I was blessed this last week by a visit to our Seminary Campus by C.J. Mahaney and his worship leader Bob Kauphlin.
Here are the links to the two Chapel services. I was only able to attend a brief session on leadership and then Chapel on Thursday when he spoke on conflicts. They were both excellent times and well worth listening to.
"Cravings and Conflicts"
"Leadership in the Local Church"
I hope that he will be invited again.
God uses us when we least expect it.
10.30.2006
After the Bon-Fire
Ok, so the day after the Bon-Fire Christian wanted to help me clean up and get all the thrown pumpkin bits out of the field. So we worked on it together. He is really a good helper when he wants to be!
Caden didn't really want anything to do with picking up pumpkins, however he was all interested in the hay bales! I don't know how many times I told him, not to pull them apart. The survived and will be used for Trunk-or-Treat.
Trunk-or-Treat is tommorow night. Instead of Halloween the church has become a popular sight to pick up candy and to present the message of Christ. We, my wife, boys, and I have been hard at work getting things prepared. I have helped make a video presentation that we will show in the church garage. The hostess team will hand out hot apple-cider. There will be hayrides and plenty of church members handing out candy like my wife, at their trunks in the church parking lot.
Lots of details to make something like this happen effectively. But I believe this year, we might have got things at least in some order.
My friend and partner in crime, Jill, has worked hard as well. I mean both Jills have worked hard, but I have to say that there is a lot more to all this than I thought.
We pray that lives will be touch and people will see Christ in us and be drawn to Him.
In all of these let Christ be glorified.
Caden didn't really want anything to do with picking up pumpkins, however he was all interested in the hay bales! I don't know how many times I told him, not to pull them apart. The survived and will be used for Trunk-or-Treat.
Trunk-or-Treat is tommorow night. Instead of Halloween the church has become a popular sight to pick up candy and to present the message of Christ. We, my wife, boys, and I have been hard at work getting things prepared. I have helped make a video presentation that we will show in the church garage. The hostess team will hand out hot apple-cider. There will be hayrides and plenty of church members handing out candy like my wife, at their trunks in the church parking lot.
Lots of details to make something like this happen effectively. But I believe this year, we might have got things at least in some order.
My friend and partner in crime, Jill, has worked hard as well. I mean both Jills have worked hard, but I have to say that there is a lot more to all this than I thought.
We pray that lives will be touch and people will see Christ in us and be drawn to Him.
In all of these let Christ be glorified.
Life as of late
I can't say that I have been busy every moment of every day. I can say however that time has a way of standing still and moving past me as fast as the cartoon character "Hammy" on "Over the Hedge"....which by the way if you have not seen this movie it is hilarious.
So...I thought I might clue everyone in on what I have been thinking and doing and such.
First, let me say that I love youth ministry. Every time I see the lights go on inside the heads and hearts of the young people I am working with I get so excited. God is truly doing great things. Our youth nights, Wednesdays and Sundays have been averaging around 16-19 youth. They seem to be tuning in to what is being shared with them through the presentations and discussion. I really have been praying that God will prepare these young people to see Him at work and join Him.
We had a Bon-Fire at our house on the 20th. It was a good time. We had over 30 people show up! This is counting everyone of course including adults, however, it was a good time just to chill around the fire and have fun with some games, and invite some friends.
We will be doing more activities in the future, however there are a few activities that we will embark on soon that I want everyone to be in prayer about. We will be going on a ski-retreat in January at PerfectNorth in Ohio. It is going to be centered around the "Five Love Languages of Teenagers." Parents and youth will all be aboard as we will travel together to gain insight and understanding on how we can love each other more. The family unit will be ephasized and hopefully there will be a time of parental bonding that will ensue. Of course, I have read that you plan and event like this and then it flops and then you plan it again and it flops and then after flopping again on the third try you begin to finally see fruit. So...I will wait patiently as God works in the lives of His children.
My life does seem to be hectic, but not untolerably hectic.
I know that without my wife it would be literally impossible. I just don't know how to show her that she means the world to me. Pray that I will be the husband she needs. I want to be that man, a Godly man.
So...I thought I might clue everyone in on what I have been thinking and doing and such.
First, let me say that I love youth ministry. Every time I see the lights go on inside the heads and hearts of the young people I am working with I get so excited. God is truly doing great things. Our youth nights, Wednesdays and Sundays have been averaging around 16-19 youth. They seem to be tuning in to what is being shared with them through the presentations and discussion. I really have been praying that God will prepare these young people to see Him at work and join Him.
We had a Bon-Fire at our house on the 20th. It was a good time. We had over 30 people show up! This is counting everyone of course including adults, however, it was a good time just to chill around the fire and have fun with some games, and invite some friends.
We will be doing more activities in the future, however there are a few activities that we will embark on soon that I want everyone to be in prayer about. We will be going on a ski-retreat in January at PerfectNorth in Ohio. It is going to be centered around the "Five Love Languages of Teenagers." Parents and youth will all be aboard as we will travel together to gain insight and understanding on how we can love each other more. The family unit will be ephasized and hopefully there will be a time of parental bonding that will ensue. Of course, I have read that you plan and event like this and then it flops and then you plan it again and it flops and then after flopping again on the third try you begin to finally see fruit. So...I will wait patiently as God works in the lives of His children.
My life does seem to be hectic, but not untolerably hectic.
I know that without my wife it would be literally impossible. I just don't know how to show her that she means the world to me. Pray that I will be the husband she needs. I want to be that man, a Godly man.
10.09.2006
I've been thinking...
Really, I have been thinking. I have thought about so many things lately it kind of hurts my mind to think of all the things. But let me at least divulge some of my pains...
First, let me say that by no means do I have the corner of the market on what true worship is, but I am pretty sure that I have come to understand what it is not.
Worship is not self-centered or self-focused. I am sure that when God invented worship He even thought you know in English it looks as if it contains an i but really the i should be not even thought of! It really should be spelled Worshp. I think it totally could be spelled that way and no one would ever even miss a beat.
I guess this comes up because of late I have found that many define worshp at least within the singing part of a worshp service as being something that really is meant for them to "experience" but not really to glorify God. Yes, I have a big problem with this....
We should experience the awesomeness of the presence of God as we commune with Him in worshp, but just as I spelled it...it should not contain an "i" Worshp should focus on the One and Only True and Living God...and nothing else...if we are "experiencing" God at that time it should be only because at that very moment God has lavished His Spirit on us in a way that we might enjoy His presence. We are not to be seeking a "feeling" or an it, but rather a Him! We should be seeking to please Him.
I have heard it said so many times that God is our audience of One...this is true to a point, but it really almost gives us to much credit... as if we have anything that might amuse God. Like a Jester before the royal court, we are fools to think that we have anything but foolishness to show before the King. However, as we offer up our filthy rags in obedience, He quickly turns them in to beautiful garbs of righteousness fit for His glory and splendor. We are to be instruments of praise to the one who created us, not self-righteous, self-seeking fools.
God forgive me for being the fool so many times before You, make me into your very image that I might be an instrument of Your Glory.
First, let me say that by no means do I have the corner of the market on what true worship is, but I am pretty sure that I have come to understand what it is not.
Worship is not self-centered or self-focused. I am sure that when God invented worship He even thought you know in English it looks as if it contains an i but really the i should be not even thought of! It really should be spelled Worshp. I think it totally could be spelled that way and no one would ever even miss a beat.
I guess this comes up because of late I have found that many define worshp at least within the singing part of a worshp service as being something that really is meant for them to "experience" but not really to glorify God. Yes, I have a big problem with this....
We should experience the awesomeness of the presence of God as we commune with Him in worshp, but just as I spelled it...it should not contain an "i" Worshp should focus on the One and Only True and Living God...and nothing else...if we are "experiencing" God at that time it should be only because at that very moment God has lavished His Spirit on us in a way that we might enjoy His presence. We are not to be seeking a "feeling" or an it, but rather a Him! We should be seeking to please Him.
I have heard it said so many times that God is our audience of One...this is true to a point, but it really almost gives us to much credit... as if we have anything that might amuse God. Like a Jester before the royal court, we are fools to think that we have anything but foolishness to show before the King. However, as we offer up our filthy rags in obedience, He quickly turns them in to beautiful garbs of righteousness fit for His glory and splendor. We are to be instruments of praise to the one who created us, not self-righteous, self-seeking fools.
God forgive me for being the fool so many times before You, make me into your very image that I might be an instrument of Your Glory.
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