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I have a little dog named Fozzy. On command he can sit, heal, down, and (from time to time) he even considers obeying the stay command for a few moments. After watching this video, I found myself doing what all great art causes me to do – think.
It is an awe inspiring, fascinating display of synchronicity between master and subordinate. I kept thinking about the amount of training, rehearsing and practice that the master and subordinate spent. They must have started with simple moves, always adding more complex moves and then stringing them together. I loved watching the dog and how it so often had it’s head up and kept it’s eyes on the master.
After watching a dog move with that kind of unison, I wanted to give myself to a more intentional discipleship process. While most days it seems like I have trouble with simple commands like sit, heal and stay, I really do want to “dance” with my master. I long to train with Him, rehearse with Him, practice the “dance” with Him. I want to feel the approval of my Master at the end of the “dance” when He says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”.
Last week I took some of TJN’s Staff and our Church Chairman to an awesome event. A growing number of church leaders recognize that the Gospel has an important role in overcoming the barriers and the disparities that divide us. Over 225 people attended the “Coming Together” leadership conference for multicultural ministry on October 17.
Listen to the audio report to hear what participants said, and view a simple presentation that gives a snapshot of racial and cultural diversity in the Twin Cities today.
^ Worship during the opening plenary session in the sanctuary at Christ’s Church International.
^ Jim Olson from Bethel Christian Fellowship, introducing keynote speaker Michael Emerson.
^ Dr. Michael Emerson, keynote message “The color wall: Why we need multiethnic churches.” (Click here to view ppt presentation).
^ Workshop led by Edna Geddes on marriage & family counseling in multi racial/ multi cultural settings.
^ Workshop led by Efrem Smith, “Three streams of the Black Church in America.”
^ Workshop led by Pastors David Myles (L) and Rick Ensrud (R) of Brooklyn Park Evangelical Free Church.
^ Lunch time forum led by Jin S. Kim and Efrem Smith, addressing the legacy of race in America and its impact on churches and society today.
^ Workshop led by Jin S. Kim.
^ Rev. Cheryl Sanders speaking during closing plenary session.
^ Conference Participants.
^ Closing prayer.
Last week I wrote about going to see Fireproof with Elizabeth. Here are a few fun facts that I just read:
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Three Weekends … Three Cheers! When FIREPROOF released on September 26, it left movie-industry experts astounded as it opened with the second-highest per-screen average of films and a No. 4 position overall. When the film remained in the top 10 in its second week, those same experts were left without an explanation. Imagine their thoughts today! This past weekend, the beginning of its third week in theaters, FIREPROOF once again finished in the top 10! And that’s on a week that had four films each opening in more than 2,000 theaters and 17 movies playing in more theaters than the 875 that FIREPROOF played in. FIREPROOF also finished with the fourth-highest per-screen average of the top-10 films. As people were preparing for last weekend, FIREPROOF was the No. 3 film on Fandango. Moviegoers also reported screens being sold out in theaters where the movie has been playing since late September. That’s three straight weeks in the top 10 … for a movie made by a church! Isn’t it time to see FIREPROOF again … or for the first time? |
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So Much More Than Numbers Through its first 17 days, more than 2 million people have seen FIREPROOF in theaters across the country. While that is another figure that confounds Hollywood, by looking only at numbers, the experts are missing out at what is at the heart of FIREPROOF: a God-honoring story that is impacting individuals and couples. This is a movie that’s making its mark … in more ways than one. We received this story from Patti on FireprooftheMovie.com this weekend: “I’ve seen FIREPROOF twice so far and thought it was wonderful. As one of the leaders of the Single Adults ministry in our church, I find that it is sometimes heartbreaking to receive new members. Keep in mind almost every time we get a new member, it is because another marriage has failed. The good news is that one of my friends and newest member of our group saw FIREPROOF with her estranged husband, and together they have decided to reunite. FIREPROOF does not guarantee the recovery will be easy, but it does encourage us all to believe that it can happen. Thank you for giving us a wonderful and entertaining visual.”
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Opening In Dozens of New Theaters This coming Friday, FIREPROOF will open in more than 90 new theaters as well. If you live in one of those cities (or have friends that do), now is your chance to see what all of the excitement is about. But don’t take our word; see what Aaron has to say: “My wife and I saw this movie the other night, and what a blessing it was! How awesome to see a movie in the theaters that has obviously been put together by God. We are telling everyone we see about this movie. You yourself may not be going through a tough time in your marriage, but chances are, you know someone that is. Let them know about this movie. Better yet, take them to see it. It’s a movie that you want to watch again and again as soon as you are done watching it.”
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We are in the midst of 40 Days of Purpose. Next week Rick Warren will be teaching us that we were made for Mission. Tonight is our Missions banquet and so I thought I would combine next Sunday’s video, a few videos from our guest speaker Jorage Pinto and some thoughts from RW:
When you think of the limitation in your life, you may be tempted to conclude, “God could never use me.” But God is never limited by our limitations. Sometimes, however, God turns strength into a weakness in order to use us even more.
God’s ultimate goal for your life on Earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it.
We allow Christ to live through us. “For this is the secret: Christ lives in you.”Colossians 1:27 (NLT)
Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship will likely be in your darkest days – when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you’re out of options, when the pain is great – and you turn to God alone.
Everything that happens to you has spiritual significance. Everything! Romans 8:28-29 (NLT) explains why: ”We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.”
Character development always involves a choice, and temptation provides that opportunity. Temptations keep us dependent upon God. Just as the roots grow stronger when wind blows against a tree, so every time you stand up to a temptation you become more like Jesus.
Instead of giving in or giving up, look up to God, expect him to help you, and remember the reward that is waiting for you: “When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. After they have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever.” James 1:12 (NCV)
YOU WERE CREATED TO SERVE GOD. “God has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10b (TEV) These “good deeds” are your service to the world. Whenever you serve others in any way, you are actually serving God and fulfilling one of your purposes.
YOU WERE SAVED TO SERVE GOD. Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just immediately take us to Heaven the moment we accept his grace? Once you are saved, God intends to use you for his goals. God has a ministry for you in his church and a mission for you in the world.
YOU ARE CALLED TO SERVE GOD. The Bible says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT) Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important.
YOU ARE COMMANDED TO SERVE GOD. The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, “Who’s going to meet my needs?” and starts asking, “Whose needs can I meet?” Do you ever ask that question? One day God will compare how much time and energy we spent on ourselves compared with what we invested in serving others.
I am a Blackberry guy and am stoked that YouVersion and the LifeChurch.tv Digerati Team has just launched a Bible App.
A lot of us get tons of information online. I read news, blogs and google on my Blackberry. I use my Blackberry for quick emails and calendar. It is great to finally have a great Bible application.
I have been reading a lot to the kids lately. There is a new book by former Minnesotan Susan Meissner, that is perfect for young ladies called The Shape of Mercy.
Summary: Lauren Durough is a college student longing to break free of family expectations when she stumbles into a project for eighty year old Abigail Boyles—transcribing the journals of Mercy Hayworth, a seventeenth-century victim of the Massachusetts witch trials. Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with the mysterious Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to discovering the candid truth, Lauren must earnestly ask if she is playing the role of helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and recognize who she really is?
In our high-pressure, success-oriented culture, readers will identify with Lauren’s struggle to forge her own identity separate from the plan her family designed for her. Offering intrigue, romance, and heartbreaking drama, this contemporary novel with a historical twist conveys the intense beauty that emerges when we see how our stories affect the lives of others.
Author Bio: From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner’s love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego, California. Find out more about her at www.susanmeissner.com.
Paul Johnson, Senior Vice-President of the Converge Worldwide/BGC, Tom Nebel, the Director of Global Church Planting and Leadership Development and Gary Rohrmayer, the National Director of ConvergeUSA. Listen in as they have an informative conversation on the history of TeAmerica and the future of ConvergeUSA. Click Here to Listen
Here is a great post for all our worship arts folks, that a blogger (Rich Kirkpatrick) I really like just posted:
I love the knobs on these pedals. Each device colors sound. Boutique amps with tubes and well-chosen guitars to get that “tone” require a passion that if you are not a guitar player you might not relate to. However, you should. As a keyboardist and vocalists, do I put the same passion in my instrument? Do I invest money, time and energy into my craft? Really, this is a good question.
Often times it is hard to get vocalists to rehearse their parts, or invest in equipment. Granted, most instrumentalists, regardless of instrument, have had to invest years and many dollars in lessons and gear to get to where they are at today. Some vocalists seem to sing naturally and like the center stage without the knowledge of building a craft. Now, I am a vocalist. I have invested years in training and have learned piano, guitar and theory and studied at a music trade school. I am not here to pick on vocalists, but we are an easy target.
Here are some things for all worship team people to consider:
- Investing in gear is appropriate. Especially when we are talking about sounds that relate and move people in today’s culture. Singers might want to invest in a mic or in wireless in-ear monitors, which combined would not be nearly the cost of a decent guitar and amp.
- Investing in skill is the part of any call to ministry. (Psalm 33:3) Taking lessons or keeping your skills sharp are important for any worship team member. What steps have you taken or can you take to improve your skill?
- Compare your craft to the pros, not your current worship team. What I mean here is that we need to aim higher than ourselves. What artists out there are leading the way? Do we take the same passion a performer has to the act of leading worship?
- You may have the passion, but not the skill or talent. I believe it when people want to join my worship team and state that they have a passion for worship. But, not all have the gifting to actually lead people in that passion. Sometimes a passion for worship does not translate into being able to lead worship.
- The Worship Team is not for everyone, even if music is for everyone. The point is that music should be played by everyone. But, not in public! So, dust off your guitar, but if you cannot be effective with it in a public setting do not fret. You are not entitled to be up front. No one is, actually. Why should we make people suffer due to our lack of skill in our church services.
Well, it was a date with Elizabeth, so I couldn’t easily get out. Yesterday we took some friends to see the new movie FireProof. I had heard it was about relationships and that it was going to be another one of those sappy Christian movies. Fifteen minutes in I thought I was going to die.
Under any other circumstance I would have been out of the theater because the movie started so incredibly hookey and poorly acted. Somehow, my instincts kick in and I knew, that I knew, that I knew, the rest of my week would be sabotaged if I left the theater in hopes of finding a movie where things blew up. So, I huckered down and put on the best face.
The movie is about Lt. Caleb Holt who lives by the old firefighter’s adage: Never leave your partner behind. Inside burning buildings, it’s his natural instinct. In the cooling embers of his marriage, it’s another story.
After a decade of marriage, Caleb and Catherine Holt have drifted so far apart that they are ready to move on without each other. Yet as they prepare to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb’s dad asks his son to try an experiment: The Love Dare.
As the movie progressed, I found myself caring less and less about the movie and more and more about my relationship with Elizabeth. I want to take the “Love Dare”. I would never have believed this movie would have the kind of impact it has had on me these past 24 hours. And if anyone talks to my wife and she says I cried… it’s not true… I just had something in my eye. That’s all!
President Jerry Sheveland of the Baptist General Conference, in his recent briefing announced the following:
Dr. Jerry Sheveland
On April 3 and 4 the overseers of the Baptist General Conference approved a new missional name and staff restructuring that we all believe will better help us to accomplish our one mission across the world. Let me tell you first about the new missional name. There are three words that we will use as a tag line that describe the strategy of how we do our mission. Those words are Connect, Ignite and Transform. By connect we mean bringing people together in relational unity in which they can learn from one another. Ignite refers to our strong belief that ministry is first and foremost the work of God. It is only when the Holy Spirit ignites our lives, and when we follow the Lord Jesus, that we can truly do the mission that the Father has assigned us. Transform refers to the impact of spiritual ministry. When we work together by the power of the Holy Spirit we will see more people come to faith, more churches start and we will even see transformation in our communities. We feel these words best describe what we are seeking to do as a movement of churches.”
“Our new missional name really flows out of the intersection of those three words, Connect, Ignite and Transform. The name is Converge Worldwide. The idea is that we come together expecting God to guide us and empower us to accomplish his mission. This doesn’t mean that we lose our formal name, Baptist General Conference. We will always be proud of our core convictions as Baptists and our rich history. The missional name and tag line will help us to focus on God’s key work for us in this generation. When we use the word Converge, we picture connecting God’s people to God’s purposes so that lives and communities might be impacted by Christ’s love worldwide.”
Take sometime to listen to Dr. Jerry Sheveland’s vision casting message he shared at the Annual meeting in June.
