Last night on American Idol, Adam Lambert killed it with this song:
This is the only song that my dad knows on guitar. Seriously, I remember going to parties with my parents, he would play guitar, and this was the only song he played. My realization that I’ve come to? This is the only “good” memory that I have of my dad. I have some daddy issues (wasn’t good enough, neglected, came from a single parent home, etc.). Cynthia pointed this out to me when I told her the story of this song and my dad. She was talking about how it was sad that I don’t really have good memories of my dad.
I wrote about it before, but man, I am glad that I learned to love and trust God as my father…
Nicole posted her YouTube Crush. It was this nerd:
He’s alright, but this is my YouTube Crush. He does covers and he also does orginals. If I could be anybody who wasn’t totally famous, it would be this guy. This is his cover of Ben Harper’s “Show Me a Little Shame”. Check out his cover of Amos Lee’s “Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight” and The Postal Service’s cover of Iron and Wine’s “Such Great Heights” amongst his many other videos.
Today’s service went well. One thing that I have found that I have been tending to do a lot is get lost in worship. I sing the songs with all I have to Jesus and it is just me and him…and that’s not a good thing. I’ve found myself not leading at all, but instead I am simply self serving. So today I intentionally looked at people while leading. I used to do this a lot when I first started leading in worship bands. For some reason it got away from me. i am so thankful that I have realized it, and i feel like i am actually leading again. My hope is that it is engaging that much more for people. It’s funny because when we lead worship we call it “engaging” but when we are simply playing somewhere else we call it “working the stage”.
So engaging others is something that I am going to work on as I begin getting back to basics of worship. My friend Bryce B. gave me this word for our worship the other day. We’ve gotten so far away from the basics that our worship and relationship with Jesus has become complicated at times. So as I bring my worship leading back to basics I will begin by engaging others and inviting them along for the ride.
Face to Face - Paul Baloche is a worship song machine. He just keeps pumping them out. this one is one of favorites of his. Promises of Jesus’ glory and miracles. I love it.
Holy is the Lord - Everytime I get ready to retire this one for a while, we play it one more time and it is well recieved by our congregation. This happens with many songs on many weeks.
My Jesus I Love Thee - Classic song. People worship well to it. I wonder if it is the words or the memories that it may evoke in some folks. Either way, I would hope that it is because people are worshipping Jesus first and foremost.
Amazing Love - Baron asked for an extra song this week. We haven’t done this one in a LONG while. This was a Spirit touched selection. Fit the sermon, fit the service, Jesus was worshipped even more so through this song.
isn’t it funny that we Christians condemn Christian artists for not talking about Jesus enough, but when an artist who wasn’t thought to be christian talks about the Divine we claim them as our own…
Seriously? What is so important that you have to talk on the phone at full volume while you are in line and then whisper your order to me, only to return to your conversation while looking at me like you are annoyed because I am asking you to pay?
HTD (here’s the deal). If you are on the phone, step aside and finish your conversation so that the person/people behind you can order. Or better yet, hang up. It’s simple really. Otherwise, your cell phone conversation looks like a big middle finger in my face.
So here’s what I’m going to do as this continues: While you are having your conversation after you order, I am going to call your order to the barista (as required of me) only I will do it at a slightly louder volume than usual. I will also tell you how much you owe me, only again I will do this at a slightly louder (but still courteous) volume. Yes, I realize that this will annoy you, but really, isn’t this what you are doing to me and others?
So Mr/Mrs/Ms Cell Phone user, I ask this of you. Please hang up and order, or let others after you order first.
Today, as we continued through the season of Lent, we looked at the idea of the filters that we see Christiansity through. I found myself sitting through the service thinking about the idea of the filters and what we see in the church today. This idea of filters really exposes the ideas that are stemming throughout the church today (i.e. missional, mega, whatever the trend is at the time). At RCC, our ethos is shown through our actions and our mission. We didn’t do this because we go with the flow of the latest chruch movement, or we read a book and really like what it had to say. We did this, because our filter of the gospel showed us that our mission is to Love God and Love Neighbor. So that being said, here is the Sunday Set List for this week (all the links are YouTube clips of vids of the song some are serious, some are to help you see what the song sounds like, and some are goofy or funny):
Yahweh – This is a U2 song off of their “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”. My favorite lyric is “take these lips, so quick to criticize. take these lips give them a kiss”.
Blessed Be Your Name - Everytime I pull this song I feel like it could be put to rest for a little bit. But then we play it and it feels like it speaks deeper and deeper to the congregation and they don’t really mind that we are singing this song again. Sometimes I sing the bridge (You give and take away) with the melody of U2’s “with or without you” (You give yourself away) so that it says: You give and take away/ and you give and take away/ and you give/ and you give/ and you give and take away. Usually leading into the hook of “I can’t live/ with or without you” back into the Chorus of Blessed be…
Jesus, You’re the Light - A new song that I introduced to the congregation. It’s a reflection tune that is a prayer for Jesus to shine light on us to reveal sin, not just to lead us to Him but instead to be closer to him.
Because of Your Love - One of my favorite Paul Baloche tunes. We took out the “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” part and put a bit of a Dave Matthews groove to it. This is a great song that helps to remind us what God has done for us and how we got here in our faith.
Trust and Obey – Love this hymn. A call for the church to be the church and trust God and obey the Holy Spirits leading.
Here’s a question: What is the value of the homeless in our church today. If we are to do to the least of these, then what value do we place on the dirtiest of these? I once worked at a church where a pastor said, “maybe we could bus the homeless over to the video venue…they might be more comfortable there, don’t you think?” No joke, I was not happy about it. To give this story context, we were talking about the homeless program at the church bringing people in and how they disrupt the service or make people uncomfortable.
So, I ask again: What value does the church place on a dirty, no money having, probably still drunk, disrupting the service bum?
My friends Kelly and Tricia Huckaby are going to Zambia. Not on a mission trip, but selling everything they have (literally) and moving to Zambia for a few years. Kelly and Tricia are keeping us informed on Zambia and the goings on. Check out their family blog here at the Huckablog and in my blogroll as they prepare for their future endeavors!!!
Here’s a question: What is the value of the homeless in our church today. If we are to do to the least of these, then what value do we place on the dirtiest of these? I once worked at a church where a pastor said, “maybe we could bus the homeless over to the video venue…they might be more comfortable there, don’t you think?” No joke, I was not happy about it. To give this story context, we were talking about the homeless program at the church bringing people in and how they disrupt the service or make people uncomfortable.
