them with His vision. He's delegated incredible responsibility on their shoulders. And He's called them to an even higher standard within that position of leadership. We tend to look up to them and without realizing it, we set them on a pedestal. But do we ever realize that even though God has gifted them for this very purpose, they, too, are human? Pastors not only take on the spiritual burden of their flock, but in the process, they also often end up taking on their emotional and physical burdens as well. It's just the nature of the position.

Pastors have terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. But in our minds, they're not allowed to be grumpy or get annoyed. They're not allowed to just plain not like someone. They're not allowed to get ticked off and cuss someone out. They go through normal every day life trials just like we do. They, too, hit spiritual lows.  But the difference is that while we have the option to just show up on Sunday, serve, and leave, pastors, on the other hand, rarely get a day off. Ministry is their life, and while it can be incredibly rewarding, it is not easy. So I wonder again how much more do our pastors need to be recharged, poured into, and refilled?

Encouragement can be extended in multiple formats, but I think one of the easiest ways is typically the one that's most often neglected...to simply convey our appreciation. To express our gratitude. To just say thank you.

So, I'd like to say thank you to my pastor, Curt Seaburg, at Victory Church.
Thank you for running hard after God's heart and leaning into Him and His leading first and foremost above all else. Thank you for stepping up and delivering God's Word week after week. Thank you for your passion for the lost and your desire to see every single soul come to know Jesus as their Savior. Thank you for loving your wife and displaying an amazing example of what God designed marriage to look like. Thank you for being real, honest, and transparent. Thank you for granting us "permission" to lighten up and laugh in church. :) Thank you for pushing us to step outside of our comfort zones and really grow in our relationship with God. Thank you for pursuing excellence across the board. And thank you for pointing us to Christ every single week.

Godz Bodz

Tripp and Tyler do it again!  :-)

Who knew a worship service could be a full fledged workout session?!

I can't even begin to explain how funny I think this is...

Haha!  "Non-denom"!  :-)

Thinking Biblically

If your sole purpose is to follow Christ's leading, what benchmark do you use to measure how you're doing? When you look at your life, how do you determine if you're on the right track? Do you compare yourself to the standards of the world and culture around you?  What if we would instead place our life story within the context of the Bible?  Maybe what appears to be "weird" by today's standards, might look completely normal when you start thinking Biblically?

I love how Francis Chan put it during his talk at last year's Catalyst conference, and I'm so looking forward to hearing him again this week at Catalyst Atlanta 2011!!

5k Run

I never thought this day would come, but it's official. I'm finally doing it. I'm running in my very first 5k on Saturday. I've run off and on over the last few years. Granted, most of the time it's more off than on, but still. I've moaned and complained about how much I hate running. Seriously, when I would run while playing soccer in high school, it was a completely different ball game (no pun intended). It was totally different than running just to run. There was a point. There was something to run after. Now that I think about it, I've even whined in a blog post or two about how much I loathe running. And yet, I keep doing it. Because it's good for me. *sigh*

And now I'm actually running in an organized event?! I'm running with a bunch of other people?! I'm actually being timed?! Oh boy. I must be crazy. OR...it must be for a good cause!! Yeah, I think that's a much better explanation by far! Because it is, indeed, for an incredible cause...for an amazing little boy!!  Check out his story and details for the race here.

Come out and run, walk, bike, skate, or even crawl with us. Just come out. Come and support this wonderful family.

Side note: I love the crazy, awesome staff at Victory Church. This video truly captures two of them in all their glory. haha

Four Chords

I've never really thought about how many songs are out there that are built off of the exact same chord progression.  Four chords...apparently that's all you need to write a good love song.  And North Point Community Church rocks this medley!!  I love it!!

It's Friday, and I have nothing in depth or profound to expound on with this one. 

This is just awesome.  End of story...

I Love This Church!!

I headed up north to State College last weekend to watch Penn State and Alabama square off against each other. It's amazing to see an entire town transformed for game day. People flock in all decked out in their game day apparel touting their support for their school, and during this white out game, it was even easier to spot the crimson Bama fans dotting the stadium. "We Are!!...Penn State!!" could be heard as people chanted around town, and you could feel the anticipation build as you got closer to Beaver Stadium and game time approached. The Blue Band came out to kick off the game (as you can see above), and the place erupted. The Nittany Lion led a call and response as one side of the stadium shouted "WE ARE!!", and the other side answered "PENN STATE!!". The air was filled with passionate excitement, and fans were ready.

So how is it that we can go to a football game and cheer on our favorite team...yelling, screaming, clapping, waving our pom-poms...and then go to church on Sunday and sit there sullen and straight faced without any excitement at all?? Shouldn't our relationship with God be exciting? Shouldn't we enjoy the community of believers that gather together to celebrate the God who created us and loves us? I'm not saying we need to jump up and down, dance in the aisles, and wave flags...although, maybe there is a time and a place for that as well. I'm just saying that maybe we should actually realize why we're going to church in the first place and Who we're actually there for. Isn't God an even bigger reason to celebrate? Shouldn't He be the greatest reason of all to celebrate? Maybe we should actually let that sink in and have an affect on our hearts.

God deserves our excitement. God deserves our joy. God deserves our best.

I want to be contagious. I want the excitement that I've found in my relationship with Christ to be caught by others around me. I want to spread the joy that God's put in my heart and effect people I come into contact with. I want to worship all week long in anticipation of joining with my church family each weekend to celebrate together. And even more than that, I want to turn that celebration into action. Not only by being responsive within our time of corporate worship, but also by responding through serving within my church.

I love my church!!

I'm loving the current "I Love This Church" series that Pastor Curt is sharing with us, and I love that we have the opportunity to be involved, share our excitement, live out our faith, and do something about it by giving back.

Unveiled

Victory Church has witnessed incredible life changing growth within individuals who have participated in their men's mentoring ministry, Men of Iron, they started a few years ago.  It has also served to highlight even more that there's a desperate need within our society...
          ...for relationship.
          ...for accountability.
          ...to have a safe and trustworthy confidant.
          ...to be transparent and real.
          ...for discipleship.
          ...to know that someone truly cares.
          ...for strengthening God-centered spiritual foundations.
          ...for encouragement.
          ...to know that we don't have to walk through life's struggles alone.

Its success has now become a catalyst to begin branching out into other demographics.  And I'm so excited about the upcoming launch of Unveiled, the new women's mentoring ministry, that's starting up in September! 

In preparation for its launch, a mentor training meeting was held this last weekend.  Not only was I blown away by the hearts of the women who are heading up this ministry, but I was overwhelmed and literally brought to tears by the passion and heart of each woman who will be stepping up to give of themselves and their time to be mentors.

As an introduction, we were all supposed to say our name and tell everyone a "fun fact" about ourselves, but what actually ended up happening was so much better than what was originally intended. One by one, each woman stood up and shared their excitement over this ministry. And as we went around the room, it was incredible how many similar sentiments were being expressed among the group.

As each woman shared their heart, it quickly became apparent that many of us on some level had at some point felt inadequate to fill this role.  There were thoughts of: I'm not trained for this.  I won't know what to say.  What do I have to offer?  What if I don't know the right answers?  But the amazing thing is that God has made it very clear that we don't need to have all the right answers.  We just need to be available.  We just need to listen.  We just need to be Jesus in the flesh.  It sounds so simple, but in my own life, I've found no greater comfort than hearing from someone who cares and being encouraged to trust that God is in control and loves me.

I also loved how many women shared how circumstances of their past, albeit painful and difficult, have served to not only help them grow as individuals and in their relationship with Christ, but they now recognize how God is able to turn those trials around to be used to help others.  I've seen it time after time.  As we're willing to open up and share, God turns those past hurts into a tool to help heal others.  We all have imperfections.  We've all done things we're not proud of.  We've all had to face hard situations in life.  And, if we're willing to be transparent and real, God uses all of those trials to make us better equipped to take someone else under our wing and walk through life with them. He makes us better equipped to empathize.  He makes us better equipped to know how to uphold them in prayer.  He makes us better equipped to guide them toward Christ and His loving arms.

As the ministry's mission states:  Empowered by the Spirit, we desire to mentor women in the Word of God so that they experience a transformation of heart, mind, and lifestyle. It's my prayer that as each woman involved in this ministry offers up her time and her heart, we would all be woven into more beautiful women of God. 

All of us are looking with unveiled faces at the glory of the Lord as if we were looking in a mirror.  We are being transformed into that same image.

Stuck

I've been writing these random posts for a few months now, and while a lot of them are things that are on my heart and mind at the moment, sometimes I get stuck.  Like today for instance.  I'm sitting here trying to think of something super deep or some kind of analogy or even something funny.  I got nothin'.  And so, I'm just starting to write about...well...nothing! 
 
It makes me wonder if there are weeks when pastors get stuck?  Then it occurred to me how much I think I take them for granted sometimes.  I know we tend to see it as their "job", and hopefully it's a position that God has truly called them to, but that doesn't mean that they aren't human.  That doesn't mean that there couldn't be times when they just aren't feeling lead to speak on something in particular.  That doesn't mean that every single Sunday's message will hit home with everyone. 

I realize that Sunday mornings are not supposed to be my sole source of spiritual meat throughout the week, and I also realize that I shouldn't be looking to my pastor to spoon feed me either.  At the same time, if we're honest, I'm pretty sure that most of us walk in with some kind of expectations.  While it's unfair to expect sermons to be a home run every week, we kind of hope to at least get something out of it, right? 

Wow.  I don't think I could handle that kind of pressure.

All of that is to say that my mental block has stirred up a new appreciation for what my pastor, Curt Seaburg, does every week.  I am thankful that God has called him, gifted him, and given him the ability to communicate God's Word effectively.  I'm grateful that he's sought God's leading and poured prayer over his sermons each and every week.  I love that he's not afraid to switch up a pre-planned sermon series when God has lead him to speak on a different topic.  I admire his transparency and the fact that he's real about his shortcomings and failures.  I am so very thankful that God has raised up men like Pastor Curt to preach His Word boldly and unashamedly and to point others toward Christ's saving grace.

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Good Amidst Chaos

It never ceases to amaze me how God takes seemingly chaotic situations and always ends up using them for something good.  And yet it's so difficult to remember this when we're caught up in the middle of the chaos.

It happened again this Sunday.  Technology bit the dust.  The internet was completely down at Victory Church's Theater Campus.  There wasn't any way we'd be able to pipe in our live feed of the sermon.  Our video back up message wasn't available due to a prior week's technology glitch.  Pastor Eric's back up sermon notes were at the main campus, which meant he had to drive over there and hopefully be back in time.  Oh, and to top it all off, our senior pastor was there to visit that morning.  The tension level was high, to say the least. 

Thankfully, Pastor Eric made it back in time with his sermon in hand. Of course, that also meant that our video tech had to pull together some kind of last minute background graphic to fit the substitute sermon topic...which, despite the time crunch, ended up being beautiful, as is all his work. I'm completely astounded by the talents that God has given these people and by the grace He's given to them to be able to operate through the mayhem with a smile (well, most of the time, at least...heh). Aside from the fact that we had a live sermon instead of our normal video feed from the main campus, I don't think that most people even knew that there was an issue. But this is where I get floored every time...

After the service I talked to someone who had come to visit our campus for the first time. She was so thankful that she had made it that morning and said that she had been in tears several times throughout the sermon. It had struck home for her. It was exactly what she needed to hear. The even crazier part was that I had just met her for the first time earlier in the week, and I had encouraged her to come check us out sometime. She never thought it would pan out for several reasons, but I guess God had a different plan. Funny how that happens, huh?  :-)

I LOVE HOW GOD BRINGS GOOD THINGS OUT OF CHAOS!!!  I love how He shows up right in the middle of our mess and transforms it into something beautiful.  I love how He can use us even when things aren't going like we planned.  I just wish that I could remember all of that when I'm right in the middle of it.  I wish I could step back, take a breath, remember that God is still in complete control, and totally trust that He will work it all out for good.  Sure, we still need to do our part, but it's so incredible when you can realize in the middle of the craziness that God can and will use it for His glory!

Maybe I'm revealing too much of what really goes on behind the scenes.  Maybe I'm sharing too much of how chaotic Sunday mornings can actually be some weeks.  But I actually think that it's important for us to be real about our shortcomings, our imperfections, our struggles, and our humanity.  Really, it's all God anyway, right?  So maybe we need these kind of Sundays to remind us of that very thing!!

Community

I believe God designed us for community.  Jesus surrounded Himself with community in the form of His disciples.  His life revolved around being with people and loving on them.  As Platt puts it:  It is a glorious privilege to be a part of the universal body of Christ, united across the world and across history in a heavenly community.  But it is also the New Testament pattern for us to be a part of a local body of Christ, a gathering of brothers and sisters in a particular location where our Christianity comes to life in commitment to one another.  By the design of God, the local church affects every facet of our Christian lives.

We gather together every Sunday for that kind of community within the church setting. It's prime time to experience growth in knowledge, have the opportunity to serve others, and gather support and encouragement from fellow believers. It's the launching pad for our week in our day to day "normal life". I believe it's an incredible gift from God, and it is necessary.

This past Sunday at our Victory Church Theater Campus, we not only had an amazing time of worship, but we also had an incredible time of baptism and fellowship afterwards.  I loved watching the baptisms and hearing their testimonies...some of them would tell you that you wouldn't want to have known them a year ago. They are lives that God has changed, and there was a TON of rejoicing going on! I love seeing God work in people's lives!!

I also loved the fact that we were able to combine those baptisms with a time of fellowship this past Sunday.  Saying you believe in Christ is one thing, but opening yourself up to other people, getting involved, and putting action behind your faith is a whole other ballgame.  I know it's been such a huge blessing and encouragement in my life to get involved and get to really start knowing this group of people that God's brought together.

Platt goes on to explain:  Being a part of a community of faith involves being exposed to the life of Christ in others.  Just as we are identified with Christ and his church in baptism, we now share life in Christ with one another.  This is foundational in making disciples, and we will multiply the gospel only when we allow others to get close enough to us to see the life of Christ in action.

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 

I am excited to see how this community of believers will grow together in Christ.  I am excited to see how this community of believers will deepen their relationships with each other.  And most of all, I am excited to see how God will used this community of believers to move outside our Sunday morning walls and reach others for Him!

Gifted

I've been reading through the book of Exodus.  There are several chapters in a row that lay out God's exact specifications for the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the ornate garments that the priests were to wear, and every other intricately detailed piece within the Tabernacle. 

Normally when I think about the Tabernacle, I have mental images of Aaron and all the priests who were directly called by God to serve Him there on a daily basis.  They were the liaisons between the people and God.  They were set apart.  They were special.  They were the main people God gifted for the specific purpose within the Tabernacle.

It's interesting how a similar mentality carries over into church today.  Pastors are directly called to serve God on a daily basis.  There are key leaders on staff that God's gifted for a specific purpose to lead the congregation.  They're communicating with God and receiving His vision.  They are the main people God has gifted for a specific purpose to lead the church.

While I believe that's true, I often find that leads some of us to think that God's given pastors, teachers, and leaders an incredible spiritual gift, but...well...the rest of us just aren't all that gifted.

I know I've read Exodus 31 before, but something new flew off the page this time around.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft! “And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make.

Yes, God called great men like Moses, Aaron, and Joshua to step up and be incredible leaders and "Heroes of the Faith", but He also specifically chose and personally appointed many other key people to serve in so many equally vital roles along the way too.  He gave these other people great wisdom, ability, and expertise.  Without their special God-given skills, the Tabernacle would never have been constructed.  God's Spirit filled these people and gifted them as well.

When we come to know Christ and receive His salvation, we, too, are filled with the Spirit of God.  He has called us, specifically chosen us, and specially designed us.  Each and every one of us has skills and gifts that can be used to serve Him.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

We are all gifted in some way.  And those gifts were given to fit each of us perfectly by a loving and creative Father.  So it's time to stop comparing ourselves to other people.  And it's time to start using our gifts to serve the One who gave them to us in the first place!

OMG!

Ok, I'll be the first to admit that I am not a fan of this acronym.  It totally makes me cringe because of the careless irreverence it expresses.  I'm pretty sure that if one of the ten commandments specifically states: Do not use the LORD your God’s name as if it were of no significance; the LORD won’t forgive anyone who uses his name that way., then it's probably safe to say that God's not too keen on our flippant use of His name.

So then you ask, why in the world is Victory Church using it as the title to their entire summer sermon series?!  The series image banner above certainly causes a few raised eyebrows.  I had that proven when a friend of mine happened to catch a glimpse of it when I was reading an email update from church.  I got an incredulous "what are you looking at?!" thrown at me.  :-)  It's supposed to be used as a tool to start conversation.  Mission accomplished.

Pastor Curt explains it a little more in depth in his blog post, but plain and simple, this series is digging deeper into discovering who God is.  We're exploring a different attribute of God each week.  So far we've learned how God is our Father, God is our Shepherd, and God is Indescribable.  The point is to really understand who God truly is.  The hope is that as we learn more and more about this great God of ours, that we'll come to know Him more personally.  And as we grow in our relationship with Him, we'll inevitably exclaim that He is MY God!!

Join us this Sunday at Penn Cinema theater in Lititz at 9:00am.  We'll be talking about how "My God is Love".  I can't wait!

Feeling Small

We watched Louie Giglio's sermon, Indescribable, in church on Sunday, and it's still reverberating around in my head and heart.  Louie showed a lot of breathtaking pictures...the sun, galaxies, and pictures of space that are billions and billions of miles away.  I can't tell you what most of them even were, but I know they were mind-bogglingly massive, and they were astoundingly beautiful.  And they were all made by an extraordinarily creative God. 

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Here's the part that I'm still contemplating though. Did you ever stop and think about how extremely insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things? Our lives are pretty short in comparison to the history of the world. And when you compare the length of life to eternity, we're just a mere blip on the radar. In comparison to the expanse of the universe, we're nothing more than a speck of dust.

Psalm 8:3-4

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

Yet, the same Creator of the universe lovingly made each of us and knows each and every one of us by name.  That same Creator loved each and every one of us enough to send His Son to take our place and die for us so that we could spend an eternity with Him.  He's the same God who has adopted us into His family, and we can know Him intimately as our Daddy. 

You received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."

Now to me, that is absolutely awesome!  We are so very small, and yet our great God loves us so amazingly much!!

 Psalm 145

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
The Lord is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.
The Lord upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

Kissing Stones

Legend has it that if you travel to Blarney Castle in Ireland and kiss the Blarney Stone, you will gain the gift of eloquence.  Kissing the Stone isn't an easy feat.  The castle's official tourism website states:  Once upon a time, visitors had to be held by the ankles and lowered head first over the battlements. Today, we are rather more cautious of the safety of our visitors. The Stone itself is still set in the wall below the battlements. To kiss it, one has to lean backwards (holding on to an iron railing) from the parapet walk. The prize is a real one as once kissed the stone bestows the gift of eloquence. 

As you can see above, a few years ago when I took a little trip across the pond, I thought I'd give it a shot and kiss the Stone.  I need all the help I can get!  haha

You must understand that while I'm ok with writing out the thoughts that tumble through my brain, something misfires when I try to formulate those thoughts and actually verbalize them audibly.  I've gotten much better over the years, but it still doesn't come easy for me. You don't know the fear that courses through me at the thought of having to speak in front of a crowd.  And please don't ever put me on the spot to filibuster.  My brain likes to completely seize up.  So you can see why the gift that was promised from kissing the Stone appealed to me.

Over the last several years, I had been approached a few times about stepping up and leading worship at church.  I shut them down soundly every single time.  Sure, I can get up and sing, but don't ever ask me to talk.  I could never do that.

I was reading through Exodus 3-4 this week.  I love how God gives us examples time and time again of people who struggle with the exact same things we deal with today.  Moses is there talking to God in a burning bush.  God's telling Moses to go to Egypt, stand up in front of Pharaoh, and tell him to let the Israelites go.  You instantly see Moses freeze up, try to back pedal, and come up with any excuse possible not to go.  He starts shooting questions at God, and God comes back and answers all of them.  He starts saying that no one will believe God sent him, and God turns around and gives Moses miracles to perform to prove who sent him.  And then Moses throws out the exact excuse that I used to use:

Moses said to the Lord, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”  The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth?  Who makes him deaf or mute?  Who gives him sight or makes him blind?  Is it not I, the Lord?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”  But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

There came a point about two years ago when I got asked to lead yet again. It came at a time in my life when I had been doing some major soul searching and self discovery. I had been praying that God would open doors for me to grow and stretch myself and serve. I really wanted to be used, and I didn't want to continue just being "comfortable". Honestly, the idea scared me to death. I had struggled in the past just to merely speak and invite people to "sing with me", so I wasn't at all sure how I was supposed to lead an entire service. But I knew that God had been using me for many years to lead people in worship, and I couldn't limit Him any more by saying He couldn't help me take that one step further. And so I decided to stop making excuses. I stopped refusing the opportunity that God was bringing me. I tried it.

Let's just say "freaking out" doesn't even begin to cover what I was feeling. Thankfully, I had some key people encouraging me along the way, and somehow God got me through it. And He got me through the next time, and the next time, and the next... There were a few times along the way when I had to unexpectedly fill dead air and speak. Something miraculously came out of my mouth, and I think it actually made sense?! All I know is that it was all God, because it certainly wasn't me. When God asks us to step out and trust Him, He will faithfully see us through.

A lot has happened over the last two years. I haven't had the opportunity to lead worship in a while...until now. I have the opportunity to help out and lead again this Sunday. You know, the crazy thing is that this time when I got asked, there was no internal "freaking out". There actually was some excitement, and there was an overwhelming realization of God's enduring faithfulness.  He continues to mold, shape, and prepare us along the way for each step of His plan. 

So did kissing the Blarney Stone actually give me the gift of eloquence?!  Haha...that's doubtful.  But I do know for a fact that if God is opening doors and wants you to do something, then He's going to faithfully give you the ability to do it.  We just need to stop making excuses and start trusting Him.

Reflect

I grew up in a small Christian school...kindergarten through 12th grade.  We focused a lot on music.  Singing was always a part of every chapel service.  We learned large passages of the Bible by singing them.  I'm a little rusty, but I can still sing you entire chapters even today.  Want to hear Luke's account of Jesus' birth?  I've got a song for that.  The love passage in 1 Corinthians?  Check!  How about the ten commandments?  I have a song for that too.  :-) 

We also held a Spring Program every year.  The entire school participated as one massive choir.  We worked on songs for a good portion of the school year, and a few weeks beforehand, we'd go into "scrunch schedule".  I loved it.  All our classes would be shortened to allow for more rehearsal time during the day.  I'd rather sing any day than sit through class!  We sang Handel, Bach, a little bit of Mendelssohn, all mixed in with some more current composers and a few more modern contemporary Christian songs from Steve Green and the like. 

I actually got to sing tenor for a couple of years.  Let's just say that tenor is not really the "cool" part that boys want to sing.  Singing bass somehow proves that you are manly.  So if you had to sing tenor because your voice wasn't quite manly enough yet, most of the time you weren't too thrilled about singing, and you didn't sing very loudly either.  Hence, the tenor section had the tendency to be a little weak.  And that's where I came into play.  If you know me, you know I don't have a problem with singing LOUDLY.  :-)  The tenor section...yup, that was pretty much all me!  haha

I'm really thankful for all of the time we spent singing.  I'm even more thankful that while we spent a ton of time working on parts and perfecting songs, we were also learning priceless foundational truths of God through the songs that we were singing.  And these songs still stick with me today.  They're buried deep within my heart.    

I'm also thankful that we were encouraged to let our faces reflect the words we were singing.  They weren't just random words that didn't mean anything.  We weren't just singing...we were worshiping God through song.  We were encouraged to really think about what we were singing.  We were encouraged to let the words affect our hearts, and in turn, our lives would reflect a heart for God.  As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. 

It's been an invaluable lesson to me especially now when I have the opportunity to lead others in worshiping God through song.  It's something I always want to keep in mind.  It's not enough to just get up there and sing.  It's not enough to hit the right notes and sing all the right words.  And it's not just a lesson for worship leaders.  It's a lesson for every participant in the service.  Every person in every seat.  Every musician.  Every volunteer.  Everyone who has come through those doors.  Don't just go through the motions.  Think about what you're doing and saying.  Think about the words that are coming out of your mouth.  Let the words affect your heart.  And let your face reflect what God is speaking to your heart.

Funny...I distinctly remember one year when I think our pastor/principal/music conductor thought we finally actually all had learned to smile while we were singing.  Our Spring Program was held in a sizeable church auditorium that had a pretty steep incline from the stage up to the back of the sanctuary.  Some little kid was sitting in the back with his mom playing quietly with a football during our morning program.  Of course, all little kids are prone to drop their toys from time to time.  And, yes, this little boy inevitably dropped his football.  We all saw it happen.  Our music conductor did not.  It started at the top of the incline at the back of the auditorium.  And it slowly made its wobbly descent...rolling end over end...all the way down the aisle towards us.  We all started smiling.  You know...one of those ear to ear grins you can't help but contain.  Our music conductor was impressed by our smiling faces, but not our timing.  Unfortunately, wouldn't you know it, it was during the ONE song where we shouldn't have technically smiled.  We were singing about the somber subject of Jesus bearing our griefs, carrying our sorrows, and being wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquity.  Shoot...

Cannot Wait!!!

Oh my word!  I SO cannot wait for Catalyst East 2011!!  I just registered us last night, and I'm totally psyched.  Of course, now we have to wait until October?!  It seems like such a long time from now, but I'm sure it will be here before we know it.  WOO HOO!!!

Last year went a little something like this...

Incredible speakers.  Awesome music and times of intense worship.  Hilarious skits and random crazy stunts.  Leadership insight.  Encouragement and exhortation.  Great Biblical teaching.  I seriously left feeling a little bit overwhelmed with the enormity of it all last year, but I was so pumped all at the same time.  It was awesome!!  And from what the preview looks like, it's going to be just as great this year!  I can't wait to "Be Present" and soak it all in...