An Experiment

I received one of those funny forwards today. It was titled "Kids in Church...Funny." (This , by the way, does not mean I want you to start sending me all of your favorite forwards.) It had all of these really cute things that kids have said. This one reminded me of what Bro. Larry will be preaching about this Sunday - "When Your Family Isn't Perfect."

After the baby dedication of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, 'That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home,

and I wanted to stay with you guys.'

I've met people over the years who were totally different at home than they were at church. People at church didn't necessarily know that, but the children did! It really messes them up too.

I've thought of an easy way to help fix this problem for any of you who may have that. Don't try to act like a Christian on Sundays when you are at church. Instead, make sure you are truly a follower of Jesus Christ and then live that way every day.

The fruit of the Spirit will be evident in your life EVERY day when you walk by the Spirit,

Ga 5:16 - Show Context
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Ga 5:25 - Show Context
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

So why would I blog about how you are on Monday through Saturday when I'm supposed to lead you in worship on Sunday? Well, because worship isn't just a Sunday thing. It is an every day thing. And just think... if all of us - or at least a bunch of us - are walking and living by the Spirit day by day, when we get together on Sundays for worship our worship will be - wow, I don't know, I think it would be bigger and grander and more powerful and we wouldn't be putting on a Sunday frame of mind, we'd just be celebrating together what God was doing in our lives all week long. (I suppose my writing professors would not be happy with that last sentence, but I'm just typing as it's popping in my head.)

I've thought of an experiment for us to try.

OK, I guess it's too late for this week, but let's all give it a try starting next Monday. We'll all walk in the Spirit and put Jesus' words to action in our lives for a week and see what happens. (It may scare your children at first if you are a lot different, but that's OK.)

Mt 16:24 - Show Context
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

At the end of that week, Jan. 19-25, we'll see how worship is on the 25th. I think it's going to be great!

I'd love to know what you think about such things. Send me a note or post a comment here.

American Idol

The 8th season of American Idol begins tonight. I'll probably watch it, but then again, maybe not. It bothers me that there are times when they are obviously making fun of the singing or even the person of some of the contestants. We all know that some of the people who are chosen to sing for the judges are chosen for their total lack of singing ability. It would be much kinder if someone had told them up front that they should NEVER sing in public.




Some people use their lack of singing ability as an excuse to not only skip out of American Idol auditions, but also as an excuse to not sing at church.



Often on Sunday nights I'll talk to people in the congregation just before the evening service. (It's more difficult to have time for this on a Sunday morning.) I'll look at a group of people and I'll say, "I want to hear some good singing from this section tonight." And more often than not at least one person says, "You don't want to hear me sing!"



But actually, I do! Singing in worship isn't so much about the notes you sing, it's about your heart and expressing your faith and love and devotion and worship to the Lord.


A quick glance through the Psalms will show you many, many verses that instruct us to praise the Lord.


for example:


Ps 47:6 - Show Context
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our King, sing praise!



Oh, one more thing - speaking of auditions...

I'm often asked if there are auditions to be in our adult choir. The answer is NO! If you want to sing a solo - yes, but to sing Sunday by Sunday all you have to do is come to rehearsals. We meet on Wednesday nights at 6:30 at the Family Life Center. You don't have to be able to read music either. Many in our choir don't read. What is important is dedication and a heart for the Lord. We can help you with your singing.

Come join us THIS Wednesday night!

Returning Choir Members and Sunday's Music

We had a great first-night-back-from-Christmas-break rehearsal last night. We had two new basses, 2 returning basses, a returning alto, a new alto and a returning soprano! Yeah! It's not exactly the swallows returning to Cappuccino (or wherever that is) but it is still great to see choir members back.

Sunday's music:

January 11, 2009

Lord Most High
Crown Him with Many Crowns

Prayer – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Choir Anthem – The Solid Rock

Welcome to Worship – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Welcome Song – Sing to the King

Children’s Message – Bro. Tim Munoz

How Great Thou Art

No Higher Calling
To God Be the Glory

Special Music – Lynn Brake & Angie Thomas

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation - Just As I Am

Offertory – Michelle Dickerson

Announcements & Benediction – Bro. Tony Lewis

Wednesdays Are Going Again

Having Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve on Wednesdays kind of messed up our rehearsal times. And even though it was nice taking a couple of weeks off, I'm ready to go! I miss you when we don't get together.

Wind and Fire - our instrumental ensemble - will meet tonight at the FLC at 5:35. This is a great time for new players to join us. We currently have (if we all show up on the same night) 3 flutes, 1 clarinet, 1 alto or soprano sax, 1 tenor sax, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and a drummer. This is a great start! Tonight we'll work on some things to play on Sunday mornings.

Our adult choir meets at 6:30. I've already had four men and one lady tell me they are going to join choir tonight. Woohoo! I'd like to see us back up close to 100 enrolled in the next few weeks. Bring someone with you to choir tonight.

God with Us sung by Lyndel

The congregation at Hilldale has already heard this, so you all can skip this post. But some of my old friends (old as in known them for a long time) haven't heard me sing in 20 or 25 years. I guess I could pretend I was only 12 years old then... hahaha.

Monday, Monday

da daaa, da, da da daaaaaa.

The mommas and the papas sang that one way back when. I'm not sure what the other lyrics are in that song. The da daaaas were so loud they kind of drowned out the rest of the song.

I think we sometimes get like that in life. We have a message to get out - one of hope and love and redemption and forgiveness... but we can easily get caught up in the da daaaaas and the message gets covered up.

Let Paul's words in Philippians 3 be an encouragement to you to forget all the da daaaas of 2008 and strive for making 2009 a great year of advancing the Kingdom.

13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

Read This Chapter

Side note - if you are in the recording studio, mixing your latest greatest new hit, make sure your background vocals don't cover up your main lyrics. (Free advice that won't cost you anything.)

The First Post of a New Year

So what do you say on the first post of a new year?

SING!

I don't mean you have to join a choir - although that's a great idea! - I mean live your life in such a way that you can't help but sing. That's a life that is trusting God, looking for His leading, His presence. Fanny Crosby said it this way, "I sing for I cannot be silent, His love is the theme of my song."

I suppose we could all sing a hymn to start the year. One I always thought was funny or clever to sing was "I Am Resolved", but no one ever seemed to get the play on words I was going for - or rather they never connected the word "resolved" with New Year's "Resolution." I've never been one who wants to explain the obvious...

You know, this hymn actually is a great song for the new year. Palmer Hartsough (1844-1932) wrote “I Am Resolved” to be published in The Praise Hymn­al of 1896. Perhaps the words of this old hymn will inspire you to reach for grander, nobler, higher, more spiritual things in 2009.

I am resolved no longer to linger,

Charmed by the world’s delight,

Things that are higher, things that are nobler,

These have allured my sight.

Refrain
I will hasten to Him,

hasten so glad and free;

Jesus, greatest, highest,

I will come to Thee.

I am resolved to go to the Savior,

Leaving my sin and strife;

He is the true One, He is the just One,

He hath the words of life.
Refrain

Years ago - for some reason - congregations got tired of singing all the verses of a hymn, so the music guys would sing the first, second and last verses. But so many times that third verse had some great things to say. (for example the third verses of It Is Well, and How Great Thou Art are the most important verses of those hymns - but I guess that's another post...) This third verse is a good one too.

I am resolved to follow the Savior,

Faithful and true each day;

Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth,

He is the living Way.

Refrain

There are two more verses and a short story about the hymn here http://www.gospelpiano.com/articles/i-am-resolved-28.htm

I pray you all have a wonderful year in 2009 and that you do something for the Kingdom. Don't just sit there - SING!