What is the worship blog?

Every week we are privileged to enter into to worship musically to our God. As the worship leader, I try to find music that helps us worship in a Biblical, Christ-honoring, and enjoyable way. Sometimes our songs could emphasize what Pastor Phil is speaking about, sometimes they can be related to events that have taken place in the church, and sometimes those are just songs that speak to where we are in our lives right now.

Each week on the worship blog we will list the songs that we have sung so that if you want to include them in your own personal worship time. The songs include links to iTunes where you can purchase them and download them.

In addition to a list of songs, we will include a brief recap of the service and what was taught or if any special events took place. It’s something to get an idea of where we’ve been, and so that we can see how God has moved among our fellowship.

Please, send an email to worship@pinoaks.org if there is something else you would like to see on here. I’d love to hear from you!

Sunday Setlist 7-18-2010

This Sunday was very Student Ministry oriented, as we had testimonies from some of the students and leaders about what they experienced at Falls Creek youth camp a couple weeks ago. There were two baptisms in each service, two students in the first, one student and one adult (one is one of the student leaders) in the second. It was an awesome thing to witness and see what God has been doing through the Student Ministry at Pin Oaks.

Phil started the first week of Finish the Race, focusing on 2 Timothy 4:3-5.

Music this week was:
Our God – Chris Tomlin
When Heaven Came Down – Dutton
Madly – Steve Fee

People of the Rut

I recently watched a video presentation by Alan Hirsch. Not sure where he was and after watching the video I don’t really care. I was swept away in thought about ministry and the church I serve after hearing what I already knew to be true but had put no real effort to understanding. That truth I heard was, “the contemporary church growth model of attractional ministry may have large appeal but as a whole is ineffective.” Attractional ministry demands that people “join us” in our culture whereby they are “churched” or adopted into a church culture through some process of assimilation. The cultural divide in America is spreading. It is a fact that can’t be denied. People in America have wider interests, increased information, and more diverse backgrounds than ever before. Some things in our culture remain similar and the most relevant for us is the fact that people are willing to engage the topics of Spirituality, God, and even Jesus. However, when we start talking church the crowd of people willing to engage shrinks considerably. There are many reasons for the disdain of organized religion and I can’t take the time to unpack that here but they are well documented for those interested in that pursuit. The reasons that this model are ineffective are numerous, and the widening culture is certainly a main reason, but the one that gripped my heart was the “death of imagination.”

First, the attractional model has been the model that most churches have adopted over the last few decades. I like to think and for sake of this argument will concede that the motives for doing so are pure and based on God’s plan of redemption. (this thought is destined to become another post) As culture shifts, and it is shifting constantly, the church continues to reproduce the same efforts with more and more proficiency resulting in less and less results. This is the point I started asking some serious questions…why is that we are getting better at what “we do” but the results are worse than last years efforts? Simply, what got us here will most likely NOT get us to our next destination. The insanity of doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results (thank you Einstein) is a thought lost on most churches. Maybe we believe God will somehow supernaturally bless our efforts, but here is another place I asked a tough question. Is this hope for blessing “what we have always done” an excuse to be creatively lazy? When the results of our ministry are less and less do we use that as a judgment on those we serve or an indictment to our lack of creativity and courage?

I am guilty of relying on last years efforts without any thought of relevance or need. It hurts to say but I have enjoyed some “ruts*” for way too long. The pattern of ministry has created a groove where others have crossed time and time again, and instead of carving a new path, I have nestled gently down into the crevice that others have created and I now make it deeper. Without thought, and certainly no hesitation, I do the same things…killing my creativity, leadership, and vision. Then I fear we create and institutionalize what we do; to the point that it can’t be changed without stepping on someones toes, or someone abandoning ship and leaving for another church. This is a slippery slope and leads to a somewhat slow and agonizing organizational death. In it’s path of destruction lay the over-worked, under appreciated, passionless, and creatively crushed people of a church that has given up…and leaders that resigned in their minds ages ago.

The good news is that this can change. We can fight and claw our way out of the rut and do those things that are relevant now…and not rely on those things as “what we do” but what we’ve done. They serve as reminders that creativity, risk, courage, boldness, something different, and something daring can clear the path for greater eternal results. It is a return to some of the principles Jesus used when he walked and served on this Earth. He broke the mold and set a high mark…His path was never a groove and always challenged those who followed Him, those who opposed Him, and even those who needed Him. What has God asked you to do that is not recognized by the “people of the rut” as acceptable? Maybe the most important of all questions, does God think of your idea and desire for ministry is acceptable? If so, break free and enjoy the thrill of ministry outside the “ruts” right now.

*RUT: a habit or pattern of behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change.

Easter Celebration

This year will be our first Block Party for Easter. We will be hosting any and all who come. There will be food, games, music, bounce houses, and egg hunts for the kids. From 1:00 – 4:00 PM on April 3rd we will be serving up hot dogs and drinks, while we enjoy hanging out watching the kids play games, and hunting Easter eggs. We will be doing our egg hunts in shifts so that the littlest kids are not having to navigate an egg hunt with the biggest kids… check back as the event approaches for a schedule of times and ages for the egg hunts. Invite your friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers now. If you need more information please email office@pinoaks.org.

One Time Guests

As I scroll across the blogosphere here is an article I cam across that we could all learn from. Especially as we have seen visitors over the last many months. Let me know what you think of this article by leaving a comment below:

Certain questions were asked to those who made “first time visits to church”. Some of the answers give you a clue as to how they want to be treated. . .

• 11 percent said they would be willing to identify themselves as a visitor when visiting a church for the first time
• 63 percent said they would prefer to wait until at least the second visit to let anyone know they are visiting
• 26 percent of formerly churched adults said they desire to slip in and casually introduce themselves after the service.

The fact is that for most churches, 90% of first timers that don’t return

“So aren’t we calling this group by the wrong name? Aren’t these First-Time ONE-TIME Guests, not first-time guests?”

With all of the assimilation strategy attempts (ie. free gifts/visits/thank you notes) to try to get those guests to come back for a second visit, what really in the end prompts a person to return?

If you look at 15 reasons why people won’t return a second time to your church, none of these are solved by giving stuff away or claiming rewards for showing up:

1. No welcome from the parking lot to the pews.
2. Finding the right door to sanctuary appeared difficult.
3. People in the pews held on to their “good seats.”
4. Too many “churchy insider words” like doxology and introit throughout the worship experience.
5. No safe, clean nursery for the babies and toddlers.
6. No sincere greeting extended by pastors or members.
7. No warmth or hospitality extended.
8. Missing joy and a spiritual atmosphere.
9. No sense of family in the church community.
10. Very limited reaching out to outsiders or strangers.
11. Very few ministries or activities for youth or children.
12. Public recognition of guests that left them feeling uncomfortable.
13. Appears to be no vision or purpose for the congregation.
14. On Sunday morning, members and ushers seem focused on “member only” conversations.
15. No one invited them back.

According to Kenny, the key isn’t the strategy or gimmicks, rather it is the culture that is created on Sunday morning and whether or not the church is “outward” focused. And this responsibility goes well beyond the pastor and staff – but it becomes the responsibility of the entire congregation.

5 Lessons in 5 Months

5 Lessons in as many months: Ministry

The fun of Twitter to me is that connection and challenge you receive when other take the time to truly engage one another through social media. This week a good friend and former staff member @joshburcham (on twitter) asked me a question: What are the 5 things you’ve learned about leadership &/or ministry since being at Pin Oaks Christian Fellowship the last 5 months? We should all be asking this question, and on a regular basis as well. So, after some time, thought, and prayer here are my answers:

1.Prayer is only an option for those who plan to fail.

I fail in prayer far to often. In any given week and at multiple times I am relearning this powerful truth. Prayer is the foundation of any great leader, movement, or ministry. Be disciplined about your prayer efforts and be consciously aware of how God uses a more prayer centered version of you in the coming week.

2.NOTHING is more important than keeping the Bible at the center of all you do.

The bible is our guide. Often I will buy into the hype that clever phrases and systems are all that is necessary to be successful in ministry. All we really need is to make sure that at the heart of our every efforts is the desire to make sure people come face to face with Biblical truth.

3.Never underestimate what God is capable of doing because you can’t imagine it yourself.

The imagination is amazing. Dreams are more than a gift. Imagination and dreams working in tandem are…fantastical…I know that is not a word but work with me here! However, our best dreams and most wildly imaginative goals are never big enough to match the wonders of our creator. His mind wanders in pools we are desperate to drink from and clouds we would die to fly through. Getting lost in the grand scale of our God’s scheme is an admirable pursuit worth our last drips of limited energy. Get lost in Him today…FYI this takes us back to the first to points of being in prayer and rooted in the Bible.

4.Good communication is NOT the same thing as lots of communication.

With the dawn of the social media tempest…or maybe it is more like it’s blazing noon day sun. We are surrounded by ways of communicating to those in and out of our spheres of influence. I will take the lead of @human3rror here and not argue the pros and cons of how and who to follow when engaging these tools of modern communication but I will say this: Just because you use any or all of these tools does not make you an effective communicator. Mass amounts of information does not take the place of careful, thorough, and intentional communication. In fact, many people are far more effective with 15 emails in a day than I have ever been with 2,285 twitter updates. Just think about how you can be more succinct and thorough in what you say and execute. Everyone around you will be grateful.

5.It is never as easy OR as hard as you thought it would be.

A quote I heard once on Man Vs. Wild can be paraphrased like this, “in survival it is not always about heading in the right direction. Sometimes just the act of doing anything can feel like progress and progress can propel you to rescue.” I hear the host say these things and my immediate thought is…I can do that. Really? I am barely running 4 miles without calling for an ambulance. Truth is survival is a lot harder than it seems. As I watch these shows I have learned a whole new respect for survivors of all shapes and sizes: People who are debt free, cancer patients, church planters, and many many more. However, a friend recently reminded of how we talk ourselves out of things before we ever begin with a comment about her journey to learning how to scuba dive: “Scuba was that way. I was so wrapped up in the thought of not breathing that it affected my breathing. Then I just breathed.” Sometimes it isn’t that hard at all. So the crazy paradoxical truth here is that you should have enough respect for the task you are about to undertake and avoid underestimating its challenge, all the while remembering that you are capable of accomplishing things you could never imagine in a thousand lifetimes if you rely on God for your direction.

Go do something. Do it now and have a blast.

Catapult Canyon

In response to an exercise in creativity (I needed it, felt really stiffled). I am posting a picture of a them park attraction. Hope you like Catapult Canyon. The name says it all!

Shrink or Shrug?

As I studied Nehemiah I came to 2 conclusions. Leaders don’t shrink or shrug! Nehemiah was so bold in his approach to everything he encountered.  Look at his every action and you will find a leader who avoided shrinking at enormous pressures or shrugging during difficult choices. He did all this with a foundation of certainty because he knew he was “with God.”

So, the first job as a leader should be to make sure we are ALWAYS with God. Know Him better than your favorite teams stats, know Him better than your girlfriends schedule, know Him better than your bank accounts, know Him above all else and THEN act like you know Him better than anything else in your life.

Lead those in whom you have been given or earned influence. When the time comes to act be decisive and avoid cowering. If you tend to cower in critical moments I have good and bad news. Good news, you may not be a leader. Bad news, you may not be a leader. In watching Nehemiah deal with the King and those who would ruin the efforts at rebuilding the wall he was not a “shrinker.”What if he had been a “shrinker?”

He was also not one to shrug. The hardest lesson I am learning these days has to relate to the “shrug.” When the King asked him what he needed he didn’t say, “I dunno.” He jumped and made huge requests that would launch the work of God into a new stratosphere with the King’s own resources. When given the chance don’t shy away or shrug and simnply defer your chance to lead to someone or somebody else’s agenda. I love how Nehemiah took charge for God’s goals. He is an encouragement and challenge to me and I hope this is to you as well.

What Do You Think?

I would enjoy hearing your thoughts about what she said. All I can say is WOW!

Tension

“Most leaders spend their time avoiding tension. Good leaders endure it. Great leaders engage it. How do you handle tension in a team/life?”

I first posted this thought on Twitter and then thought I better explain myself. Sometimes a quote is totally self explanatory, sometimes it leaves you totally baffled, and then there are the quotes that demand you spell out some fundamentals or expose a truth for growing. So here is what I think:

Many years ago at Grand Canyon University I was able to “corner” Erwin McManus after a conference session. As always he did a fine job. However, I had a problem. My problem wasn’t so much with anything he said but with my current set of circumstances. I was about to start my first lead/head/senior (whatever you feel comfortable with) role and was excited but petrified. I approached him…thank him for his time…told him I only had one question…

“If you could go back and tell your younger self any one thing right before you started your first pastorate what would you say?”

He didn’t hesitate…not one second. He looked me straight in the eye (even with a hundred people trying to do the very same thing I was doing) and said… “I would tell myself to run head first into every challenge. You can’t afford to run away. Every challenge ignored comes back bigger than when you ran away from it.” (that is now a bit of paraphrase but the very heart of his comment)

Truth:

Every leader will face tension. Tension is that delicate balance we must all walk in order to arrive at great decisions, the most excellent and creative expressions, or any vision worth pursuing. The problem I see with current leadership trends today (especially in the church) is that we only give this thought “lip service.” The result is an idealogy, vision, passion, or creative voice that represents one person, and usually not the ONE that matters most. It is crafted out of fear and an over inflated sense of self that does not tolerate a different thought or opinion. The result is the glaring chink in the armor of a leader who has been called to stand as one commissioned strong, brave, and respected. The sad result is that people will only follow this leadership for so long, and the younger generations will flee from it with speed unlike you have ever seen.

Question:

How does one embrace and engage tension for the sake of vision? First let me say that I am a work in progress in this arena…BUT I am fighting this fight. I am hoping to engage some friends with this post who are doing the same and the goal will be to have them “Guest Post” in this blog. I will offer my thoughts and the thoughts of those who come alongside in an effort to “practice what I preach.” This is as much an exercise for me as it is anything, so be patient. Pray for me and those who will post as I am sure it will result in some great thought and personal challenge!

If you read this and would like to “guest post” send me an email (look on contact page). OR feel free to just leave a comment below if you don’t want to go to all that trouble of working out what “guest post” means.

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