Sunday, June 29, 2008

XBox 360 Baby!

I've been saving for some time now, and today was able to buy an XBox 360! Kind of my birthday present to the whole fam. It was great to just escape to video game land for a few hours with the kids.

Rock On Rob!

I heard from my good friend Rob, yesterday. He used to play acoustic guitar here in Helena for Hannaford, but ended up securing a job and moving to Pheonix, Arizona a couple of years ago.

Rob is an architect and has been given the opportunity to work with FEMA in Iowa to assess flood damage. The current firm he is with is giving him the 3 or 4 months he needs to help families get back on their feet after all the flooding in Iowa. He seems genuinely called to go help and I am very excited for him. It's such an awesome opportunity for him to share what Christ has shown us in a real and tangible way.

If you can, please pray for Rob and this opportunity. Rock on Rob!

La-La-La-La-Live Out Loud!

While I certainly don't feel as smart or wise as I am old, it's been a great day to turn 39! I woke this morning to Steven Curtis Chapman's song "Live Out Loud." What a fitting theme for my place in life right now.

I've been realizing that we certainly worship a God of second chances. That in my life, many things are just getting started and I feel as though He's given me new opportunity in many areas. I've recently lost 45 pounds and am still loosing.

Andrik and I have recently committed to a Father-Son Covenant for mentoring and to keep the lines of communication open. I've recently been reminded of how many friendships we've built over the years. Finally, I know that God has some amazing things for me in ministry on the horizon. I can't wait!

I can tell you, I do feel a distinct calling to live out loud. That in walking closer with Christ, He's allowing my life to reflect more of Him. La-la-la-la Live Out Loud!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Quotable Quips - The Dangerous Good

The heart of the gospel is not niceness or decency but death ... It's much easier to impress people than surrender to God.

David Timms, faculty member at Hope International University, Fullerton, California. From his eNewsletter called In Hope. (June 12, 2008)


I've been thinking a lot lately about spiritual things - especially about what it means to be a Christ follower and a member of a community that makes up His body (the Church).

As David wrote about the "Dangerous Good," I was struck by the thought of our true calling: to continue the ministry of Christ here on earth until He returns. Basically, Jesus came to "seek and save what was lost." We can only carry out His purpose by daily surrendering ourselves to Him.<

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Brrr...

Give me a break! It's a summer snow here in Helena today! 39 degrees.

Are You An Inside-Out Worshiper?

I may have blogged about Matt Redman's book Inside Out Worship before, but I wanted to let you know that our Worship Team at Hannaford is going through the book a second time together.

This time, I'm blogging along the way on a new Inside-Out Worship Discussion Blog with notes on our discussions and some insightful questions.

Also, don't miss my article here that ties vision with inside-out worship.

"To Those Who Stole Our Stuff"

I came across an amazing, moving story last April. But I have been waiting to share.

Apparently last March, someone stole Kinetic Church's set-up trailer that contained nearly 75% of everything they owned. Can you imagine? What would you do as a church plant?

What is amazing to me is Kinetic's response. Check out the YouTube video below entitled "To Those Who Stole Our Stuff." Then feel free to visit their website to find out more.



I don't know if I could respond the same way. God help me.

Some other links:
http://extemporaneous.wordpress.com/2008/04/12/church-trailer-thief/
http://chrisgoins.blogspot.com/2008/04/church-trailer-thief.html

Monday, June 09, 2008

Turning Worship Inside-Out!

I just finished reading Andy Stanley's Making Vision Stick. Among many others, he makes a great point about vision. Basically, if your vision isn't clear and concise, you can't effectively communicate it, much less embrace it and carry it out.

This is why we, in the worship ministry, have been discussing a simpler vision and how we can better embrace, communicate, and live it out - both inside and outside the church gathering.

We've reduced our worship ministry vision - our goal - down to this simple statement: "To do anything we can to encourage inside-out worship with everyone we meet." It's not complete. it doesn't explain everything. But it puts our main goal right out front. Here are some basic thoughts behind inside-out worship:
  1. If our worship does not begin on the inside, then it's really not the worship that Jesus talks about when He says, "True worshipers worship the Father in spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24)
  2. If our worship is only on the inside, is it really true worship? Especially when we believe God's word is true when He says that "From the overflow of our heart, the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45)
  3. Then finally, if our worship is only on the outside then it's more like "worshiping with our lips, when our hearts are far from Him." (Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 5:8, Mark 7:6)
Our worship needs to be both "inside" and "out" — and as the leader of a worship arts team of people, I am committed to encourage others in that direction.