Worship Confessional 01.31.10

Setlist with itunes links:
Alleluia (Our Praise is) - mine
Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman
Consuming Fire - Tim Hughes
All Who are Thirsty - Brenton Brown

Flow Sheet from Planning Center

Also part of Sunday Setlist

Worship Central

Just wanted to give a shout out to worshipcentral.org. I love listening to their podcast, but they've also updated their site and have some cool features. For song writers like myself, they have song writer's forum, which is a place where you can actually upload your song and get feedback from others. Really cool stuff. Check it out!

Out of touch, much?

I'm re-posting this via ragamuffinsoul...it made me laugh.

First, remember this classic 80's song?


Now, watch this...

Kingdom EP this Spring

NWLC 2010

www.nationalworshipleaderconference.com

I really enjoyed the conference last year. Met some new friends and really took some good stuff away from it. They're doing a giveaway on their blog, which is the main reason for this post. They've got Louie Giglio, Matt Redman, Pocket Full of Rocks and other great worship artists this year. Should be an amazing time this year. You can go to their blog to enter the contest, and if you mention it on twitter, make sure you include the hashtag #NWLC10.

Also, leave a comment and let me know if you're going this year. Let's connect.

Word Wednesday .::79

Word Wednesday is posted every Wednesday. Each week I post a scripture that I've read that week that has spoken to me in a fresh way. I believe that if we read God's Word every day, He will give us at least one scripture every week that will impact us. Sharing Scripture with each other is like iron sharpening iron. Leave a comment and share a scripture that has impacted you this week.

Here's the scripture that stuck this week:

I Samuel 24:1-7 The Message

^1-4 When Saul came back after dealing with the Philistines, he was told, "David is now in the wilderness of En Gedi." Saul took three companies—the best he could find in all Israel—and set out in search of David and his men in the region of Wild Goat Rocks. He came to some sheep pens along the road. There was a cave there and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were huddled far back in the same cave. David's men whispered to him, "Can you believe it? This is the day God was talking about when he said, 'I'll put your enemy in your hands. You can do whatever you want with him.'" Quiet as a cat, David crept up and cut off a piece of Saul's royal robe.

^5-7 Immediately, he felt guilty. He said to his men, "God forbid that I should have done this to my master, God's anointed, that I should so much as raise a finger against him. He's God's anointed!" David held his men in check with these words and wouldn't let them pounce on Saul. Saul got up, left the cave, and went on down the road.

This is an incredible example of honoring those God has put over us. Even if they dishonor us, we have been clearly called to honor them. It doesn't mean we have to worship them, or compromise our own integrity, but we must honor them. If David can do it in this situation, we can do it in ours.

What's your Word?

Favorite Commercial Right Now

Music Monday 7

This is a post that you can participate in on every Monday. Everyone likes music, and there are obviously many tastes in music. This is here to see what different types of music are filling everyone's lives. Chime in!

We are definitely in the digital age, and I'm sure CD sales are down. So...

Do you still buy CD's sometimes, or are you strictly digital downloadable?

I still know people who like to buy the CD, but I am definitely a downloader. I do have exceptions though, and they are... Tim Hughes, Matt Redman, U2, Coldplay, and the Killers. Everything else is coming off of Itunes.

How about you?

Worship Confessional 01.24.10

Setlist with itunes links:
Not to Us - Chris Tomlin
Glory to God Forever - Fee/Beeching
Beautiful Scene - mine
Everything - Tim Hughes

Flow Sheet from Planning Center

Also part of Sunday Setlist

Word Wednesday .::78

Word Wednesday is posted every Wednesday. Each week I post a scripture that I've read that week that has spoken to me in a fresh way. I believe that if we read God's Word every day, He will give us at least one scripture every week that will impact us. Sharing Scripture with each other is like iron sharpening iron. Leave a comment and share a scripture that has impacted you this week.

Here's the scripture that stuck this week:

I Samuel 15:20-23 The Message

^20-21 Saul defended himself. "What are you talking about? I did obey God. I did the job God set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban. So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to God at Gilgal—what's wrong with that?"

^22-23 Then Samuel said,
Do you think all God wants are sacrifices—
empty rituals just for show?
He wants you to listen to him!
Plain listening is the thing,
not staging a lavish religious production.
Not doing what God tells you
is far worse than fooling around in the occult.
Getting self-important around God
is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.
Because you said No to God's command,
he says No to your kingship.

We have to be really on guard when it comes to obeying God. We, as Christians, have developed a habit of justifying things. I've unfortunately seen that even people in ministry get corrupted by the position that God gave them, and they start justifying their corruption, and ultimately become independent of God. It's really, really sad. God doesn't tolerate it, and in His time there will be justice.

What's your Word?

Jade's 2nd Birthday Party

Music Monday 6

This is a post that you can participate in on every Monday. Everyone likes music, and there are obviously many tastes in music. This is here to see what different types of music are filling everyone's lives. Chime in!

It seems like most people walk around with a song in their head. So...

What your favorite song right now?

Mine would be "Jesus Save" by Tim Hughes and "Dustland Fairytale" by the Killers.

your turn...

Worship Confessional 01.17.10

Setlist with itunes links:
Holy - Brenton Brown
Holy, Holy, Holy - HYMN
Closer - Charlie Hall
Draw Me Close - MWS

Flow Sheet from Planning Center

Also part of Sunday Setlist

New Christmas Toys

Our family is enjoying our new toy we got for Christmas. The Wii is pretty accessible for all of us, except Jade. (We gave her an old Xbox controller, so she thinks she's playing with us.) The most popular games, so far, is the bowling game and Madagascar racing game. My parents got us the game console and Jen's parent's got us some games and accessories, so we're loaded with fun!

So, what's been your favorite toy you got for Christmas?

Word Wednesday .::77

Word Wednesday is posted every Wednesday. Each week I post a scripture that I've read that week that has spoken to me in a fresh way. I believe that if we read God's Word every day, He will give us at least one scripture every week that will impact us. Sharing Scripture with each other is like iron sharpening iron. Leave a comment and share a scripture that has impacted you this week.

Here's the scripture that stuck this week:

I Samuel 8:21-22 The Message

^21-22 Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with God. God told Samuel, "Do what they say. Make them a king."

The elders of Israel weren't happy with Samuel and his son's leadership (and God's leadership, ultimately), so they decided to take matters into their own hands. They wanted a king, and God gave them what they asked for. As Samuel struggles with this, he does the thing that we should all do: He goes to God. It says that he "rehearsed it with God", which means to repeat it or recount it. God welcomes our questions. All He wants is for us to come back to Him. There may be times where we have to rehearse it to God, until we get it right.

What's your Word?

Spiritual Growth Sermon Series Promo

Here's a bumper video I made for our new series at Bethany, starting this Sunday. Should be a great sermon series.

Music Monday 5

This is a post that you can participate in on every Monday. Everyone likes music, and there are obviously many tastes in music. This is here to see what different types of music are filling everyone's lives. Chime in!

I'm always looking forward to new projects coming out. So...

What album(s) are you most looking forward to in 2010?

I'm really looking forward to Vicky Beeching's new album this year.

your turn...

Worship Confessional 01.10.10

Set list w/itunes links:
Our God Saves - Paul Baloche
Glorious Day - Todd Agnew
Mystery - Charlie Hall

Flow Sheet from Planning Center

Also part of Sunday Setlist.

Making Lemonade

You know the old saying, "When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade." The reason cheesy sayings like that have transferred from generation to generation is because the principles they hold are vital to our existence. If everyone was negative, we couldn't possibly live that way. We all have different people in our lives. Some are the ones that we go to to get encouraged and some are the ones we stay away from to avoid discouragement. There's some that will be straight with you and some that will just tell you what you want to hear. I personally want to be a "positive" person. There's a balance that the word positive holds of being encouraging, and yet being able to be truthful at the same time. It's not denying that I have a lemon, but simply asking how can I turn the lemon into a good situation. It's hard to be happy and smiley all the time, and in fact, I'm pretty suspicious of people who are like that every time I see them. They scare me. Being positive is about not giving up on good and not giving in to negativity and pessimism. Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good...". God is faithful and is still in control, and that's where we get the strength to turn a negative into a positive.

Here's a great example of that...Josh Wilson, a Christian artist, turned a tense situation of an airport lock down into a positive one.



I first saw this on some major news stations and programs, so props to Josh for being a positive light for Christ, instead of the embarrassing ignorance that is usually broadcast of the Christian culture.

Word Wednesday .::76

Word Wednesday is posted every Wednesday. Each week I post a scripture that I've read that week that has spoken to me in a fresh way. I believe that if we read God's Word every day, He will give us at least one scripture every week that will impact us. Sharing Scripture with each other is like iron sharpening iron. Leave a comment and share a scripture that has impacted you this week.

Here's the scripture that stuck this week:

Judges 20:19-26 The Message

^19-21 The People of Israel got up the next morning and camped before Gibeah. The army of Israel marched out against Benjamin and took up their positions, ready to attack Gibeah. But the Benjaminites poured out of Gibeah and devastated twenty-two Israelite divisions on the ground.

^22-23 The Israelites went back to the sanctuary and wept before God until evening. They again inquired of God, "Shall we again go into battle against the Benjaminites, our brothers?"

God said, "Yes. Attack."

^24-25 The army took heart. The men of Israel took up the positions they had deployed on the first day.

On the second day, the Israelites again advanced against Benjamin. This time as the Benjaminites came out of the city, on this second day, they devastated another eighteen Israelite divisions, all swordsmen.

²⁶ All the People of Israel, the whole army, were back at Bethel, weeping, sitting there in the presence of God. That day they fasted until evening. They sacrificed Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings before God.

We live in a culture, especially in churches, where if something doesn't work to our liking, or our expectations, we look for something that might "work better". This is not only true for church leaders, but also of church attendees who hop from church to church not realizing that they're the actual problem. This is simply a business mentality, and we must guard against it. When the Israelites were beat, they went back to God, even though they were down and weeping. They didn't look for another god to help them, they went back to Him. So, in our lives, we must wait on the Lord. That will give us strength and victory.

What's your Word?

Music Monday 4

This is a post that you can participate in on every Monday. Everyone likes music, and there are obviously many tastes in music. This is here to see what different types of music are filling everyone's lives. Chime in!

Desert Island...you can have one CD to listen to. So...

What CD would you bring to the island?

I would bring Access:D by Delirious. Incredible, live, double album by one of the original worship bands. Never get tired of it.

your turn...

Passion 2010

This is where I am this weekend. We took our college class to it from our church. Should be amazing!

Happy New Year!

It's 2010! Happy New Year!

I like resolutions. Goals are good. Mine are...

...keep working on fitness goals
...develop a better personal Sabbath
...start leading worship with electric guitar occasionally
...drink less soda
...be more patient with my kids
...help more in discipling at Bethany


So, let's hear some of your resolutions.