Category: faith

Answer to the Question

Loving this song today…

Answer to the Question
tree63

I’m growing tired of a mouth shut tight
when all I want to do is tell the whole world
about the Man sitting at the right
hand of the One in Heaven
how could I sing about anything but Him

He is the answer to the question
He is the cure for the infection
He is all He says He is
He is the ultimate reflection
of holiness and true perfection
He is all He says He is

How can I not cry watching as the
world dies without a prayer
They look to their own construction
bound to the living God of Earth and Heaven
How could they sing about everything but Him, yeah, yeah

He is the answer to the question
He is the cure for the infection
He is all He says He is
He is the ultimate reflection
of holiness and true perfection
He is all He says He is

I’m so tired of a mouth shut tight
All I want to do is tell the whole world
about the man sitting at the right
hand of the One in Heaven
How could I sing about anything but Him

He is the answer to the question
He is the cure for the infection
He is all He says He is
He is the ultimate reflection
of holiness and true perfection
He is all He says He is

New leadership podcast

Just found the Threadsmedia Leadership Podcast from Lifeway.
Very good stuff.

Training Tip 5 talks about teaching people with various learning styles. This is a great listen for anyone who leads anyone anywhere.

“Engage every learning style… Engage as many learning styles as possible.”

Some may learn better by listening and taking notes, others may do better with music, others may do better making art or doing something with their hands. I’m sure my mom could give some great examples of this.

“Culture never informs Scripture but Scripture informs culture.”

“The type of question you ask in your small group could engage learning styles or disengage learning styles.”

What if you walked in to small group and a pile of pipe cleaners were lying in front of you and the leader said, “The one thing I need from God this week is… Answer it with a pipe cleaner.”

What if we thought about our small groups/church like the game Cranium? Engage the whole brain.

“A small group leader who understands the concepts behind Cranium, that’s a great small group leader.”

Where there will be no more sorrow

I probably don’t open up emotionally enough on my blog like I could/should. Maybe that’s why my mom says she enjoys reading Laurie’s blog more than mine ;-). Or maybe that’s why you keep reading my blog. Who knows.

Either way, yesterday was a pretty emotional morning for me at church.
I think it had to do with several things and everything just kinda peaked right at the end of the service.
We’ve started a new series this month entitled, Face the Lion.

I put together a brief intro video for the series that I had a lot of fun putting together…

The music and sound F/X are all released through Creative Commons. And the music is from the movie Elephant’s Dream, which was created entirely on Open Source software and with Creative Commons license.
But I digress.

Throughout the month, different folks from encounter will share their testimony of how God has brought them through struggles and difficulties to bring them to the place they are now. My best friend Matt and I will be sharing our testimonies next week, Nov. 11.

As we geared up for the message yesterday I think I had a flurry of thoughts going through my mind. Thoughts of loosing my sister Amy nearly 2.5 years ago. Thoughts of all that Matt has gone through over the last 2.5 years, loosing his fiance, Amy, a good friend and then his dad, all within a year. And now Matt has learned that it’s very likely he has MS.

I told Laurie the other day that a big part of me wants to say, “What did Matt do so wrong to deserve all this?” and “Why is God being so unfair to him?” Yet I know that God has something bigger and better in store for him. I know that Matt is being a shining example of God’s glory to those he comes in contact with – yet I still want to raise my fist and say it’s unfair. And even still I simply can’t believe in a vengeful God who attacks us anytime He sees fit to punish us for doing something wrong. I can’t believe that everything that sucks in our life is because we did something wrong in our life. If that was the case, my sister never would have gotten sick and she never would have died. In fact when people begin to suggest that our lives would be so much better if we just “trusted God with all our heart, mind and soul” and if we stopped sinning we’d live long, happy lives, I want to punch them in the throat. Show me where Scripture assures us of that. But I’m digressing again – maybe a good reason not to get emotional on my blog….

Just before the message, Scott and the band led everyone with the song, “Worth it All.”
[audio:http://www.casadeblundell.com/jonathan/wp-content/uploads/worthitall.mp3]
I just can’t help but know and believe that someday, all the crap we put up with in life will be worth it. It’s all going to seem trivial when every thing’s done and we cash our chips in and because of that, that song has gotten to me everytime the band plays it.

As Brian spoke I was reminded over and over again, “God doesn’t waste your hurt. God doesn’t waste your sorry.” It’s something I reminded some friends of last Tuesday night at our community group and yet it seemed like God was reminding me of that very thing all morning long. It’s one of those things that’s a whole lot easier said than done.

Brian asked me to pray for Matt at the end of the service and I just about fell apart before I could even get started. I think everything just hit me at once again yet I knew, “It’s gonna be worth it all” because “Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.” (Isaiah 60:20)

Happy Reformation Day

While there is another holiday going on today, today is also Reformation Day, the day that is traditionally believed to be when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517.
In doing so, Martin Luther brought about the Protestant Reformation and current fracture in the church between the protestant and catholic church.

In honor of Luther and the changes he brought about, here is his hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, translated by Frederic Hedge:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

I’m attempting to find a modern arrangement but I haven’t been able to find anything yet unless it sounds like 80’s bubble gum pop. Sigh. Let me know if you find anything.