It's Happening...

   So, after almost 2 years, we are going in view of a call to another church. It's almost surreal. I'm excited. I feel like we have taken the time to heal and be ready for a new position, and that God has led the way to this position. Right now I am simply trying to keep myself humbled in prayer and not count my chickens until they hatch. We will be heading to the church tomorrow afternoon for a come and go, meet and greet time where the church members can get to know us, and then I will be leading worship again with their choir and musicians on Sunday morning. There's a bit more pressure this time since it is the opportunity for the church members to decide if they want me to come and lead their worship. The vote will be Sunday night during their business meeting. 


   Overall, the pressure isn't too high (as long as I don't trip walking onto the platform, I should be fine). I am simply leading a worship service. The church members will either like the way I lead, or they won't. If the latter is the case and they vote to not call us, we will know that God has something else for us. While this is not what I hope for, I have to remember that my hopes are not the most important ones. God's are...so I remember this verse, Isaiah 40:31


³¹Yet those who wait for the LORD
         Will gain new strength;
         They will mount up with wings like eagles,
         They will run and not get tired,
         They will walk and not become weary.


We will wait on the Lord...if He calls us to this church, we are ready to go and minister here. If He calls us to wait awhile longer, then we will trust in His plan for us and hold fast to the knowledge that He is much smarter than me, and cares for me more than I can even care for myself. Please be in prayer for us this weekend. It will be busy and a bit stressful. However the wait is almost over.

Book People

   Do you have a stack like this in your home? This is my "to be read" pile. Books that Kathy and I have purchased in the last 6 months or so that I have not yet gotten around to reading. Of course...I have been reading. You should see that stack of books I've read in this same amount of time. You see, my wife and I are book people. We love the written word.

   There's something about holding a book in your hand. Knowing that you are about to delve into another man's imagination, to a world that has been created by someone else. I love the anticipation of a new idea, the exploration of that idea, and knowledge that in the end (either at the end of the current book, or 15 books later at the end of the series) there will be a conclusion. I love to see a character grow from being simply a name on a page to a person whom I care about. I love a good story.

   Are you a book person? I'm currently reading "Inkspell" by Cornelia Funke. It's the second book in a series that is all about people who love literature, and the adventures they have when they find themselves inside of a story. A fun read, but it begs the question, Do you really want to live within someone else's story? Now, I've already mentioned how much I enjoy a good story. Case in point, I plan to read each and every one of the books in that picture. However, God has a story for me. He has anticipated the ideas, He knows the best way for me to explore them, and most importantly...He knows the conclusion. Since I've put my faith in Him, I've given Him control of the story. Now I play a secondary role, that of a follower. I might deviate from the path occasionally, but He waits for me to come back.

   Have you entrusted your story to the master architect, or are you still trying to write it yourself. A good story is one thing. I'll spend $5 bucks on a book if I think it will be good. But then there are the books that you simply can't wait for. You pre-order them and go to the store at midnight to pick them up. You stay up all night reading and love every minute of it. I think that's the difference between writing your own story and letting God write it for you. Your story is the $5 paperback you buy in the airport to pass the time. God's story is the classic that endures for ages and is read over and over for generations. That's the kind of story I want my life to be. How about you...C.S. Lewis said through Aslan in "The Horse and His Boy" that He tells you only your story, no one else's. Are you listening?

Moving Forward One Step at a Time...

Just a short update. The search committee voted to bring us back in view of a call on the 30th of January. Kathy and I are very excited and we would covet your prayers as we listen for God's will and direction. Also, I would covet your prayers as I once again prepare for a worship service from here using music from there that I can't see until they send it to me. I am choosing songs without knowing what key the church has them in (if they even have them). It's a challenge. Thanks for praying...

First-Time Choir Director

   Well...rehearsal on Thursday went pretty smoothly for this guy who'd never been in charge of directing a choir and small orchestral group. Not prefect by any means, but not bad. There are a lot more challenges to leading a group this size as compared to leading a small praise band. All of my experience in the past has been either leading worship by myself with a guitar or with a small praise band. So, while I have lots of experience leading worship, I got a crash course this past week in leading a bigger group. Fortunately, this group of musicians and singers were very gracious. We had a few hiccups during the rehearsal but nothing major. Overall, it was an enjoyable time.

   The actual service this morning went quite smoothly. While there will always be room for improvement, I felt like we accomplished leading into worship. I am still very excited about this job possibility. While I discovered this week that I will have a lot to learn before I will be completely proficient at leading a group in this way, I am hoping that God will lead us here. This seems to be a very welcoming and strong congregation. However, I am also trying to remember that My plans are not God's plans, and that if He does not lead us here, he will lead us where he wants us to go. I desire to serve God should not be dependent upon a location. Please be in prayer for us as we wait. I think the waiting to hear is one of the hardest parts of this process.

Christian Hip-Hop

   Do you listen to rap music? I tune in the rap station every once in a while to laugh at the inane lyrics (look how much money I've got, how many girls I've got, how sweet a ride I've got, how many haters I've got, etc) and then usually change the station after a song or two because I find the other lyrics so objectionable. However, I simply love the beats. I'm fascinated by the way the words can flow off of a person's tongue with such ease and speed. If I thought I could even get close to accomplishing it, I would attempt to rap once in a while just for the fun of it (this is not possible however as I seem incapable of speaking so many words, so quickly...much like it's impossible for me to break dance even though I would love to be able to do that as well).

   Since I find the style so fascinating and enjoyable, I have always kept an eye out for good Christian rappers. I thought I'd share a few of my favorites. (even if you don't like rap, you might know someone who does and thus you could suggest a couple of these artists and save their ears from being assaulted with filth from listening to the secular stuff)

  KJ-52--This guy isn't your average hard-core gansta rap. Actually he is what I would be if I had the guts and talent to attempt it. He's fun, witty, and he doesn't take himself too seriously. In fact he is just a bit of a goofball. However, He loves Jesus and knows how to bust a serious rhyme pointing to the Savior and our need for Him. I like pretty much all of his music.
   T-Bone--Here's a bit more of a gansta rapper. West coast style, rapid fire word slinging. T-bone can put more words out in a verse than some guys get into a whole song. If your into the west coast rap he's the guy to check out. Favorite album here is called "Gospelalphamega"...good stuff.
   Pettidee--found this guy while I was a youth minister. Dirty South style rap with the gruff low voice. Awesome beats, and powerful lyrics about how God can change a life. He raps about loving and being faithful to his wife, about standing up for God with your life, and he confronts other rappers who act "hard" just to sell a record. His albums "Thug Love" and "Resurrections" are both very good.
   Le'crae and Trip Lee--These are two artists I have just started listening to. Both of these guys have a sound that could be found on any secular rap station. The beats are amazing and the sound production is top notch. Both speak of pasts that are less than praiseworthy, but which God has turned around. Both preach of God's saving power in a life and their desire to be a positive influence in this world. The word of God is evident in the lyrics of these two men and I think anyone who took the time to digest the lyrics would be encouraged and challenged.

    Random post huh? If you don't like rap, and you don't know anybody who does, sorry for wasting your time. Next time I do a music post maybe I'll highlight some of my favorite worship leaders (since I'm possibly going to be one). I know some people think rap music is just noise, but scripture does say to make a joyful noise unto the Lord...these artists proclaim the name of Jesus to the world. Have a good night and I'll see you next time...

Resolutions etc...

   I'm not sure I believe in New Years resolutions. They tend to simply be things we say but don't actually do. However, I recently read a blog that suggested choosing three habits that you would like to have in your life and commit to doing it everyday for the next 100 days. Much smaller commitment but if accomplished should put you well on the way to making it a long-term habit. Here's what I chose...

   1. Scripture Memorization...I started memorizing Ephesians last year and it is taking longer than I planned. Part of the reason for taking so long is that I haven't been committed to it everyday.
   2. Play Guitar...I miss playing my guitar. If I get this job as a worship pastor, I will have more reason to play it everyday. However, job or not, I want to get back to playing music.
   3. Pray...sure I pray often, but not intentionally. I pray over my meals, and for my children, and for my future, but not with consistency. I want to be a person of prayer.

   One other thing I am committing to is losing weight. I gained back about 10 pounds over the holidays, so I have about 15 pounds to lose. No lose by date this time, just a commitment to keep at it until it's gone.

   So what are you going to work on for the next 100 days? Are there things in your life you want to change? Why not commit to changing them and ask God to help you.

Job Interview and Leading Worship

   First and foremost, I apologize for the long break between posts...between holidays and simply being busy, I simply haven't taken the time to write.

   As you might have guessed from the title, I am currently being considered for a position as Associate Pastor of Worship and Community. I had my first interview with the pastor over the phone a month and a half ago, and my first interview with the full search committee this past Wednesday. After the interview, the committee decided to continue pursuing me for the position and thus, this coming Sunday, January 16th I will be leading the worship service at this church.
  
   Kathy and I are very excited about this possible job and we are praying very hard for God's peace and direction for our lives. We covet your prayers as well. As things progress, I will be keeping you posted via the blog if you are interested.

   The interview this past Wednesday was possibly the most enjoyable interview I've ever been a part of. It was light-hearted and conversational while still delving into the questions that the committee had. I would encourage anyone who is ever on a search committee for a church to consider adopting this style of interviewing. Don't take yourselves so seriously that the person sitting across from you wonders how many lemons you've had today. I'm not advocating cracking jokes at every opportunity and disregarding the tough questions that need to be answered in order to know if a candidate is right for your church. However I am suggesting that you allow some levity to breach the occasion. Be open and honest and show the person you are interviewing your heart (and hopefully the heart of the church). It sure put me at ease and allowed me to see a bit of the personality of the church. I think sometimes we Christians take ourselves a bit too seriously and forget that Jesus came to give us an abundant life.