Sunday Setlist 02.27.11

Setlist with itunes links:

All Because of Jesus

All Creatures of our God and King

May Your Kingdom Come

I Give You My Heart

Flow Sheet from Planning Center

Also part of Sunday Setlist.

Word Wednesday .::133

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:

Luke 14:33 The Message

^{"Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple.}

Ouch. That doesn't really match up with our Americanized, comfortable Christian culture now. I can't imagine what the disciples would say about what the Church has become. It was never meant to be about us. This was a really challenging passage to read this week.


What's your Word?

Sunday Setlist 02.20.11

Setlist with itunes links:

I Am Free
Our God
In Christ Alone
Jesus Paid it All

Flow Sheet from Planning Center

Also part of Sunday Setlist.

The Best Part

This was easily my favorite Super Bowl commercial.



Do you agree, or did you have a different favorite?

Word Wednesday .::132

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:

Luke 6:46-49 The Message

^46-47"Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.

^48-49"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss."

It almost sounds like Jesus was in the south in this passage. I'm from the mid-west, so my parents didn't make a big deal about saying "Yes sir" or "Yes ma'am". In the south, a lot of parents make it a priority that there children say that. I don't think it's a bad thing, but I do think it's overrated. Living in the south for several years, I've learned that a lot of the kids that are trained in southern polite speech don't act very polite when unsupervised, and, really, that's the whole point, isn't it?
That's what Jesus is trying to get across here. Make sure your talk walks, otherwise is just words. Jesus is asking us to live a life that's more than words.


What's your Word?

Sunday Setlist 02.13.11

Setlist with itunes links:

Glory to God Forever
Not to Us
The Earth is Yours
You are a Holy God

Flow Sheet from Planning Center

Also part of Sunday Setlist.

Book Review - Forgotten God

Forgotten God by Francis Chan

Growing up in the churches that I did, this book was completely relatable for me. I learned some good, important things in those churches. I learned about salvation through Jesus, Heaven, purity, fellowship and ironically, the Trinity. There was also some vital things I didn't learn. Probably those most vital thing that I wasn't taught about was the Holy Spirit...kind of a big thing for a Christian.
In Forgotten God, Francis Chan exposes that very issue. The Holy Spirit has become the forgotten God in a lot of churches. When we say we believe in the Triune God, but don't understand who the Holy Spirit is, we're only recognizing and experiencing God in part.
He starts off the book by saying, "The benchmark of success in church services has become more about attendance than the movement of the Holy Spirit." I think it's safe to say that this is an issue in a lot of churches. Our success, in a worldly since, has numbed us from the need and desire of the Holy Spirit's power in our life. He goes on to say, "Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the 'Helper' or 'Comforter'. Let me ask you a simple question: Why would we need to experience the Comforter if our lives are already comfortable?"
If you are a growing Christian and disciple of Christ, your desire for the power, fruit, and filling of the Holy Spirit is also growing. I can definitely recommend this book to give you some insight and inspiration.
Chan does a great job of tackling a very heavy subject and leading you to the point of it all. The power of the Holy Spirit is not about us, its about being the Church and shining light of Christ to the world around us, which is only possible through power and filling of the Holy Spirit, the One we seem to forget about.

Word Wednesday .::131

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:

Mark 14:53-54 The Message

^53-54They led Jesus to the Chief Priest, where the high priests, religious leaders, and scholars had gathered together. Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest's courtyard, where he mingled with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.


The key phrase here is "Peter followed at a safe distance...". That is incredibly convicting to me. How often do I, do we follow Jesus at a safe distance? Jesus was real clear on His expectations of a disciple. We're die to self and follow wholeheartedly. I think a lot of Christians, including myself, fall short in our discipleship, because we're following at a safe distance. If we get too close, it's going to cost a lot, and we're not willing to give that much up. The problem is that Jesus is all or nothing. It's certainly not safe.


What's your Word?

Word Wednesday .::130

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:

Mark 4:20 The Message

"But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams."

This is an amazing parable of the four soils. God gives us the Word, and when we allow His voice to speak into us, the seed or Word will grow in us and produce a great harvest. Biblical knowledge isn't the end all. It's the seed (Bible) in fertile soil (a heart for God) that enables growth.


What's your Word?

Album Review - Love Without Measure

Love Without Measure by Parachute Band

The first thing that grabbed me about this album was the musicality of it. This is a great band with some new, creative sounds. I also really enjoyed listening to the lead vocalist-a truly great voice for the studio.
The opening track, "Gave it All" really kicks off the album well with great energy. The song that really grabbed me the most was "It's You", which features Martin Smith from Delirious. This is truly a beautifully written song with a lot of feeling. Loved it. Some other stand outs were "You Remain", "Saviour of the Broken Heart", and "Sweet Surrender". There's a few moments that could be accessible for most congregations, but for the most part, it's really more of a personal worship experience for the iPod, car, etc., in my humble opinion.
If you like a good worship band, you can't go wrong with Parachute Band. This new release is certainly no disappointment.

Go get it on Itunes today!!!

Here's the story behind the tune "It's You":