space to breathe * room to grow

A Genesis week

2012-01-03T07:33:00.001+02:00

The earth was barren, with no form of life; it was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness. But the Spirit of God was moving over the water. Gen 1:2

What area of your life feels barren with no form of life? What part of you feels as though it is under a roaring ocean and covered with darkness.

Ask the Holy Spirit to move over the water...

Father, grant me a Genesis week this week.

Rhythm - One Word 365 for 2012

2012-01-01T10:14:00.000+02:00

For as long as I can remember, I've been one of those people that is always striving. It was as though there has been a banner over my life which says:

'No matter how hard I try, I'm never good enough.'

This is a lie. And we all know where those come from. The father of lies in the pit of hell.

This lie has impacted how I live my life, the choices I make - daily and for changes in my life, and all my relationships, especially - obviously - my relationship with God.

So, this year, God (present with me and a strong Warrior here to save me - Zeph 3:17) and I are going to slay this dragon and deal with whatever is left of him.

This will be the year where:Strivings and all anguished dreams
In rags lie at my feet
And only grace provides the way
For me to stand complete
(Chris Bowater)

...and I actually get it.

Once, while worshipping God at a service at my Morden Baptist Church we were singing this song:

So I'm lifting up my hands
Lifting up my voice
Lifting up Your name
And in Your grace I rest
For Your love has come to me
And set me free

(Stuart Townend)

As I sang the words 'And in Your grace I rest' I saw a picture of a guy lying in a hammock. Your typical tropical scene - a hammock between two palm trees, the sense of peace and rest. He was chewing the end of a long piece of grass. And there were words underneath the picture:

'Not a care in the world'

Perhaps my new banner should be:

'In Your grace I rest - not a care in the world.'

There is a passage of scripture about this that just reads beautifully in The Message:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Matthew 11:28-30

This year I decided to get on board with some others who are choosing one word as a kind of touchstone for the year. You can read the original challenge for yourself. Join the One Word Community if you'd like.

My word will be RHYTHM and I'll be asking God to teach me the unforced rhythms of His grace until I exchange my old lying banner for 'In Your grace I rest - not a care in the world'.

What will you choose for 2012?

Dreaming BIG

2011-12-27T08:50:00.001+02:00

When dreaming with God about your life, always leave lots of space for the impossible.

"When Jesus' time [came], He [appeared] out of nowhere, not meeting prior expectations." WordLive 2011/12/27 http://tinyurl.com/d5wrdjr

In my experience, our expectations are way too small for the outrageous, awesome magnitude of what God plans to do in us and through us.

I love the stories of Christmas because they all have elements of them that, whilst familiar, don't make any sense at all. And every time I hear them, some new impossibility that became possible with God strikes me again.

This year, it was the beauty of Joseph's love for Mary in the face of seeming adultery and obedience to God's words in a strange dream that highlighted God's BIG dream for the world to me. And I have to ask myself - in my own life, where others have done things that seem as bad as adultery, do I love them? When God speaks clearly in a dream, am I prepared to be obedient, even if others will think I'm crazy and I'll be labelled a fool?

Jesus didn't meet the people's expectations and seemed to appear out of nowhere. Perhaps the dreams God has for my life will not meet the expectations of others and will seem to appear out of nowhere. And perhaps that's what He intended all along.

Raise the dead

2010-08-31T18:02:00.000+02:00

We are still called to roll away the stone from the grave. Jesus still calls forth the dead. And we are still asked to unwrap the graveclothes and let them go. ~ John 11

^1-3A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. This was the same Mary who massaged the Lord's feet with aromatic oils and then wiped them with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Master, the one you love so very much is sick."

⁴When Jesus got the message, he said, "This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God's glory by glorifying God's Son."

^5-7Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days. After the two days, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea."

⁸They said, "Rabbi, you can't do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and you're going back?"

^9-10Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn't stumble because there's plenty of light from the sun. Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can't see where he's going."

¹¹He said these things, and then announced, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going to wake him up."

^12-13The disciples said, "Master, if he's gone to sleep, he'll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine." Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap.

^14-15Then Jesus became explicit: "Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn't there. You're about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let's go to him."

¹⁶That's when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, "Come along. We might as well die with him."

^17-20When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.

^21-22Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you."

²³Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."

²⁴Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."

^25-26"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"

²⁷"Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world."

²⁸After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you." (John 11, The Message)

He knows

2010-06-21T09:24:00.000+02:00

In the deepest darkest moments of my life, the only thing that would console me was that Jesus knows. He knows it all. He understands things others may only guess at. And He cares. I didn't have much to say for myself during those times. All I recall getting out was 'Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.' But He knows.

If you are going through a dark moment - or perhaps are still walking through a dark valley - then this is for you:

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust." Psalm 91:1-2

It's all about You, Jesus / And all this is for You

2010-06-20T21:00:00.000+02:00

Psalm 3:3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; You bestow glory on me and lift up my head.

check mate

2010-03-08T08:38:00.000+02:00

Unlike the very romantic waltz, where the man provides a frame within which the woman is even more beautiful, in chess, the queen is the most powerful piece on the board and her every move, whether in defence or attack, must be always to protect her king. The meaning of 'ezer kenegdo' lies much closer to 'life saver'... than the 'help meet' we have always been led to believe.

"All I ever want to be is what You made me"

2009-06-11T09:44:00.000+02:00

There have been moments when I could not face
Goliath on my own
And how could I forget we marched
Around our share of Jericho's?

But I will not be setting out
A fleece for you tonight
Just wanna know that everything will be alright

Oh great God be small enough to hear me now

~ Nichole Nordeman

Father, that I might be like an olive tree, thriving in Your house. I will always trust in Your unfailing love.

Psalm 52:8

I call.
You answer.
And you came to my rescue
And I want to be where You are.

In my life be lifted high
In my world be lifted high
In my love be lifted high

~ Hillsong United

Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

Psalm 27:4

The one thing I ask of the Lord—

the thing I seek most—

is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

delighting in the Lord’s perfections

and meditating in his Temple.

Java Setlist - May 17th, 2009

2009-05-18T10:13:00.000+02:00

This post is participating in the blog carnival over at Fred's. Checkout Sunday Setlists from worship leaders all over the world...

Human – God breathed

The Killers have a song out called ‘Human’. The meaning of the lyrics is hotly debated. This song has been playing in my head for a while. For me, God is speaking about love being a verb. He has breathed His Spirit into me. For a purpose.

“Are we human or are we dancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold”

Am I a marrionette - movement but no heartbeat, no blood flowing? or Am I human - dust with God-breathed life - as His child, filled with His Spirit?

ESV - ...then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature...

Black Eyed Peas are singing:

People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?

A Tim Hughes' God of Justice:

We must go
live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward
keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

Fill us up and send us out Lord

…make me human again.

“Recently, I saw a group of people eagerly passing out snacks and hot cocoa on an Atlanta street. The group was dressed in a uniform of sorts that read “The Church Has Left the Building.”
Surprisingly, the church name wasn't on the shirt. No plug. No quotas being met. No guilt being given in the form of "we fed you now come visit us." That a church would simply want to serve—without any apparent effort to self-promote—is rare, indeed, in our culture today.
…

Too often it seems that professing Christians are more busy doing church rather than being the church to our communities. Of course, church is much more than a set of rituals. It isn't the performance of teachers, or musicians, or the pastor. Church is the life of Jesus on display through His people. The Church Has Left the Building - John Young on crosswalk.com

Is this me?

(I didn't use the quote in italics but it's part of what was driving the setlist for me.)

James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Micah 6:8 The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free..."

John 14:12-14 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!..."

Aaron Boyd - Bluetree, Belfast:
"Whilst on a short-term missions trip to Thailand, we played at the Climax Bar, which doubles as a brothel in the red-light district. I didn't know what to expect; you have a mixture of every emotion at once. When you see old men walking down the street with young girls, you want to go vigilante. But then you see the look in the girls' eyes and your heart breaks. Everything all rolled into one."

'Their band and a few other members of their church went on a mission trip to Pattaya, Thailand recently. In Pattaya, there are over 30,000 female prostitutes over the age of 18! (That is not counting the ones under 18, or even the male prostitutes there) While they were walking around the town, they walked into a local bar there called...."The Climax Club", which was looking ofr bands to play. They agreed to give it a try and asked how long the owner how long he wanted them to play. The owner said, "As long as your friends continues to buy cokes." So they ended up buying cokes for 2-3 hours.

So for over 2 hours this band sang Jesus over these prostitutes who had no idea what they were singing! All of the sudden this song "came down from heaven," as one of the band members recalls. Then spontaneously they started singing.'

The song was God of this City (Greater things).

Setlist

Walk-in: CD track - God of Justice
Announcements & Prayer
God He Reigns - offering
*share the drive behind the set - see above*
Awesome God - chorus only (MW Smith)
God of this City - went in at 'There is no one like our God'
The splendour of the King - chorus and bridge only - How great is our God / Name above all Names
God of Justice vid - I was hoping to teach this one and sing it with the congregation, but our practice on Thursday was a bit hijacked by some other issues. Note to self: do not talk church during worship practice.

Coffee

Sermon series - Holy Spirit - Rev. Roy Newton - S.H.A.P.E.

{{You breathe in me / And I'm alive /
By the power of your holiness / You breathe in me / And you revive / Feelings in
my soul / That I had laid to rest /
I used to be/ So sensitive / To the light
that leads / To where you are / Now I've acquired / These callouses / With the
darkness of / A cold and jaded heart
So breathe in me / I need you now /
I've never felt so dead within / So breathe in me / Maybe somehow / You can
breathe new life / In me again}}

Sunday Setlists - May 3rd, 2009

2009-05-10T08:51:00.000+02:00

Probably last one into Fred's Sunday Setlists for this week. ;)

Walk-in: Jesus, Messiah

For who You are - *offering*

Announcements & Prayer

Challenge - don't sing the words if you are not ready to say them. We're singing a lot of things tonight:

'Lord, You have my heart and I will search for Yours'
'Let me be to You a sacrifice'
'I will worship You with all of my heart, mind and strength. '
'I want more love, power, faith and passion – more of You'
'I pour out my life'
'What can I do but offer my heart completely to You'
'I give my life to declare Your promise'
'I’ll stand with my arms high and my heart abandoned, my soul surrendered to You.'
'All I am is Yours.'

The Stand

Prayer

Once Again

Lord, You have my heart

Open prayer – for who YOU are

More love, more power

Coffee

Sermon – John Harding – Gift of Tongues

Sunday Setlist - April 26th, 2009

2009-04-30T13:34:00.003+02:00

Worship leaders all over the world share as part of Fred McKinnon's Sunday Setlists. Check it out!

AM

Walk-in: I have a Maker (a reprise from the family service with CD backing)
Blessed be Your Name *offering*
Announcements
Reading
God will make a way
Be still and know – prayer ministry
The Lord’s my Shepherd
Sermon – Donovan Holmes

PM

Walk-in: God of this City – praying it over our church and JBay
Desert Song
Announcements & Prayer
Poem – Even when my heart is torn
Blessed be Your Name - *offering*
Testimony time
Welcome in this Place – ministry time
Mighty to Save
Coffee – play ‘Even when my heart is torn…’
Sermon - Brad Jones

Apologies for the lack of comments this time. I'm snowed...

Sunday Setlist - March 29th, 2009

2009-03-31T13:19:00.003+02:00

This entry is sharing with worship leaders all over the world as part of Fred McKinnon's Sunday Setlists. Do yourself a favour...

Morning Service

Announcements

Testimony

Praise my soul the King of Heaven (first and last read as a poem)

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (one, two and six - I picked up the pace on this one but confused some of the folks a bit...in retrospect I will consider slowing it again for the next time I use this wonderful hymn)

Jesus, Messiah

Jesus, Name Above All Names

Let your living water (starting with chorus Jesus...)

More love, More power (starting with I will worship You after instrumental More love...)

As we lift up our hands (read as a prayer from As we to Only you.)

Sermon - Cries from the Cross (My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?)

As the person doing the announcements was late for the service, I had to do some quick reshuffling - I know you've been-there-done-that - and I did the first poem and the first song before the testimony and then we moved on to announcements. The downside of that was that I felt I'd lost the congregation completely until Jesus, Name above all names. There was a disconnect and I just couldn't breach it. I slowed the songs from Jesus, Name above all names as I sensed them connecting and just went back to choruses where possible. I long for the nuts and bolts of corporate worship NOT to be a distraction from the presence of the living God. This continues to be the cry of my heart.

Family service setlist - March 22nd AM

2009-03-23T13:34:00.006+02:00

For the Sunday Setlist Carnival over at FredMcKinnon.com. I have used many of their ideas in different situations and have been inspired to other ideas through reading their creative thoughts and their passion for their churches and for worship that keeps God at the centre.

Our church is still being introduced to this level of cross-generational worship. The previous time that I led it, I made sure that I used relevant hymns. Our congregation, like most, responds well to wooing and very badly to revolution. This time I used fairly well known choruses and I asked the Sunday School to minister to the congregation by singing to them and through two teens who gave testimonies.

We used CD's for all the songs.

Come, Now is the Time to Worship

Item - He Knows my Name - Sunday School children
Jesus loves me - a capella

Testimonies - Teen Sunday School class

Children's Talk - The Perfect Fit for Running the Race - Pastor Donovan Holmes

Psalm 8 - I read this from a powerpoint where I had highlighted verse 2 for the congregation to read with me. It is the Sunday School verse for the year.

You have taught children and infants to tell of
your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.

I could sing of Your love Forever (Over the Mountains)
Holy is the Lord (It's Rising Up All Around)

Read from Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty

We Fall Down - offering

Sermon - What kind of family are we? - Pastor Donovan Holmes

It was a great service, filled with freedom and joy and stuff that just makes sense. Praise be to our heavenly Father!

Next time - flags and/or ribbons!

Just jump, sweetheart. I'll catch you.

2009-03-20T14:12:00.003+02:00

Anne Jackson - author of Mad Church Disease www.flowerdust.net. Some Twitter notes from re:create.

‘I was so busy doing things for God that I had forgotten about being with Him.’

The question that changed everything for Anne - ‘Is serving in this church interfering with your communion with Christ?’

‘If you are not operating in God’s strength, you are being lied to. You are not fine.’

‘If you are in one of those places where you communion with Christ is being sacrificed, you must leave. Losing your relationship with God is not worth it.’

‘God is your provider. Your job has never been your provision.’

‘God didn’t say love ministry, love your job, love what you do. He said love me.’

Next question that struck Anne - ‘Are you living within the integrity of your conscience?’

‘What does being obedient look like to you? Are you doing that?’

‘Does it look like I’m struggling with stuff? Maybe not. But I am. And someone has to be the one to go first to give someone the gift of going second.’

‘Some of you are in a very healthy place, spiritually. It is your responsibility to help carry the burdens of those who are struggling.’

‘It would be completely irresponsible of us to let hurting, broken people in ministry continue to be broken.’

‘It’s time for us ... to carry the burdens of others. We have walls to break through but we’ve got to break through them.’

Challenging is too shy a word.

one thing needful

2009-03-20T13:13:00.003+02:00

Luke 10:38-42

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

God's talking to me about this. I do a lot of talking. And a lot of doing. Jesus said that there was one thing needful - to sit at his feet and listen to what He teaches. In my life as it stands at the moment, this means allowing more quiet time for just listening to Him. Putting aside the distractions; the worry and upset over all the details.

How about you?

approachable and available

2009-03-09T14:30:00.003+02:00

When we came to JBay, it was my desire that I would be approachable and available for God to use me in the life of our church and our community. I'm thinking about this at the moment and whether I'm still true to my heart's hope. What do these two characteristics look like to you?

Sunday Setlist - Java 22nd February 2009

2009-02-23T15:40:00.004+02:00

This post is participating in the Sunday Setlist carnival at FredMckinnon.com. Click and GO

http://www.fredmckinnon.com/myblog/2009/02/22/sunday-setlists-31/

Find me in the River

Desert Song - led by Jana Bougas (it's nice to have a bit of continuity from one week to the next. Last week this was a new song and I wanted the congregation to have a chance to get their teeth into it. We did it a lot slower this week and I think they're getting it. Great song. Will become a favourite, I'm sure)

Consuming Fire (was also a new song two weeks back although I did not realise that they didn't know it. As we're going to be staying with the Holy Spirit theme for the next 21 weeks or so, it fitted and I did a reprise.)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus (I wanted a space for them to just close their eyes and sing well known, simple words and just focus on God, to still and quiet their souls before Him)

Let your living water (Jimmy Swaggart) / Hungry / chorus for LYLW Jesus...Jesus / So I'll wait for You (from Hungry)

For me, it was a disasterous evening. You know those times when it all plays perfectly in your head, you know where God's going with it and then, on the night, you don't put yourself across well or you're not concentrating or WHATEVER and it just falls into an undignified heap. I hate those times.

Pastor Don preached on intimacy with God, and broken intimacy. It was a great sermon, gentle and pointed at the same time. Pitch-perfect. He's particularly gifted for this type of preaching. God seems to have given him the ability to put his words right into the wound and gently push - Here? Is this where it hurts? Let God heal it. Here. Now.

He worked from the story of Jesus with the woman at the well and used examples of different kinds of hugs to get us into the intimacy thinking. His crossover was perfect - timing and wording went right to the heart of the matter with a loving delicacy that revealed his deep love and concern for his congregation. The woman at the well needed a hug. The deep kind. That heals.

Java Setlist 15th February

2009-02-20T21:57:00.003+02:00

This is our Sunday Setlist at Fred McKinnon's for our Java service, led this week by Jana Bougas:

Blessed be Your Name
Desert Song
Hosanna

Jana used a clip of an interview with one of Hillsong's leaders about worship and justice. Good stuff!

Loved Desert Song, a new one for me. Totally stuck in my head.

Morning service setlist 15 February

2009-02-20T21:48:00.004+02:00

This is a Sunday Setlist over at Fred's. This is a wonderful community of creative worship leaders. Check it out here.

Walk-in: Jesus Messiah (new for this service)

Announcements

Jesus Messiah *offering*

Exodus 34:5-7a

Medley:
The Splendour of the King (How Great is our God) - How Great Thou Art - Jesus Messiah - Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)

Ch - How great is our God, sing with me x 2

Ch - Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

V1 - O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder

Ch - Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee

V3 - And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing

Ch - Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

Ch - How great is our God, sing with me

V1 - The splendour of a King, clothed in majesty

Ch - How great is our God, sing with me

V2 - Age to age He stands, and time is in His hands,

Ch - How great is our God, sing with me,

Ch - Jesus Messiah
V1 - He became sin
Pre-Ch - Love so amazing
V1 - Amazing grace
V2 - 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fearCh - My chains are goneV3 - The Lord has promised good to me

Reading
Be still for the presence of the Lord (last verse a capella)
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh

Sermon

forgiveness or death by paper cuts

2009-02-20T21:22:00.000+02:00

I've been thinking a little about forgiveness. Have had some challenging stuff come across my desk. Like this:

We are called to forgive by going through three steps: (1) Name it. We
shouldn’t just ignore it or minimize it. By naming why we are hurt we can disarm
the wound’s secret control over us. (2) Accept it. Realize that you are hurt and
don’t throw the pain back or nurse it secretly on the side. (3) Absorb it. This
is the most painful part—what Tim Keller equates with a form of death. It’s
really awful to absorb the wrongs others have done to you, but on the other side
of that death is new life; resurrection that will empower you to love more like
Christ. ~ Rob Bell - Live from National Pastors' Conference by Skye Jethani

I had coffee with a friend last Saturday and we were talking about how unforgiveness traps us in a prison. The other person never feels a thing in many cases. When we forgive, even though we may not be ready to get up and walk out of the prison cell, the bars disappear. Whilst I believe that forgiveness is a one-off decision, the hardest part is that it is also a series of continual choices. And sometimes - without warning - like the pain from a phantom limb, the pain sears through me like a red hot poker. But the frequency of those moments subsides.

How do you understand forgiveness?

'voor op die wa' - a bit ahead of myself

2009-02-10T09:15:00.003+02:00

Ecclesiastes 5:2 (The Message)
Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better.

This hit me like a sledgehammer yesterday as I turned over the page on my desktop calendar. I tend to be a very eager beaver. I've probably always been like that. There are some very positive sides to that aspect of my character, but this is not one of them. Some people are naturally good at this - thinking before they speak. Some have trained themselves to consider their words with care.

Are you one who is reckless with words or have you developed the ability to weigh your words on God's scales?

As for me, this weekend I was too quick to tell God what I thought He wanted to hear. Time to be still and listen for a bit.

JBay Java Setlist 2009-02-08

2009-02-09T08:00:00.001+02:00

There is nothing quite like a hothouse of creative worship leaders like the one at Fred Mckinnon's. This Sunday Setlist is, like many others, a result of spending some time thinking over what they are thinking and doing in their own services. Yes. You want to get over there right now.

Life in abundance - full colour version

So...to put you in the picture, Java leadership have decided that it is time to do some good solid teaching on the Holy Spirit.

Walk-in: Revival (As sure as gold is precious and the honey sweet)

Announcements

I wanted to kick off the testimony time to follow Always by telling a story of my own to break the ice. I used this stuff.

Always

Testimony time - This was just great. I LOVE stories about folks and God. Just love this stuff.

The Stand *offering*

Powerpoint ‘black and white’ *band play Consuming Fire*
I put together a powerpoint of some of Yann Arthus-Bertrand's work. In the first shots, I had taken out the colour, so you just had beautiful form and texture but not the real thing. I followed this with exactly the same shots in colour. I wanted to use the juxtaposition of this with the "There must be more than this" of the song. Unfortunately, my guitarist forgot to play the song whilst the powerpoint was up and it lost a little something. The change from black and white to colour in these shots was breathtaking. I spoke about how in so many ways God has given us full colour and we settle for black and white.

Consuming Fire (There must be more than this)
This was my main song for the evening but we had a couple of hitches with it. Firstly, I had no idea that this was a new one for this church. One of the drawbacks to morving churches is that you have no idea which ones knew what. Secondly, there was a little communication breakdown with the PC operator and when I loaded the songs onto EasyWorship I was in a hurry and picked the wrong song. Also has the name Consuming Fire...sheesh. I chose to sing it anyway, but made several mental "Note to self"s.

Breathe
We have not given a lot of space for folks just to sing or pray or say our praise to God during the middle of a worship song but we tried this tonight. I'm not sure how it went, really, as I believe very strongly that the congregation are going to struggle to worship if the worship leader is not worshipping.

Be still for the presence of the Lord

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh (a capella)

1 minute silence

Now, at this point, we would start playing something from a CD and we would all hit the coffee hatch. Tonight, Pastor Donovan stepped up and said that he felt that there were more stories and to forget about the sermon. A bunch of people told us about stuff God had done and is doing. It was great. Then Don asked the team to play and asked for anyone who wanted prayer to come forward whilst we were singing. Phenomenal stuff. You must understand that this is new stuff for lots of the folks in our church. Not a lot of this goes on. But more is coming.

God rocked up. And how!

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation. O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation.

Hello, my name is Louise and I am an Israelite

2009-01-30T13:19:00.008+02:00

I am.

Remember that bunch of whiney-annoying-frustrating-always-questioning-God people who drove Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb loony in the wilderness? (Checkout Exodus and Numbers in the Bible for the full story. And read Francine Rivers' Sons of Encouragement) Well, I'm one of those.

Why is it that we can be consistently blessed by God, cared for by God, see His hand in different situations - Miracles, people. I'm talking about daily miracles. - and yet still constantly question?

God had given His people, the Israelites, their own land. Canaan was a land "flowing with milk and honey". He had brought them out of slavery after an exceptional display of signs and wonders. He had brought them through the Red Sea on dry ground. He had given them water from a rock, amongst other 'small' miracles! He had led them through the desert for 40 years. Each day they'd had enough food to eat - food that came from heaven. Their clothes and shoes had never worn out. He'd watched over them, cared for them, fought their battles and yet all they could think about was the giants.

What about the GIANTS?

Numbers 13:30 But Caleb ... “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”

I long to have the faith of Caleb. What giants are you facing today?

You and me, together, let's trust "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin" in spite of ourselves to give us "the land" that He has promised. Because He who has promised is faithful.

I do

2009-01-28T08:37:00.000+02:00

"There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage."

Martin Luther, 1483 - 1546 Ibid.353

Do you agree?

still, small voice

2009-01-27T08:54:00.005+02:00

So, we're going through one of those valleys, hubs and I, and I begged God to speak to me and show me - for me - His way through. And He did.

He spoke like this:

After a long deliberation with people we love and trust, where He made us aware of things that we hadn't thought through-

1 He reminded me of my own dreams

2 He reminded me of a picture that He had given me previously.

3 He spoke to me through a story in a book I am reading

4 He brought a scripture to my mind

5 He filled my head with a particular song - this seems to be one of the primary ways that God speaks to me at present.

Yes. God speaks today. And He speaks in many ways to all His children.

What is your experience of this? How does He primarily speak to you?

confession is good for the soul

2009-01-24T21:15:00.002+02:00

"One of the great longings of our generation is for someone to explain how we can be forgiven of the guilt we feel."

Do you think so?

From Fessing Up on smallgroups.com

Abandoned praise

2009-01-20T09:29:00.004+02:00

For this week's Java worship, I'm working on a theme of abandoned praise. It follows from the reading that I gave in last week's Java worship about Aaron and all the people giving all that they had for the temple, and particularly the line about Aaron giving back his all to the One that had given it to him in the first place.

A fellow worship leader posted on her website a little while back about something that I have been observing in a particular person in our own congregation for a while now - abandoned praise:

I just experienced one of the most authentic worship times in my life! I
walked across the auditorium to listen to the sound levels and stopped far to
one side for a while.

As I stood and began to worship, I noticed a 'mentally challenged young
man' worshiping. It was one of the most moving times of worship I have ever
experienced.

He had a freedom to express himself that I have never felt. He could have
cared less who was watching, I often wonder who is watching me. He was filled
with the Holy Spirit at a level that most 'normal' people never reach. Complete
surrender, unaware that he may be the only one with a true understanding of our
Savior.

I will look for this young man in the future and try to stand near to him
during worship so I can also leave cares behind and become overcome with love
for our God and express it freely!
http://www.loribiddle.com/2008/12/authentic-worship.html

Often I have felt that our worship times are perhaps a little stilted when I watch the bush shrike "bokmakierie" throw back it's head with its throat completely exposed - vulnerable - and sing as though its life depended on it. My prayer is that our worship this week would head towards a life abandoned to God. Not caring for or about the praise or criticism of others but only reaching upwards to love the One who gave everything for us. Pressed down, shaken together and running out all over...

If you have any suggested songs or readings, please leave a comment. If you've had a similar experience to Lori and myself, please comment...I would love to hear from you.

Java setlist 2009/01/18

2009-01-19T13:09:00.005+02:00

Oh yes - over at Fred's again. Where else would I be? It's the very best thing I can do with a Monday.

DO vs BE

Walk-in: I used the Show me your Hope powerpoint from last week and used God of this City behind it.

Gifted for Leadership (a community of women leaders) - I used an extract from their 14-day Reflections for Leaders - Day 2:

"It’s so easy as leaders to go, go, go and do, do, do. But God is calling us to
be, be, be. To-do lists, bullet points, and checkmarks have their place, but
when it comes to your spiritual life, you need to toss an “achievement” mindset
into the garbage and spend some time in God’s presence simply being the real
you."

Luke 10:38-42 Jesus on Martha DO vs Mary BE

Putting aside all the busy-ness, hurry and scurry that usually describes the beginning of the year - including the school year – I wanted us all to concentrate on & be with the God that makes it all possible.

John 15: 4 [Jesus says] “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” What does remaining in Jesus mean to you?

Prayer:

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.

Majesty

We Declare Your Majesty

Awesome God

Heart of Worship - starting on I'll bring you more than a song (Offering - Read an extract from Aaron by Francine Rivers; a piece from when they were all bringing things to help with the building of the temple. Beautiful. Just beautiful. Where is my heart? Am I excited about what God might use my sacrifice or my gift for within His kingdom? Am I giving back to Him everything He gave me?)

This went well until we tried to give them a little space just to sing by messing around with 'I'll bring you more than a song' and 'It's all about You'. They're a traditional bunch and I think this blew them out of the water a bit, which didn't help the contemplation one bit. Note to self: Give them more of this during 'funky' worship before trying it during the quieter stuff.

Prayer:
You are God in our living; there in our breathing; God in our waking and in our sleeping.You are God in our resting; there in our working; God in our thinking and in our speaking.
Be our everything.
You are God in our hoping; there in our dreaming; God in our watching and in our waiting.You are God in our laughing; there in our weeping; God in our hurting and in our healing.
Jesus Christ, You are in us the hope of glory. You are everything. Be our everything

Coffee - always the good stuff

Sermon by Pastor Don on the parable of the talents. Don reminded us that each one of us have spiritual gifts and talents along with everything else that He has given us to use for the kingdom and for our church. He reminded us of what Jesus gave - one life. All of it. And what fruit that bore!

**Communion** - How deep the Father's love for us (two verses sung by team whilst others taking communion and then third verse together)

Amazing Grace - first verse only (My Chains tune)

My Jesus, My Saviour - definitely need to give this one a rest now for at least 6 months. We completely oversing this...

How was your Sunday?

beautiful in its vulnerability and realness

2009-01-14T16:12:00.002+02:00

This blew me away today from a fellow worship leader's blog. Open-hearted, vulnerable, real. Yes. More of this.

"Our Lead Pastor ... delivered Part 1 of his "State of the Union" to our church based on his 3-month sabbatical in the fall. After 15 years on a church staff and being raised in church my whole life, I've heard a lot of sermons. However, yesterday's message was definitely one of the most heart-felt and God-given messages I have ever heard in my life. ... He didn't script his message like he normally does...he just read from his moleskin and it was POWERFUL! Our people were hanging on every word (including me!) He shared his dreams for this community and his passion to reach every person of every demographic in this area...yeah, it was amazing."

contemplate

2009-01-14T13:25:00.005+02:00

I'm working on the worship for Sunday night and I'm leaning toward a contemplative style this week. Putting aside all the busy-ness, hurry and scurry that usually describes the beginning of the year - including the school year - and concentrating on or contemplating WHO we worship.

“The goal of much that is written about life management is to enable us to do more in less time. But is this necessarily a desirable goal? Perhaps we need to get less done, but the right things.” ~Jean Fleming

Some songs I'm thinking of using are:

Here I Am to Worship - Tim Hughes
Center - Charlie Hall
The Heart of Worship - Matt Redman

What are your favourite songs to sing when you want to focus only on God and nothing else?

Hope because of WHO we worship

2009-01-14T10:59:00.001+02:00

Hope becomes operational through the daily-refreshed conviction that nothing that happens escapes the gaze of God. (emphasis mine)
...
In such times God distills the faith of hopeful people. He means to squeeze some of the craziness that has entered the world of organized religion and return us to the simplicity of following Jesus and growing in his character.
God intends to reduce the attachment of hopeful people to material wealth, to
the tendency to think that everything rises and falls on being prosperous and
financially secure. God intends to make hopeful people rethink their attraction
to bigness, to slickness, to a show-business approach to ministry.
God intends to remind hopeful people that loving, serving, and generous giving are the primary markers of genuine faith.
God intends to awaken hopeful people to the suffering of a larger part of the world's population that we have all too easily ignored.
In short, God intends that hopeful people put everything on the table and ask
once again: What is at the core of the real Christian gospel that we may have
forgotten during the days of prosperity?

Gordon MacDonald ~ Beyond Pessimism or Optimism - Leading in these times requires something more.

JBay Java Setlist 2009-01-11

2009-01-12T09:26:00.006+02:00

This is part of a blog carnival that Fred McKinnon and co. celebrate each week to encourage networking and sharing of what we’re all doing in our worship services. You definitely want to check out this collaborating community.

Walk-in: Your Grace is Enough (CD)

Welcome & Announcements

Psalm 131:2 But I have stilled a quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Read as a poem:
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

*Offering - We offer all our sacrifices – time, money, worship, talents - to Him in thanksgiving for who He is and all He has done for us*

In Christ Alone – verses 1 & 2

*Prayer for offering*

On New Year’s Eve, Pastor Don spoke about us 'Showing others our Hope'.
Powerpoint - Show me your HOPE – background music - God of Justice (We must go)
~ I used images of people that the congregation may come across and asked them to think about what showing them their hope might look like...a smile...a hot meal...a thank you...a donation to an organisation to take care of them...

Matthew 25: 35-36
… I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

Hope is distinct from positive thinking and optimism. We have hope because of WHO we worship.

Hebrews 12: 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Medley:
Jesus, Messiah - Verse 1 / PreChorus / Chorus / Verse 2 / Bridge (all our hope)
God of this City – PreChorus (there is no-one like our God)/Chorus (greater things have…)
Mighty to Save – Chorus (Saviour He can move…)/bridge (Shine your light)/Chorus (Saviour…)
God of this City – PreChorus (there is no-one like our God)/Chorus (greater things have…) / Verse
Jesus, Messiah – Bridge (all our hope) / Chorus (Jesus, Messiah)

Romans 12:1 … I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

And I Stand in Awe (You are beautiful beyond description ) / King of Kings, Majesty

Prayer:

So take us as you find us
All our fears and failures
Fill our lives again

We give our lives to follow You
You’re everything we believe in
We surrender.

Coffee

Sermon - Brad preached on What remains - Faith, Hope and Love. Great stuff Brad!

We have a general problem of pew warmers. How does your church work on moving folk from singing into action?

It's a life raft not a pleasure cruise...

"the church is the body of Christ"

2009-01-08T13:20:00.004+02:00

But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

There is a way

~ Casting Crowns

This blog post

http://www.futurechurch.co.za/regeneration

picked up this interesting blog post - please read it:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article5400568.ece

I read it. And felt I had to comment even if only for myself:

Hope. "It offers something to hold on to..."

This is where the tangible love 'takki' hits the tar. Jesus with skin on.

This is not my area and I don't speak this lingo but I thought I'd like to comment anyway.
I find it challenging that I've stumbled upon this post directly after 1) the following email enters my inbox from a missionary to orphans in Malawi and 2) I read the blog post below from a missionary in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

-unedited-
"...between death threats (truth) and a directed horrible attack on our credibility etc miraculously God has helped us provide for our children and the many others he has us assist here the average twenty to thirty thousand Rand spent a month somehow always is there even when it cannot be explained and somehow when ever we see a nice shirt of treat to make one little boy or girl feel special when we go into our wallets it's there. The proud moments when one who only knew the way of a thief to survive steals something and even though his act wasn't noticed mere minutes later i get a knock on our door "Uncle i'm sorry but i stole this" as he produces the item. or the child who stains every muscle to help us carry a heavy load. The 4 year old showing his older 'brothers' not to leave their clothes on the floor as he folds his and places them in his cupboured. These are the miracles we have the pleasure in witnessing no more no less than anyone who is mom or dad teacher or friend to another. Nothing special yet every bit special in Him." I asked him when they would get leave to go 'home' and spend time with their families... "I'm not sure when we'll be able to get away as were pretty much alone here so can't leave our children but perhaps one day God will make the way."

http://kristiapplesauce.typepad.com/kristi/2009/01/the-shock-this-is-a-pretty-discriptive-postread-with-care.html...

At the global leadership summit this year we were asked to consider "What is church?".

Jeffreys Bay Baptist- Hope 2009 - THIS IS CHURCH:

For there is no-one like our God

Greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things have still to be done here

~ Christ Tomlin

We must go,
Live to feed the hungry, stand beside the broken.
We must go.
Stepping forward
Keep us from just singing
Move us into action.
We must go.

~ Tim Hughes

words to me for today

2009-01-08T11:18:00.001+02:00

"...when Jesus was having dinner with the Pharisee and the woman comes and anoints his feet. Jesus didn't care what she had done in the past, He could see her heart and know that she was sincere in her actions..."

excerpted from a post by Sharon on http://blog.christianitytoday.com/giftedforleadership/2009/01/devotional_journeyday_1.html

Word for 2009

2009-01-05T09:04:00.003+02:00

BE

Inspired by:

http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-will-hold-you.html

http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/2008/12/one-little-wo-1.html

http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com/2009/01/flashback-friday-life-goals-repost.html

To be aware and present in every moment.

"It’s so easy as leaders to go, go, go and do, do, do. But God is calling
us to be, be, be. To-do lists, bullet points, and checkmarks have their
place, but when it comes to your spiritual life, you need to toss an
“achievement” mindset into the garbage and spend some time in God’s
presence simply being the real you." ~ Gifted for Leadership - Reflections for leaders Day 2

Resolve

2009-01-05T09:01:00.001+02:00

To make the healthy choice as often and as much as possible

To say YES to God as often and as much as possible

To say YES to my husband as often and as much as possible

What resolutions did you make this year?

Anthem 2009 - God in my living...be my everything

2009-01-05T07:25:00.003+02:00

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping

God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting

God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything
Be my everything

Tim Hughes ~ God in my living (Everything)

New Year's Eve Service / Watchnight Service

2009-01-04T07:50:00.003+02:00

Just another setlist for the friendly muso peeps over at the “Sunday Setlists” blog carnival - FredMcKinnon.Com”.

This was one of those dire everything-that-can-go-wrong-did-go-wrong kind of services from the musical worship side. Sigh. Still figuring out what God was teaching me. Definitely part of that is not to make assumptions about other folks on the team.

We have been fighting to get the Christmas and New Year services (well, all services, actually) made more contemporary and accessible for some time. This year we - the young-er set (this is relative as most folks in our congregation are retired) - were given the Christmas Carol service and the Watchnight service.

We had no musicians. I found this out on the Sunday before. We sang to tracks with words, as the deac with the music portfolio (who I assumed - very bad idea - would be our musician for the night) didn't seem too keen on my using his budget for more singable music backing.

We also had no technical people as the rest of the music team also 'hadn't planned on being there' and the person that I roped in to help was not able to come because the road to her suburb had been closed from 8pm to 8am on New Year's eve due to rioting chokka fishermen.

So, my patient, long-suffering hubby helped me out. He'd never used the software before and had to play the songs, put up the song words, play the powerpoints for the worship and the message as well as play the DVD after the message. And he did more than his level best.

We ran completely overtime. Still have no idea why. We had to dump In Christ Alone and King of Kings, Majesty.

Don's message was perfect for the night and led directly into the DVD. Which didn't play. The whole computer locked up with a 'Windows has encountered a problem'.

BUT - we had a great turnout and I pray that God spoke to folks there and gave them a sense of the great big HOPE that we were trying to talk about.

HOPE RE: NEW

Walk-in: Jesus, Messiah (Tomlin)
~Should really have had the whole congregation sing this one. It was just about the only singable song in the set.

Song 1: Blessed Be your Name

Testimony time - I used a powerpoint full of things that folks had thanked God for in previous Java services as a visual reminder of all that He had given us. They had put their thank You's on pieces of paper in the offering bags or into bowls on the tables.

Song 2: Great is Thy Faithfulness
~A wonderful lady in our church - she's 87, if I'm not mistaken - plays the piano and I asked her to play for this song.

~As we were going to go into communion, I spoke a little about putting things in the past, as I feel the close of a year is the perfect time to do this.

Isaiah 43: 18-19

2 Corinthians 5.17

Song 3: Amazing Grace (My chains are gone)
~This track was fine to sing to at home and when I played it at the church it was so low that I couldn't sing it. Neither could they. I (and my husband) loathe being a distraction in worship. And this whole service was distracting from the main Person. :(

Communion - Amazing Grace – my chains are gone. (Background)

Sermon

Song 4: In Christ Alone

DVD - Thousand Questions from GLS

Commissioning and benediction

Matthew 28 : 18 – 20

Song 5: King of Kings, Majesty
~ I thought that this would be a lovely response to the vid. I wanted them to be able to say something to God and thought that musically would work really well, especially as the words are already there. Still debating as to whether this would have been the best idea. Perhaps it still would have been better to let folks quietly do business with God. We'll never know...

Greet one another - I had set up a power point full of stills of fireworks with promises of God over them as a walk out and wanted to use Israel Houghton's - Again I Say Rejoice sung by Morden Baptist Church as a Walk Out.

~Very glad that it's over. Feel awful to even think that. I love leading folks into the presence of God and I love the watchnight service. I put my heart and soul into planning it.

Note: Watchnight Service - scroll to Religious Communities

"If it be enquired why I held a Watch-night, let the answer be—because I hoped
that the Lord would own the service, and thus souls might be saved. I have
preached at all hours the gospel of Jesus, and I see no reason why I may not
preach at midnight, if I can obtain hearers. I have not done it from imitation,
but for the best of reasons—the hope of doing good, and the wish to be the means
of gathering in the outcasts of Israel. God is my witness, I would preach every
hour of the day, if body and mind were equal to the task. When I consider how
souls are being damned and how few there are who mourn and cry over them, I am
constrained to cry with Paul, "Woe is me if I preach not the gospel." Oh, that
the new year may be far better than the last." ~ Charles Spurgeon
In royal robes I don't deserve I live to serve Your Majesty.

new favourite quote

2008-12-23T19:46:00.000+02:00

"For most people it’s not enough to want to play follow the leader. I want somebody who will involve me. I think great leadership is a collaborative effort. I think vision is a team sport. And I think collaboration is not abdication but it’s involving everybody in the circle to hear what they’re thinking and to let them contribute to the shaping of a vision and the moving forward."

Nancy Ortberg

Carols at Dusk * Go tell it!

2008-12-22T11:15:00.001+02:00

Back at FredMcKinnon.com. Setlists galore.

My commissioning for this year's carol service was simple. Tell the story. In addition, I needed to keep it simple, as I work full time and this is the busiest period in our company's calendar. I am not the only one in the team of people that were involved this year that work. Almost all work, and some were working shifts. Practising was tricky at best. There is nothing quite as beautiful to me as a church community working together, using their gifts to the glory of God. This year's carol service was an excellent example of that. It was my privilege and joy to serve alongside them.

We had a Christmas tree up with white fairy lights and a manger. Outside (only for when folks left, as it's too light earlier) we had silver tin cans with tealights in them lighting the pathway. It was like a fairytale.

You'll see that the carols are all the most well known and well sung of them all. They were partly chosen because they tell the story and partly because I have remained challenged over this season by the Musical Hospitality article: http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=3733.

There was no chatter in between, just a relatively smooth flow from one part to the next, apart from me speaking about the remembrance ornaments.

Welcome & Announcements

Group Item: I will remember - Kim Anthony Gentes (I had prepared lively, funky A King is Born - Tom Inglis for the group item but our guitarist needed to fix someone's car and could not do the music for us. I couldn't find a backing track anywhere on the www and so hurredly found a substitute. I wouldn't do it again. All you end up remembering is "I will remember You" which could be something sung to a loved one. Also, the wording wasn't great for a group item. I considered changing it, but eventually decided that I wasn't comfortable with that option)

Reading: Luke 1:26-38 (All readings NLT - which translations do you favour? - and, where possible, I gave the speaking bits to people so that it was a little more dramatic. I had a brilliant narrator. Such an important role to get cast.)

Item: Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) - backing track - a young lady that would have been about Mary's age sang this. She is a soprano lyrico and the song was exquisite. A really lovely solo for Christmas

Remembrance ornaments
"For many, the holidays are a stark reminder of what used to be, or what should have been, or what never was. Loved ones gone, homes or jobs lost, dreams shattered. If this doesn’t describe you this Christmas season, it undoubtedly describes someone you know, whose path you’ll cross. " (from Willow Creek's Prepare series)

This year, our church remembered in particular those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. I asked some creative craft types to make doves for us and decorate them a little and we placed these ornaments on the tree during the singing of Silent Night. In researching for Christmas, I came across the European concept of Blue Christmas and wanted to incorporate that thinking into our service. There are great sadnesses for many within this season.

Silent Night

Monologue - Joseph

Away in a Manger

Reading: Luke 2:1-7

O Come all ye Faithful – Lighting of the candles (we can't really do this any earlier - 19.30 in the southern hemisphere - I need say no more). We were also really hot during the service. It was a beautiful JBay night. Tough to make the decision between sweltering or music and scripts flying everywhere. Flipfiles next year. Wish we could have done the whole thing on the beach...maybe 2009.

Reading: Luke 2:8-12; Luke 2:13-14

Hark the Herald Angels

While Shepherds Watched

Extracts from Three Kings Poem – Longfellow - I loathe and detest using bits and pieces of classic poems, but one of the comments on my choice of the Longfellow poem was that it may become a little tedious for some as it is quite long. I reluctantly agreed and took verses together that would tell the story. Love the poem. Was really searching for someone with a baritone storytelling voice that could do it for me but alas. My friend handled it exceptionally well.

Joy to the World

Benediction

Whilst I, personally, am very opposed to an offering in any of the Christmas services unless they are for charity or for folks who are less privileged, we had a retiring offering. What are your thoughts - firstly, on using a retiring offering rather than a bag that goes around, and secondly, on offering during the Christmas season?

The service went well and we had an okay turnout. My own thoughts on the service were that it was disappointing from my own perspective. I expected too much of people, the planning wasn't started early enough, there was not sufficient dovetailing with other Christmas services and I think I could have worked harder to get folks focussed on Christ. In essence, I could have used a full time assistant. :D

I need to pay tribute here to a great husband. The best. He continually enables me to minister to the best of my ability despite the sacrifices that he constantly has to make in order for this to be possible and despite him being a busy student pastor. Those of you with spouses - are they also in ministry? Do they help or hinder you?

leading ladies

2008-12-17T12:26:00.003+02:00

Recently Nancy Beach did a post about herself and her husband leading a service together.

http://nancybeach.typepad.com/nancy_beach/2008/12/marriage-counseling-needed.html

It got me thinking. I decided to post my comment on her blog to my blog and see what others thought:

I have been doing a lot of thinking about leadership as a couple. What happens in a situation where your church is a lot smaller - like a membership of 115, both have the gift of leadership (at least one being a remunerated pastor)and both feel called to be part of the strategic leadership of the church. Possible? Impossible?

Do the sparks have the potential to have harmful effects on the marriage or the church or both? Should one partner step back...how would this type of situation be resolved?

I have been told that both being on the strategic leadership team would be detrimental to the marriage and that the situation should be avoided. I would love to hear your view.

Emmanuel

2008-12-15T11:07:00.006+02:00

This is a setlist for FredMcKinnon.com. Do yourselves a favour and browse when you have a moment.

Java service last night was just that. Emmanuel.

There are moments in your life when you look around you - slow motion - and realise that this is it. This is what God wants of you for this moment in time with these people. And all for joy. These are the moments when the endurance is all worth it.

Celebrating Jesus

Walk-in -Jesus, Messiah - Tomlin (new for us)

Welcome and Announcements

***Take Time skit - check it out

This worked really well. I did it together with a well-known and much loved member of the Java service. We didn't introduce it - just went straight into it after announcements. It worked!

It closes with: Let's take time right now...

O come, let us adore Him, (a capella and then with music - only this verse) This is so beautiful a capella. I just wanted to stand there and listen to them all singing. Like I imagine heaven to be.

Isaiah 9.6-7

Jesus, Name above all names

***Thanksgiving bits

From late November, the Java service congregation have been writing things that they are thanking God for on little slips of paper. These will be used at Hope Re: New - the New Year's Eve service.

Jesus, lover of my soul (It's all about You) - Offering

Jesus, Messiah - Tomlin - this was a HIT and we'll definitely be using this more in the New Year. A beautiful song. Our guitarist transposed it into a decent key. We learnt it in one practice session before the service and it was fantastic. Just perfect for the service. My desire was for everyone to get the chorus stuck in their heads for the whole of the next week as an antidote to the world's theft of Christmas.

We have coffee at this point in the service for about 10-15 minutes and then the message. This week, Student Pastor Mark Knight (aka Babe) took us through three linked 'Celebrations'. You know how there are messages which are just "makes sense" type sermons that make you want to "just do it"? This was one of those. He asked the question: What are you celebrating this Christmas?

Well...?

Java JBay Service – 2008-12-07

2008-12-09T06:11:00.005+02:00

Hi folks

Once again I'm participating in Sunday Setlists at Fred McKinnon. Check it out - some fabulous creativity going on.

HOLINESS – REVERENCE – RESPONSE

(I wanted us to focus on the God behind the 'fear and trembling' bit of Philippians 2.12)

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord

Welcome and Announcements

Isaiah 6 1-8

We fall down, We lay our crowns (offering taken up during song)

King of Kings, Majesty

You are beautiful beyond description

I worship You, Almighty God

Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down (started with the chorus and didn't do the horribly overdone beautiful first verse 'Light of the world')

Immortal, invisible (first two verses read as a poem)

It's all about You, Jesus (again started with the chorus for Jesus, lover of my soul)

Brad Jones did a great job of challenging us from Philippians 2.12 'Working it out'.

he feels like home to me

2008-12-03T09:10:00.005+02:00

Proverbs 14:1
A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.

...what you must understand
You can't let the chance
To love him pass you by

Tell him, tell him that the sun and moon rise in his eyes
Reach out to him
And whisper tender words so soft and sweet
Hold him close to feel his heart beat
Love will be the gift you give yourself

Touch him
With the gentleness you feel inside
Your love can't be denied
The truth will set you free
You'll have what's meant to be
All in time you'll see
I love him {Then show him}
Of that much I can be sure {Hold him close to you}

...

Love is light that surely glows
In the hearts of those who know
It's a steady flame that grows
Feed the fire with all the passion you can show
Tonight love will assume its place
This memory time cannot erase
Your faith will lead love where it has to go

...

Lyrics excerpted from "Tell Him" copyrighted ~ Songwriters: Afanasieff, Walter; Foster, David; Thompson, Linda D

Hope - now look up!

2008-12-01T14:59:00.004+02:00

Second setlist of the day - what a privilege to serve in this way...Also over at FredMcKinnon.Com http://www.fredmckinnon.com/myblog/2008/11/30/sunday-setlist-19/

Our evening service is café style church and the feel is quite different. I wanted to make a progression from 'this is who our God is' and 'why we can have hope' to 'what does this mean for me' and finally 'what does this mean for others'.

As I hadn't really anticipated leading early enough for something really smooth, I went with the church unplugged feel of the service and did a bit of worship leading unplugged...

Wild times lead people to pursue spiritual realities. Look for an uptick in
prayer, spiritual friendships, greater curiosity about what the Bible says
about life's priorities. Wild times humble the arrogant and acquaint us with
the struggles of the poor. Compassion and generosity take on a new meaning.

Gordon McDonald in No Time to Cower on Leadership Journal.net

I was planning on using the Hope Hero clip from Hope08 here but we used Hope Where You Live and did the poem later. http://www.hopeinfo.co.uk/index.php/component/option,com_xeyougallery/Itemid,141/

Lam 3.19-25

I found verses relating to hope in a meaningful way and printed them onto blocks of card. I had them in bowls on the café tables. I asked them to each take one, or more if they'd like, and pray about whether or not it was meaningful for them, or maybe for someone else. We have the hope to share.

My plan was a long straight session of worship that just flowed from one song to another so that folks could really just get into it with God.

Mighty to Save
My Jesus, My Saviour
I'm Trading my Sorrows
How Great is our God - with How Great Thou Art break
God of this City

Hope Hero clip from Hope08. The poem is outstanding. Take a moment to check it out.http://www.hopeinfo.co.uk/index.php/component/option,com_xeyougallery/Itemid,141/

2 Cor 4.7-18

I would really love to do a set that included a sort of medley where the choruses for God of Justice, God of this City and Fire Fall down mingled and merged, but I'm a vocalist, not a musician and I'm not sure how to make this work. I can hear it in my head, but can't seem to explain it adequately. We have a team of a guitarist and a drummer plus three vocalists. Any thoughts?

I thought the 'unplugged' session worked well in some respects but it was too long as my chatter was not taut. Something to consider and work on. Again, it had been a very busy week church wise and there was very little opportunity for practice. Would LOVE to do this full time but alas! Must put bread on the table somehow!

Sunday School Prizegiving service - AM

2008-12-01T14:32:00.003+02:00

This is the recap from JBay Baptist's morning service, 30 November, 2008. I’m posting my worship recap along with other worship leaders at “Sunday Setlists” over at FredMcKinnon.Com” http://www.fredmckinnon.com/myblog/2008/11/30/sunday-setlist-19/

Powerpoint call to worship
- I used pictures for all the elements of All Things Bright and Beautiful and had roughly a slide per line. I kept it simple - white background - so that the graphic was, well, bright and beautiful, and evocative.

START OF SERVICE - 8.30

Welcome

ANNOUNCEMENTS
- am I the only worship leader that thinks that these just take TOO long?!

Reading 1 - Sunday School child - Psalm 19: 1-4

All things bright and beautiful (Cecil Frances Alexander) standard tune
- I chose this because of the fact that she began writing as a child and because I wanted to draw the 70% old folk congregation into the - possibly roudy - family worship. I was hoping that most of them would have sung it when they were in Sunday School and that it would remind them of what it is like to worship God with the simple trust and abandon of a child.

Unfortunately, I got flutterbys for some insane reason and launched into the song before the welcome or announcements and completely forgot to mention CFA. Sigh. Our congregation, as with most, can't cope with not being told exactly what we're doing and what they need to do next...I stubbed my toe on one of the worship cardinal rules - in some way, always tell them what you are doing and where you are going.

Cecil Frances Alexander was born in Ireland. She began writing poetry as a child
and wrote nearly 400 hymns. She wrote All things Bright and Beautiful, one of
her most popular, to help explain to children the opening words of the Apostles'
Creed, a Christian statement of belief.
Cecil Frances Alexander's timeless
ode to nature calls everyone to celebrate the wonders of life, great and small,
seen and unseen.

Thanksgiving time - popcorn prayers
- these are short prayers that we always do with our Sunday School kids

We stand and lift up our hands / I could sing of Your love forever
- would have preferred more of a medley with a couple of other songs but we haven't worked together sufficiently as a worship team and we had a very small window for practice.

Prayer

Rooftops
- the kids love this song and often request it. We used a CD for it which was a little loud but still worked. It was l

CHILDREN'S TALK
-absolutely brilliant, concise, make-sense piece by our associate pastor who has a new baby. Used baby kit and kaboodle to put across the truths from a couple of verses from Proverbs to kids.

Why I love Sunday School.
- we asked kids and a Sunday School teacher to talk about their experiences

PRIZEGIVING

Reading 2 - Sunday School child - Psalm 119:9-11

Trust and Obey
- I love hymns, and I love the people in my church, young and old. I put this one in because it's a great chorus - very catchy - for littlies to learn (how I pray that the children will grow and learn more & more that God can use to remind them should they falter or head off down the wrong track) and because it's a wonderful old hymn that the oldies can sing with gusto.

BENEDICTION

other

2008-11-26T16:30:00.001+02:00

"See, that's what I think the gospel is supposed to do. It's supposed to be so countercultural, so incredibly unusual and intriguing that it makes people question their own reality, and ultimately it leads them to God."

~ Brenda Salter-McNeil in Get Out of Jerusalem, an interview on Leadership Journal

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/fall/9.70.html?start=1

hope

2008-11-19T17:15:00.000+02:00

Colossians 1:3 The Message

Working in His Orchard

Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians.

The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. (emphasis mine)

in suffering keep a grip on hope

2008-11-19T16:50:00.001+02:00

I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed. I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope: God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.

Lamentations 3:19-24

Chicken?

2008-11-19T16:50:00.000+02:00

"...one day I noticed that my chickens and my congregation both react to change in much the same way. Each day, we move our floorless pasture pens forward eight feet, providing access to fresh grass. The birds learn they must walk as the pen is pulled forward. Even so, several factors determine their willingness to cooperate. One factor is my own anxiety level. If I am anxious for the chickens to hurry, they sense it and do the opposite. If I jerk or kick the pen or yell, they stand still or crowd into a corner, making movement impossible. But if I remain patient and calm, they walk together rather well.

Even then, there's a wide range of response to this daily change. A few birds rush to the front of the pen as soon as the pulling chain is attached anticipating the new clover and bugs to come. A larger group hangs back to watch the early birds, and moves only when the pen moves. About a third of them delay a bit longer, until the movement is well underway; another third delays until there seems no choice but move ahead or get run over. Inevitably, a group remains along the rear wall of the pen, staring backwards."

~ Jeff Hawkins "Tending or Processing?"

Let's change the conversation

2008-10-15T08:00:00.000+02:00

Proverbs 6: 10-11

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Isn't this poverty the reason why we need to raise awareness about the poverty we're blogging about today?

No matter what

2008-10-14T13:51:00.001+02:00

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
a great High Priest, whose name is Love,
who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,
my name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
no tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look, and see him there
who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God, the Just, is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me.

Behold him there! the risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!

One with himself, I cannot die;
my soul is purchased by his blood;
my life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ, my Savior and my God.

~ Charitie Lees De Chenez 1841-1923

Amen

2008-10-14T12:21:00.001+02:00

"Some of us just want to get on with living the faith regardless of the categories."

Chad Hall in Third Way Faith on Out of Ur.

towards grace

2008-10-02T15:36:00.001+02:00

"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness … because in the last analysis, all moments are key moments and life itself is grace."

~ Frederick Buechner

quoted in 'Heart Check', an article by Nancy Beach.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/areas/biblestudies/articles/050420.html

2008-09-26T08:04:00.001+02:00

White bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
All alone

The leaves blow
Across a long black road
To its darkened sky
In its rage
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
All alone

White bird must fly or she will die

White bird
Dreams of aspen trees
With their dying leaves
Turning gold
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Growing old

White bird must fly or she will die

The sunset comes
The sunset goes
The clouds roll by but the earth turns slow
And a young bird's eyes do always glow

She must fly

White bird
Dreams of aspen trees
With their dying leaves
Turning gold
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Growing old

White bird must fly or she will die

White bird must fly

~ White Bird, Vanessa Mae

The feminine leader

2008-09-22T12:34:00.004+02:00

"But it goes beyond just mentorship…for some of us [...] the only true forum for interaction and growth is of necessity impersonal – there is even an undertone that it is inappropriate for a woman to carry on an e-mail conversation with a male about theology or struggles in the faith. Distance and propriety must be maintained. In this environment how do we mentor for leadership, how do we learn, how do we grow, how do we change? "

~ from RJS's response to Alice's "Gifted to Lead 1" on Scot McKnight's Jesus Creed.

http://www.jesuscreed.org/?p=4274

"If the way is opened for you to be a co-pioneer in building a church in which all can minister on the basis of gifting and not gender then you will be one of those by virtue of your age and standing that will not have a mentor in the local family...

You will make the most mistakes, take the most punches, be the most broken. You will need to be the first mentor to show others how to and to ensure a legacy of successive mentorship. Perhaps there will be someone outside the church or in another church that God will give you, it would not be out of place to pray for this. But even if he doesn’t, are you up for it?"

Forging leadership and retaining femininity...?

"The feminine is most often associated with nurturing, life-giving qualities, creativity and an openness to those around." Wikipedia (emphasis mine)

"...it’s stunning how often military and sports terms are used in discussions of leadership—strategy, tactics, game plans, coaching, etc. Those are all fine aspects of leadership. But they aren’t the only way to lead. In fact, it seems to me that when women try to lead in such a way, it simply doesn’t work." Carla Barnhill in When Women lead like Women.

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/giftedforleadership/2008/09/when_women_lead_like_women.html

"a few of the marks of distinctly female leadership...

Collaborative

People-Centered

Outward Focused"

~ Carla Barnhill in When Women lead like Women.

the fruit of the Spirit is...kindness...

2008-09-22T09:44:00.000+02:00

I support random acts of SENSELESS kindness

http://littlestepsoffaith.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/do-ing-something-beyond-the-surface-of-kindness/ DO Something http://mandythompson.com/ Sept '08

http://www.bradruggles.com/2008/09/19/do-something/

School's out - Live it

2008-09-19T09:36:00.001+02:00

From Col 2:2-4 The Message

I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God's great mystery.

like a rose, trampled on the ground

2008-09-17T10:13:00.002+02:00

Ps 69:9a ...for zeal [concern or passion] for your house consumes me [or will be my undoing]...

Jn 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Ro 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2008-09-16T15:50:00.001+02:00

2008-09-16T08:43:00.001+02:00

Strivings and all anguished dreams in rags lie at my feet,
And only grace provides the way for me to stand complete

...

And in Your grace I rest
(not a care in the world)

aye

2008-09-15T14:26:00.001+02:00

I am not sure anyone can really understand, unless they’ve lived it, what it is like to find oneself gifted in those areas that many still believe are “off limits” for females.

Alice Shirey leading a conversation about Nancy Beach’s book, Gifted to Lead on Scot McKnight's www.jesuscreed.org

In the service of my faithful Lord

2008-09-12T15:39:00.000+02:00

Oh for a heart to serve my God
A heart that's ever broken to His will
Oh for a heart to serve my God my King
A heart that's ever delighting Him

Oh that I would be made pure
That I would strive to love Him more
That every work of my hands
Would accomplish all His plans
So that He would be glorified

That I would place no other above
That I would die to lift high my God
That every gift I enjoy
Would always be employed
In the service of my faithful Lord

Keith Getty & Margaret Becker
Copyright © 2002 Modern M Music/Thankyou Music

2008-09-09T10:12:00.000+02:00

Main Entry: pa·tron·ize
Pronunciation: \ˈpā-trə-ˌnīz, ˈpa-\
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): pa·tron·ized; pa·tron·iz·ing
Date: 1589

2 : to adopt an air of condescension toward : treat haughtily or coolly

from Merriam-Webster online dictionary

Overcoming the Grumbles

2008-09-03T11:21:00.001+02:00

Lord, I look up. I love You. Fill me today with Your love.

Lord, I look out. Show me how to wash their feet and help me see Your ways.

Lord, help me be the example You ask me to be, reflecting Your glory by walking as the woman You created me to be.

Overcoming the Grumbles - Falling in love with the church...again. ~ Julia Holtze in Just Between Us

http://justbetweenus.org/5_06/grumbles.html

Consider this Franciscan benediction

2008-09-02T12:50:00.001+02:00

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

From Mandy @ http://blendingworship.wordpress.com/

why? Do you know the secret of the snow?

2008-09-01T08:27:00.001+02:00

Romans 9:20

On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?

2008-08-29T13:40:00.001+02:00

I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint.

Habakkuk 2.1

http://wordle.net/

2008-08-29T13:36:00.001+02:00

Listen 2

2008-08-29T10:03:00.002+02:00

"A big part of the problem is that we think listening is just the ability to know what someone has said. And once we know what they have said, we feel the permission to tell them what we think or feel, or whatever we want them to listen to from us. ... that is not listening. It is just waiting your turn."

Henry Cloud ~ Making Small Groups Work

"He who answers before listening, that is his folly and his shame." Proverbs 18:13

"What you have to say as a leader is not as important as the thoughts of those present." ~ Joel Comiskey

Listen

2008-08-29T10:00:00.001+02:00

Please Hear What I'm Not Saying ~ By Charles C. Finn, September 1966

Don't be fooled by me.
Don't be fooled by the face I wear
for I wear a mask, a thousand masks,
masks that I'm afraid to take off,
and none of them is me.
Pretending is an art that's second nature with me,
but don't be fooled,
for God's sake don't be fooled.
I give you the impression that I'm secure,
that all is sunny and unruffled with me, within as well
as without,
that confidence is my name and coolness my game,
that the water's calm and I'm in command
and that I need no one,
but don't believe me.
My surface may seem smooth but my surface is my mask,
ever-varying and ever-concealing.
Beneath lies no complacence.
Beneath lies confusion, and fear, and aloneness.
But I hide this. I don't want anybody to know it.
I panic at the thought of my weakness exposed.
That's why I frantically create a mask to hide behind,
a nonchalant sophisticated facade,
to help me pretend,
to shield me from the glance that knows.
But such a glance is precisely my salvation, my only hope,
and I know it.
That is, if it's followed by acceptance,
if it's followed by love.
It's the only thing that can liberate me from myself,
from my own self-built prison walls,
from the barriers I so painstakingly erect.
It's the only thing that will assure me
of what I can't assure myself,
that I'm really worth something.
But I don't tell you this. I don't dare to, I'm afraid to.
I'm afraid your glance will not be followed by acceptance,
will not be followed by love.
I'm afraid you'll think less of me,
that you'll laugh, and your laugh would kill me.
I'm afraid that deep-down I'm nothing
and that you will see this and reject me.
So I play my game, my desperate pretending game,
with a facade of assurance without
and a trembling child within.
So begins the glittering but empty parade of masks,
and my life becomes a front.
I idly chatter to you in the suave tones of surface talk.
I tell you everything that's really nothing,
and nothing of what's everything,
of what's crying within me.
So when I'm going through my routine
do not be fooled by what I'm saying.
Please listen carefully and try to hear what I'm not saying,
what I'd like to be able to say,
what for survival I need to say,
but what I can't say.
I don't like hiding.
I don't like playing superficial phony games.
I want to stop playing them.
I want to be genuine and spontaneous and me
but you've got to help me.
You've got to hold out your hand
even when that's the last thing I seem to want.
Only you can wipe away from my eyes
the blank stare of the breathing dead.
Only you can call me into aliveness.
Each time you're kind, and gentle, and encouraging,
each time you try to understand because you really care,
my heart begins to grow wings--
very small wings,
very feeble wings,
but wings!
With your power to touch me into feeling
you can breathe life into me.
I want you to know that.
I want you to know how important you are to me,
how you can be a creator--an honest-to-God creator--
of the person that is me
if you choose to.
You alone can break down the wall behind which I tremble,
you alone can remove my mask,
you alone can release me from my shadow-world of panic,
from my lonely prison,
if you choose to.
Please choose to.
Do not pass me by.
It will not be easy for you.
A long conviction of worthlessness builds strong walls.
The nearer you approach to me
the blinder I may strike back.
It's irrational, but despite what the books say about man
often I am irrational.
I fight against the very thing I cry out for.
But I am told that love is stronger than strong walls
and in this lies my hope.
Please try to beat down those walls
with firm hands but with gentle hands
for a child is very sensitive.
Who am I, you may wonder?
I am someone you know very well.
For I am every man you meet
and I am every woman you meet.

Me, myself and I

2008-08-29T08:40:00.002+02:00

"The person who understands the evil in his own heart is the only person who is useful, fruitful and solid in his beliefs and obedience. Others only delude themselves and thus upset families, churches and all other relationships. In their self-pride and judgment of others, they show great inconsistency." John Owen ~ Puritan scholar

"No one is of the Spirit of Christ but he that has the utmost compassion for sinners. Nor is there any greater sign of your own perfection than you find yourself all love and compassion toward them that are very weak and defective. And on the other hand, you have never less reason to be pleased with yourself than when you find yourself most angry and offended at the behavior of others." William Law - eighteenth-century Anglican

"If each of us assumes our spouse has it the hardest and that we miss the mark most frequently—and act accordingly—we'll find a mix that's just about right. When we adopt this double standard, we find that encouragement replaces accusation, appreciation replaces resentfulness and understanding replaces judgment."

Why You Need a Double Standard ~ Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage

when bad Christians happen to good people

2008-08-19T14:05:00.003+02:00

"... Young's book has clearly struck a nerve, likely with those who have been burned by deep tragedy, bad church experiences, and churchgoers who consistently misrepresent Christ. Judging from The Shack's continued sales and largely glowing reviews, this is a sizable group. "

...

"I'd love to see the book become an occasion for open conversation with "spiritual but not religious" folks burned by church experience."

from Reading in Good Faith ~ Derek R. Keefe - assistant editor at Christianity Today

You'll be the maker of the peace, I'll be the peacemaker

2008-08-12T10:44:00.001+02:00

There is a difference between being peaceful and being a peacemaker. A fellow pastor told me about an elected church leader who refuses to become involved with anything controversial. This leader is a no-show on big issues and justifies his behavior as "a desire to be peaceful."

Being peaceful, however, is different from being a peacemaker, which we are all called to be.

Peacemakers do not sit on their hands but often are in the middle of conflict, seeking to reconcile leaders. Peacemakers are often risk takers, willing to enter the fray with an expanded heart.

~ Food for Thought by Gary Fenton, Gifted for Leadership

Welcome, baby Joel

2008-08-05T12:55:00.003+02:00

"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."
Psalm 139:16

Cry me a river

2008-07-15T14:41:00.005+02:00

Research has shown that tears contain chemicals related to stress. More than a decade ago, a Minnesota biochemist conducted the first landmark research on the chemical composition of tears. He was able to isolate prolactin, which is released by the pituitary gland during times of emotional intensity.

Today, specialists agree that when we cry we are actually "washing away" harmful effects of stress. William Fry, in his book Crying: The Mystery of Tears, suggests that women, whom society allows to cry more freely, are able to excrete their "stress waste" more readily than men, who are conditioned to block this natural cleansing system.

While scientists are only now discovering the benefits of crying, God understood them from the beginning. Did you know that God keeps a record of our tears? The Psalmist says they are listed on a scroll (Ps. 56:8). Our tears reveal the depth of our pain, and God cares when we are suffering even if we can't express it in words or articulate it in prayer.

Consider who God chose to be his messenger at the most critical time in Israel's history—Jeremiah, "the weeping prophet." Jeremiah didn't always have the words to describe his feelings, but he wasn't ashamed to bury his head in his hands and sob. When words fail you, can you, like Jeremiah, let the tears flow? Can you identify with him when he said, "My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief, until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees" (Lam.3:49-50)?

~ Les and Leslie Parrott It's Okay to Cry - Marriage Partnership, Fall 1998

2008-07-10T11:25:00.001+02:00

In the world we pay athletes and CEO's the big bucks. But it's the educator who contributes most to society. And, similarly, in the church there are some preachers who get all the praise and recognition. But it's the discipler of no more than a handful who builds saints.

~ Along Came a Teacher Gordon MacDonald

feed my sheep

2008-07-09T10:11:00.000+02:00

...God's idea of discipleship includes a shepherd chasing the strays, binding up the herd, knowing the people and feeding the sheep...
...when Christ walked the earth, he taught his disciples as they ate dinner, confronted them when needed and encouraged them...
..."I think Deuteronomy 6 gives the greatest methodology of teaching," Putman says. "Talk about it as you walk on the road, as you eat, sleep and go to bed..."

~ Jim Putnam in Show stopper: Can program-based churches make disciples? by Ken Walker

...teach them

2008-07-02T13:00:00.002+02:00

The problem is not consuming to live, but rather living to consume.

... Consumerism, as Pete Ward concludes, “represents an alternative source of meaning to the Christian gospel.”

... in consumerism a desire is never illegitimate, it is only unmet.

... In 1897 one newspaper reader said that in the past we “skipped ads unless some want compelled us to read, now we read to find out what we really want.”

“where religious affiliation is a matter of choice, religious organizations must compete for members and … the ‘invisible hand’ of the marketplace is as unforgiving of ineffective religious firms as it is of their commercial counterparts.” Roger Finke and Rodney Stark, co-authors of The Churching of America, 1776-1990

This explains why marketing strategies and secular business values are pervasive in today’s ministry—we’re in competition with other providers of identity and meaning for survival. We must convince a sustainable segment of the religious marketplace that our church is “relevant,” “comfortable,” or “exciting.”

... The value of shared experience and congregational unity is drowned out by consumerism’s mantra of individual choice.

Formation into the likeness of Christ is not accomplished by always getting what we want.

...surrendering control ensured we received what we needed to mature in Christ, not simply what we wanted.

...Our concern becomes not whether people are growing, but whether they are satisfied.

... Consumerism has stripped the goods I use everyday from their context—they have no story or value apart from my consumption of them.

...It should surprise no one that in our culture God also has no value apart from what he can do for me.

...This god of consumerism shows no resemblance to the Consuming Fire described in Scripture. People may say they believe in Jesus, but the archaic Lord, who calls forth sacrifice, promises suffering in this life, and demands obedience for his glory, the one Barth described as “wholly other” is not what they have in mind.

... teach them

that the core values of consumerism are incongruent with the Christian life.

That making choices to satisfy immediate personal desires is not the goal of life.

The church does not exist to supply comfort, ease, and convenient services to religious consumers. And God is not a commodity that exists to make you feel better. (emphasis mine)

~ "All We Like Sheep" A Reflection of Consumer Christianity by Skye Jethani

Growth?

2008-06-19T11:35:00.001+02:00

Academic or informational Bible studies can be important within a small group, but if you're not living out or experiencing the truths of those studies together in community, your group members may not be changing their minds as much as you think.

~ Dan Lentz "The Truth About Transformation"

I don't have to do everything, just the next thing.

2008-06-17T13:25:00.001+02:00

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" Luke 6:36

lead yourself out of a job

2008-06-12T11:19:00.003+02:00

"Where and how do we educate, train, and inspire leaders capable of influencing others for the sake of Jesus Christ?

...

New leaders don't just happen

...

... leadership development is not a program. It is about strong relationships in which people grow to be what God designed them to be. Sort of like what Jesus made happen when he selected 12 learners to be with him. Twelve guys in whom he—and he only—saw leadership (or influence) potential.

...

"We'll try to tell you everything we've learned about following Jesus, hearing his call, discovering our individual giftedness, and what it means to grow in biblically-defined character," we said. "We'll tell you whatever we've learned about influencing people.

...

In the 19th century an Englishman, A. B. Bruce, wrote a book, The Training of the Twelve, in which he tried to trace the curriculum Jesus followed. I recommend his book. But I warn you: it's no easy read.

...

At the midpoint of each year, every LDI person learns to write his or her story. For each this is a gigantic challenge: to chronicle the flow of one's life-journey (its triumphs and its testings), aware of the patterns of God's involvement in life.

For some this exercise is a piece of cake; for others it's something like a lifetime achievement. At some point, each group member gets the opportunity to read his/her story. Gail and I are first readers to set the pattern. And as we do, we leave very little out so as to demonstrate what vulnerability and transparency look like, where God shakes things up and orders our paths.
After listening to stories for many years, I can tell you this: almost without exception, every person's story is marked with pockets of deep, deep sadness and tragedy. Lots of stuff that never gets surfaced in the course of normal church life.

The result of story-telling? A growing bondedness that beats anything I've ever seen in larger church-life. A love, a caring, a level of friendship that could never have happened without the telling of stories.

After every story, there are questions and conversation. Finally, the storyteller of the evening is invited to the center of the room where, surrounded by the others, who lay hands upon that person, there follows about 30 minutes of the most moving praying I've ever heard. Many learn how to pray with power during those prayer times.

...

I should have insisted that something like LDI be in my job description: that 20 percent of my pastoral time each year be invested in 15-20 people. Let someone else do the committee work. Give me a dozen or so people each year (well, give them to Gail and me), and we'll pour whatever we've got into them."

~ Gordon MacDonald "Ministry's Sweet Spot"

Thrive

2008-06-12T11:04:00.002+02:00

"Thriving is what human beings are made for; and pastors and churches too. Being fully alive, and curious, and fearless. Wide awake.

...

Failure to thrive [is] days and weeks and month of frozen smiles and forced pleasantness and artificial harmony and wondering if people think we're doing well. It's pretending to agree and listen and placate people we don't agree with or even like, and telling ourselves we do it because it's the pastor's job, when the truth is we do it from fear or ambition or habit. And then we feel drained and hollow and thin-souled.

...

So my job, even more important than preaching or leading, is to thrive

...

For one day, I'm going to die. And most of what preoccupies and drains me now will recede into nothingness. But the dead in Christ will rise.

Which is to say, thrive."

~ John Ortberg "Ministry and FTT"

2008-06-10T11:17:00.001+02:00

2008-06-10T09:17:00.002+02:00

I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by Your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see when Your face is before me.

Surrounded by Your glory what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You, Jesus?
Or in awe of You be still
Will I stand in Your presence?
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing Hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?

Imagine, I can only imagine

I can only imagine all creation bowed down
The whole universe saying Your name out loud
I can only imagine all our broken lives
Resurected in the healing light

Surrounded by forgiveness what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You, Jesus?
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence?
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing Hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You

I can only imagine

Just imagine

~ Mercy Me

2008-06-10T09:16:00.003+02:00

Mac has fought the good fight, he has finished the race, he has kept the faith.

We will be telling your story to the next generation, Mac...thank you for your shining example and a hundred great memories!

Nobody puts Bokkie in a corner

2008-06-10T07:58:00.002+02:00

My wonderful husband makes me feel beautiful. He gives me compliments and is always my greatest cheerleader. I am grateful to God for giving me such a fine man.
Posted by: Louise on June 9, 2008

http://blog.todayschristianwoman.com/walkwithme/2008/06/the_princess_diaries.html

hope

2008-06-03T10:40:00.002+02:00

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1

"Faith is the bird singing before the dawn breaks."

It's a strange thing about hope and disappointment. We idealists never seem to learn. And yet - the disappointment never seems to destroy us...we continue to hope. To reach for the stars.

Hellen Keller said:

"The world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming it."

Be gentle and generous with others and their hope. You may not see what their hearts see. Yes, suffering may come. If you celebrate their joys and hope along with them though the odds seem great, they may grant you the privilege of also sharing in their sorrows.

But if we are the Body Why aren't His arms reaching?

2008-05-23T08:37:00.000+02:00

It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances
Are better out on the road

Jesus paid much too high a price For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of Christ

~ Casting Crowns

We must go

2008-05-23T08:35:00.001+02:00

God of Justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

To act justly everyday
Loving mercy in everyway
Walking humbly before You God

You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord

~ Tim Hughes

For those that stay

2008-05-22T16:50:00.001+02:00

What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent, unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting.

~ George Elliott

the daily grind is not caffeine

2008-05-20T15:22:00.000+02:00

...
I would give the world to tell Your story
'Cause I know that You've called me
...
Jesus I believe in You and I would go
To the ends of the earth, to the ends of the earth for
You alone are the Son of God and all the world will see that
You are God, that You are God

Who despises the day of small things? Zech 4:10

He also serves who only stands and waits. ~ Milton

2008-05-20T11:49:00.002+02:00

"Just as a wounded starfish can mend if thrown back into the ocean, I learned my broken heart could mend if I immersed myself in God."

Christina DiMari - surfer

God knows my name

2008-05-20T11:48:00.001+02:00

I am not forgotten
God knows my name
He knows my name

Light over darkness
Strength over weakness
Joy over sadness
He knows my name
Father to the fatherless
Friend to the friendless
Hope for the hopeless
He knows my name

I will praise you
I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made
I am not forgotten
Never forsaken

~Israel

2008-05-20T11:47:00.000+02:00

Pull the shades down on the sun
Don't want to see the morning break to another day
I don't have the strength to face

Close the door and keep it shut
Lord this ache is just too much for me to take
How do I begin to pray
My way back to some kind of peace of mind
But then I hear love whispering through the darkest of times

You'll get through this
You'll break new ground
When you're lost within your weakness
Hope is waiting to be found
You'll get through this
No matter what it takes
I believe in you for heaven's sake
You'll get through this

When doubt starts tearing at
The faith deep in you don't be afraid
Just remember what I say
Nothing formed against you will succeed
As long as your heart turns toward me

~Martina McBride

2008-05-20T11:45:00.000+02:00

Pastor Bill Hybels interviewed Carly Fiorina, who once led Hewlett-Packard Company when it was worth $85 billion.

"What did you learn from your college background in logic and philosophy," Hybels asked. Her response: "The power of the right question."

The impact of that wisdom is perhaps nowhere stronger than in a counseling session. Be it with a professional counselor, a pastor, or a trained lay leader, the right question can cut to the quick, usher in reflection, be a catalyst for healing, and a doorway for grace.

What do you want?

2008-05-20T11:44:00.001+02:00

Some time ago, psychologist William Marston asked 3,000 people, "What have you to live for?" He was shocked to find that 94 percent were simply enduring the present while waiting for the future. They described this as "waiting for something" to happen.

So, what do you live for?

"What do you want?"

This was the first question to fall from the lips of Jesus during his earthly ministry. He asks that same question of us today: "What do you want? What are you looking for in life?" How will you answer?
(emphases mine)

~ From an article by Greg Laurie

(my God!) my God.

2008-05-20T11:41:00.001+02:00

"Carrion Comfort"

Gerard Manley Hopkins

Not, I'll not, carrion comfort, Despair, not feast on thee;
Not untwist--slack they may be--these last strands of man
In me ór, most weary, cry I can no more. I can;
Can something, hope, wish day come, not choose not to be.
But ah, but O thou terrible, why wouldst thou rude on me
Thy wring-world right foot rock? lay a lionlimb against me? scan
With darksome devouring eyes my bruisèd bones? and fan,
O in turns of tempest, me heaped there; me frantic to avoid thee and flee?

Why? That my chaff might fly; my grain lie, sheer and clear.
Nay in all that toil, that coil, since (seems) I kissed the rod,
Hand rather, my heart lo! lapped strength, stole joy, would laugh, chéer.
Cheer whom though? the hero whose heaven-handling flung me, fóot tród
Me? or me that fought him? O which one? is it each one? That night, that year
Of now done darkness I wretch lay wrestling with (my God!) my God.

2008-05-20T11:40:00.001+02:00

"One of the marks of true greatness is the ability to develop greatness in others."

—J. C. Macaulay (1889-1977), writer and theologian

2008-05-20T11:36:00.001+02:00

I will praise You Lord my God
Even in my brokenness
I will praise You Lord
I will praise You Lord my God
Even in my desperation
I will praise You Lord

And I can't understand, all that You allow
I just can't see the reason
But my life is in Your hands
And though I cannot see You
I choose to trust You

Even when my heart is torn
I will praise You Lord
Even when I feel deserted
I will praise You Lord
Even in my darkest valley
I will praise You Lord
And when my world is shattered
And it seems all hope is gone
Yet I will praise You Lord

I will trust You, Lord my God
Even in my loneliness
I will trust You Lord
I will trust You, Lord my God
Even when I cannot hear You
I will trust You Lord

And I will not forget that You hung on a cross
Lord You bled and died for me
And if I have to suffer
I know that You've been there
And I know that You're here now.

Even when my heart is torn
I will trust You Lord
Even when I feel deserted
I will trust You Lord
Even when the darkest valley
I will trust You Lord
And when my world is shattered
And it seems all hope is gone
Yet I will praise You Lord

Copyright:- Andy Park