Cultural Gatorbait

2011 a Year of Loss

2011-11-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

My wife started her own blog this week and made a comment about mine, about the fact that I had not wrote anything in over a year. Well, so let me tell you about the past year.

It's been very rough, not to say there weren't good time unfortunately though when all is said and done 2011 will be remembered by the loved one that where lost more than those times.

On February 21st we began with the loss of Lisa's cousin Cody Cosby who passed away suddenly at the age of 23.Then in March my grandfather, Frank James fell while walking outside his home. The fall broke his hip and he was sent to the hospital. With the broken hip he was given 2 choices, live the rest of your life in pain and bedridden or take your chances and have surgery to fix it (This would be very risky due to my grandfathers chronic heart failure). He chose to chance it and have the surgery. The Hip surgery was a success however this begin a very trying 40 day period and Grandpa battled recovery, his heart issue, and his kidney's shutting down. In the end it was just too much for him and we moved him into a retirement home about 5 days before he passed away. On April 19th Grandpa Frankie held his daughter, my mom, Keta and my cousin, Carol Tuttle in his arms again

We had Grandpa's Funeral on Thursday April 21st the very next day we began to turn our focus on my Grandma Betty as she had stopped taking care of herself, primarily her Cancer, while we focused on Grandpa Frankie for the past month and a half. Grandma began another round of Chemotherapy that week. One week later on April 28th Grandma woke up in Chronic pain and we admitted her into the hospital. We spent 1 day in a regular room while trying to get the pain under control before Grandma became unresponsive and we where moved to ICU for a short time. A week later Grandma passed away.

With my grandpa and Grandma passing away and my mother having passed away in 2008, my sister are the sole beneficiaries of everything but even more than that it means that we had to take care of the estate, paperwork, death notices, going thought their home, and even having to demo their rent house due to it's condition. Over and over and over I have been reminded of 2011 being a year of loss.

As we have went though Grandpa and Grandma's home there are some great things that I will treasure. From Grandpa's high school class ring from 1940 Sapulpa High to the 5 Old Timer pocket knives and 4 zippo lighters that where scattered throughout the house. The greatest treasure has been the two bibles that now sit across from my desk every day on my book shelf a pink one with Betty James monogramed on the cover and a blue NIV with Frank James' name. Now grandma was was not one who wrote on the pages however I found a passage that was marked on 8-8-99 after hearing Bob Post speak (coincidently Rev. Bob Post also passed away this year too). The passage is Psalm 22.

Psalm 22 (For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.)

¹ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
² My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.

³ Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.
⁴ In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
⁵ To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
⁷ All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
⁸ “He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”

⁹ Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
¹⁰ From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

¹² Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 1³ Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.
¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
¹⁵ My mouth^[d] is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.

¹⁶ Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce^[e] my hands and my feet.
¹⁷ All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me.
¹⁸ They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.

¹⁹ But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
²⁰ Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
²¹ Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

²² I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.
²³ You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
²⁴ For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

²⁵ From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
²⁶ The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!

²⁷ All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
²⁸ for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.

²⁹ All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive.
³⁰ Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
³¹ They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!

What Does YOUR Student Ministry Do?

2010-12-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

What Does Your Student Ministry Do?

This question has been playing though my head for a month or so now with the questions seeming to change daily? If someone was to ask me this question month ago I would have started to list off all the activities that our ministry offers to our students and to guest that visit our Group.

Wednesday Night Worship
Falls Creek (Summer Camp)
Fall Retreats
Focus Weekend (Disciple Now)
Sunday Night Discipleship
Student Life (Sunday School)
Summer Mission Trip
Super Summer
Lockins
Welcome Weekend

The more I thought about the question the more it started to change my answer and also my outlook on the next year of our Student Ministry. Most of what we call Student Ministry is what we DO FOR STUDENT not STUDENTS DOING MINISTRY. We think we're equipping them for life outside of the church but really we are just spiritual babysitter for them. If we don't move outside of this we will be realizing another generation that leaves our Youth Ministries and get lost and leave the church forever. Why are we loosing all these students, BECAUSE MINISTRY IS WHAT WE DID FOR THEM. We need to do more than just equip students but we need to give them the opportunity to DO MINISTRY. When the majority of our calenders are filled with events and not ministry opportunities, and not just inviting their friends to OUR event. When was the last time we let students preach or lead a devotion (Even if we know their not ready). No one ever sat down with me and taught me how to prepare a sermon, no one ever gave me instruction on how to teach a lesson. Are our Student Ministries? Ministries of Students, Ministries to Students, Ministries for Students, or Ministries by Students, What is it?

With this comes my heart for 2011, that (My) Ministry will no longer be Student Ministry but My ministry will be leading Students to do Ministry.

Christ lead the same way he started off by doing Ministry and letting the Disciples watch, then he moved them into Part 2, Jesus didn't ministry and he let the Disciples help him. Part 3 where he let the Disciples do the ministry while he helped them. Finally, He moved to Part 4 where he let the Disciples do the ministry and he was able to leave them to the work because he had trained them. In 2011 I will be (Trying) to move students into Part 3...it's time to let them, no wait it's time for them to Lead as Students Doing Ministry.

Missions on the Bayou

2010-07-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

As we sit in Golden Meadow, LA we are watching the radar as we see Bonnie turning north and headed to Mississippi we pray that the outer weather doesn't hit us. We hope that the rain and wind will stay at bay until Saturday night. We have had such an amazing time with the people of Golden Meadow but we desire to share the love of Christ tonight to a large group here.

It is our desire to see people come the know what a relationship with Christ can be. Please pray with us for this weather and for the opportunities that are going to come tonight and tomorrow as we finish up this trip and begin to think about home.

Why is it that we starting thinking about home way before the work is done. When God has called us to do so much and we still have so much work to do and yet we find ourselves thinking of being at home (Heaven). We will always have heaven, heaven is always there but the work that God has laid before us is what we need to focus on when we are not at home. I miss my girls and my wife and even my own bed that doesn't deflate every night but I'm not ready to be home yet, not till the work is done...God please be with us as we finish this race and we pick up speed and sprint to the end all in the desire to see your Glory exploded all over this land.

Super Summer Expectations

2010-06-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

I am currently at Super Summer Oklahoma in Shawnee. Super Summer is a Christian Teen leadership camp where students that have a personal relationship with Christ and are leaders in their youth ministries can come and be challanged to lead in their ministries at the next level.

Tonight I was modeling a talkback session with our College leaders and at the end I challenged them in writing their expectations out. Apart of that is that I would post my own expectations here on my blog.

Phillippians 4:6
English Standard Version (©2001)
"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

For Ignite Students

That they would come expecting God to work in their lives
That God would challenge them to go not only beyond where they are currently spiritually but for them to exceed anyone that they have seen
That they would light a spark that when they all go home turns into an inferno for reaching their lost friends and family for Christ

(I am also writing down specific prayers for each student but I am not posting those)

For Myself

That I would spiritually be renewed, refreshed and refined
That I would be challenged beyond my own capabilities
That I would hunger for more of my Savior
That Student would not remember me but what Christ says through me

I Love the Salad Bar but hate salad

2009-11-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

I was studying for our new College Small Group called Deeper on Sunday Nights at Kaffe Bona (91st & Yale) at 8:ooPM (Shameless Plug) and there was a illustration that has been staying with me this week. So I don't get it wrong paraphrasing it I will quote it:

"I love the salad bar. Not the salad, per se, but the salad bar as a whole. There is a huge difference between the two. The salad is green, leafy, and distasteful. That's why I love the (salad) bar. Cheese, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, dressing, ham - all of these things make the salad bearable. Unfortunately, the salad bar dilutes the nutritional value of what is underneath. You have to ask the question: With all the stuff piled on the top, can you really call what is on your plate a salad anymore?

Perhaps, in the church, we have bellied up to the salad bar in terms of the gospel. We have piled stuff on top of the good news, rendering the gospel much less nutritious than it once was, and maybe even making is wonder: Is this really the gospel at all?"
Michael Kelley - The Tough Sayings of Jesus

I have been bombarded from every side today about things that don't matter. We are upset, mad, and fighting about things that God doesn't care about but don't even bat an eye at the FACT that our co-workers, family and friends are going to go to HELL, BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THEM. Please keep in mind that I am not a Pastor, am not called to be a Pastor and really don't care to be a pastor (And The People Said, AMEN) So I really don't care about budgets, WMU, Brotherhood, GA's, RA's; Falls Creek, Super Summer and any other program or new fad that Lifeway, Youth Specialties or Group Publishing wants to put out there as the new flavor of the month. I will use them if they can assist me in ONE THING!

I WANT PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THE TRUE GRACE AND MERCY OF THE ONE AND ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, JESUS CHRIST AND THEN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW HIM (PERIOD)

If just want to see lives changed, hearts healed and families restored because of Jesus. Nothing else matters. When it becomes about everything else, we have FAILED and we will continue to fail as long as our focus is on everything else but that.

My New Haircut

2009-10-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

We spent the morning with a small fellowship of believers that has been meeting for 3 years. It has been cared for by a young lady named, Punum. Punum is 26 and full of energy, she taught me how to do traditional dancing here. So as some of the ladies where beginning to shop, we found out that Punum cut hair, so I asked her if she would cut my hair. So I got a traditional hair cut.

We had the opportunity to meet 2 missionaries yesterday from the IMB (International Mission Board) and I got the opportunity to find out what they are doing here in the country. They run a Mexican Restaurant here, so we will be having some good American, Chips and Salsa for lunch before we go home.

I am leaving today at 3:30 pm on Tuesday from here, in Oklahoma time it's approx. 5 am on Tuesday and will get back Wednesday at 10:20 pm. Please Pray that we will have a safe trip back and that out 10 hour Layover in India will fly by. I will post to my Facebook, and you can text me when I get to New York. Catch you on the Other Side of The World.

I Need Jesus, You Need Jesus, Everyone Needs Jesus

2009-10-25T16:53:00.001-07:00

Today we started out out day about 1 km from the Tibet boarder, this was our last day in Indie. I was ablt to preach a message on Vision and Dreaming Big, Even in a different country God still wants us to thing and dream through His eyes and not be limited by just our abilities but to know that through Him, and Him alone all things are possible. We saw a woman come to know Christ for the first time today, we have prayed for healing for many people. I once again was asked to sing, this time I presented Glory to God, Forever. Each time I have sang I have tried to find songs that will transcend culture. To speak louder than just a voice or a song but to be a prayer or a encouragement to all who here.

Terry and I began to discuss the thought that many Christians in America have today, that the end is near, that Christ could come back any day, because of the state that we find "the world" in. We NO LONGER agree. God is just getting started here. We saw 21 people baptized, God is working here and I don't see him stopping anytime soon. We need to either buck up and start reaching people, or fund and pray for someone to be able to reach people for Christ. We need to stop just thinking that what we see in America is the way it is all around the world.

The young people here are excited and want to see their frinds come to know Jesus, I have added a video of them singing in church, the translation of what they are shouting is "I Need Jesus, You Need Jesus, Everyone Needs Jesus"...when was the last time you got so excited in worship and about wanting people to know Jesus. I'm hoping to get the opportunity to sing one last time here, I am hoping I can find an extra copy of "God of this City" as we have once last Service to attend today, please pray for our leader Jack, as he will leave us today to go into another country by himself for 10 days.

Top Of The World

2009-10-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

Our trip up to the village took a four hour drive over the most beautiful landscape and the most scarry looking roads. During the drive a little girl, who was riding with us "cheetoed" my pants...for the past 2 days I have been looking at that stain and thinking of Mcbaby and her cheetoe fingers.

We got the opportunity to see 21 people here in this village be baptized after receiving Christ, we also got to partake of the Lord's Supper with the people of the village (They used tortillas and Coke-Cola)

I preached today by telling my testimony, and I was asked to streatch it out to about 40 min. I was able to take my testimony to a new level but also knew that I couldn't do it without being evangilist. I love telling about the saving power of Jesus Christ. It is our only hope in this world.

We are staing 1 km away from the boarder of Tibet, we will be starting our day there tomorrow.

For lunch we ate Water Buffalo, so for you veggietales fans, if everyone has a water buffalo, I ate him. hahaha...More to come later

Teenagers are Teenagers in any land or Language

2009-10-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we finished our second day here at the Spiritual Revival Seminary 2009. I was able to preach again about Biblical Leadership, Servant Leadership. Using the translator is getting easier but is still awkward and new. What a great time we had. We got to see many blessings of the people who where overwhelmingly thankful for what we have done.

After Lunch the young man who plays guitar for the church here, asked if I was busy and a quickly said no, and went with him for whatever he might have needed. He took me to a young man who is having kidney failure, possibly cancer. My heart was broken, as here most family cannot afford any kind of medical car or medication (American ER's may have a long wait, but at least we get help) The Young man asked me to pray for healing of his kidney's. I began to lay hands on this man, and lift his sickness up to Christ, because only in Christ is there true healing, it was so humbling as this many was so thankful, just to be prayed for. Later at the end of the day the people where asked if they wanted us to pray for them to come up and we would lay hands on them. Many people stayed and asked for prayer as we lifted them up to God. I just kept thinking, when was the last time that we just asked for prayer when we, in America are hurting, when we are sick. We need to come back to the place that we lift each other up when we are weak, that we would cry out to God for each other and stop trying to do it all ourselves.

In the afternoon we broke the groups up into Children, Teenagers (Or Young People), Women and Men. Terry and I took the Teenagers outside and got the change to do what we do best, stumble over a translator and not be funny in another country. We began by getting them to do the "human knot" and also a game I call, "Trust roll" we then talked about Trusting in God, that his plan is the BEST for us and sometimes we need to wait on his plan to bloom. Terry then came in and spoke on how we need to have trust in each other as Christian Brothers and Sisters for accountability and support. We noticed so many similarities that are universal no matter the culture.

    - Girls still get ready in groups
    - Girls still try to get pretty infrount of a mirrow
    - Girls still giggle all the stikin time
    - Guys still try to be too cool
    - Guys are still competitive
- Guys will still do almost anything to impress a girl

Though there is a cultural difference and a language difference the main similarity we see is the teenagers still need guideance, they still need direction, they still need freedom to make mistakes and they still need a Savior. what a great day.

(FUN NOTE: I got Mountain Dew today, it was still awesome and alittle different...I also got a Red Bull..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA yea!!!! and the Red Bull here is cheaper than a coke, my new drink of choice here is Red Bull.)

We are headed up into the mountains today to have a 2 day Spiritual Revival Seminair in a place by the boarder. I will be without internet until Sunday night when we return to our hotel here, please pray for us and I will post 2 blogs once I get internet back.

Rockin' out in the Middle East

2009-10-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first day of the Spiritual Revival 2009 over here, and it was awesome. We have met pastors from all over the country who have traveled up to 2 hours on foot to two days travel on a motorcycle to be here. Much of our team has felt the calling that we are here to build these men and women up to be bold and have courage to share Christ with their friends and family.

I was able to bring a guitar with me from the states and when I got here I really didn't know what to expect. I wasn't sure what, if any music would be done, and on top of that would music that I played translate at all. Yesterday I took my guitar with me to the Revival and as I walked in I was stoked to see congas, a drum set, a choir (robes and all), and a guitar player already there. I walked up to the guitar player and asked if I could play with them and he graciously said yes. Now I had tuned in the morning before leaving the hotel after an early morning personal worship, so when I got there I know I wouldn't be too far out. I wasn't out of tune but they weren't in-tune, so I tuned to the other guitar player. After we tuned my acoustic he looked at me and asked if I wanted to play the electric guitar they had. I said sure, and we proceeded to tune the electric guitar. After we got everything tuned together, the guitar player went over to the keyboard and tune again to it (Which through me out of tune again). So after all this we began to play, and let me say that, these people know how to bring it when they worship. SING A SONG AND SING IT WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE. oh, yeah and during the first song the Low E string broke on me and through the guitar out of tune again. So, I just went to playing some ornamentation that fit into the song. BTW, after the first set I was able to tune everything and we when right on playing and praising, it was awesome.

Terry, preached yesterday about the importance of raising a Christian Family and following a biblical view of the family. Most of the Christians here are only 1st Generation Christians, so they don't have a patriarch or possibly anyone else in their families that are Christian, they are it and many need a guide to raise their families biblically.

After lunch I preached on Evangelism using Paul's example when he spoke to the people of Athens about their statue to the "The Unknown God". I did have a first yesterday, I had never preached through an interpreter, it was defiantly different. My interpreter is a pastor that traveled 2 days to be with us from his home by Mt. Everest. After I finished preached, I was asked to bring a message in song, so I chose "O Glorious Day." What a humbling experience, to raise Christ up with song in a foreign land.

Well, I thing you have heard a lot about my day, today is the 2nd day of the Spiritual Revival then we go on the road to the boarder (which is a 3 hour car ride) and we will do the same Revival up in the mountains during Saturday and Sunday...here they have services on Saturday. I am so stoked, please pray that God opens doors that we can't even imagine and we would be bold to walk through them.

oh, yea and I road on the back of a motorcycle through the streets of town, which was like riding through a mexican city, lots of traffic...IT WAS AWESOME!!!

42 hours later...

2009-10-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

We have arrived at our destination...the plane rides were very long and exciting at the time. The change in both language and even food was quite a new shock that I really hadn't thought about. When we left NY to go to Brussels, Belgium it was mostly English dialect and a regular meal. Then when we left Brussels it got really new to us all. The food became very spicy and the language became a symphony of God's awesomeness.

It was a long flight but we had a great time traveling together. We met with the Pastor here along with many other pastors from all over the Country. We will begin a 2 day Spiritual Awakening Conference tomorrow then we will travel on Saturday and Sunday to take the 2 day Conference to a different part of the country. I will be speaking tomorrow to a dozen or so Pastors and Christian Leaders about Evangilism. Please Pray that we get rest and that God's will is done.

I will post more info tomorrow...

Ministry in the Middle East

2009-10-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

I will be traveling next week over the big pond to the Middle East. This is a desire that God laid on my heart over 1 1/2 years ago. I expected to travel in another way or possibly to go to other destination first before God opened a door for me to to go on this trip within 3 months of hearing of it.

I covet your prayers, because though I am not afraid of flying I am more worried about it than I am of sharing the Gospel in an foreign land. I have not idea why and I am not afraid of death, I know that I will be caught up in that split second to heaven. I miss my mom and know that I would be greeted by her at the gates of glory. BUT, I'm not ready yet and don't think God would put a passion in my heart to get on a plane for no reason.

I will be updating to my blog, stories of great triumph and prayer throughout this trip please check back all week to keep me and our team in your prayers...God has big plans I am so stoked to see what they are.

Abby Grace Howell

2009-08-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

Our 2nd Beautiful daughter was placed into our possession by Almighty God Today, August 28th, 2009 at 3:44pm. She weighed 6 lbs 4 oz and measured 19 inches. Thank you God for a great doctor and staff. Thank You for a great family and loving friends through all of this time.

Roger, Don't Screw It Up

2009-07-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

I an so excited about my upcoming week. I have never in my days as a Pastor or even as a Christian been more excited about what God is both doing around me and letting me see. It has been "one of those summers" that you always here about from other ministries and wonder when you get to experience yours. I am in the middle of it now. I have not only got to see our students "get it" this summer, where they start to understand that ministry is not about them but about others and how awesome it is to see other student come to know Christ as Lord. I have been able to see students come to know Christ as Lord, I have got to baptize more students this summer than ever, I have got to see God work within our church and see adults come to know Christ. It has been amazing.

Tomorrow I leave for Calumet City, IL...outside Chicago. This is a mission Trip that has seen me get very passionately upset at things and questions very seriously what God has in store for both our ministry and myself. My biggest prayer this summer has not been, "God, let me see your work" it has been "God, don't let me screw it up" I have seen God more this summer actively pursuing Students than ever before. So I ask that you would pray for our Students as we don't entirely know what God has in store for us but as always this summer, It's going to be AWESOME!!! GOD, DO WORK!!! And let us see it, please.

10 things I have learned about God since becoming a Father

2009-06-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

This is a 10 part Blog that will countdown from 10 to 1

#10 – God Desired to be with us

No matter how long or how short trips away from my family are I desire to get home, fast. Whether it's just a weekend or multiple weeks away I want to get home to see my daughter. Last week I was gone to Super Summer in Shawnee, OK, this was the first week long trip I've taken since my daughter has been mobile. One evening I was talking to Lisa (my wife) and se said she had been talking about me, my wife not my daughter. She had been counting down the days till I would be home, "Daddy will be home in, two days". My daughter just caught the word, "Daddy" and started looking around the room looking for me.

Why do we think God is any different? God wants to be with us more than even I want to be with my family.

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

James 2:23 "And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend."

How great is it to know that when I feel so alone that God wants to spend time with me, when I am away from him that he longs for me to come back. God Desires Us

RH

Top 10 things I have learned since having my daughter

2009-05-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

This was an article that I wrote back in August 2008 for our Church Newsletter. This is the basis of my new posts to come.

10 – Something so small can make a huge stink

9 – You can go though a whole day with only 2 hours sleep

8 – No amount of reading books will truly get you ready

7 – “Sleep through the night” means “for four hours straight”

6 – Babies “R” Us is an evil place (Pastor David should preach against it)

5 – We took less to college than we pack with her to cross the street

4 – Diapers can hold a lot

3 – Poop comes in a variety of colors and smells

2 – I should have believed Peewee and Pastor David

1 – It’s completely and totally worth it!

Ephesians 1:3-5
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will”

Sometime I sit and watch my daughter sleep and think about how God must feel with us. Through everything that we put him through, day in and day out, when we mess up and turn away from his will. When we think we think we know what we WANT but ultimately he knows what we NEED. Yet, though it all he still loves us, he likes us, and says to us, “The cross, was completely and totally worth it!”

Three myths of Contemporary Worship (by Ken Gabrielse)

2009-05-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

I read this article over the last 2 weeks thought you might enjoy it!

Three Myths of Contemporary Worship

by Ken Gabrielse

A recent LifeWay research project in Oklahoma studied churches which are successfully reaching young adults ages 18-32. All of the churches represented in the study utilize some elements of contemporary worship (modern hymns and songs, instrumentation, drama, video, etc.).

The research tells us that most of the young adults who are being attracted to evangelical churches are NOT coming to church because of modern elements present in worship services.

How can that be? This is obviously a misunderstanding about the importance of a limited genre of music being produced today. Here are three myths about Contemporary worship.

Myth #1: If we include contemporary music in our worship service, the young adults of our community will be attracted to our church.

The following entry was posted on Kingdom People Blog, Oct. 2, 2007. This is from Trevin Wax, who serves as an associate pastor in a large SBC church in Tennessee. He is a twenty-something ministering to twenty-somethings.

“The idea that a ‘contemporary’ music service is going to reach my generation just makes me laugh. No one in my class is there for the music. They are all there for the relationships and the Bible teaching. Not that the music is unimportant . . . it’s just not central.

“It’s easy to update musical style and think that this is the ‘sacrifice’ it takes to reach the younger crowd. It’s much harder to actually invest in the relationships and serious Bible teaching that are actually more effective in reaching the twenty-somethings.”

Churches that are out to build authentic relationships with lost and disenfranchised people have a cultural mindset when it comes to making decisions that assist them in reaching their community for Christ. They recognize buildings and programs do not define a New Testament church and they are willing to change both if it means being positioned for growth. When young adults come into this setting, they quickly recognize an attitude of acceptance and openness regardless of the age of the members, the architecture of the buildings or the style of music in the worship setting. A church with this mindset is continually looking for ways to involve this age group in discipleship and outreach. They listen to them; they respond to their leadership; they love them. Authentic churches look for ways to attract and build relationship with young adults.

Myth #2: Any attempt at including modern worship music in our service will be rewarded by increased numbers of young adults and young families.

This is actually happening in far too many of our churches today—the attempt is being made. The problem is that the 18-30 year olds are very unforgiving when it comes to mediocrity in the arts. They have access to every quality musical style and genre at their fingertips. They can watch and listen to the original version of every modern hymn and worship song written in the past five to 10 years. They know when the attempt is half-hearted or the musical quality is lacking.

So, in fact, the inverse of Myth #2 is true—if you are simply making the attempt, this young adult age group will stay away from your worship service. Hopefully, they will not neglect church attendance; but it will not be your church that they attend.

Myth #3: We can get together on Sunday morning (or right before our worship service) to put together our contemporary music for worship.

If the Lord blesses your church with good musical talent in its members, as a called minister of that church, you must be a good steward of this gift by utilizing these folk. Someone must disciple them in worship philosophy and leadership, and make sure that they practice hard their gifts and abilities. Do not let them lead worship simply because they showed up on Sunday morning to put together the service.

It is wonderfully acceptable to start a worship ministry with a very small number of highly committed people. But these folks must be committed to practice that includes musical as well as spiritual discipline. Worship planning and rehearsal takes time and energy. Please, don’t do modern church music without committing to the quality that only time in rehearsal can provide. Young adults will see right through your lack of preparation.

These are wonderful days to be involved in worship ministry. The call to excellence has never been greater. Much of this is being led by the young adult age group wanting to give their lives to something greater than themselves. And they want to be part of a church (or group of believers) that is willing to sacrifice in order to accomplish great things. If they don’t see that from your church, they will find it somewhere else. Build relationships with them; practice for excellence in ministry; preach and teach the Word. The Lord will build His church.

Change not for the sake of Change but for Survival

2009-03-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

I am so sick of debating...CHANGE! It's like we have to prove over and over the fact that the world has moved on and we haven't I hate the fact that the "church" has been stuck in a model that since the 1950's has not worked in the same with the same results since then. It's like the church refused to grow up. Now we spend the majority of out time not reaching people for Christ but fighting about the face the Hymns or Modern Songs or the way that church should worship. No other indistry or company is this bull headed. Probably because if they don't adapt they die. I've been hearing about all of the churches that close their door each year, maybe that's a good thing. If you don't reach people, if you don't adapt and change to reach a new generation, a new culture God is removing his hand from you. In Revelation2:4-5 ^"4But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."

This is what is happening all over the world. Churches who have refused to keep their eyes on Christ are being removed. Part of us being obediant to Christ is reaching people and yet we are refusing to do that. We want to come and sit around 1 day a week and listen to a Preacher give a 30 minute book report about something that we aren't going to actually do anyway. Then whe our church isn't as packed as it was 15 years ago, it must be the Preachers fault. "Not, mine" CRAP!!!!! No wonder my generation has not come back to the church. I bearly want to be here and I'm on a church staff.

Where does this end? When we lock the doors? When the Senior Generations all die off and there is no one to fight with? Maybe the church needs a little, no a lot of persicution. Maybe we need to lose our "non-profit" status in this country. Maybe then we will stop taking for granted what we have in this country when we have the ability to worship openly. I don't think we would care what songs we sing to Chirst if our lives where on the line if we got caught.

If we don't catchup with society in marketing, technology and trends we will never be viewed as relevent to the current Generation and ultamatly we the church, as we know it will DIE!

If you hate change, your going to hate being irrelivant even more!!! That the POOP!

Enjoying being Mr. Clutch

2009-01-13T09:31:00.000-08:00

I've decided to blog real quick as I wait for my computer to copy files to the network drive so others can use them.

In the past month I have had the opportunity to both preach at my church and lead worship. It has been almost 9 months since I had lead corporate worship at church. It was a great time and truly have missed it, but also know that in that setting is not my calling of my life right now.

When we came to Woodland Acres I was positive of the move but not sure of what my role would be. I have always served in smaller churches that had a limited staff. With smaller churches that only have small staffs (usually 2 - Me and the Pastor) There where may things that where not necessarily in my job description that came my way...(That is why they always put that last line in there about, And any duties deemed necessary by the Pastor). With this type of setting at these places I became a Jack of All Trades but Master at only A Few. I have always embraced that role but with coming to a larger church I didn't know where I would fit. We have a Children's Minister, Education Minister, Music Minister, Church Administrator, Church Secretary, Custodians, and then Me. I have really enjoyed getting the time to focus my attention on just our Student Ministry but like with so many other things I miss getting to try my had at other things.

Getting the opportunity to fill the Pulpit for my Pastor was was an enjoyable experience that I had never been given. I have preached at D-nows, Youth Revivals, & for my Students but never been in trusted with delivering the message to my own church. Once again I will tell you that I enjoyed it but know that as of now I am now called to Pastor and as of now I hope I don't. I enjoy just being a Student Minister and Mr. Clutch for my Church.

You Lord and friends for the opportunity to do what I love. Poop

RH

Eagerly Awaiting...Whatever

2008-12-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

Remember when you where small and it was the night before Christmas and I don't know about at your home but my parents wouldn't let us get up till a predetermined time like 7:00 AM. My sister and I would come in my room about 6:00 or 6:30 am and we would sit there and watch the clock until it hit 7:00 Am. We would then run into the family room and see what Santa had brought us. This anticipation was always a huge killer of me. I just would sit in my room and could swear that at times I could see the clock taunting me by going backwards. It was like it would never get there.

I get so excited about things and due to that I have many times jumped into things without looking or even testing the water. Even when I do wait as I should, the anticipation just is so hard to handle. Currently my Church is in a holding pattern as we await February 1st to launch a new Contemporary Style Worship Experience. As a GenX guy I am stoked about this. I have been brought up in church and love the history of music within the church but have always felt like the world kept going and (not all) but most churches in America stopped progressing in 1950. I look back at how bad "Christian" Music was in the 80's & 90's and then watched it get a huge kick start after what I call BJF (Before Jesus Freak) Now I see churches trying to make a great change to reach out to my generation. I can't wait until February I hope I'm ready.

Let's keep the "Christ" in Christian

2008-11-18T07:46:00.000-08:00

So I am beginning (even though I think is way to soon) to get into the Christmas mood. Stores have put out their holiday decorations, our neighbors have put up their Christmas lights, I put together my Christmas Music playlist on my iPod and I just heard the Hand bells practicing down the hall from my office(Which even in July makes me think of Christmas). Then there is the all to often reminder, I recieved one of many e-mails that states that "We need to keep the "Christ" in Christmas"

So here is what has hit my grey matter today. Mainly because I'm sick and tired of boycotting things and pushing the world so far away from us that we are no longer relivent in the conversation about anything. Since when does Target's Marketing stratigy for Christmas take Christ our of my holiday? If what I tell my daughter is true, that this season is about Christ Jesus and his birth and what he did for all of the world. Why is it that I fight a battle that has nothing to do with what I am helping do for the world?

So this is what I propose. Let's put the "Christ" back in Christian!!!! Let's get out of our pew or "worship" chair and DO SOMETHING. Let's feed the poor, lets collect coats for those that can't afford it, lets do something by our selves or as a family that your church isn't promoting or sponsoring. What is a longer lasting effect that Walmart stops saying Happy Holiday's or that I show someone the meaning of the season is Jesus Christ by making sure they have somewhere to spend this season that is warm. We have spent to much time and money trying to tell Corporate America how to sell us their crap and not enough telling the Lost about Jesus.

Happy Holiday POOP!!!

I might just be Liberal

2008-11-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

So November 4th has come and gone and I have moved on with my life. I have pulled my McCain/Palin yard sign out of my yard (I really don't have a yard). I'm rally more excited about being able to watch TV shows without being slammed with every political ad smearing their opponent.

So where do we go from here?
UNITY
Regardless of who we voted for shouldn't we Unite as a nation. I am amazed at how quickly the tides shifted. The same things that my conservative friends where complaining about during President Bush's years they are now doing toward President-Elect Obama. If you look at trends the Politial Pendalem has swung from one side to the other very quickly. So lets look at this from 2 angles.

#1 - President-Elect Obama is unable/unwilling to fufill the promises he made during his run for the White House
#2 - President-Elect Obama does fufill those promises

If he is unable or unwilling to fulfill these promises the American People Majority will be very quick to not follow him in 4 years to be re-elected (George H. Bush-remember "Read My Lips")
If he is able to fulfill these promises, cool, we are unified as a nation, in better finantial health. He will be re-elected and we will be a better nation.

I have leaned on some scripture during this whole time, I am in the wrong state to have an impact on the Presidential Race, Sorry there is a huge reason that canadates never visit the Sooner State. We don't have enough Electorial Votes and we always vote in the Conservative. I still voted. Knowing that God is in control and maybe the church need to sweat alittle. Romans 13:1-7

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Regardless who lives as 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in Washington D.C. God is still on his thone, prayer still works and worry about who is in the White House does not help people come to know Christ as Savior!

(POOP)

Sharing Life

2008-10-31T00:17:00.001-07:00

So I went to this...well we will call it a meeting...so I went to this meeting today and heard Pastor Bob Roberts Jr. speak. It seams like a lot of the meetings or conferences I've been going to lately have some great speakers. I got to hear Ed Stetzer a few weeks ago which I love to hear along with a different kind of conference last week where Greg Atkinson lead. A lot of what I've been hearing is like ...well duh?... I don't think it's that what they are saying is not correct or true it's just sometimes I think it is just easier to not have to implement it. Let's take today's conference...excuse me, meeting.

Pastor Roberts was very passionate about everything he spoke about (which is good with my A.D.D) He talked about how the model of the church in America is a Christian American Worldview and not a Biblical Worldview. How the action of the Great commission to Go into all the world was given to the Church and yet we as the church have passed it onto a few that we call missionaries. The more he spoke the more I was like, "Yea, that's what I've been saying, or more of God has been saying to me".

We spend more time trying to train people to "Go into the World" and what it was commanded what "As You Go Into (Your) World". God wants us to live life, our life not a cookie cutter, one size fits most, 12 step program boring version of one. He is crying out for us to work with our faith, to spend time engaging the culture in order to impact that culture from within rather than to make a Hostel Takeover of the Culture.

We need to be able to Share Life with people who we come into contact with everyday. God puts people in our path everyday. I'm not talking about that guy at Starbucks that you've never met before, but that guy that is in the cubical next to you, or the girl that you ride the bus to school with. So "As We go" we share life, with go to lunch, we invite to birthdays, we share our life with.

The Second part is the hard one because it puts our Relationship with Jesus in questions. I loved what I read from the singer of Flyleaf on this subject:

:All five members of the band are of the Christian faith.^[12] This faith influences their music, but lead singer Lacey Mosley doesn't necessarily believe that makes Flyleaf strictly a Christian band. "We all share the same faith. And so when we deal with the whole 'Christian band thing,' we kind of think about something P.O.D. says, like, 'If you're a Christian, it affects everything in your life. So if you're a plumber, does that make you a Christian plumber?' "

Mosley said. "I don't know the answer. We're a band, it's part of who we are, so it comes out in our music, and it's the fuel for what we do. And finding faith saved my life. So I'm not ashamed of it at all. And most of our album reflects that."^[13] But also at some of their concerts they introduce songs saying "We sing this song for Jesus Christ.""
FROM WIKIPEDIA

My point being shouldn't this be true for all Christians lives. When we Share Life with others whether it's at work, at our kids soccer game or wherever, our passion for Jesus and for what Jesus has done for us should come out. Not because we are waving our "Onward Christian Soldier" Flag but because it is part of us hopefully the biggest part of us that we cannot help but overflow part of it on those we come in contact with.

COME SHARE IN MY LIFE (POOP)

Check out Pastor Bob Roberts Jr.'s Blog at www.glocal.net

Purpose of my blog & Disclaimer

2008-10-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

WARNING!!!!!
The purpose of this blog is not to make people happy (that may happen), it is not to upset anyone (that may also happen). I have wrestled with this thought of writing a blog for a few months now and have decided to do so to share my life and thoughts with those who want to read it.