You've Got Mail...

A very encouraging and thought-provoking email came my way this week as a follow up to our Monday evening workshop. Thought it might lift your spirits as well. It came from a new member, who was happy with anonymity, so I will merely hint at its source. His initials might remind you of your very first rifle. And hers might bring to mind a hot roast beef sandwich. But I digress. Very special people already. Please read on…

“When [the wife] and I first ‘tried’ Hope Church, it was definitely not our comfort zone. While we knew of EV Free churches, we hadn’t experienced one, and it was certainly much, much larger than our previous church homes. But, the power of the music that we heard during our first and then subsequent visits overwhelmed our initial inhibitions and literally permeated us with the message of Christ. And I’m convinced that a large part of its effectiveness is because of the homogenous nature of the large group that doesn’t call undue attention to any one individual week in and week out, and yet delivers a powerful music message that touches emotions but not in a showy, manipulative way. In other words, as is your mission, the hearers hear the message of Christ without otherwise being distracted by the personal performance aspect that often accompanies a small praise group or praise leader.

(Editor’s note: I made a comment at the workshop that the choirs wishing to impact (or even survive) this generation of worshipers will need to reinvent themselves and return to the biblical model of worship leadership. No longer will they be able to see their ministry as artistic “window dressing”, occupying a front and center position of influence, without demonstrating the passionate faith and self-effacing worship that actually helps lead God’s people to His throne. To these observations, our friend offered a very insightful illustration. Please read on :-)

I tend to see things in comparative images or analogies. For me, I can see a comparison between traditional choirs and coffee. Both have been around for centuries, both are intended to sooth and stimulate, and both can be hot, cold, old, mild, bitter, fresh, vibrant, robust, weak, or strong. And there are a ton of varieties out there. And just as coffee for many, many decades became a taken-for-granted beverage in the restaurant business, choirs seemed to follow the same path in the church. The coffee was usually prepared by people who didn’t really pay careful attention to its quality, made it without thought, and served it mindlessly refill after refill without assigning a whole lot of value to it...it was just expected for a restaurant to brew it and serve it.

But we all know what happened over the past 25 years [simply] because a guy took a very different view of coffee. Instead of seeing it as an unimportant side-beverage, he saw it as a primary beverage worthy of careful brewing, provided by attentive servers who were well trained and coached, and he insisted on elevating the quality of the product in order to garner the loyalty of its devotees. He reclaimed, and then enhanced its value, and ultimately escalated its price-per-cup beyond what anyone would have really imagined possible. And he also convinced investors to come along with him and his little start-up company, Starbucks. The guy knew that coffee could be much more than what the culture (and the traditional providers) had allowed it to become.

A choir might be a “product” that others have lost the vision for, but personally, I see Hope’s choir as being a “Starbuck’s” offering with even more potential to penetrate. When done well and with the right passion, there are no other companion ministries that I can think of that have the same ability to inspire, encourage, and move people closer to the Lord than the gospel broadcasted by a three or four dozen vocalists, infused with the Holy Spirit, who are powerfully and harmoniously proclaiming Jesus’ love.

What’d I tell you? Isn’t this inspiring?!? A great example of: The gifts of God for the people of God. The next time you have a cup of coffee, remember this: We are to be the very aroma of Christ to this world (2 Corinthians 2:15), and to help them taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). And all God’s singers said, AMEN!

-tad

Spring Thanksgiving

What else can I say? Holy Week was Wholly Incredible! For all your amazing, selfless, hard work, your commitment to excellence, your patience and endurance, your prayer, and yes, finally, your superb presentation of such worthy and beautiful gifts to the Lord, THANK YOU, team! I hope the process was as fulfilling as the final product for each of you. Thanks especially to you “newbies” who braved the territory of the unknown, stayed the course, and hit the tape with all the veterans. We couldn’t have done it without you! Nor would we like to in the future. Please come back!!

In summary, allow me to quote the apostle Paul with my feelings…he always was better with words. Though you may be very familiar with this section of scripture, please read it very carefully once again, and let God bless you with new insights. From Philippians 1 (New Living Translation):

Thanks to all of you. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

From the bottom of my heart, “thank you for giving to the Lord. I was a life that was changed.” I trust there were many, many others. CU in two weeks, gang!

-tad

Holy Week Remix 2011

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably found yourself saying it. If you ever had a parent, you probably heard it, and maybe more than once. Do what you’re told. Maybe you can even recall the phrase, because your father said so. As those contaminated with a sinful nature, we generally are tempted to react negatively to such edicts. As those created with a free will, it is almost instinctive to resist letting someone else be “the boss of us.” But have you ever thought about how such words, when spoken of/by a benevolent authority figure, can actually bring comfort, security, even expectancy?

The writer to the Hebrews wrote in chapter 12 that Jesus, for the joy set before him, “endured the cross, despising its shame, and [then] sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” What kept him focused through all of that torment? How was he able to persevere in the midst of such grave temptation? No question, Jesus anticipated one phenomenal outcome of his finished work was “bringing many sons to glory.” (Heb. 2:10) So we often conclude it was mainly because of His great love for us. But I would contend that the gospels also strongly suggest another motivation: He lived to please His Father.

Consider just the events that transpired from Palm Sunday to his resurrection. As he made his way through the crowds, even as he listened to their shouts of ‘Hosanna’, he was aware that these accolades came from people with all kind of agendas for him. Maybe you can relate to that part of the journey—the temptation to meet everybody else’s expectations along the way to following Jesus.

But because He lived to please His Father, it was His Father’s agenda that held Jesus’ attention. When pressed by unbelieving Jews as to his true identity, He answered: “I am not of this world…He who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world. When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be, and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me…I always do what pleases Him.” (John 8: 23-29)

Hundreds of years before that final week, the prophet Isaiah had already hinted at what was to come. “It was the Lord’s [Father’s] will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his (Jesus’) life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord [Father] will prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10)

So what might that final memo have looked like?

To: Jesus
From: Your Heavenly Father
Re: Things to accomplish during this week

1) Ride into town, not on a mighty stallion, but on a lowly donkey.
2) Curse a fig tree for not bearing fruit, and do it within earshot of your friends so they get the point.
3) Clear the temple of the money-changers and call these merchants a bunch of “robbers.”
4) Continue publicly debating the chief priests, the teach ers of the law, and the church elders, while fully aware that they are weighing every word, in order to find some reason to arrest you.
5) Endure the same political posturing with the Pharisees,the Herodians, and the Sadducees.
6) Receive a PDA (public display of affection) from a woman with a “past,” only to have its merits questioned by none other than Judas Iscariot. His PDA will follow.
7) Break bread with your best buds and remind them that the next time you drink wine with them, EVERYTHING will have changed. Oh, and even after three years of in tense ministry with them, sadly behold their clueless expressions.
8) Visit the garden of Gethsemane, pray in agony as your very best buds fall asleep.
9) Get arrested, falsely accused, humiliated, stripped, beaten, convicted and nailed naked to a tree. (And the world will call it “Good” Friday.)

But one more thing, Son.

10) Because You will have chosen to “humble yourself and become obedient to death – even death on a cross”, y journey’s end you will be exalted to the highest place and given “the name that is above every name, so that at your name, [Jesus,] every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue will confess that you, Jesus, are Lord of all, to the glory of God the Father.”

So fellow artists and disciples of Jesus, I ask you: With all the different voices clamoring for your attention, what keeps you motivated? Whose agenda keeps you focused and fulfilled? Might each of us find more and more delight in just doing what pleases our Father simply because He said so. As followers of Christ, it is the only path to victory and true joy. After all, He was just doing what He was told.

-tad

Think About His Love

One of my favorite praise songs from yesteryear was entitled Think about His Love. Written by Walt Harrah, it spoke of the pursuing, relentless love of God. The part that always grabbed me was the final line of the chorus…great is the measure of our Father’s love. At this time of year, we often focus primarily on Jesus’ sacrifice, his suffering and death on behalf of a sinful world, a fallen creation. But at times, I allow myself to reflect on what His Father went through in those final days of Jesus’ earthly life.

We know from the scriptures that God’s spirit can be grieved, so let’s assume our Father God experienced profound pain, grief and loss over the slaughter of His Son at the hands of sinful men. This was, of course, despite the fact that He orchestrated it. Isaiah 53 says; “Yet it was the Lord’s [Father’s] will to crush him [Jesus] and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the [Father] will prosper in his [Jesus’] hand.” Jesus had to be a willing Isaac, but the Father had to be an equally willing Abraham, so to speak.

I once passed a church during the season of Lent which had a crude, wooden cross near the curb with a sign below quoting Lamentations 1:12. It read simply: Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? As I drove by, the words began to impact me immediately. Why have I grown so casual about this symbol of God’s love for me? What kind of sacrificial act was this?

For a moment, my mind flashed back to the days of the Vietnam war. Vivid in my memory were the images from TV reports showing fathers of slain soldiers as they watched protests and flag-burnings. Think about it: even as they were burying their sons and daughters, who had been killed while trying to preserve those very freedoms, their children’s heroic acts were being despised. I was aware that I knew little of this kind of love. Soon after, I heard a story that helped me understand a little better. I can’t prove that it really happened. I only know it helped me get in touch with the measure of my Father’s love.

There once lived a man called “Big John” whose job it was to operate a mechanical drawbridge. Several times a day a train sped across this bridge carrying passengers safely across a deep and potentially deadly river. Big John’s job was crucial, of course, as the slightest delay in lowering the bridge to accommodate the oncoming train could mean certain derailment, hurling the train and its occupants to their death.

On one particular sunny afternoon, Big John decided it would be a delight to bring his young son, Little John, to the jobsite and allow him the thrill of watching him work.

Sure enough, the boy could not contain his excitement witnessing his dad in action, lifting and pushing levers which engaged the mighty gears as they empowered the bridge to open and close at Pop’s command. It was not difficult for Little John to realize that the fate of many lives lay in his father’s hands, and the lad was filled with pride. Someday, perhaps, he could be so important. Someday, he thought, people’s lives could depend on him. How exciting it all was!

About noon that day Big John and the boy sat down to lunch and talked about the possibility of Little John actually trying out the levers later that day. As they talked, time seemed to slip away, and only the loud piercing whistle of the oncoming 1:05 train jarred Big John back to reality. Realizing that the bridge remained in its UP position, he had only a matter of seconds to react to engage the gears, which could lower the tracks in time to greet the speeding train. As he quickly maneuvered the levers, he assured himself that, in fact, there would be enough time to ready the bridge.

Just then he heard Little John scream. The boy had apparently lost his balance on the walkway above the gear mechanism, causing him to plunge headlong into the grinding, steel machine. In a split second, the father torturously considered his alternatives: stop the whole process with a pull of a lever, thereby saving his son, while watching hundreds of passengers plunge to their death--or allow the gears to continue engaging the bridge. Big John knew the latter option would provide safe passage for the train’s occupants while at the same time ending his precious son’s life.

In his heart of hearts, he knew he had only one choice. With tears streaming down his face accompanied by the loud cry of a man gone mad, he held his hand steady, watching as the bridge slowly came into perfect alignment just seconds before the roaring train zoomed by, its passengers casually unaware of the sacrifice just made on their behalf. Some were sleeping, some played cards--others just gazed out the window as if nothing had happened. John could not bring himself to look downward at what had become of his precious boy, but instead stared intently at the blank faces in front of him. Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by?

As painful as an account like this is, it truly pales in comparison to the horror that the Father witnessed as His innocent Son, who knew no sin, became sin for us and absorbed His wrath for us. I hope as you and I prepare for our role in retelling the story of Easter, we will be left with at least one significant takeaway: great is the measure of our Father’s love.

-tad

Trees Talk

As we begin a new sermon series entitled The Tree, I have been reflecting on the marvelous gift that this part of creation is to you and me. Consider with me the connection between the tree and the four seasons: summer, autumn, winter, and spring. Here in this one beautiful symbol of life we have all the stages, the actual rhythm of the human experience. And ultimately, we have the reminder that through the use of a tree, God’s redemptive plan for his fallen creation was accomplished, and we are restored, we are made right with Him.

I am reminded of the lyrics to one of my favorite Nicole Nordeman songs, Every Season.* Read along and see if you don’t agree that God’s creative handiwork has a language all its own.

Every evening sky, an invitation to trace the patterned stars.
And early in July, a celebration for freedom is ours.
And I notice You in children’s games,
in those who watch them from the shade.
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder.
You are summer.

I think of the summer of our days as the best of the best. And it’s not necessarily a confined season or stage of our life. It’s just when life is good, when we’re hitting on all cylinders, and all seems right with the world. This experience comes and goes, but when we’re in the middle of it, we don’t want it to end. It’s also a time filled with discovery and awe.

And even when the trees have just surrendered
to the harvest time.
Forfeiting their leaves in late September and sending us inside,
Still I notice You. When change begins
and I am braced for colder winds,
I will offer thanks for what has been and what’s to come.
You are autumn.

Personally, autumn is my favorite season of the year. The colors, the smells, the cooler temperatures, the activities unique to fall: they all remind me that just because something changes does not mean it can’t be beautiful or purposeful. And I have learned the longer I live, that something wondrous happens even in the process of dying—if I look for it.

And ev’rything in time and under heaven fin’lly falls asleep.
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation shivers underneath.
And still I notice You when branches crack
and in my breath on frosted glass.
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter.
You are winter.

Having just been through one of the nastier winters in my
recent memory, I can honestly say this is probably my least favorite season of the year and of life in general. It is often used to describe that stage which precedes our own death, when we fall asleep and are no more. We hear the phrase the winter of our years. Actually, I usually greet the start of winter with enthusiasm. Certain elements, the snow, the warmth of a fireplace, even the beauty of dead trees and vegetation against a white backdrop intrigues me…initially. But then comes the waiting, the frustration of life slowed down, the lack of freedom, the lack of life, the sameness of it all. At times the bitter winds and uncertain conditions seem actually to oppose me in my journey, blocking my forward momentum. But then, it happens:

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced,
teaching us to breathe.
And what was frozen through is newly purposed,
turning all things green.
So it is with You and how You make me new
with ev’ry season’s change.
And so it will be as You are recreating me,
summer, autumn, winter...spring.

You and I, along with all of God’s creation, are reborn, given a fresh start, awakened to life as it was always intended. Solomon once wrote: “Lo, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone; flowers appear on the earth, and the time for singing has come.” It reminds us that even the bleakest of periods in our lives have an ending point. God is always at work moving us forward. He has made seasons to illustrate the spectrum of our human experiences. And He has made trees, including the one that was used for His own son’s death, to remind us, that in whatever stage we find ourselves, He is at work for our good. Let the seasons speak to you. Let trees talk to you. And be reminded, God is not finished with you yet.

[Jesus] Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 NKJV

-tad

* “Every Season” Nichole Nordeman © 2000 Ariose Music, Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing

Preaching to the Choir

Do you ever feel like your life is like an ongoing sound check: Testing, testing… Just when you think you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, you discover it’s an oncoming train. Put another way, You know it’s going to be a bad day when…

-You see a 60 Minutes news team in your office
-You call suicide prevention hotline, and they put you on hold.
-You turn on the news, and they’re showing emergency routes out of the city.
-Your twin sister forgot your birthday.
-Your car horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck as you follow a group of Hell’s Angels on the freeway.
-Your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat.
-Your income tax check bounces.
-You both contact lenses in the same eye.

OK, so chances are none of those things is in your immediate future, but what about others, such as...

-You are 23, and despite a commitment to Christ, the earnest prayers of hundreds for your healing, and the love and support of a wonderful family, you succumb to cancer (Jonathon Pound—Sunday at 5:30 am)
-You remain unemployed after months, if not years, of seeking work
-Your home feels increasingly unsafe due to emotional or physical abuse
-Your childhood innocence was shattered by sexual abuse
-One of your parents abandoned you just when you needed them most
-You are drowning in debt and see no way of escape
-Your prayers for deliverance from addiction seem to go unanswered
-You are facing retirement with uncertainty and financial instability

Where is God then? Is He on a break? Does He still care? What about God’s promises, like the one we are singing in “The Lord Is My Light”? In the time of trouble…he will keep you safe. I don’t pretend to understand God in all of these circumstances, but he has clearly stated in His word that my ways are not His ways, my thoughts His thoughts (Isaiah 55:8,9). And He pointedly doesn’t just declare His thoughts and ways to be different…He says that they are HIGHER. They ultimately lift us up! That is encouraging!

As we are learning in Hebrews 11, faith is the conviction of things not seen. Not clear. It is not faith if God can be figured out using our mind and senses alone. It involves a trust leap. In Psalm 27, David reminds us of the need for tenacity in our faith.

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

I experienced this literally years ago when I left the Lutheran Church, in which I was confirmed, to go on staff at Willow Creek Community Church in northwest Chicago. My dad treated me as an infidel and a prodigal and did not speak to me for 6 months. I was devastated, but waited on the Lord to change him and restore our relationship. Eventually, God brought him to a place of wanting what God wanted for my life more than what he wanted. Before he died, we enjoyed a sweet reunion. Though this story had a happy ending, it did involve my trusting and obeying and leaving the rest to the sovereignty of God. Ultimately, where I want to live is not only trusting in the God of the Happy Endings. Rather, I want the assurance and conviction of the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk, who concluded:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, 
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, 
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 
yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, 
 he enables me to tread on the heights.

Indeed, his ways are higher than mine. For whatever I am facing right now, I can trust Him. After all, whom have I in heaven but Him? Choir, can I get an Amen?

-tad

What's Holy about Holy Week?

Welcome to all of you joining us this evening by invitation as the Easter Choir! Also, welcome, everyone, to that great time of the year when we begin anticipating and preparing for the most historic week of the church year…Holy Week. I say “church year”, which may be a new concept to some of you. Traditionally, the Christian church has marked certain seasons and dates as worth honoring and repeating every year. So they have made their way into what is universally called The Church Year. Such terms as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, etc. are all meant to refer to those events and commemorations which represent the core of our faith.

Those not making the “Church Year?” Well, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, July 4th, Halloween (go figure), even Thanksgiving, to name a few. They may get you a day off work, but as part of an overarching outline of our faith, not so critical. And none of those dates was born out of a biblical event. As an evangelical church, most people would not consider Hope traditional, perhaps, but we do have and try to honor certain traditions which we find meaningful.

In our values statements, referred to as our Sweet Sixteen (available on our welcome table), we actually address this issue in Value 11. Here are a few excerpts:

“The tension among different generations or cultures when it comes to honoring tradition isn’t so much about having traditions, but what makes them meaningful? So it is with the family of faith when we seek to pass on what experiences should be universally treasured, as opposed to what is valued by certain individuals. In some churches, traditions are maintained that were, at one time, valued by the vast majority, but now are recycled simply because “we’ve always done it that way.” Contrast that with the fellowships which never do the same thing the same way twice, simply because of the fear that “if it’s not new, it’s irrelevant.”

Coming from a very traditional, ritualistic even, church background, I understand this concern. There is a commonly held axiom in communication that to the extent that something is familiar, it loses its impact. Said another way, the more we know what’s coming, the less intently or expectantly we receive or anticipate it. I still recall singing portions of the liturgy (the repetitious and routine parts of the worship service) as a child while, at the same time, looking around the room, waving to late-comers, or wondering why I had worn one brown shoe and one black. Imagine the impact of the words, Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, on my heart, while I am simultaneously winking at the cute girl across the aisle. Talk about your multi-tasker!

But let’s not throw the proverbial baby out with the bath water. While Jesus warns us against vain repetition (Matthew 6:7), he does not advocate never repeating anything. Indeed, that is what traditions are: determining those events, occurrences, and corporate experiences which are repeated, whether it is weekly, monthly, annually or otherwise. This is suggested in the Old Testament in the book of Numbers: “Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God.” (Numbers 10:10) This wasn’t just a Hebrew thing, it was a people of God thing, suggesting that part of trusting God for our future was remembering our past. And part of retaining the identity as a unique work of God’s hand was to replay, occasionally, our unique story.

If we find, in this contemporary American culture which seems addicted to the new, that nothing we do seems worthy of repeating, then maybe it wasn’t worth doing in the first place. And the day we allow the priority of our fellowship to become the mere perpetuation of empty traditions, we may as well join the cast of Fiddler on the Roof as Tevye’s backup singers. Tradition!!! Perhaps we have merely lost sight of our connection to the story line which God is unfolding as we approach the end of the Age.”

This Sunday, Pastor Stephen will walk us through the incredible faith chapter of Hebrews 11. If the account of the lives that have gone before doesn’t inspire you to keep telling the story, you may want to check your pulse! As we begin again this exciting and sobering season, let’s realize the incredible continuum on which we find ourselves, and do our part to faithfully declare God’s goodness to this generation and the next.

Again, welcome, all you newbies and returnees! We are so glad you have made this choice. We trust you won’t be disappointed.

-tad

Shift Happens

SHIFT HAPPENS. It’s been said that the most dependable aspect of life in these times is that things change. Somebody “moves our cheese.” Shift happens. Just when we think we’ve got all our life neatly organized (right!), something changes. Sometimes, it’s really big. A boss says the company needs you in another city. Or another department. Or not at all. A child leaves the “nest” for school or a life on their own. A spouse walks away. A doctor gives a not-so-welcome prognosis. Worse, someone we love dies. This shifting happens even in the church. Worship styles change. New staff come and go. Different kinds of people start showing up. We are asked to share the role we once thought was uniquely ours.

For me, as a creative person, I usually greet change with excitement, enthusiasm. But recently, as some of you know, I experienced a change in my life that rocked me more than I care to admit. The little 5½ pound dog that shared life with Deb and me for 15 years, needed to be put down. And “Sammie” was no ordinary dog (I know we all say that). She was like a furry angel God placed in our life for the very reason of providing stability and unconditional love through the many changes we would navigate
during her lifetime. Her death has left a bigger hole in my heart than I imagined was possible from a non-human. She still shows up in my dreams. Our house feels different. It’s a noticeable shift, and one which will never return to the way it was.

As a person living in an increasingly unstable and changing world, I am beginning to weary of it a bit, seeing more and more of change as not so much for the better, but just because we can change. Technology is shrinking our world and enabling us to get places faster, do things cheaper, and do whatever we can dream. In fact, human kind appears to be growing more and more restless. So I find myself simultaneously excited and uneasy. Stimulated, but suspicious. Eager, and yet a bit dreadful.

Where do we turn, when, as the ancient hymn writer once wrote, “every earthly prop gives way?” Lately, I’ve been finding comfort in Psalm 34, penned by another artistic type, King David himself.

“I will extol the Lord at ALL times. His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord: let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces
are never covered with shame.”

From these five little verses, my 3½ lbs of brain conclude: I need a song, I need a community, I need faith. Or better said, WE need a song. WE need community. WE need faith. If I am to be delivered from all my fears, I need to keep singing, keep joining myself with others, keep trusting the One who is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever. And so do you.

Dear ones, God consistently uses you to do just that in my life through your song, your friendship, your faith. In worship ministry, it is the nature of the beast, or better said, the nature of the best. As we anticipate new arrivals next week to prepare for Easter, remember that some will risk change in their routine for a greater good, a bigger glimpse of God, and a better sense of where they belong. They, too, need a song, a community, and faith. Let’s be joined with them joyfully, and exalt His name together.

-tad

Hands, Feet and Workshops

In less than two weeks (Monday, February 28), we will be gathering together for our first regular, quarterly worship arts workshop as an entire ministry area (see article on back page). You can view them as an on-campus mini-retreat, with the three-fold emphasis being teaching and training (stronger), socialization (closer), and vision- casting (further). In most cases, as in this first one, we will begin with a meal together (our attempt to grow wider). This usually will be provided, so fret not. We will include some round table discussion questions to help you get to know each other better. After eating, we will move into some form of instruction or inspiration. This month we will watch a powerful video called Indescribable, which celebrates our God as the Master Artist. You won’t want to miss it! Finally, we will conclude our time together with some group discussion on the “so what’s?” or “now what’s?” of what we have learned. Every member of the worship and arts ministry is invited, including singers,instrumentalists, actors, writers, technicians, etc.

You might be asking yourself why is this necessary? Don’t we already have opportunities for this? Yes, we do have a yearly retreat in the fall, but it is often a working retreat preparing Christmas music or the like, and it is decidedly tilted toward the choir. We have fellowship opportunities and prayer support at our Sunday morning communities, but again, we routinely have only a small percentage of the entire ministry, and we are always
pressed for time.

By choosing to intentionally invest three hours a quarter in the form of a mini-retreat, we give everyone a chance, apart from the work of their ministry, to rediscover what binds us together as a team, builds us up, and sends us out again. As your pastor in this area of ministry, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important I think these gatherings will be to help unify us and strengthen our ministry to Hope and beyond. We need each other, and we need to discover together how each part of the ministry contributes to the whole. Paul wrote about this in his first letter to the Corinthians, a church which, by the way, was not doing unity OR community very well. This was his very practical, yet powerful, illustration:

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor… If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

My prayer is that each of you will prioritize this quarterly event by making a place for it on your calendar, attending, and coming ready to fully engage and invest yourself for the work God is doing. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. See you there!

-tad

Food For Thought

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican
Luke 18:9-14 (New International Version)

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Parable of the Phari-sing and the Probably-can
(Loosely based on) Luke 18:9-14 and I Corinthians 13:1

To some who were confident of their own artistic pedigree and overall superiority in things artsy-fartsy, and who looked down on everybody else, a parable was told: “Two men went up to the temple to worship, one an arrogant musician and the other a humble worshiper. The Phari-sing stood up and prayed about himself:

‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—you know, the little people, the “no-counts,” the ones I must endure sitting next to in choir—those of untrained ear, those whose vowels bespeak a dialect formed in southern Kentucky or, perhaps Arkansas, men and women who mistake a Coda for a common illness and a crescendo for a large butter roll—those of squeaky voice, shallow air supply and ill-placed diphthongs—or even like this lowly choir wannabe next-to-me, who sings straight through the repeat signs and believes fine is an editorial comment on his performance thus far.

‘Unlike him, I attend every rehearsal (including the THIRDthursday fellowship meal), have my own music ready and make sure I have scanned any new music or worship materials for repeats, alternate endings, editor’s comments or anything else which might give me a “leg up” when the actual rehearsal begins. I remain properly hydrated throughout the entire rehearsal or worship service, keep my sharpened number two pencil at the ready and vigorously mark my score as directed by the conductor, making sure to press lightly in the unlikely, but occasional, event of his changing his mind (go figure).

‘I stay seated in an “upright and locked position” throughout the duration of the rehearsal (even, and most importantly, during the ritualistic prayer time so as to leave no doubt as to just how upright and Godly I am); I never forget my music and encourage others to do the same by refusing to share my score or, God forbid, my plethora of musical knowledge. I spend approximately one tenth (a time tithe) of my waking hours listening to my choir specials CD, until I am absolutely confident of my part for each upcoming anthem, or until the CD disintegrates in my player, whichever comes first. In conclusion, you must be pretty happy to have me on Your team.’

“But the lowly Probably-can stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘It’s me again, God, HELP!’ I admit it, Lord, I love to sing and I love to worship, but after all these years, I still don’t know the difference between a descant and a dischord, D. S. al fine or day-old linguine, but given enough patience and a supportive, safe environment, I’d like to hang in there and try to make a difference in some small way.

“I tell you that the prayer of the Probably-can was like music to God’s ears, while the ramblings of the Phari-sing were like fingernails on a chalkboard—audible but not very edifying. The moral of the story: Though I [sing] with the tongue of men and of angels, but have not love, I am like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

Food for thought...

-tad