Daily Audio Bible Podcast--The Word on The Run!

One of the things I'm enjoying the most in my morning exercise time is listening to the DAILY AUDIO BIBLE podcast. Each morning I get a new download with an Old Testament reading, New Testament reading, a Psalm and a proverb.

Each morning it is comforting as I walk/run to hear God's word spoken over me. As I'm trying to get in shape physically, God's working on my heart to make me inwardly strong.

They even have a podcast for kids--which I think is pretty forward thinking. Might just get Daniel to pull it up and give it a listen.

What other "digital" resources have you found that are encouraging to you?

A Family Affair--OKLAHOMA

Part of the fun this week has been the families that have participated in this production. We've had families with 4 or more members participating. These are their pictures. What better way than to spend time together in the theater.

Worship Confessional, August 9, 2009

This post is part of Sunday Set Lists over on Fred McKinnon's blog.


Set List

Start Small--Opening video (ShiftWorship) a great thinking opener--find something to praise and thank the Lord about this week.

I HAVE A HOPE (Walker) Second week for this song.. I love it!

Welcome/Announcements/Offering

BLESSED BE YOUR NAME (Redman)

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL (Hymn Charts arr.)

WHO CAN SATISFY (Jernigan) This section of songs was extremely powerful today. We had the family of the twins that passed away in our service today. I had no idea when I planned the service a couple of weeks ago that we would be singing these songs about hope and grace in the midst of the storms of life. Wow--Holy Spirit was there.

Morning Message-Jonah: Is Your God In A Box?

GOD OF THIS CITY (G3 arr.)
Only 1 more week in Jonah. We've intentionally slowed down the use of new songs this summer in order to "stay" with a song until it a catches on in the congregation. This has been very different for me--but it's been good as the congregation can immediately join in and contribute. I think when I looked last week that we had done GOD OF THIS CITY 4 times, BIG ENOUGH GOD 6 times and RESCUE three times in this 8 week period.

How was your Sunday?

OKLAHOMA

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Make New Friends... But Keep The Old

Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.
New-made friendships, like new wine,
Age will mellow and refine.
Friendships that have stood the test -
Time and change - are surely best;
Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray,
Friendship never knows decay.
For 'mid old friends, tried and true,
Once more we our youth renew.
But old friends, alas! may die,
New friends must their place supply.
Cherish friendship in your breast-
New is good, but old is best;
Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.
Joseph Parry

Goodbyes are hard. Layne left this morning for Corsicana. He stopped by the hotel where our friends, The Rayburnes, were staying. I knew this morning would be hard, but it was doubly so saying goodbye to him and them at the same time.

Good friends across the years. They make the journey worth it.

Only A Twin Would Understand

Today's funeral for the two Dillard twin boys reminded me of something; there are just some things that only twins understand about each other. There is an unmistakeable bond between twins--and I'm not talking the psychic stuff.

Hearing the stories today of the Dillard boys and how they took up for each other and fought with each other reminded me of the times I spent with my brother Jon. We were together from womb

to High school graduation; sharing birthday parties, classrooms, Boys Scouts and RA Basketball.

Jon and I get along great and he's one of my advisers when I need another perspective. We're different in personality (I'm artsy and he's analytical) but we compliment each other in many ways. We even married girs with similar names (Jon married De Ann--I married Diane)

I texted Jon afterwards-- I don't tell him often enough how much I love having a brother.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN!

Twelve years have gone by today son; it seems just like yesterday when they were telling me you were on the way. I can remember the moment you entered this world-screaming at the top of your lungs.

Twelve years have passed by; so many parties and places and friends. I hope this day you'll have a blast as you play with your block buddies and enjoy the last days of summer.

Thanks for the joy you've brought to our lives...and by the way, stay out of my ice cream sandwiches in the ice box!

Happy BirthdayDoodle Bug!

I Will Run The Race

Today begins week two of my running regiment. It's gonna be a slow process, but I think I can do it.

Back in 2002/2003 I was a prolific runner, doing 5k's and 10k's and really feeling good about myself and what I was accomplishing. Later in 2003 my world fell apart at church and I began to coast physically (still going to a gym) but not paying particular attention to my progress (or lack of) and my eating patterns.

When I arrived here in 2005 I started to run again, but the fire and desire of running had gone out. Again, I let my circumstances dictate my health and well being and thus found myself this year at a whopping 40 pounds heavier than when I arrived in 2005.

I began a walking regiment in April slowly building up from 1 mile to 2 and finally up to 8 miles and beyond. People have seen me walking all over the place and have questioned me why I'm out and about so far. I tell them not to worry, that is my time with God and with myself. I tell them to worry if they see me toting along a suitcase.

Last week I began to run again. I set myself some goals ("make it to the end of the block", "make it to the CVS on College", "make it Citibank" and today "make it to the Smith's on Ave. V") I'm amazed at each day when I pass where I was yesterday that I feel a little more confident. I have a little more spring and capacity in my lungs to go a few more steps.

I guess it's that way in life too. Just set a few goals and reach them, then move the marker and set some more. I had forgotten how important that was not only to your physical health, but to your mental health too.

I'm aiming for the 5K Run at the White Buffalo Days here in October (that's about 8-9 weeks away) and then my son and I will run a 10K at Thanksgiving in Fort Worth.

What are you shooting for?

PS: I'm down 35 pounds since March 2009.... and working on 35 more!

Worship Confessional, August 2, 2009

This post is part of Sunday Set List over on Fred McKinnon's Blog

Another goodbye today as our Youth Minister, Layne Scott, has resigned and is going into coaching this week. That makes 3 staff departures in a month and 1 more is to come as our Administrator leaves at the end of the month to go back into retirement. Add to that the departure of 1 more secretary and our children's intern for the summer--that will be 7 so longs this summer. That's a lot of goodbyes!

Worship was good today--but we're still a little reserved in our singing and participation. I think the departures have had some effect in that area. We introduced Tommy Walkers " I HAVE A HOPE" song. I really believe that song will be an encouragement to us in the coming days.

Here's the rest of the list:

Psalm 42 -Scripture Reading

I Have A Hope (Walker) This is a great song. So powerful and encouraging. Listen to it here!

Because of Your Love (Baloche) I love this song.. so exciting to sing.

Video--Faith Weaver Friends (a new program beginning in the fall)

Welcome/Announcements/Offering

I Will Sing of My Redeemer/You Set Me Free (Cottrell) Off of his new album--a good firm hymn with a new chorus that really sings. Listen to it here.

What Can I Do (Baloche) Ah.. one of my favorites!!!

Awesome God (Mullins) Chorus only

Message--Continuing series in Jonah ( only 2 more weeks of this)

Rescue (Anderson)
Everlasting God (Brown)

Speak To Me

In these days of changing situations with our church, this song has come to mean a great deal to me. It is the cry of my heart for the Lord to speak to me.

Listen to the song and let me know what you think.

So Long Layne

By now many of you have heard the news that our Youth Minister, Layne Scott, has resigned and will be departing next weekend to start his duties as a Coach/Teacher in Corsicana. With his departure, that leaves me as the lone staff member of the the team that came together in 2005.

Layne has been my partner in crime since I arrived here in 2005. We've spent 3 staff retreats, 3 mission trips and one Catalyst trip together and have had a blast with all of them.

I'll remember:

• Trip to Guatemala (where these pics are from)
• Trip to Catalyst and a Saturday game at Georgia Tech.
• Staff meetings where we would exchange texts
• His knowledge of the latest "rap" music (which I don't know.
• The latest ROB and BIG episodes.
• His rescue of Daniel in Mexico as he was in a deep sleep walk at night
• Runs to Chicken E for a Dr. Pepper (Easy ice)
• Lunch at Mrs. Kathy's for Chicken Spaghetti (that will change your life)

Layne is the age my nephew Joseph would have been had he lived (Joseph passed away in 1986) and so there would be times I would look at him and say "this is what it would have been like with Joseph". In a way that has been kinda cool.

I'll miss the easy talks and the laughs that we had (many times at his expense

Even The Prisoner Must Sing

I wrote last week how the Spirit had been hammering me with the lessons of Paul and Silas in jail in Acts 16. I heard it three times last week and finally I began to think--maybe there is a lesson to be learned.

Paul and Silas are imprisoned for setting one of the local "idol" sellers free and having been beat to near death, they find themselves chained to the inner wals of the jail. Yet, around midnight they could be heard praying and singing to the Lord. Then an earthquake came and set them free.

I came home from NWLC (National Worship Leaders Conference with these thoughts in my mind. Yesterday I received a most interesting letter from a man that has been listening to our services from the local prison for almost 4 years. This unit eats early (like 9:30-10:00) so they can hurry back to their cells to catch the praise and worship from our church. They are the silent audience that we never see on a Sunday and I have to remind myself I'm not only leading the people in the room but also the people on the radio.

He wrote to encourage me. Here's a guy who has almost no freedoms, whose life is controlled and watched and routine, yet he took the time to write me to encourage me and to say that he was praying for me. In fact the day he wrote the letter was probably one of the lowest days for me so far.

I just sat there and read the letter and wondered if the Lord wanted me to hear another story of a person who finds it hard to praise in the midst of their circumstances, yet they do it anyway? It was a lift to my dreary Monday.

Never discount the ways that the Spirit connects His teachings in our lives. Sometimes they come as incidental surprises.

I Have A Hope--A New Song Coming To FBC

I heard this song last week at National Worship Leaders Conference... it really ministered to me last week and we're going to introduce it this week at FBC. Take a listen and let me know what you think?

National Worship Leaders Conference-Lunch Buddies

These were some of the cats I hung around with last week at the NWLC. Our new tribe... we've yet to come up with a name.

Worship Confessional, July 26, 2009

Today was a difficult day, I knew that it would be. Our pastor's resignation and departure finally felt real today. Last week, as I suspected, was just a feeling that he was away on vacation (and everyone else these last two weeks), but today it was real.

It was very hard to lead today but I felt like I must continue to lead in the midst of the heaviness I felt in the room. I was drawn to Psalm 71 this morning where it just says that God has been our "strong granite of a fortress" and "just as each day brims with your beauty, my mouth brims with praise." I led our people in that today.

Timely encouragement from @Recreate came to me before I led letting me know that I was being prayed for.

Set List:

Greeting: The Lord Be with You.....

Your Grace Is Enough (Maher) One of my favorites and just a great opener.

A New Hallelujah! (Smith) I connected our people with the thought that on Sunday morning we're not alone in worship--we join with the song across the world! We added our part today.

Welcome/Announcements

Our God Saves (Baloche) This is a great song that we haven't sung in quiet a while.

Scripture Reading Psalm 71 (The Message)

God of This City... repeat--a great song

Big Enough God-chorus only

Morning Message

Revive Us Again (Hymn)- a last minute addition since he was preaching on the repentance of Nineveh.

Draw Me Close To You

This post is part of Sunday Set List over on Fred McKinnon's blog. Happy Anniversary to SSL. Check it out--there are some really cool people over there.

A New Kind of Wedding March

Thanks to Matthew Paul Turner (@jesusneedsnewpr) I was alerted to this video. This may be coming to a wedding near you?

What do you think? Serious? Sacreligous?

Once An Arafat Man

One of the great things of this last week was meeting Ben Saada (from Overland Park, Grace Church). Ben is a worship leader in the area and I had followed him earlier in the year. I love meeting my virtual world and knowing them in person.

Ben gave me a copy of his dad's book. His father, Tass, was once a PLO fighter (Fatah) and by the radical grace and mercy of God he has now become a fervent believer in Jesus. It was a most gripping story.

Jeff Miller, fellow Worship Minister in Texas wrote this about the book.

In some ways, Tass's story struck me how closely it parallels that of Paul the apostle at some points. Here is a man who not only served as a sniper for Arafat's Fatah, but in his spare time he personally persecuted Christ-followers in Jordan. Yet, for all of that, you can read the hand of God upon him throughout his life, protecting him from death and harm when, by all rights, he should have died many times over.

I texted Ben from Dallas "almost through with your Dad's book. I'm hooked and I'm weeping". I can highly recommend this book. It's an easy ready because you are so drawn into the grace of God which has led Tass' life.

National Worship Leaders Conference '09- Day 3 and Final Day

Day 3 of the NWLC was great. Today we were led in worship by Travis Cottrell (leads worship for Living Proof Team-Beth Moore Ministries). Travis is one of my role models in worship leadership. He truly led us in both song and prayer. It was an awesome time.

(Pictures are from the Tweetup on Tuesday night and the All About Worship Podcast that was live from Ben's church)

Marva Dawn spoke to us about words and the importance of words in worship. She's a scrappy little lady with a big sense of humor.

Breakout sessions were on the connected church (online, web) and I'll get some more of that today as Fred Mc Kinnon leads his track on Web 2.0.

Spent the afternoon with Rich Kirkpatrick and Ben Abusaada and made some more connections with some Texas Methodist guys (Chuck Harris I gave them your name) and coffee with Jeff Berry and Conor Farley from Centricity Music.

Dinner was at a KC BBQ place, and although it was delicious, by the time I got back to hotel my tummy wasn't thinking so. Just too rich for me!

This morning wraps up with David Nassar and Christy Nockels leading worship and Fred's workshop. After lunch I'll head to the airport and head back to the 79549. It's been a great week of connecting with other worship leaders. You know I like to meet to new people!

National Worship Leaders Conference '09- Day 2

Day 2--On the schedule for today was Jeremy Riddle (Sweetly Broken) and Len Sweet who again rocked our world with a picture of the future. These futurist guys used to scare me--but I believe now that they in some way are prophets to the church to help us adapt to the coming culture. Just ask me about an AVATAR in the future. It's really very mind blowing.

Sessions today for breakouts were about Ancient Future Worship and Sabbath Rest For Those Who Serve God. Good reminders to me about the importance of taking care of my soul before I feed someone else.

More than anything these events have become about connections. These pictures show Kim Bontrager from Wichita KS and Rich Kirkpatrick from CA--both RECREATE alums. We're having a mini-reunion here. I've also met Gary Durbin from FL, Ben Saada from KS (whose Dad used to be a sniper for Yassar Arafat --now a believer and evangelist), Jasonn Peterman from KS and many more. Went to the Tweetup last night where they had a live PODCAST with a Christian artist. Found someone that reads my blog!!! Yeah!!!

Day 3 begins in a few minutes..on tap today is TRAVIS COTTRELL--you know I'll be there.

National Worship Leaders Conference '09- Day 1

The fun has begun in Kansas City. The Conference kicked off yesterday afternoon with registration and a quick meal with my friend Wayne Spoonts and his wife Cindy. Back to the church for an evening of old and new. Evie (one of the first contemporary artists in Christian life) broke out with a new version of SPIRIT SONG (which I thought was appropriate since that's a BIG Emmaus song and we were at one of the flagship Methodist churches in the US. Then Bill Batstone sang TO EVERY GENERATION ( I remember his stuff from Maranatha and House of Worship song kit--great rendition of O GOD OUR HELPE IN AGES PAST with TO EVERY GENERATION.
Anthony Evans, son of Tony Evans the famous Dallas preacher, led in worship and did some soulful arrangements of contemporary worship songs.
Tommy Walker then led for an extended period of time. I love Tommy's music and it really spoke to me last night. His new album has a song titled I HAVE THIS HOPE---a real encouragment --There's still hope for me, for the God of heaven loves me. -Tommy Walker. Wow!

Greg Laurie (of Harvest Crusades in LA) spoke from ACTS 16--(Wow!, I've been hit with this passage 3 times this week) about Paul and Silas worshiping in the midst of hard times and situations--but still they worshiped. You think there might be a lesson in this for me?

We had communion together (1700 people served in 2 songs--that's a record) and then the David Crowder Band took the stage. It's a little older crowd than he usually draws, so he had to draw it out of us to sing LOUD, not PRETTY.

Meeting up with some RECREATE buddies today and then a TWEETUP tonight at a local church. I'm a blessed man to know so many people who lead worship across the US and the world. I'm humbled that I get to add to the chorus of His praise!

On to Day 2

"Everything's Up To Date in Kansas City"

I got to Kansas City on a Frid'y (Sunday)
By Sattidy I larned a thing or two (Monday)
For up to then I didn't have an idy
Of whut the modren world was comin' to!
I counted twenty gas buggies goin' by theirsel's
Almost ev'ry time I tuk a walk.
'Nen I put my ear to a Bell Telephone and a strange womern started in to talk!
(Whut next! Yeak whut!)Whut next?
Ev'rythin's up to date in Kansas City
They've gone about as fur as they c'n go!
They went and built a skyscraper seven stories high,
About as high as a buildin' orta grow.
Ev'rythin's like a dream in Kansas City,
It's better than a magic lantern show!
Y' c'n turn the radiator on whenever you want some heat.
With ev'ry kind o' comfort ev'ry house is all complete.
You c'n walk to privies in the rain and never wet your feet!
They've gone about as fur as they c'n go,

I find it ironic that I'm immersed in this song for prep in OKLAHOMA and now I'm in Kansas City. I arrived last night for the National Worship Leaders Conference that starts this afternoon in Overland Park. Thanks to Fred McKinnon's blog and the NWLC crew, I'm here because I made a comment on the blog about the conference. I've been the last 2 years in Austin; this year it moved to Kansas. I'm in Kansas Toto!

This morning I plan to visit some of the area attractions. Did you know Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains (originally built to give the horses a place to drink in the town) and some of the sites of downtown. As I've said before, I love exploring a city that I've never been to before. My sense of adventure is alive!

You can follow all of the chatter about the NWLC on Twitter by searching the hashtags # ( #nwlc09). I'll meet up with some fellow Twitter buds tomorrow night following the conference. Can't wait.

Off to explore the city that is up to date!!!

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST---Mattie's Play

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These pics are from Mattie's play last night. She did a great job as Belle! Look out Broadway--she's a comin' to you one day.

Worship Confessional, July 19, 2009

Happy Anniversary to Fred McKinnon's Sunday Set List (been going for 52 weeks straight). This post is part of that forum.

I wasn't on stage today--and it felt great. We had previously scheduled a band to come and play for our Summer Camps emphasis (wrapping up all that went on with them--doing it all in one service rather than 3 separate ones), so I was excited to be off the stage today and be a worshiper!

Here's the set (Band was Hollis Ok from Lubbock)

Blessed Be Your Name (Redman)

Enough (Tomlin)

Welcome/Announcements

Video from Camps

Untitled from Jim Drake on Vimeo.

Interview with students who went to camps (my oldest was one of them--she had an amazing time at Super Summer last week)

Say You Will (?)

Sweetly Broken (Riddle)

Love Is Deep w/Doxology (Crowder)

Message--by Dave Bilderback, one of our Elders (He'll be finishing out the Jonah series for us)

The Stand (Houston)

Benediction (*)

We usually don't do a benediction, but since I was pastor de' jeur today, I decided to do one from Romans 15:

5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I had them hold their palms upward and receive the benediction (am I really a Baptist doing this?). Immediately afterwards a lady came up and said "thank you, thank you--I've been wanting us to do something like that for a long time"---Guess that was the right call.

How was your Sunday?

I'm heading to the National Worship Leaders Conference in Kansas City this week. Can't wait to catch up with some of my Recreate alums; hear Travis Cottrell and Marva Dawn; and eat some KC BBQ!

For those of you who don't know, we are now pastorless. Today was our first Sunday without a pastor. He has moved to Austin to begin a new work with Hill Country Bible. We pray God's best for him. Next week will be hard---it just seemed like he was gone on vacation this week. Pray for us--pray for me!

Worship Confessional (s)- June 28, July 5 and July 12

This is a catch up post since I've failed to launch on Worship Confessionals the last three weekends--some by circumstance and some by choice. This is a wrap up of all three weeks

June 28

Love The Lord (Brewster)
A New Hallelujah (Smith)
Welcome/Announcements
Celebrating our Summer Camp (Community VBS)-Interviews
Big Enough God (Riddle)
Message
Rescue (Anderson)

July 5 ( I was away with the kids at Student Life For Kids Camp)
All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name (G3 Arrangement)
Welcome/Announcements
I Worship Almighty God
Here I Am To Worship
Message
How Great Is Our God
How Great Thou Art

July 12

Brethren We Have Met To Worship (G3 arrangement)

Let The Worshipers Arise (G3 arrangement)

Welcome/Announcements

Made Me Glad

God of This City (G3 arrangement)

Message (Our pastor's last sermon today--Exodus 14)

Rescue (G3 arrangement)

Big Enough God (Riddle)

This post is part of Sunday Set List over on Fred McKinnon's blog

Like Father, Like Son

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Today was the performance for BOARDER SKIRMISHES which was the finale of Kid's Drama camp at The Ritz theater. Daniel, our son, was the lead male in the play (playing Jacob Grimm). Mattie, our daughter, was assistant director for the play.

A great performance by the group was enjoyed by all. They all are growing so fast! Daniel's beard isn't real--but it soon will be.

Creativity Remix-SUMMER CAMP

We just finished our first week of SUMMER CAMP (VBS). This is our fourth year to do it off site at the Boys/Girls Club just down the street from the church. This is also our first year to split the camps into two weeks (younger and older). I think that went well!

Let me just remind you that all of our prep has to be off site (food, media,etc) and we can't get in the facility until 30 minutes before--so it's hectic each day moving in and moving out, setting up and taking down and all of it in the heat of the day when it's about 1000 degrees in the building. But the kids love it.

The set this year is simple--we reused some of our backdrops (www.backdrops.us) tha we've used in the past and painted graffiti on them with the summer camp logo. We're also using a SHOE theme since we collected shoes in April and May to give away at the end of the week.

Traci (children's minister) did a great job of simply explaining the gospel with 2 rolls of carpet (one with SIN on it and the other with TRUSTING JESUS). She used different pairs of shoes to ask the kids to guess where these shoes were going (tennis shoes=sports; dress shoes=church; house shoes=sleep,etc). Each night she built upon the story with a Stop sign and a Yield sign. It was all so creative and simple. The kids really got the message.

It just reminded me that whatever we do to teach the gospel that it should add to the understanding of the message of Christ. All of these visuals really communicated to these K-3rd graders the simple message of christ's love. Many of them had never heard it before---isn't that what VBS is suppose to be about?

What creative things have you used to teach the gospel?

Worship Confessional, June 21, 2008

This post is part of Sunday Set Lists over on Fred McKinnon's blog.

Set List:
Scripture Reading: Psalm 150 (NIV) and The Message

Let Everything That Has Breath (Redman)

Welcome/Announcements (We updated everyone on our Summer Camp last week--we start week 2 tomorrow-older kids)

You Never Let Go (Redman) Great trax David--we were scheduled to do this one in May and it didn't work out. Now I know why!

Scripture--Psalm 139-The Message

Grace, Greater Than Our Sin (Hymn)

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)-(Tomlin)

Video (We used the NEMO video where Dori talks WHALE)--then Russell came up and said "(Speaking Whale) Take your bible and turn to Jonah chapter 1)--Everyone laughed.



Message: Jonah (Chapt 1:17) What's Your Whale? Russell did a great job with this passage today. So much of the story of Jonah fixes on the Whale--but the greater story is of God's grace (his saving and sometime uncomfortable grace that preserves us and saves us for His glory)--Powerful!

Big Enough God (Riddle) Third week for this one and the people are really beginning to sing out on this one.

Still (Morgan)--Reprise from last week. I had so many calls about this song last week that we did it again. This is the Moen arrangement that has BE STILL AND KNOW in the last part of it.

Dismiss

How was your week?

Worship Confessional, June 14, 2009

This post is part of Sunday Set Lists over on Fred McKinnon's blog.

Well, no sound surprises like last week. We were still without our Sub (blown amp that we'll have to unrack and send back this week--we borrowed the Youth Sub for today and for the coming weeks)
Set List:

You, You Are God (Gateway) Always a good one--it's exciting especially with the track that David made for us.
Welcome/Announcements/Offering

Big Enough God (Riddle) Second week for this song. Sarah Carpenter joined us on team today and did a great job leading on this one.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Hymn--but Lincoln Brewster arr.)

A good familiar choice

Scripture Reading (Matthew 8 and Psalm 69)

Saved Me (Gateway--Kari Jobe song). My daughter Taylor sang this

for Maundy Thursday. I asked her to sing it again today since it went along with the sermon about Jonah.

Morning Message: Jonah (Throw Your Cargo Overboard)--from Jonah 1: 4-16 and also Acts 27. Russell did a great job in comparing Paul's shipwreck with Jonah's plight and the response of both to the storms of life. He ended with the illustration from UP!(The Disney movie) where the old man realizes all of the stuff in life he was holding on to--and he lets it go. We put a card in each folder and asked people to write down their cargo today. A few did so and brought it to the front to put in the boxes. We've seen more response the last two Sundays to an extended time of worship at the end. Lot's of movement. (Simple staging illustrations with boxes for cargo--do you know how hard it is to find wooden shipping crates in Snyder?)

Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Us (Hymn Charts arr.)--Different arr..but good (Key of C) and then went into STILL (Hillsong-Morgan). Great closer.

Tomorrow starts 2 weeks of VBS--we do it at the Boys/Girls club near the church. So 10 nights of set up and take down of sound and set. Should be a good workout!

How was your day!

Tuck Your Shirt In!

There's a big storm brewing here over the insistence that kids wear their shirts tucked in and wear a belt. My son (going into 6th grade) is in arms that they can't wear certain kinds of shorts and have to wear belts. I showed him this video and his jaw fell open. Look what they can bring to school in those baggy pants.

I'm in favor of it---make them wear a belt and tuck those shirts in!!!

It's VBS Season

It's VBS season--for those of you who don't know the acronymn it's a top secret Christian term for VACATION BIBLE SCHOOl, begun sometime in the early 20th century to teach the kids while they were out of school.

I laughed this morning when I read a local newspaper and they described their VBS this way:

Something incredible is happening at XXXX Baptist Church (corner of XXX and XXXStreets). It’s Crocodile Dock Vacation Bible School, where fearless kids shine God’s light. For children ages 5-12, the action starts Monday, June 15. Daily sessions last from 6-8:45 p.m. nightly through Thursday, June 18. Bayou Crews experience daily swamp excursions with their Crew Leaders. The Swamp Stomp begins the daily activities with singing and playing. Immediately following The Stomp, children will experience The Dockside Drive-in (daily video Bible point), Bible Bayou (daily Bible story with group discussion), Crawfish Crafts and Missions (crafts to remind them of the daily Bible story), Gator Games (where children play games connected to the daily Bible story), the Snack Shack (what else? Snacks!) and the Firefly Finale, which includes the Swamp Stomp songs and drama presentations to reinforce the day’s Bible story. You don’t want to miss out on the action! You’ll meet characters like Flash, Jacques le Croc, Belle, Blossom and Tucker. This Dock rocks! You can pre-register your child(ren) by calling XXXXXX Or, for more information, call XXXXXBaptist Church’s office at XXX-XXXX All that to say--we're having SONGS, RECREATION, CRAFTS and SNACKS!

Each year it becomes a competition between churches who can out do their neighbor church with VBS. Who will bring in the live camels? Who will hire the fire eating juggler to entertain during the opening assembly.

I laugh because it's become BIG BUSINESS to the Christian Publishers what the VBS material will be. LIFEWAY secretly guards next years theme until it is unveiled under lock and key at a Glorieta or Ridgecrest conference. (there was some espionage' a couple of years ago with one publisher trying to break the code and find out what another one was doing). Silly!

VBS should be about the kids. Most of them don't care about a theme, or the EXTRA EXTRAS that go into it. Give them some good music, some fun rec, some good refreshments and some good information and they are good to go.

So this week, let me see, I could send Daniel to Rome or to THE CIRCUS--nah, I'll just send him to our SUMMER CAMP where we're trying to reach community kids with the gospel and give out some new shoes to them. I think that's more valuable.

Worship Confessional, June 7, 2009--JONAH

We started our new series JONAH this morning, and something in my spirit told me that this was going to be a trying day. We had an opening video, a drama, sound effects--all a receipe for disaster. Was I ever right.

We went into rehearsal and we knew that our subs were iffy--just didn't know what it was. Then our amps went on our mains and we were toast. We had to quickly adjust by brining powered speakers and sub from the Family Life Center over for worship--all of this while we're trying to do a full run of the songs. Oh brother!

ButI knew that we serve a BIG ENOUGH GOD that he could get us through. He did and I would say that the Spirit of the Lord was there.

Here's the set--it's part of Sunday Set Lists over on Fred McKinnon's Blog

Opening Video (from Christ Community Church in Omaha)

You Are Worthy of My Praise (Ruis)
Joyful, Joyful (Hymn Charts)--If I had it to do again I would have flipped these two songs--both in E---Joyful had more energy and faster tempo. Oh well--you live and learn.

Welcome/Announcements/Offering

Enough (Tomlin)

Big Enough God (Jennie Riddle)-- a new song from the writer of REVELATION SONG. We're using it for a theme song for JONAH. I got a nice email from Jennie this week and told her that we were singing it this week. Take a listen--I think you'll like it.

Drama--we wrote a sermon intro that basically made fun of THE JONAS brother--two teens talking about how cool our pastor was preaching about the JONAS brother. Needless to say they were disappointed when Russell corrected them about the series.

Message-JONAH--We All Have A Nineveh--a great introduction to this book. Only 4 chapters but we're carrying through the summer as our series. A great word.

Softly and Tenderly(Hymn Charts)--and if it wasn't enough with the speakers going out, I get up to sing this response song and theres a honking big red light on my mic that says "YOUR OUT OF BATTERY!" Great--I'm signaling to the team to carry on... the Minister of Youth has to bring another mic up on stage. This is a great arrangement and would work well with YOU ALONE too.

Mighty to Save/The Stand---by the time we got to these songs I was done... and then I heard the congregation singing "SO I'LL STAND WITH ARMS HIGH.." They were loud... I mean loud. We closed out by singing the chorus accapella!

Out Music---Belly of the Whale (Newsboys)--we played the mp3 of the song used in the Veggie Tales JONAH video.

Here are pictures of our stage. We got the banners from Backdrops.us. The side banners we made ourselves using TYVEK banner material on our HP DesignJet large scale printer.

How was your day?