Remember the old hymn, Bringing in the Sheaves? What a great song, but what in the world was it talking about? All I knew was that we would be very happy to bring in the sheaves.
Well, this Sunday, that song will make a comeback...except it will be "Raking in the Leaves, Raking in the Leaves, We will come rejoicing raking in the leaves."
I'm so excited about our service project this Sunday...we ARE the sermon! St. Augustine once said, "Preach the gospel; use words if necessary." Well, this Sunday, after an abbreviated worship service, we will preach the gospel with smiles, handshakes, rakes and gloves. Our entire church will experience a one day Diaspora...we'll be scattered about our immediate neighborhood in groups of 10 or so, raking people's leaves.
Come Sunday at 8:55 am (singing begins early!) and be dressed, ready to serve, ready to rake for Jesus. It's going to be great.
Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour Saturday night (Fall back, Spring forward)!
Anyone else have any good leaf-raking-inspiring songs?
I can think of some secular songs that might fit...
Rake it up baby now (Twist & Shout)
Raking it to the Streets (thank you Doobie Brothers)
Raking Up is hard to do
Rake a Leaf at me now (Take a look at me now, Phil Collins)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
So what is worship ministry? You decide...
Is worship ministry about:
a. worship leaders vs. song leaders, worship teams, microphones, rehearsals, tuning, pitchpipes, presentational songs, solos, stamps-baxter, classic hymns, traditional, contemporary, clapping, lifting hands, creative dramatic sketches, banners, new songs, old songs, notes-on-the-screen, singing schools, 4-part harmony, a cappella, instrumental, rules taught by men...
or
b. seeking the kingdom first daily, letting justice break in, pursuing right-being/living, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, lifting up the poor, visiting the sick, hugging the lonely, opening the Word, engaging the heart, living the Word, including the outcast, embracing the diseased, fasting and praying in the Spirit, imitating the Savior...
There is a right answer.
Let's pursue true worship, in spirit and in truth, with an undying passion.
Check out what one ministry in Dallas is doing to live worship out...
www.larryjamesurbandaily.blogspot.com
(tried to hyperlink that...sorry)
a. worship leaders vs. song leaders, worship teams, microphones, rehearsals, tuning, pitchpipes, presentational songs, solos, stamps-baxter, classic hymns, traditional, contemporary, clapping, lifting hands, creative dramatic sketches, banners, new songs, old songs, notes-on-the-screen, singing schools, 4-part harmony, a cappella, instrumental, rules taught by men...
or
b. seeking the kingdom first daily, letting justice break in, pursuing right-being/living, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, lifting up the poor, visiting the sick, hugging the lonely, opening the Word, engaging the heart, living the Word, including the outcast, embracing the diseased, fasting and praying in the Spirit, imitating the Savior...
There is a right answer.
Let's pursue true worship, in spirit and in truth, with an undying passion.
Check out what one ministry in Dallas is doing to live worship out...
www.larryjamesurbandaily.blogspot.com
(tried to hyperlink that...sorry)
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Members of One Body
I recently attended the ZOE Group Worship Conference in Nashville, TN. It was a wonderful weekend. One of my “take aways” was a scriptural insight from a class taught by Brandon Scott Thomas, worship leader at Otter Creek Church in Nashville.
www.brandonscottthomas.blogspot.com
During one of his sessions, he walked us through the verses surrounding the oft-quoted passage Colossians 3:16:
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
For years this passage has served as one of our movement’s main supports for our use of exclusive vocal worship music. It is with great regret that I admit that. Look at what is really being dealt with in this passage…the way we treat one another in the body of Christ. There is a long list of attributes describing the beautiful ways of relating we have in the body, and to think we have focused on “in your hearts” as instruction for worship is truly a shame.
I hereby repent of my false handling of this text, and will strive to uphold Paul’s admonitions to do my part as one person in the body of Christ. We are members of ONE body, not many. Those who worship with a guitar are my brothers & sisters, not my enemies. We may worship different ways, but we are members of one body. May God help us all as we strive to live as God’s chosen people. And may we have the self-discipline to refrain from proof-texting our preferences and traditions.
www.brandonscottthomas.blogspot.com
During one of his sessions, he walked us through the verses surrounding the oft-quoted passage Colossians 3:16:
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
For years this passage has served as one of our movement’s main supports for our use of exclusive vocal worship music. It is with great regret that I admit that. Look at what is really being dealt with in this passage…the way we treat one another in the body of Christ. There is a long list of attributes describing the beautiful ways of relating we have in the body, and to think we have focused on “in your hearts” as instruction for worship is truly a shame.
I hereby repent of my false handling of this text, and will strive to uphold Paul’s admonitions to do my part as one person in the body of Christ. We are members of ONE body, not many. Those who worship with a guitar are my brothers & sisters, not my enemies. We may worship different ways, but we are members of one body. May God help us all as we strive to live as God’s chosen people. And may we have the self-discipline to refrain from proof-texting our preferences and traditions.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Worship Amos-style
From Amos, chapter 5...
21 "I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies.
23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
This scripture (made famous in our time by Martin Luther King, Jr.) above points to the fact that worship assemblies can be executed well in our eyes but leave God completely angry, if the assembled people do not leave the assembly with changed hearts, changed lives, more in tune with the Father's will.
This month at FXCC is a special time of service, of getting outside ourselves and being the hands & feet of Jesus to our community. May all of our actions & efforts not betray our corporate life of worship together...but may they be consistent with the truths we sing/pray/confess/learn on Sunday mornings together. May our corporate experience of God spill over to our daily walks, so that justice is doled out, and right-living is modeled by every FXCC attendee.
With us, this is impossible; with GOD, all things are possible.
I just spent the weekend in Nashville at the Zoe Worship Conference. www.zoegroup.org It was awesome! I'll be sharing some about it this week.
21 "I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies.
23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
This scripture (made famous in our time by Martin Luther King, Jr.) above points to the fact that worship assemblies can be executed well in our eyes but leave God completely angry, if the assembled people do not leave the assembly with changed hearts, changed lives, more in tune with the Father's will.
This month at FXCC is a special time of service, of getting outside ourselves and being the hands & feet of Jesus to our community. May all of our actions & efforts not betray our corporate life of worship together...but may they be consistent with the truths we sing/pray/confess/learn on Sunday mornings together. May our corporate experience of God spill over to our daily walks, so that justice is doled out, and right-living is modeled by every FXCC attendee.
With us, this is impossible; with GOD, all things are possible.
I just spent the weekend in Nashville at the Zoe Worship Conference. www.zoegroup.org It was awesome! I'll be sharing some about it this week.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Weekend with Ken Young & Hallal
Our church just had an incredible weekend of praise with Ken Young, the Hallal singers (www.hallalmusic.com) and No Less Days. No Less Days has a website on myspace, but I'm not smart enough to find it at present. Their own website will launch soon, so keep checking back.
Go to www.fxcc.org and look at pictures from the praise events Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
God was worshipped in a mighty way, because Ken & his team (and No Less Days on Saturday night) used their gifts to strengthen the church. It was straight from I Cor. 14:26...there was no sign of performance, entertainment, showmanship, ego, etc. From my experiences this weekend, it was incredibly obvious that each worship team member and the worship leader were focused on Jesus, and their role in the assembly was to help me focus on Him as well.
I was very blessed by their efforts, and feel it was an excellent example of the benefits of team leadership.
Other thoughts/impressions from our Hallal weekend?
Go to www.fxcc.org and look at pictures from the praise events Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
God was worshipped in a mighty way, because Ken & his team (and No Less Days on Saturday night) used their gifts to strengthen the church. It was straight from I Cor. 14:26...there was no sign of performance, entertainment, showmanship, ego, etc. From my experiences this weekend, it was incredibly obvious that each worship team member and the worship leader were focused on Jesus, and their role in the assembly was to help me focus on Him as well.
I was very blessed by their efforts, and feel it was an excellent example of the benefits of team leadership.
Other thoughts/impressions from our Hallal weekend?
Monday, October 02, 2006
Jesus on worship...
WWJD?
try this one...
HWJW? (How would Jesus worship?)
Yeah, I don't think it'll catch on either.
Jesus doesn't say a whole lot on the subject of worship. I wish he had said more.
One of his main teachings on worship emerges out of a conversation that culturally shouldn't have happened in the noonday sun with a woman at a well.
His closing statement from John 4:24...
"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
In my life, I've invested a lot of time studying what the apostle Paul says about worship. Not a bad thing, I've just not given Jesus much air-time in how I've sought to understand worship. I plan to change that.
Father, thank you for seeking worshippers, and for helping us know what's important about the way we worship through Jesus. Thank you also for not spelling everything out (Leviticus) line by line; you know how we obsess and misinterpret and misapply...
Thank you for making us spiritual beings whose deepest longings are all met in you, a Father who is Spirit.
I don't understand it, but I love it! Come, Holy Spirit!
try this one...
HWJW? (How would Jesus worship?)
Yeah, I don't think it'll catch on either.
Jesus doesn't say a whole lot on the subject of worship. I wish he had said more.
One of his main teachings on worship emerges out of a conversation that culturally shouldn't have happened in the noonday sun with a woman at a well.
His closing statement from John 4:24...
"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
In my life, I've invested a lot of time studying what the apostle Paul says about worship. Not a bad thing, I've just not given Jesus much air-time in how I've sought to understand worship. I plan to change that.
Father, thank you for seeking worshippers, and for helping us know what's important about the way we worship through Jesus. Thank you also for not spelling everything out (Leviticus) line by line; you know how we obsess and misinterpret and misapply...
Thank you for making us spiritual beings whose deepest longings are all met in you, a Father who is Spirit.
I don't understand it, but I love it! Come, Holy Spirit!
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