My Talented Son

I know God has blessed my son with gifts and talents, and it's cool to see him figure those out. Here's a recent one he figured out.

Sunday Night

This Sunday night I will be leading worship at Fusion (a Calvary Chapel service), and then I will be ooming home, putting on my Celtic green, and watching the first night of the playoffs. Celtics/Hawks. My 20 years of waiting are finally over. The Celtics are not horrible, and I am happy. There is life after Larry Legend. Thank you big three.

Conditional Worship

Have you ever said this? "I just can’t worship with that kind of music."

If you haven’t said it, I’m sure you’ve heard it, especially, if you are a worship leader. I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before. I know I’ve definitely thought it. I love the music of today. I love indie sounding music that is not polished, but that has a raw quality to it. So, when I have gone to tradtional worship services in the past, it’s been a challenge for me to worship God in that setting. If you’re thinking that I’m unspiritual because of this, you are very right to think it. I was at a traditional church during their worship service a couple of years ago when God opened my eyes to this. I was sitting there during the music and thinking about how I would do the song differently, and God basically slapped me in the face. I felt Him say to me, "Gary, worship me. If you can’t worship me with this music, don’t bother worshipping me with your music." I walked away from that a changed person and worship leader. In our church, we have seen and heard testimonies of people who have worshipped and connected with God for the first time, even though they don’t really prefer the music style that we bring. That is success. That is what it is all about. It’s not about the methods or styles in which we minister and praise. It’s about the Holy Spirit speaking to us and guiding us to the Father.

There is a danger that is brewing in our Christian culture. I’m afraid that the younger generations could be affected by this danger. The danger is conditional worship. It’s where worship only happens when the lights go off and the smoke comes on, or not until the big build after the bridge of the song. These things are not bad ideas at all. When used properly, there are so many things that can enhance the experience and touch the senses, but we need balance. We need to learn and disciple our churches to worship God no matter what the circumstances. We need to learn to worship God under a tone-deaf worship leader. We need to learn to worship God without music. Paul said in Colossians 2:16 - "So don’t put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ." (The Message)

To come to church and expect God to do something big corporately, is a growth in maturity in our worship. There are too many people that are coming inspecting, instead of expecting. I recently took a group of college students to a worship event involving 9,500 college students worshipping in an arena. That was amazing, but, for me, it wasn’t the best part of the weekend. The best part was going to a traditional worship service the next day and worshipping the same God with a different song. That’s the best thing we could learn that weekend. That no matter what the conditions, no matter what the style, and no matter what the song, God is God outside of our preferences.

American Idol or Mega Church?

I didn't believe it when I heard, so I found it on You Tube. Fourteen years after it's inception, the classic, "Shout to the Lord", made it onto American Idol. I am not making fun of it. I just don't what to say, except that it looks like footage from a mega church. It just seems odd to watch. What do you think? Comments please.

"My Peace" on CCLITV

They just posted and featured "My Peace" on CCLITV last week. I've already gotten some response from people around the country. Really cool exposure for the song. God has and is really using this song in a way I can't explain. It's His song. He wrote it. I'm just thankful to be holding the pen.

p.s. Here's another weird head shot they used on the site. What am I thinking in this one? Comments please.

For my conservative friends

I have finally worn a suit and tie while leading worship at a church yesterday. If you don't like it, your parents or grandparents will. Take a good look at it. You can usually only see this once a year.

Never Fails

I always talk about how my son loves when I get hurt, and how it never fails to makes him laugh, and how that is a morbid thing about kids.........turns out I laugh at the same stuff.


I am morbid.

Passion for the Kingdom

It's 2:30am on Sunday. I'm in Savannah, GA, and have been away from internet for 2 whole days, and I survived. Just got back from the Passion Conference in Atlanta. I went with some of the college students from our church. I'm excited about the prospect of this generation. If there has ever been a generation that can bring a revival to our land, I think this one has a lot of potential. I spent less time singing during the worship this year, and more time just praying over the 9500 college students as they cried out in intense worship. I pray that God's Kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven, and that His presence will be manifested through compassion for the un-churched, lost world. My favorite insight of the week was that sometimes Christians complain of being mistreated just for being Christians, when in all actuality, sometimes, it might be just because we can be jerks. This is not an anti-Christian rant. It's just a thought that maybe being salt and light isn't so much about our moral supremacy, but our turning the other cheek and unprecedented kindness in some situations. Personally, for the last few months, the whole idea of God's kingdom has really been a fire burning in me. I really am praying hard the prayer, may Your kingdom come, and may Your will be done. Beautifully, God confirmed all of that this weekend, as Passion really focused on that whole idea. One of the main thoughts was to focus on the cross of Jesus. I've heard it before, and it is so righteous. If we ever need to regain perspective, we just need to go to Calvary, and look at true love and sacrifice. We are saved from our sin, not so we can just hide in our Christianity and wait for Heaven. We are saved so that we can shine God's glory through our salvation, and give grace as we have been given grace. Freely we've received, now freely we give, and all to glorify the Father, and taste the kingdom of Heaven hear on earth.

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