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via emailBehind The Scenes Of Momentum 2009
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
I wish you see the behind-the-scenes prep going on for Sunday night’s service (Momentum 2009)! Praying for each other across ministry & church lines. The meetings with the GREAT Whittemore Center staff. Budgeting, graphic design*, stage design, stage plots, input lists. Prayer. People volunteering time & talent. Students organizing & advertising. Rehearsals with people who radically love Jesus. Pastors asking pastors for input on the words they’ll share. Hundreds of phone calls & emails. More prayer…
What a joy it is to see so much giving and serving in such a spirit of unity. May God bless the night as He has blessed the preparations. And may He get all the glory He so richly deserves!
See you there!
*By the way, the great design work for the Momentum logo was done by Pastor Rod Kesselring of the Journey Church in Rochester, NH. Nice work, Rod!
Read full post...
I wish you see the behind-the-scenes prep going on for Sunday night’s service (Momentum 2009)! Praying for each other across ministry & church lines. The meetings with the GREAT Whittemore Center staff. Budgeting, graphic design*, stage design, stage plots, input lists. Prayer. People volunteering time & talent. Students organizing & advertising. Rehearsals with people who radically love Jesus. Pastors asking pastors for input on the words they’ll share. Hundreds of phone calls & emails. More prayer…
What a joy it is to see so much giving and serving in such a spirit of unity. May God bless the night as He has blessed the preparations. And may He get all the glory He so richly deserves!
See you there!
*By the way, the great design work for the Momentum logo was done by Pastor Rod Kesselring of the Journey Church in Rochester, NH. Nice work, Rod!
Pray For Me?
Monday, April 27th, 2009
OK, so how ’bout we make a deal? If my posting goes way down, that means I’m up to my eyeballs in details. So here’s the deal: if you notice I haven’t posted for a while, maybe you’d think to pray for me. And on my end, I’ll come back and tell you about how God answered your prayers while I was away.
If anyone’s game for this, feel free to let me know.
Read full post...
OK, so how ’bout we make a deal? If my posting goes way down, that means I’m up to my eyeballs in details. So here’s the deal: if you notice I haven’t posted for a while, maybe you’d think to pray for me. And on my end, I’ll come back and tell you about how God answered your prayers while I was away.
If anyone’s game for this, feel free to let me know.
Question: What Did You Think Of Good Friday At DEC?
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
Did you attend any of the Good Friday events at DEC this year?
If yes: Which ones? Do you have any thoughts about them? Good? Bad? Indifferent?
If not, why not?
Your input will help us evaluate this year’s services.
Read full post...
Did you attend any of the Good Friday events at DEC this year?
If yes: Which ones? Do you have any thoughts about them? Good? Bad? Indifferent?
If not, why not?
Your input will help us evaluate this year’s services.
The Grace I Enjoy
Monday, April 13th, 2009
A simple thought today, spawned by a statement made by Mark Driscoll in a post called Enjoying God’s Easter Grace, in which he said, “The difference between the hell I deserve and the grace I enjoy is Jesus Christ.”
Something in me almost knee-jerked against the word “enjoy,” as though it was somehow irreverent or frivolous. But immediately I was challenged in my heart. God’s grace is the thing I am most grateful for. Without grace I would be alone in this world, left to my own defenses and doomed to a horrific eternity in just recompense for my sin, which is great.
I enjoy God’s grace immensely.
Maybe it’s the fleshly-religious side of me that rebels against such wording, as though “Christianity isn’t about having fun,” or some such thinking. And there is a world of validity in realizing we are called to die to ourselves and take up our crosses daily and lay down our lives for each other. But that’s in view of the grace we have received, not (in any sense) to merit the grace we hope for. It is precisely because of the grace I’ve been given that I can - that I want to - do all these things.
Jesus is absolutely glorified in Driscoll’s statement. And I suspect it will become a staple in my theological vocabulary to say: The difference between the hell I deserve and the grace I enjoy is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the difference.
*This post originally appeared on Chris’ personal blog, Sing Louder Musings.
Read full post...
A simple thought today, spawned by a statement made by Mark Driscoll in a post called Enjoying God’s Easter Grace, in which he said, “The difference between the hell I deserve and the grace I enjoy is Jesus Christ.”
Something in me almost knee-jerked against the word “enjoy,” as though it was somehow irreverent or frivolous. But immediately I was challenged in my heart. God’s grace is the thing I am most grateful for. Without grace I would be alone in this world, left to my own defenses and doomed to a horrific eternity in just recompense for my sin, which is great.
I enjoy God’s grace immensely.
Maybe it’s the fleshly-religious side of me that rebels against such wording, as though “Christianity isn’t about having fun,” or some such thinking. And there is a world of validity in realizing we are called to die to ourselves and take up our crosses daily and lay down our lives for each other. But that’s in view of the grace we have received, not (in any sense) to merit the grace we hope for. It is precisely because of the grace I’ve been given that I can - that I want to - do all these things.
Jesus is absolutely glorified in Driscoll’s statement. And I suspect it will become a staple in my theological vocabulary to say: The difference between the hell I deserve and the grace I enjoy is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the difference.
*This post originally appeared on Chris’ personal blog, Sing Louder Musings.
A Worshiper Treasures God
Sunday, April 12th, 2009
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
- Matthew 13:44 (ESV)
The Worth of God
You can’t talk about worship for very long without talking about the worth of God. Commentators sometimes point out that the Old English word from which we derive the English word “worship” is weorthscipe or worth-ship, reminding us that to worship is to “ascribe worth” to the object of our worship.
Of course, “ascribing worth” to God does not increase His worthiness; rather, it recognizes His intrinsic worth and expresses how much He is worth to us personally (and corporately, for that matter). Worship, then, doesn’t begin with an outward act, but an inward attitude, an ultimate regard for God that then overflows in external expression.
Treasuring the Treasure
The two-sentence story Jesus tells in Matthew 13:44 never uses the word “worship,” but it gets right to the heart of the issue. The intrinsic worth of the object the man found is expressed in the use of the word “treasure,” but the we don’t see what the treasure means to the man until we see his reaction to it. And from his reaction, we can see that he indeed “treasures” the treasure!
Note what he does. He doesn’t sing songs to the treasure or visit it every Sunday from 10:00 to 11:30. No, first he hides it so he won’t lose it to someone else, then he runs out and sells everything he has to get enough money to buy the hiding place. Maybe I said that too fast: everything he has.
Not grudgingly or hesitantly. Joyfully! To him, this treasure means everything. Worth more than every other possession in his life. And there’s the heart of worship (Exodus 20:3).
Ascribing Worth to God
When God becomes our treasure, everything else in our lives bows to Him in worship. Our inner attitude will shape our outer choices. Sometimes radically so.
Our love for Him will inform our priorities, influence our decisions and, at times, interrupt our schedules. We will cherish opportunities to tell others what He’s like and what He’s done. And we’ll anticipate those times of worship when we can express to Him directly how great He is and much he means to us.
The heart that treasures God is a heart that has discovered what it means to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Joyfully!
*This post originally appeared on Chris’ personal blog, Sing Louder Musings.
Read full post...
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
- Matthew 13:44 (ESV)
The Worth of God
You can’t talk about worship for very long without talking about the worth of God. Commentators sometimes point out that the Old English word from which we derive the English word “worship” is weorthscipe or worth-ship, reminding us that to worship is to “ascribe worth” to the object of our worship.
Of course, “ascribing worth” to God does not increase His worthiness; rather, it recognizes His intrinsic worth and expresses how much He is worth to us personally (and corporately, for that matter). Worship, then, doesn’t begin with an outward act, but an inward attitude, an ultimate regard for God that then overflows in external expression.
Treasuring the Treasure
The two-sentence story Jesus tells in Matthew 13:44 never uses the word “worship,” but it gets right to the heart of the issue. The intrinsic worth of the object the man found is expressed in the use of the word “treasure,” but the we don’t see what the treasure means to the man until we see his reaction to it. And from his reaction, we can see that he indeed “treasures” the treasure!
Note what he does. He doesn’t sing songs to the treasure or visit it every Sunday from 10:00 to 11:30. No, first he hides it so he won’t lose it to someone else, then he runs out and sells everything he has to get enough money to buy the hiding place. Maybe I said that too fast: everything he has.
Not grudgingly or hesitantly. Joyfully! To him, this treasure means everything. Worth more than every other possession in his life. And there’s the heart of worship (Exodus 20:3).
Ascribing Worth to God
When God becomes our treasure, everything else in our lives bows to Him in worship. Our inner attitude will shape our outer choices. Sometimes radically so.
Our love for Him will inform our priorities, influence our decisions and, at times, interrupt our schedules. We will cherish opportunities to tell others what He’s like and what He’s done. And we’ll anticipate those times of worship when we can express to Him directly how great He is and much he means to us.
The heart that treasures God is a heart that has discovered what it means to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Joyfully!
*This post originally appeared on Chris’ personal blog, Sing Louder Musings.
Question: What Would You Say To Jesus Today, Good Friday?
Friday, April 10th, 2009
Today is Good Friday. Today is the day of which it is written, For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)). And a new covenant was cut in the blood of the Prince of Peace.
What would you say to Jesus today?
Read full post...
Today is Good Friday. Today is the day of which it is written, For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)). And a new covenant was cut in the blood of the Prince of Peace.
What would you say to Jesus today?
Question: What Do You Think of Donald Miller?
Thursday, April 9th, 2009
Don Miller: author of Blue Like Jazz and To Own A Dragon, pray-er at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, founder of The Mentoring Project, an “organization that exists to inspire and equip the faith community to provide positive male role models to boys between the ages of 7 and 14.”
Have you heard of him? Have you read him? What do you think of him and his work as an author or through The Mentoring Project?
Read full post...
Don Miller: author of Blue Like Jazz and To Own A Dragon, pray-er at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, founder of The Mentoring Project, an “organization that exists to inspire and equip the faith community to provide positive male role models to boys between the ages of 7 and 14.”
Have you heard of him? Have you read him? What do you think of him and his work as an author or through The Mentoring Project?
Leading Worship at UNH’s Campus Easter Service Tonight
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
Would you partner with me in tonight’s event by praying? Pray for anointing. Pray for transformation.
What a joy and privilege to have been invited to lead worship on campus! Thanks to all the campus ministries for the invitation to join you in this.
7:00 PM in the Strafford Room in the MUB.
Thanks, prayers!
Read full post...
Would you partner with me in tonight’s event by praying? Pray for anointing. Pray for transformation.
What a joy and privilege to have been invited to lead worship on campus! Thanks to all the campus ministries for the invitation to join you in this.
7:00 PM in the Strafford Room in the MUB.
Thanks, prayers!
A Worshiper Engages With God
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
- Psalm 27:8 (ESV)
God the Initiator
From the beginning of time, God’s people have been called to engage with God Himself. In fact, God has always been the initiator in that calling. He came to the garden in the cool of the day to walk with Adam & Eve. He called His people out of Egypt to hold a feast to Him (Exodus 5:1). He said to David, “Seek my face.” And today, He seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:23). He speaks and His sheep, recognizing His voice, follow Him (John 10:27). Again and again, God initiates and calls and pursues people to engage with Him.
A Lifestyle of Engaging
It sounds so simple to say that worshipers “engage with God,” but it is also profoundly true. I say this realizing that the implication is that there are those in the church who do not engage with God. Maybe they don’t know how, or don’t know that God wants them to. Maybe they’re too busy. Maybe they are more comfortable engaging with the church and Christian activities than with God Himself. Or one of a hundred other reasons.
But what I am saying is that worship & engaging with God are matters of discipleship, and can be nurtured and deepened in a believer’s life. I am also saying they are not limited to service time on Sunday morning! The invitation is 24/7. The calling is constant.
Responding to the Invitation
A worshiper is someone who has learned to recognize that invitation and respond to it. They seek God, talk to Him and listen for His voice. They draw near to God (James 4:8), run to Him with thanks and praise (Luke 17:15-16), with need (Hebrews 4:16), or with confession (Psalm 51).
Worshipers are inspiring people to have in your life because, due to their familiarity with God’s voice and ways, they can see God in places where others can’t, and they recognize his hand behind life’s circumstances, and they love to bring Him into any and every situation.
Has anyone got the corner on this market? Of course not, but worshipers are simply those who are deliberate about their pursuit of and engagement with God. They know it’s a process, but they are glad to be intentional about it.
*This post originally appeared on Chris’ personal blog, Sing Louder Musings.
Read full post...
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
- Psalm 27:8 (ESV)
God the Initiator
From the beginning of time, God’s people have been called to engage with God Himself. In fact, God has always been the initiator in that calling. He came to the garden in the cool of the day to walk with Adam & Eve. He called His people out of Egypt to hold a feast to Him (Exodus 5:1). He said to David, “Seek my face.” And today, He seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:23). He speaks and His sheep, recognizing His voice, follow Him (John 10:27). Again and again, God initiates and calls and pursues people to engage with Him.
A Lifestyle of Engaging
It sounds so simple to say that worshipers “engage with God,” but it is also profoundly true. I say this realizing that the implication is that there are those in the church who do not engage with God. Maybe they don’t know how, or don’t know that God wants them to. Maybe they’re too busy. Maybe they are more comfortable engaging with the church and Christian activities than with God Himself. Or one of a hundred other reasons.
But what I am saying is that worship & engaging with God are matters of discipleship, and can be nurtured and deepened in a believer’s life. I am also saying they are not limited to service time on Sunday morning! The invitation is 24/7. The calling is constant.
Responding to the Invitation
A worshiper is someone who has learned to recognize that invitation and respond to it. They seek God, talk to Him and listen for His voice. They draw near to God (James 4:8), run to Him with thanks and praise (Luke 17:15-16), with need (Hebrews 4:16), or with confession (Psalm 51).
Worshipers are inspiring people to have in your life because, due to their familiarity with God’s voice and ways, they can see God in places where others can’t, and they recognize his hand behind life’s circumstances, and they love to bring Him into any and every situation.
Has anyone got the corner on this market? Of course not, but worshipers are simply those who are deliberate about their pursuit of and engagement with God. They know it’s a process, but they are glad to be intentional about it.
*This post originally appeared on Chris’ personal blog, Sing Louder Musings.
What A Great Palm Sunday
Sunday, April 5th, 2009
I hope you had as great a day of worship as I did. First of all, I love the sight of the church in worship. Psalm 33:1 says,
Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright. (ESV)
or
Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. (KJV)
And I have to agree: praise makes the church look great!
But I especially loved the chance to lead the kids in worship. They are some of my favorite people in the church, and they were lifting it up to Jesus today:
He knows me
He loves me
He wants me
He hears me when I call
He formed me
He sees me
Never leaves me
He hears me when I call.*
Yeah, today was a great day. God is a great God. Hosanna!
*from Tommy Walker’s “He Knows My Name,” 1996 Doulos Publishing (Maranatha! Music [Admin. by Music Services]
[update 4/8/09: changed category]
Read full post...
I hope you had as great a day of worship as I did. First of all, I love the sight of the church in worship. Psalm 33:1 says,
Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright. (ESV)
or
Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. (KJV)
And I have to agree: praise makes the church look great!
But I especially loved the chance to lead the kids in worship. They are some of my favorite people in the church, and they were lifting it up to Jesus today:
He knows me
He loves me
He wants me
He hears me when I callHe formed me
He sees me
Never leaves me
He hears me when I call.*
Yeah, today was a great day. God is a great God. Hosanna!
*from Tommy Walker’s “He Knows My Name,” 1996 Doulos Publishing (Maranatha! Music [Admin. by Music Services]
[update 4/8/09: changed category]