...lessons from 31.

...hay, that's reminds me of that Dave Matthews song...

Week #21 in the books...

...Starting to feel like one of those parents who still counts their kids age in months when their like 5...'oh ya, little Timmie's 67 months old today...'

maybe we're gettin' somewhere...

maybe we're not where we use to be...

...lessons from sunday.

I don't look like that picture...

'Cause if I did, I'd need a reality check. Serious.

...planting a church is hard, lonely work. But if we don't do it for (G)lory than we do it for (g)lory. The reason is bigger then us. It's for the teaching and equipping the saints for the work of the Kingdom...in other words we do it so people will learn to love Jesus more and help those around them realize that they love Jesus too.

That's what keeps us going, week-in and week-out. (Without starting to look like that)

...havin' a band behind you is a REALLY good thing...

Ya'know, two weeks in and I'm realizing how much easier life is when you have good people backing you up....it's nice to play on your own every once in a while, but what a difference it makes in the immersivness of the music...not to mention the impact and the Worship that can happen when people feel immersed in the music.

...our church is 'growing'...

...two reasons.

1. People are starting to call this church home. Didn't think about that when we started this thing. It's cool to watch people start to invest in this thing we do.

2.People are starting to grow...watchin' people gain confidence and trust in their faith and themselves is really fun...to sit back and appreciate how people are starting to develope in their faith and understanding of the Gospel message in their lives.

...Worship is good...

The more I shake the dust off this life of worship, the more I re-discover the joy that comes with it the more I want to infect people with what Worship can be.

It's learning that worship isn't just singing, it's praying, playing, participating, propagating(!), and prognosticating...

...so press on, friend, to that which you were called to do and make the most of every opportunity you have...

You only have one today.

M.

...we're ready for ya

Had band practice yesterday.

Practiced for the Lord. Practiced for you. Practiced for the musicality of it. Practiced to play together.

...and we're ready for you.

But'ya know what? We need your help.

We need you to pray.

We need you to pray that we will surrender to the Spirit's guidance. That we would be good stuarts of these gifts. That we would be proper shepherds into worship, into the throne-room of God.

That our lives would demonstrate a spirit of worship. That our vulnerability would be evident to all. That people would be drawn to vulnerability themselves. That we would be engulfed in a cloud of God as we play, minster and press after the spirits movements.

Pray for us as we craft our worship environment. That our humanity wouldn't inhibit the work of the spirit. That we could demonstrate what a life of worship looks like.

More than this, pray for yourselves. As you get ready to go to church pray that the Lord would prepare you to worship, to be vulnerable. To be broken by Him. Pray that church would change you. That you would be affected through your week. That it would be evident to those around you. Like an infection.

Pray for the churches around the city you live in. Pray that God would presence Himself there in a mighty way. That people would come to him like iron fillings to a magnet. Pray that people would find joy, hope, healing, water, light and forgiveness at church. Pray for the healing of our Church. Pray that we would repent of our misdeeds. That the Lord would correct our path.

Most of all, listen. Listen for the voice of God. Listen in the still moments and the loud ones. Listen to the sound of the car engine and the hum of your computer as you read this.

We're ready for you...

God's ready for us.

Question is, are we ready for Him?

M.

we got snow...

I think everybody in the GTA's been waiting for snow since New Years....

Now we have a LITTLE bit of snow now.

If you look way back in this picture, there's a cloud of snow blowing across the field....sucks. Wouldn't want to be walking in that.

Makes me think about living in Toronto. Those hallowed halls of glass and steel make for some pretty awesome wind tunnels for whatever weather feels like blowing in off the lake.

Had some pretty resistant weather myself lately. How 'bout you?

Winter sucks for that. So does church planting.

...Pushing against the spiritual wind that blows against you as you do something you know you're suppose to do. It's not easy. Not something that should be undertaken lightly.

See, we have this wee-baby church that's exploding. And as more people come we sit in the hot tub (yes, that's where we chair our staff meetings...) and we contemplate what's going on, how things are working, what's next, and try to remember people's names. And all the while we are amazed at what's happening in our midst.

It's a little exhilarating, a little terrifying, and a lot glorious.

But it comes at a cost. Spiritual resistance. We leave behind those things we treasure, jobs, dreams that are stable, for things that are unstable; security, success (whatever that means). We gamble with our own histories because we believe this is what we're called to do.

Problem is when we leave security behind and we pick up insecurity (for the sake of the Gospel) we take on a ton of other stuff. Stress, anxiety, hope (which can bode both ways), fear, doubt.

This resistance can go two ways. It can either be the ice you slip on, sending you skidding backwards, or it can be the grit you push against, driving you harder against the wind so you get somewhere.

We're gon'a choose the grit.

So if you're facing spiritual resistance right now, put your face into the wind, plant your feet firmly on the ground, realize that the ice under your feet is actually grit and get to the place where you're suppose to go...May not get easier for a while, but you'll get stronger to push against the wind and the ice. And you're feet will get more acclimatized toward pushing against the wind.

And one day you'll realize the wind doesn't blow so hard any more. Then you'll realize that you're further than you thought, 'cause the wind eased off and you kept pushin' hard. Then you'll realize that you've been running with all you've got for a while, 'cause you've had little resistance and strong legs.

Then you'll run like you've never run before, 'cause your so strong from comin' though the storm.

Lets face the storm, my friends.

M.

...Escalators

Escalators.

This is some people's worst nightmare. They stand at the top of an escalator and make like they're about to jump out of a plane or something...or they step, and then back up, 'cause, oh! they missed that step. Count out 1...2...3...4. GO! and FINALLY, they make it on by the skin of their teeth...

...some people just don't take 'em. Avoid 'em completely.

There are people who will deliberately go out of their way, walking LONG distances just to take the stairs, elevator or ramp...

Crazy you say?

Maybe you are one of those people. Can't stand the sight of'em. Strike terror into your heart.

(you say...WHERE's he going with this one??)

Perhaps you're the other way 'round. Walking, or running strait on an escalator. In complete abandon of the inherent 'risks' that the other group very obviously sees...

Maybe you're the type that run's up the opposite way, judging the movement of the escalator you go...

Crazy you say?

Could I safely assume you're inclined toward one of these two groups? Cautious, almost to a fault or running strait for the thing, full tilt.

If you're the believin' type you might be asked to do some crazy things, start an international relief organization for africa, write a book, become a musician, become a missionary, plant a church. It's like running toward the escalator and jumping on with all you've got.

There is no such thing as slow...when God tells you to go you GO. 'cause, he know's what's good for you. And He knows what the risks are. And He knows the benefits. And He knows the reward.

So stop edging toward the first step and then backing away 'cause you think it's gon'a eat you. The escalator's gon'a keep movin' weather you're on it or not.

M.

...stayin' honest.

This blog is keepin' me honest.

Makes me think differently about what it is to be a Christian, worshiper, and worship leader.

Makes me accountable to more than just me (and my lovely wife).

Makes me explain what I'm thinking about worship.

My process as a person changes by your reading this.

See, we had our first band practice yesterday and I was thinking about you. How you'd react to the new sound. What you'd think about all the musicians on the stage. If you'd 'like' it. If you 'wouldn't'. If you'd worship to it. If you'd find it distracting.

At the end of the day, I know the Spirit is behind it. It's all about the Glory of God. And I know the Spirit will push you through it.

So here's to a new way of doing worship at The Well.

Lookin' forward to it.

M.

Singin' a new song

We're gon'a be introducing a new song tomorrow at The Well...

It's taken out of Psalm 29.

Here's the entire text:

Psalm 29

The Voice of the LORD in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

¹^(A)Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
²Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD ^(B)in holy array.
³The ^(C)voice of the LORD is upon the waters;
The God of glory ^(D)thunders,
The LORD is over ^(E)many waters.
⁴The voice of the LORD is ^(F)powerful,
The voice of the LORD is majestic.
⁵The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces ^(G)the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶He makes Lebanon ^(H)skip like a calf,
And ^(I)Sirion like a young wild ox.
⁷The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire.
⁸The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the wilderness of ^(J)Kadesh.
⁹The voice of the LORD makes ^(K)the deer to calve
And strips the forests bare;
And ^(L)in His temple everything says, "Glory!"
¹⁰The LORD sat as King at the ^(M)flood;
Yes, the LORD sits as ^(N)King forever.

¹¹The LORD will give ^(O)strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with ^(P)peace.

If you're planning on coming tomorrow, or even if you're not, read this text over a few times. It's designed to bring HOPE for the soul.

And if you wern't planning to come, why don'cha...

'cause this is what you're in for...

M.

No hearing aids required

I'm not a very good listener. I'm trying to become one. But I'm not. Fact is, I'd more likely talk over someone rather then listen to them.

Maybe I need a hearing aid ...A thing you stick in your ear to make outside noises louder so's you can hear what's going on.

Typically it's older people who need hearing aids, 'cause they've lost some of their range of hearing . I need one so I can hear what people are saying.

I've been thinkin' about this 'cause I burst my ear drum a few weeks ago. I've had to listen a lot closer to people, 'cause my one ear has been pretty much out of commission and I think I've finally realized what people want.

People just wan'a be heard. Just wan'a have someone that they can talk to, not talk at but someone who will receive their concerns and dreams. And a hearing aid would make me listen to people.

So you might be asking yourself, 'where does worship come into this?'

My answer?

'What about listening to God?'

Maybe all of us need a hearing aid.

M.