September 8, 2010
9:27 AM

Before the month gets away from me I must pause and reflect a moment on our hymn of the month for September. The love of God for the world, expressed through Jesus Christ has and will always be one of the central truths of the gospel that inspires our songs of worship. The Scriptures abound with statements about God’s love. One of the earliest texts of worship states, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV) John states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV) Paul prays, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17–19 NIV) He also affirms, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39 NIV) John again says, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NIV)

William Reese was the Welsh preacher who penned the words to Here is Love in 1876. His contemporary, Robert Lowery, wrote the music that same year. Reese pictured the love of God as being as vast as the ocean, and his loving-kindness like a flood. And how did God give love like this? Through the blood of Christ shed on our behalf – the Prince of Life, our ransom. Verse two continues the simile. Through the crucifixion of our Savior fountains opened deep and wide, his mercy was released through floodgates, a vast and gracious tide. His grace and love are compared to a mighty river flowing without ceasing, kissing the guilty world with love. His poetic imagery helps to take the truth of Scripture from our minds to our hearts where we receive and believe it. Reese stopped there, but in 1900 another hymn writer, William Williams, decided to pen some additional lyrics. These became the third and fourth verses. At some point they were slightly changed from 3rd person plural to 1st person singular. I can’t imagine the hymn without these terrific verses that move forward from declaring the love of God to personally expressing active faith, prayerful desire, and praise to God in the form of living a life shaped by his love. I think it gives us a more complete worship response.

Receiving the love of God, given in his Son, Jesus Christ, is the greatest, life-changing decision in all the universe. I will never tire of hearing an old or new song of praise declaring and rejoicing in the love of God. With David, I will always say, “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.” (Psalms 63:3–4 NIV)

Here Is Love
William Reese, William Williams, Robert Lowery
Here is love vast as the ocean
Lovingkindness as the flood
When the Prince of life, our ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember
Who can cease to sing His praise
He can never be forgotten
Throughout heav’n’s eternal days

On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains opened deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
Heaven’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love

In Your truth You will direct me
By Your spirit, through Your word
And Your grace my need is meeting
As I trust in You my Lord
Of Your fullness You are pouring
Your great love on me anew
Without measure, full and boundless
Drawing out my heart to You

Let me all Your love accepting
Love You ever all my days
Let me seek Your kingdom only
And my life be to Your praise
You alone will be my glory
Nothing in this world I seek
You have cleansed and sanctified me
You, Yourself have set me free

Just after eleven o'clock on a Wednesday evening a hundred years ago, a solo voice rang out with the beautiful Welsh hymn "Here Is Love Vast As The Ocean". Maybe a thousand people were in the Chapel at the time, leaning over the galleries, packing every pew and squeezing into every spare corner. They'd been here for more than four hours, in a service of intense emotion.

Meetings like it were taking place across Wales night after night, with fervent prayer and passionate singing - and similar disregard for the clock. They both excited and appalled, left many puzzled and some frightened, but it was reckoned that in less than a year, over a hundred and fifty thousand people had made a new commitment to Jesus Christ.

Whole communities changed, as men and women found themselves drawn into a powerful experience of God; and sparks from their awakening were soon to ignite fires in more than a dozen other countries.

And the hymn that soloist struck up spontaneously, about "love vast as the ocean", was heard so often that it became known as "the love song of the revival". (from http://www.truthinhistory.org/the-welsh-revival-of-1904-1905.html)

O Lord, God, may the simple yet profound truth of your love for us, poured out richly through the death of our Savior, Jesus Christ, spark a revival among the people in our community. Work powerfully in our worship services as we declare your great love in our songs of praise! Amen.
~Bill

August 18, 2010
7:37 AM

Last Sunday we had an incredible time of worship, and by that I mean the whole service. I partnered with my good friend and colleague Steve Springsted. He preached a message on The Lord’s Prayer and I helped craft the other elements of the service around the message. A highlight for me was the beautiful way Steve encouraged us to grow in our practice of prayer as an issue of desire and not duty. Prayer is all about our relationship with God and a means to grow closer to him. Now I find myself waking up in the morning with a fresh desire to meet with God. Of course, meeting with God without distractions is shortly lived with a family of 3 young kids (adding a 4th today!) and a farm to care for. So I have my red Adirondack chairs on my front porch and I try to get a few minutes there, with a fresh cup of coffee, to read God’s Word and pray before one of my kids comes to hop up on my lap for a good morning cuddle. Then I have a 3-way conversation with God and with my kid on my lap, using the pauses between conversation to thank him for my precious children and pray for their day. Other mornings I spend an hour in the grove before the sun rises, spraying weeds and talking with the Lord. I use that time mainly to pray for others, family, friends, missionaries, coworkers and those I know who are in need. Wednesday mornings, I leave before my family is awake and slip away to this coffee shop to spend my time studying, writing and having an occasional conversation with others. I call this my listening time where I pause in my busy life to gather my thoughts and seek leading from the Lord. I treasure this time deeply and try to never miss it. We must never forget that listening is a crucial part of conversation and so it is with prayer.

One of the biggest periods of growth in prayer life came when I was 26 years old. I realized that I spent most of the day with no thoughts of God and no conversation with him. I felt alone with a big sense of inadequacy as I faced the challenge of some difficult classes of students in my job as a math teacher. At some point I decided that I needed to learn to pray without ceasing, one of the commands of Scripture: “pray continually;” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV) I asked God to help me remember to be mindful of his presence with me at all times during the day. I wanted my days to become a continual conversation with the Lord. Why not take advantage of the fact that he is always with me? He answered that prayer and soon I found myself shooting off short sentence prayers throughout the day, often in the form of the word, “Help!”, and other times for the kid who was challenging me at the moment. My friend Toby blogged about this the other day and hit the mark when it comes to living a life of prayer. I appreciated his thoughts in his blog, A Man For Christ.

Another sweet growth of prayer in my life was learning to pray with my wife, Julie. During my difficult year of teaching, our first year of marriage, we would take 1 or 2 walks a week where we would include God in our conversation. We would pray out loud as we walked and sometimes talk to each other in the middle of our prayer. (Kind of like I do with my kids now.) Now most of my prayer time with Julie is just before we drift off to sleep together. Then of course there are the times of crisis or concern where we pause in the middle of the day to lift our requests to the Lord.

Do I feel good at prayer? Not at all. I feel much like a beginner, like a little child learning how to talk to his daddy. I have much yet to learn of Him and a long way to go toward maturity. Still God invites me to come and delights to be with me. Another thing is that my heroes of the faith, men of God who were and are greatly used by him, have a common characteristic among them. They were and are men who pray. I want to be a man like that! I want to know God like that! And so by God’s grace and with the help of the Holy Spirit I keep pressing in that direction.
~Bill

August 4, 2010
7:45 AM

I’ve been asked to share a little about intimacy with God in one of our upcoming services. The topic is prayer and the main point is that prayer is mostly practiced in pursuit of knowing God. It is a relational issue more than anything else. Prayer draws us closer to God, closer to his heart, to his will, and to his character. Prayer brings intimacy with God.

Many songs of worship are sung prayers that when sung from our hearts draw us closer to God. Christian songwriters are a gift from God to the church. As modern psalmists, their musical prayers model intimacy with God. They give me an inspiration and a means to draw near to Him. My first experience came in Junior High with Keith Green’s music. His prayers became my own and you know what? God answered these prayers that I sang as a child. I realized this when I got to college. My favorite song is called, Make My Life a Prayer. It was one of the first songs I learned to sing and play on the piano. It remains a major prayer of my heart.

When a worship song or hymn resonates with our common desire to know God, it quickly becomes a favorite. The Scriptures promise, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:8 NIV) God desires to draw near to us and offers prayer as the main means of doing this. Repentance, thanksgiving, complaint, need, adoration, suffering, a cry for help, questioning, a prayer for a loved one - all of these are appropriate ways to communicate with our loving Father.

There are many prayerful songs that personally draw me close to God. I sense his nearness when I sing them. I sense that this is exactly where I need to be more than anything else. Choosing one song to highlight is perhaps one of the hardest things to do. But the first that comes to mind is one that immediately resonated with my heart; yet, I found it difficult to sing. It fought my sinful nature to sing the words, “You’re all I want. You’re all I’ve ever needed. You’re all I want. Help me know you are near.” I had to come to the place where I admitted that all the things that I want and need, even good things like my family, friends, my job, my ministry, all my desires, all of these things don’t compare for my need for God. Like the raising of my hands in worship, overcoming the barrier of my pride by singing these words from a place of surrender took me another step toward intimacy with God.

When I sing words like these, is it because I always feel or act that way? No. Perhaps it is uncomfortable to sing them because they are not true at the moment. I need to stop singing and repent – the prayer of confession is a prayer that God promises to always answer. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” My favorite version is the first I ever heard by the Katinas on the Exodus project, Draw Me Close.

Recently, I heard Matt Papa’s Open Hands on KSGN while driving to worship early one Sunday morning. It became my prayer right away and I had to sit in the car and listen all the way to the end. I quickly found this song and downloaded it for $.99 on itunes. We live in such amazing times! I encourage you to make a playlist of some of your favorite prayer songs and use that to draw you into a conversation with God.

Last week we introduced, Like Incense (Sometimes by Step) by Hillsong. This song combined a prayerful chorus written by Rich Mullins’ Sometimes by Step with new verses presented by Hillsong. These new verses are prayers that flow from the heart of Psalm 119, having a delight in following God’s ways. Enjoy! (not available for individual purchase on itunes)


Perhaps you could add a comment recommending one of your favorite prayer songs.
~Bill

July 28, 2010
7:54 AM

Our August Hymn of the Month is Blessed Assurance by Fanny J. Crosby. Fanny was disabled, blinded as a result of bad medical advice when only six months old. Yet she came to embrace and even thank God for her blindness, becoming a very influential hymn writer and public speaker around the turn of the 20th century. She said these words about her disability.

“It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank Him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me." When only eight years old she composed the following poem:

Oh, what a happy child I am, although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world contented I will be!
How many blessings I enjoy that other people don't!
So weep or sigh because I'm blind, I cannot -- nor I won't!
(http://www.zianet.com/maxey/reflx188.htm)

In August, Trinity Church is celebrating and honoring those in our congregation who are disabled. We have a growing number of families with disabled children who are an indispensable part of our children’s’ and youth ministries. They have a support group called King’s Kids. We also have a growing number of adults with disabilities who attend and serve in our Sunday worship services. They are part of our Light & Power Sunday School class, led by Jeff and Kathi McNair. Many of us at Trinity share the opinion that our disabled family members make Trinity a beautiful congregation. Scripture affirms that, “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:18–20 NIV)

Paul continues with what is the secret to the beautifying of the body of Christ called Trinity Church. We have discovered that we need the disabled members of our church family.

“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!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:21–26 NIV)

And so we are rejoicing in the part of our body that is disabled. Check out our August edition of Connections Magazine celebrating a few of our treasured families and individuals. And be sure to come and worship with us on August 8 for our Disability Celebration Sunday.

Back to Fanny J. Crosby’s beloved hymn, Blessed Assurance. “Crosby was visiting her friend Phoebe Knapp as the Knapp home was having a large pipe organ installed. The organ was incomplete so, using the piano, Mrs. Knapp played a new melody she had just composed. "What do you think the tune says?" asked Knapp.
"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine", answered Fanny Crosby.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessed_Assurance)

The lyrics that immediately flowed from Fanny’s heart through her fingers, bears testimony that she knew who she was in Christ, an heir of salvation, a purchase of God, born of his Spirit and washed in his blood. (All references from Scripture if you care to check them out: Titus 3:7, 1 Cor. 6:20, John 3:5-8, Heb. 9:14) The other verses demonstrate that her delight, rest, and happiness came from her constant gaze upon Christ, his goodness and love. The moment our story connects with God’s story and we place faith in Christ, we not only become an heir of salvation, we also learn to express our delight and gratitude to God through becoming worshipers, praising our Savior all the day long. May this be our song in August, 2010 and forevermore!

A few of my favorite recordings are by Matt Boswell, Jadon Lavik, and Crystal Lewis.

vs.1
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

vs.2
Perfect submission, perfect delight!
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

vs.3
Perfect submission, all is at rest!
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in His love.

~Bill Born

Celtic Cross

July 7, 2010
8:19 AM

Our Hymn of the Month for July is Be Thou My Vision. It is one of my favorite hymns, one that I sing with deep passion and conviction. It is a prayer, written over 1200 years ago by an Irish Christian brother or sister. It captures so much that is true and ought to be true about a maturing follower of Jesus Christ. Although the language is a bit archaic, each phrase unfolds beautifully and presents an authentic hunger and thirst for righteousness; an unquenchable appetite to know and follow Christ. The original Celtic hymn writer is unknown but was thought to write this sometime between the 6th and 8th centuries. It had 16 couplets each prayerfully inviting Christ to be all and was used in Irish monastic tradition for centuries. You can read the original English 1905 translation by Mary E. Byrne on Wikipedia. Seven years later it was organized by Eleanor Hull into the 5 verses we now sing. The beautiful Irish folk melody is called “Slane.”

Some nice recordings to check out are by Jars of Clay, Fernando Ortega, Selah, and an Irish version by Maire Brennan.

As you sing, I encourage you to meditate on the rich phrases and allow these to challenge your current way of thinking and living, and hopefully to become your own prayer of praise and desire to know God, allowing him to truly be the “Lord of your heart.” It is inspiring to know that the same passion that Paul expresses in this statement below was in the writer of this hymn, in thousands of believers since then, and is growing in me nearly 2000 years later.

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ…” (Philippians 3:8–10 NIV)

Be Thou My Vision
Author Unknown

Be Thou my vision
O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me
Save that Thou art
Thou my best thought
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping
Thy presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom
And Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee
And Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father
I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling
And I with Thee one

Riches I heed not
Nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
Thou and Thou only
First in my heart
High King of heaven
My treasure Thou art

High King of heaven
My victory won
May I reach heaven's joys
O bright heav'n's Sun
Heart of my own heart
Whatever befall
Still be my vision
O ruler of all

June 16, 2010
7:46 AM

Having just returned from a glorious 2-week vacation, I’m excited to be back home and back to work. But, before I return to my thoughts on excellence, I want to send congratulations to worship team member and dear friend, Roy Tinker on the marriage to Adrienne. It was their marriage that inspired us to drive all the way to Topeka, Kansas. Wouldn’t you agree that they are a beautiful couple? I had the privilege of witnessing their uniting in marriage and I am very excited for all that God has in store for their lives together.

Roy and I met probably about 10 years ago when he was a high school student, new to Trinity Church. A few years later he did an internship with me, which included fellowshipping together daily, praying together, planning worship sets, leading worship for our Trinity family, and even leading worship together for some missionaries in France. Roy’s love for the Lord and for the Scriptures became and continues to be an inspiration and encouragement to me. I’ve grown to love and respect him as a friend and brother and I couldn’t be happier that he has found a kindred spirit in Adrienne. She has a treasure in her newly acquired husband. And I know that she is also a treasure to him. God is so good!

I wrote a song 15 years ago that captured the joy when a woman of God is joined in marriage to a man of God. I wrote it in celebration of my best friend, Dave, and his bride, Stefani, who came together with the greater purpose to honor the Lord in their marriage. I also was preparing to propose to my sweetheart, Julie Ann, at the time, so the chorus about the woman of God reflects the Proverbs 31 qualities I saw in my own future wife. I consider it one of my best songs because its choruses flow from Scripture, capturing the character of my wife Julie as well as the character I aspire for myself as a man of God. I post it here in celebration of my 14th wedding anniversary next week. The Hand You Hold

Back to our Kansas experience, one of the unexpected blessings that we had was meeting Adrienne’s church family and finding that they were indeed our own. We met many folks from the Halpin’s church family and witnessed the sweet fragrance of Christ. How beautiful is the body of Christ! Where else can you drive up to a stranger’s house, knock on their door and immediately be welcomed as family? Adrienne’s parents arranged for our family to stay with Shawn & Tonya Schwensen. Shawn is the worship pastor of their church. It was a joy to fellowship with these kindred spirits! Our kids became immediate friends, as did we. Shawn and I talked a fair deal about worship leading and traded some favorite worship songs. I grew to respect him as a good husband, father, worker and servant to the body of Christ. We hope to return the hospitality and host them here in Redlands some time soon.

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV)

As we experience the grace, love and fellowship of our triune God, may these things be the characteristics that overflow into the lives of those we meet. Hospitality is a great way to share what God has given to us. Thanks Lord, Jesus for our experience with our extended family and for the beauty of your presence in them. Continue to bless your church that gathers as The Lion and The Lamb Church in Topeka, Kansas.
~Bill

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Hymn by Louisa M. R. Stead

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take Him at His word
Just to rest upon His promise
Just to know Thus saith the Lord

Refrain: Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
O for grace to trust Him more

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to trust His cleansing blood
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood

Yes, ‘tis sweet to trust in Jesus
Just from sin and self to cease
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest and joy and peace

I’m so glad I learned to trust Him
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend
And I know that He is with me
Will be with me to the end

May 26, 2010
7:10 AM

In my previous post on excellence, I focused on its precursor, humility. I’m not done yet, so here are a few more thoughts. A Christian without humility is an anomaly. The gospel of Jesus Christ declares that, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9 NIV) An authentic encounter with the gospel of grace produces humility. It turns a proud and religious Saul into a humble and grace-filled Paul who can say, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV) As a worshipper of God, and especially one who seeks to help others to worship him, I cannot be successful without a growing sense of humility. The reason why not, is the very task before me. C.J. Mahaney in his book, Humility, defines it like this. “Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.” A primary task for worship leaders then is to shed light on God’s holiness, exalting him above all. He is wholly perfect – his character, his purposes, his promises and even his judgments. If we’re doing our job well, leading people to encounter and worship our holy God, there should be an increase in our resulting confession of sin, repentance, and embracing of the grace and forgiveness offered to us through faith in Christ. There should also be an increase in joy-filled celebration, with an overflow of thanksgiving. We should wholeheartedly offer our love and our very selves up to God, for what other response is worthy of what God has given us? These other expressions of worship flow out of seeing God for who He is and embracing what he offers through the gospel, that is, through Jesus Christ. They are expressions of the humble.

Sometimes I wonder how often God is opposed to us in our worship services. The Scriptures state it simply. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5 NIV) We may come longing to meet with God, spiritually bankrupt, seeking God’s blessings and answers to prayer. But God might be saying to us, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.” (Isaiah 1:15 NIV) But God also offers this invitation, the solution for those of us who refuse to acknowledge and repent of our sins:

“Come now, let us reason together,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV)

The posture of repentance is humbling but so is the receiving of forgiveness through God’s amazing grace. Humility is not something we produce in ourselves. Instead, it is something that God produces in us as we place our faith in who he is and in what he has done for us through Christ (the gospel). There are so many elements we could include in our worship services at Trinity, but I want to always maintain a strong emphasis on God’s holiness and the gospel of grace offered through Jesus Christ. That is what produces humility. A humble people are a beautiful people and that’s what I want to become personally and as a community of believers at Trinity. Father, please do that work in us as we worship together on Sunday mornings. Amen.
~Bill

Patrick's Point State Park, California ~ 2007

Our hymn of the month for May came alive to me a few summers ago on a family vacation to the Redwoods along the Northern California Coast. We were in the car returning to our campground after a day of sightseeing, listening to a shuffled mix of worship songs on my ipod when Amy Grant’s version of This is My Father’s World began playing. (From her Legacy … Hymns & Faith project. SonLight danced to this version in our May 9 worship services at Trinity.) We stopped talking and joined along in song as all of our senses consumed the beauty around us. It was a moment of worship as we joined with God’s creation in “declaring our Maker’s praise.” It was also a worship moment experiencing God’s presence, and being reminded of his personality, power and purpose together (as the link below to the hymn story will mention). Since then I’ve also come to love Jadon Lavik’s version, named, My Father’s World off his Roots Run Deep project (an outstanding hymn project worth adding to your collection). Lavik presents the hymn as a sweet meditation set to a simple and beautiful arrangement.

Here is a link to a brief yet thorough telling of the This is My Father’s World hymn story.

This is My Father’s World
Hymn by Matlbie D. Babcock, Tune by Franklin L. Sheppard

This is my Father's world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
he shines in all that's fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
the battle is not done.
Jesus who died will be satisfied,
and earth and heav’n be one.

Alternative ending:
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

May 12, 2010
8:48 AM

“Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” (Psalms 33:3 NIV)

One of the challenges I face as a worship leader is the quest for excellence, both personally and for those I lead and serve on my worship teams. We’ve been slipping a bit lately, evidenced by people coming unprepared to rehearsals and still unpolished on Sunday mornings. I confess that I have slacked a bit in this area. Don’t we owe more to our Lord, each other and our congregation? These we are called to serve with our musical and artistic talents.

Having recently returned from the Thrive Conference at Bayside Church in Roseville, CA, I’ve been inspired anew to gain ground in the area of excellence at Trinity. They do things very well there and it seems to be for the right reasons. However, excellence is not the end-all. There is something greater that comes first. I’ve always and will always hold humility as the precursor to excellence. Humility is one of the Christ-like and Christ-produced qualities that I desire most in me and look for in all who serve on my teams. Humility is what makes excellence an expression of worship to God, putting the spotlight on him as the giver of our talents and the one worthy to be praised through doing our best. Humility is what allows an incredibly talented artist like Lincoln Brewster (the worship leader at Bayside and an incredible musician and worship leader) to play skillfully and in so doing, put the spotlight on God and not himself. While I’ll never be as talented as Brewster on the guitar, I am responsible to develop my talent/skill to it’s utmost potential, and that, to the glory of God. So I’d like to think briefly about humility and excellence, allowing the Scriptures to speak truth into these areas. While this spans all service to God, including all arts and technical areas, I will focus mainly on the music ministry for the sake of getting to the point.

Humility

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3–4 NIV)

The enemies of humility are selfish ambition and vain conceit, exalting myself and my desires above others. Okay, isn’t this the basic struggle (a.k.a. sin) of all mankind? In contrast, humility thinks of others first. This was, in fact, the example that the Lord Jesus gave us (where the passage above is going). In a worship setting we must set selfish ambition and vain conceit aside and instead consider others as more important than ourselves. I think the others in our situation are first and foremost the congregation we serve – this will determine the style of music we do (which may not be our favorite style) and how much time we give to making it excellent (a.k.a. practice). Our greatest goal should be providing excellent and beautiful accompaniment to the sung praises of God’s people. In so doing, we honor God whose Word instructs us to “rather, serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13 NIV) (As opposed to serving our sinful nature.) We also serve each other (and love each other) in the band by recognizing that we are all adding a small part to make a beautiful outcome. A good friend of mine explains it like this:

A band paints a picture. Each instrument is a color and each instrumentalist uses their instrument to add their color to the whole picture. The goal is a beautiful picture. If we’re painting the sky, it’s going to be mostly blue and white, maybe some grey. (Unless of course it’s a sunrise or sunset.) Most of the pictures we paint within the worship service are landscapes, sunrises and sunsets – we gather corporately to “to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalms 27:4 NIV). Certainly at times we ought to focus in on one area. In other words, one instrument or voice may be featured. At other times, none at all. My greatest contribution to a song may in fact be where I’m tacit (not playing at all).

I want our teams to excel at painting beautiful pictures at Trinity church. Musically, I want to produce that which is beautiful within the style that connects best with the culture around us. The same goes for media, drama, dance, art and our use of technology. And all of this is done to the glory of God. Humility enables me to forsake my selfish ambition and vain conceit for the overall purpose of glorifying God and serving each other in love. So this is where we start. “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5 NIV) Bring on the grace, God! Bring it on and help us to live it out and give it away.

I am truly grateful for the people who serve along side me in the worship ministries at Trinity. Humility is certainly the distinguishing mark of our teams. To this I say thanks to God, and ask him to help us to excel still more!

Next time we’ll spend some time thinking about excellence.
~Bill

May 5, 2010
7:44 AM

I’m struggling, wrestling to understand and practice an important part of my role as a pastor and brother-in-Christ. How do I confront sin in other people’s life? How do I encourage people in the process of transformation by God? Transformation is a process of the Holy Spirit and it is his work, not ours. But as a shepherd of his people, he’s given me a role. How do I know? God’s Word tells me to:

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2 NIV)

So, when I observe actions in others that are not right, I am called to use God’s Word to correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. Jesus also warned me elsewhere to care for my own sin first.

““Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Luke 6:41–42 NIV)

I must remember that sin is sin whether it is sexual immorality, pride, greed, etc. I must come humbly and gently, realizing that the same process of transformation through God’s grace in me is what I long to assist in others. I must come with great patience and careful instruction, realizing that transformation is a process that takes place over time. This is hard to do in an “I want immediate results” society! However, he who began a good work in us promises that he will be faithful to complete it. The goal of righteous living is to display the glory of Christ, to live a life that is pleasing to him, that is, a life of obedience motivated out of love for him. This is a life-long process.

Too often, Christianity has been formulized as a list of “don’ts” causing Christians live in this world of paralyzing guilt, trying to measure up to God’s standard and living a false life in front of each other in order to cast the picture that, “I have it all together.” Unfortunately, this is hypocritical. How refreshing to be around people that instead openly confess, “I don’t have it all together – help!” I think it is a proper understanding of the gospel of grace that helps us get to this latter place of honesty. My role then as a pastor and fellow sojourner is to keep the central thing the central thing, helping my people to understand who they are in Christ and then to live that way. The journey of transformation, also called sanctification, is not one of just “trying harder.” Yes, it involves effort on our part, but the motivation for that effort comes from the renewal of our minds – namely proper thinking.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2 NIV)

Abstaining from sexual immorality (the issue in this case) is a command given in God’s Word. We renew our minds by filling it with God’s Word. Then and only then do we come to know God, love God and because of our love for him strive to do that which is his good, pleasing and perfect will. The Scriptures remind us that, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,” (1 John 5:3–4 NIV). Of course we discover that it is also good, pleasing and perfect for us to obey. There is no greater joy on earth that can compare to this. This is not burdensome at all, but in fact quite the opposite – completely freeing!

Father, help me to confront sin boldly, but with grace and humility and love and patience. Help me to first confront it in my own life so that I may see clearly in order to help others confront it. I trust that your Holy Spirit goes ahead of me convicting people of sin. I am reminded that it is your kindness that leads us to repentance. That kindness is given to us in Christ Jesus. May my efforts be carried out with kindness and perceived as such. I can’t do this without your help. Amen.
~Bill

Continued from last post, here’s why I think making corporate worship a priority is important.

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” (Philippians 2:1–2 NIV)

1. God created the church and placed highest value on our unity and love for one another. This is seen very clearly in Jesus’ final words to his disciples before his death (recorded in John 13 – 17). There is a blessed unity that results in walking through this life together with other believers. The worship service, specifically the exhortation that comes from God’s Word delivered and taught to us, holds the greatest potential to accomplish like-mindedness, commitment to love, and oneness in spirit and purpose. The more we experience God’s presence together, the more likely we are to be united in these ways. I urge you not to miss out on what God is doing as we corporately gather to worship him. There is no greater joy than being like-minded, having the same love, and being one in spirit and purpose.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6 NIV)

2. I come to the worship service hungry and thirsty for righteousness. I want to know my God who is eternally righteous. I am so fortunate to have a senior pastor who loves the Lord with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength, and who loves the church, and takes seriously his role of bringing the teaching of God’s Word to us each week. No matter how much I open the Scriptures on my own or discuss them with others, nothing can edify nor exhort me like the Spirit-inspired, teaching from one who has been gifted by that same Spirit to be a teacher to the Church. Paul says, “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”” (Romans 1:17 NIV) The more I know God, the more I understand the gospel, the more I grow to love my Savior, the more I learn to live by faith. The more I realize that it is his work in me through faith that accomplishes that which is pleasing to him, the more I desire him to do that work in me. The result of all this is that I am filled. That is the latter promise that goes with the beatitude.

Our faith can and should certainly be strengthened by our personal Bible study and small group or one-on-one fellowship. In fact, the corporate worship experience is incomplete without it. However, God created the institutional church (with pastors, doctrinal statements, membership, buildings, and elders, etc.) for the believer – the family of those who are followers of “the Way.” The corporate gathering of the church is our primary place to hunger and thirst for righteousness and to be filled. How else can we know the righteousness of God than through his Word spoken to us? The first part of the promise is that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed. I sense that blessing every week that we gather to worship our Lord at Trinity.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NIV)

3. I have come to realize that the church is a large family of adopted children. My sinful tendencies cause me to clash with some of my brothers and sisters. At times it would certainly be easier to leave the family than learn to love one another with the Father’s love. Worse than that, I like to put myself in the position of the Father, thinking that I deserve the right to choose who ought to be adopted, and who doesn’t belong. The truth is that none of us belong. All of us are needy and together we can be quite a dysfunctional group. Yet in our Father’s unconditional love he has chosen exactly who he wants to be in his family and he has called us to love each other. No church is perfect because it is composed of people who are “already, but not yet” sanctified. Followers of “the Way” are people who have been made righteous through faith in Christ, but are in the process of learning how to live righteously and love righteously. That process of learning is bound to be messy at times. Jesus knew that his disciples’ challenge would be to love one another and so he said to them, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12–13 NIV) Then he showed them the full extent of his love by offering up his life for them on the cross! I see the Word of God changing us and helping us to love one another in spite of our imperfections and propensity for sin. I see us becoming more diverse as God’s family ought to be. I see love for one another and for God becoming the defining characteristic of our church family – and so it should be!

As the worship pastor responsible for planning and facilitating our worship gatherings each week, I am committed to making the worship service at Trinity a place where we can experience the unity of heart and purpose, the blessing and fullness that result from hungering and thirsting for righteousness together, and the beauty of being the children of God. I thank God for all of you who are and who are yet to become part of my church family at Trinity. I consider it my greatest joy and privilege to encounter God together with you each week, and to consider you my brothers and sisters.
~Bill

April 21, 2010
8:42 AM

Each week during the welcome and announcements, my eyes scan the congregation for the people that I love, dear friends. Many are the folks on my worship teams. They are my brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, even those whom I’ve not yet met. My heart fills with joy and love and my spirit lifts as I see the ones I love. I know that we are experiencing God together in this most important gathering of the church for the purpose of worshiping him and listening to what he has to say to us together. That experience draws us together bringing unity of heart in purpose. (Of course, I can’t see everyone in our large room, not to mention those who come late to our family gathering. Nevertheless, I try to observe who it is that I am privileged to worship together with that morning.)

I find myself perplexed, no, saddened by the fact that there are many who do not attend church regularly each week. Content with casual attendance, both they and we are the ones who lose out. They are missing out on the family gathering, a weekly reunion and corporate encounter with God, and an important part of the life of the church. I miss them. I miss sharing the worship experience together. There is a unity that results from experience as God speaks to us through the teaching of his Word and our corporate response through worship.

Don’t get me wrong. I by no means equate church attendance with salvation, but I do think that it is part of the way that God sanctifies us (makes us holy) – one of the ways that we draw closer to him, he draws near to us and we subsequently draw closer to each other. His forgiveness and unconditional acceptance of us is based solely on the gospel – on his initiative to rescue and restore us through Jesus Christ and our simple confession of faith in him. God does not give us brownie points for attending church. There is the danger in equating church attendance with a spiritual judgement of who is more or less spiritual. I do not intend to do that. Yet that very gospel is what we corporately proclaim, celebrate and gather together each week to let shape and transform us by the renewing of our minds and the engagement of our hearts. There is a danger in considering attendance at church as one of many options on par with competing sporting events, family gatherings, home improvement projects, and time to sleep or relax. Yet, I think many approach it that way. No!Participation in corporate worship is God-ordained and commanded. Hebrews reminds us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25 NIV)

Okay, I’m the worship pastor. I should feel that the worship service is of utmost importance. To design an opporunity to corporately encounter the Living God each week is in fact the primary role of my job. However, I felt this way far before becoming a full-time pastor. Next post I will share three reasons why corporate worship should be a high priority for those of us who profess faith in Christ.
~Bill

Our hymn for the month of April led us into our worship celebration last week on Easter Sunday. Psalm 66:2 commands us to, “Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.” As the worshippers raised their voices and sang, it was glorious!

Crown Him with Many Crowns begins with a focus on Christ as revealed in Revelation19:12,13 which says, "His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns .... He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God." As we sang, “Awake my soul and sing…,” the music transposed up a key. Like a rocket igniting and then slowly picking up speed, our praises lifted with power into the heavens and continued to grow with intensity and feeling from that point on. The second verse hails Jesus as the “Lord of Love” and invites us to “behold his hands and side.” With that, we vividly remembered the wounds that our Savior suffered on our behalf. After a joyful musical interlude, the tempo slowed dramatically, allowing every word of the last verse to resound from deep within. We had finally arrived at the resurrection! “Crown Him the Lord of life who triumphed o’er the grave!”

I’m so grateful to my friend Jeff Moore who arranged this wonderful hymn for our orchestra team and truly led us into the presence of the Lord in a powerful and dramatic way.

Crown Him with Many Crowns became a collaborative work between two men, most likely unknown to each other, yet both desirous to exalt the Lord, Jesus Christ. Good theology is important and the rich text that we sing today is a result of that refining process.

Matthew Bridges (1800-1894) was a part of the Anglican church and converted to Catholicism when he was 48 years old in connection with the Oxford Movement led by John Henry Newman. Among other things, the leaders of this movement were discovering the rich hymnody of the early church and devoting themselves to translations of their Greek and Latin texts. Bridges wanting to share in the rich hymnic tradition of the Protestant church began writing original hymns for the Catholic Church. Crown Him with Many Crowns” was published in the second edition of Hymns of the Heart in 1851 in six, eight-line stanzas.

Hymnology scholar J. R. Watson, notes that, “During the 1870s, objections were made to Bridge’s words, perhaps because of the complex references to the Blessed Virgin Mary.” Godfrey Thring (1823-1903), an Anglican priest, composed a new version and published it in his Hymns and Sacred Lyrics(1874). The United Methodist Hymnal, like many others, combines a stanza of Thring’s text (stanza two) with three from Bridges’ original. (C. Michael Hawn, HISTORY OF HYMNS: Hymn enumerates Christ’s many crowns, http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=6115 (November 2009).)

I can’t imagine singing Crown Him with Many Crowns without Thrings wonderful 3rd stanza that exalts Christ as the Lord of Life! I’m thankful to the refining process that happens when men and women who are committed to uphold the Word of God, test everything by it. Through that process, a good hymn became a great hymn and encompassed the whole of the gospel by adding the resurrection.

Here’s a little history on the tune.

A good or even a great text does not survive without a stirring tune. DIADEMATA (meaning “crowns”) is the tune that was written by Sir George Job Elvey (1816-1893) for this hymn when it was published in the Appendix of Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1868. Watson agrees with most when he observes, “[DIADEMATA] makes a magnificent setting for the text, march-like and joyful without ever becoming mechanical or strident.” (ibid)

Here are the verses that have endured the ages and that we will sing together at Trinity. Verses 1,2 and 4 are by Bridges and verse 3 is by Thring.

Crown Him with many crowns
The Lamb upon His throne
Hark! how the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Thru all eternity

Crown Him the Lord of love
Behold His hands and side
Rich wounds, yet visible above
In beauty glorified
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight
But downward bends his wond’ring eye
At mysteries so bright

Crown Him the Lord of life
Who triumphed o’er the grave
Who rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save
His glories now we sing
Who died and rose on high
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die

Crown Him the Lord of heaven
One with the Father known
One with the Spirit through Him given
From yonder glorious throne
To Thee be endless praise
For Thou for us hast died
Be Thou, O Lord, through endless days
Adored and magnified

~Bill

March 24, 2010
7:41 AM

This week we finished a series of three faith stories in our worship services themed around the “sharing the gospel” portion of our mission statement. (You can view these at the end of this post.) God has been glorified and many have been encouraged by this element of our worship service together. The faith story is truly a highlight of our corporate worship services. Whenever we have one, it leaves me not only edified and encouraged, but also wanting more and wishing that we did this more often.

I view our worship service as a give and receive interaction on both the vertical and horizontal plane. We come to give and we come to receive and only in both interactions is the fullness of God’s purpose for our worship gatherings experienced. Vertically we receive from God as we listen to his Word being taught, sung, and proclaimed both visually and verbally. We may also receive from him healing, encouragement, peace, exhortation, even rebuke, correction and forgiveness. On the other hand, we give God thanksgiving, praise, obedience, and repentance in response to what he has given us. We also come to obey the Scriptures command, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.” (Hebrews 13:15–16 NIV) We confess his name in our songs, prayers and in our creeds. However, the practice of publicly proclaiming what God has done or is doing in our lives through Jesus is another way each one of us can fulfill this command. This Scripture reminds us that our faith story is first and foremost offered to God as a sacrifice of praise.

However, faith story is also offered to one another. On the horizontal level, we give and receive love, grace and mutual encouragement to and from each other. We ought to do this on a daily basis in our relationships, through a one-on-one conversation on the phone, or face-to-face at the coffee shop, in our small group gatherings, and even through our social networks and e-communications. I am reminded of Paul’s opening statement to the Roman congregations.

“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” (Romans 1:11–13 NIV)

The underlying goal of a faith story is to spotlight the work of God in our lives. However it also spotlights the basis of our salvation, faith and in so doing it encourages greater faith. That’s why it is so important to have in the worship service setting. The Scriptures declare, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—” (Ephesians 2:8 NIV).” In sharing the details of our journey of faith, we give a spiritual gift that makes others strong. We mutually encourage each other by our faith.

Do you see yourself as someone who should be sharing your faith story? What kind of faith does the Lord require and commend? Turning in the Scriptures to Hebrews 11, we see that all sorts of people are included in that list of living “by faith.” Sure Abraham, the father of Israel is on that list, but so is Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho. Jesus once rebuked his disciples for having “little faith.” He said that if you had the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. So I’d say that mustard seed faith is the requirement for a faith story, and what mountain-moving potential it holds! That’s all it takes! It’s because we’re not displaying ourselves, but our God – that’s what faith does. The point of the faith story is not to present a polished you, or a perfectly resolved story. On the contrary, it’s to share your “in process” journey of faith, spotlighting the author and perfecter of your faith, Jesus Christ. So whether you are at the beginning, middle or toward the end of your earthly journey, if you are living by faith, you are invited to share.

What if at the end of 2010, what we at Trinity have deemed the “Year of the Gospel,” we publish a book of our stories declaring the wonderful work of the Lord as the gospel saves us and shapes us as his people? Our Senior Pastor, Gary Inrig, clearly took us through the mega-narrative of the gospel with the four words: Creation, Rebellion, Rescue and Restoration. (check out this incredible message here, The Story. Our story joins God’s story the moment we are rescued from our rebellion through faith in Christ. It continues throughout the restoration process. If you’ve been rescued and you are being restored, then you have a faith story (stories) and others need to hear it. Consider submitting it here by responding to this blog. Each faith story should include the rescue portion, that is, when and how you placed your faith in Christ. Then it continues to demonstrate how you are being restored. Share a significant event in your life. How is your faith growing now? The inclusion of faith stories in our worship service accomplishes the two-fold purpose of the corporate worship service – to glorify our triune God and to edify the church. Please consider “imparting a spiritual gift” to your church family.

Leandra McHargue’s


Herrick Johson's


Mike Holyk’s

March 17, 2010
8:57 AM

I had an interesting experience leading worship last week. I was invited to fill in due to a last minute cancellation to lead worship for a Christian high school chapel service. There were about 300 students. I was given 15 minutes at the beginning of a 45-minute service. I knew in accepting that I was going to have my work cut out for me if I was truly to “lead” this group of students to worship the Almighty God. Honestly, I don’t have to work very hard to lead my Trinity family to worship. Most of them come with eager hearts just like kids going to Disneyland or fans supporting their home team at a sporting event. I’ve got it good at Trinity and I know it! It was a good reminder of how important it is to consider whom I am leading before all else. My opinion is that if a worship leader fails to lead, he or she has failed. I fail sometimes. I didn’t want to fail this time. I prayed and prepared intentionally. So, how did it go? Well, I’m not sure. But I can tell you how I approached it.

Because corporate worship is primarily expressed through singing, I did begin there, with Glory to God Forever by Steve Fee. I do expect folks I lead to sing. I thought that kids might know and like this song that powerfully turns our focus toward our Creator God and yet expresses our role in using our voice to sing. The second verse declares, “Creator God you gave me breath so I could praise your great and matchless name all my days. So let my whole life be a blazing offering—a life that shouts and sings the greatness of our King!” So what was the response? It was almost inaudible – a few bold souls opening their mouths to allow their breath to vibrate their vocal chords. It almost felt like a mockery to God to have the words displayed, the accompaniment provided, the leader encouraging the people to “sing,” and yet very few singing. I was trying hard to connect with my congregation for the morning, but as I casually made eye contact with folks, I received glares back from some, apathy from most. Granted, I think this generation wants to know first who is leading them. Credentials don’t matter; even my status being first declared a friend of one of the respected teachers didn’t seem to matter. I wish I had time to establish a little more of my heart – hard to do in 15 minutes, but perhaps worth dropping a song to strive to establish some credibility first. That’s a take-away.

So after that first song, I did plan to sing a new song, probably unknown by most, that I think has the potential to take a hard or disconnected heart and draw it into worship. This is Our God by Hillsong is such a gentle song, packed with incredible truth and a very active pre-chorus declaring, “I will fall at your feet; I will fall at your feet and worship you here.” If anything, I was going to enter in and loose myself in this song. However, I did not dismiss folks, or ignore the fact that I was still a worship “leader” who did not want by any means to fail to, well…lead. I did give more of an action point to “experience God as we gently walk our way through this song that declares who he is and what he has done for us.” I sensed that this turned the tides a bit as my “tough” group softened and entered in. It was a tender moment and I don’t think I was alone in this experience. A few more voices were added as we gently sang, “I will fall at your feet…” More than that, the silence spoke volumes – kids weren’t talking to one another. The Spirit was present in the hush.

I closed with a prayer for these students, acknowledging the varied talents that God has given to those present—athletes, scholars, and artists and that the obvious response to God’s freely giving himself for us is for us to give ourselves back to him—fully! I brought the focus to God’s Word through Romans 12:1,2 and had folks stand to sing Take My Life and Let it Be by Chris Tomlin. Participation was by no means eager, but I think a few more than at the beginning had chosen to join in this prayer to the Lord.

I’m used to this challenge from my former days as a math teacher. Teaching math to kids who don’t like math was quite a challenge – a challenge I enjoyed in moderation. It’s a shame however to think that a Christian heart isn’t more primed and ready and yearning to enter into worship whenever the opportunity is given. Just as a group of mathematicians can’t help but be eager to do math, Christ-followers should be chomping at the bit to worship Christ – that’s what we do for heaven’s sake! I expected this group to be more like my college bound math students who were for the most part eager to do math. I would only expect the type of challenge I faced when leading unbelievers to worship God.

In conclusion, I would like to see how this group of students follows a worship leader who they know and trust. I did not have that advantage. That could have been the main issue here. The teacher who spoke in the chapel following me certainly had an immediate connection with the students – they were eager and ready to listen to him, to follow. I encouraged him to take advantage of this position and speak more often. Another contributing issue may have been that many of the singers were away at a choir competition. Maybe the team was missing their captains.

I love the challenge of leading anyone to worship the Triune God—Father, Son and Spirit. I think this group of students would benefit from gentle but persistent instruction on how to become better worshipers – perhaps many of them have forgotten, or have never been taught in the first place. That’s the benefit of having the same worship leader week in and week out leading the same group of believers to worship the Lord. Churches as well as Christian schools and colleges need worship leaders like this. Lord help me always to be full of your Spirit and intentional as I lead but also teach people to worship you! Amen.

With a Mission focus in March, we are going to sing the song, Take My Life and Let it Be. There are three versions that I have for you:

Take My Life – Tomlin’s arrangement (new melody, reflective, with powerful additional chorus)

Take My Life – Jadon Lavik’s arrangement (same melody as Tomlin’s, different chorus, joyful!)

Take My Life and Let Be – Kari Jobe’s arrangement (traditional melody, sensitive and wonderful!) – no recording on iTunes

Here’s the story:

Frances R. Havergal came to faith and committed her life to Christ at the age of 14. She had begun reading and memorizing the Bible at the age of four (eventually memorizing the Psalms, Isaiah and most of the New Testament). At seven she wrote her first poems. Several of her mature verses became hymns. As a student, she loved to learn languages and became an accomplished musician. Her life’s mission was to sing and work for Jesus. She had both a great taste for music and a good knowledge of harmony, a natural and inherited turn for melody, a ringing touch on the piano, and a beautiful and well-trained voice. These gifts she now entirely devoted to Christ; whether at home or in mixed society she always “sang for Jesus.”

Her hymn of consecration, “Take My Life and Let It Be” was written by Miss Havergal in 1874. She had been at a retreat with some folks and was praying for their salvation. She gives the following account:

“The last night of my visit after I had retired, the governess asked me to go to the two daughters. They were crying, & then and there both of them trusted and rejoiced; it was nearly midnight. I was too happy to sleep, and passed most of the night in praise and renewal of my own consecration; and these little couplets formed themselves, and chimed in my heart one after another till they finished with 'ever only, ALL FOR THEE!'"

Her prayer, "Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold," in the same hymn was not lightly stated. In August, 1878, Miss Havergal wrote to a friend, "The Lord has shown me another little step, and, of course, I have taken it with extreme delight. 'Take my silver and my gold' now means shipping off all my ornaments to the church Missionary House, including a jewel cabinet that is really fit for a countess, where all will be accepted and disposed of for me ... Nearly fifty articles are being packed up. I don't think I ever packed a box with such pleasure."

Frail in health all of her life, Miss Havergal one day caught a severe cold which caused inflammation of the lungs. When told that her life was in danger, she exclaimed, "If I am really going, it is too good to be true!" At another time she responded, "Splendid! To be so near the gates of heaven." At the very end, it is reported that she sang clearly, but faintly, another of her hymns, "Jesus, I Will Trust Thee, Trust Thee with My Soul."

Frances Ridley Havergal died at Caswall Bay, Swansea, Wales, June 3, 1879, at the age of forty-two. She never married. On her tombstone at Astley, Worcestershire, is engraved her favorite text, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7

Take My Life and Let it Be

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee

Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only for my King
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee

Take my silver, and my gold
Not a mite would I withhold
Take my intellect and use
Ev'ry pow'r as Thou shalt choose

Take my will and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart it is Thine Own
It shall be Thy royal throne

Take my love my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee

February 24, 2010
7:36 AM

JOY – I would say that the marks of a Christian are captured best in the list of nine qualities found in the Scriptures called the Fruit of the Spirit. Joy is the second fruit listed. The basic premise is that when a person hears the message of the gospel, that is the good news about Jesus Christ, upon believing, they become a new creation and are given the Holy Spirit as the indwelling presence of God. The role of the Holy Spirit is varied—helping, convicting, comforting, and giving assurance that we belong to God. But we are told that the Spirit also produces all that is good in us—the fruit that flows out of our experience of abiding in him and him abiding in us.

Let’s turn our attention to the worship service. Joy is the overwhelming experience and expression of praise that results when we are in the presence of God together. The Psalms probably mention the word joy more than any other.

“You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalms 16:11 NIV)

And so as I make a plan for leading a “Service of Joy” for an upcoming conference, where shall I begin? What brings me most joy in the corporate worship service?

Answer: Rallying around the gospel! When the spotlight is on Christ, my joy is two fold. First of all, there is the reality of who I am in Christ – the object of his love and delight. Second, there is the unparalleled experience of God with other believers – worship within the community of faith, and it is the gospel of Christ Jesus that brings us together. Both experiences cause my heart to fill and overflow with joy – with resounding joy, I sing. The experience of worshiping the Lord together with the body of Christ parallels and surpasses that of any sporting event or musical concert—at least it should. I live for Sundays!

The truth of the depth of the Father’s love for me produces joy. When I delight in my wife or my kids, I can see the joy on their faces. In the same way, we are told that our Father delights in us.

“The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV)

There is something about the Father’s Love that makes my heart rejoice. It is the realization that I am his adopted child—the object of his love and affection. Two songs come to mind: How Deep the Father’s Love for Us and How He Loves The first song lays out the deep theology of the Father’s love and it is wonderful to sing of this truth. But the second, while not theologically deep and a bit quirky, lets me soak in the simplicity of my Father’s love. In other words, I find myself just resting in his loving embrace. Our experience of joy as we realize and rest in the Father’s love for us is in itself a beautiful expression of worship! However, words are appropriate too, “Your Love O Lord” not only declares God’s love for us, but responds with words of worship. “I will lift my voice to worship you my King. And I will find my strength in the shadow of your wings.”

Another theme in the gospel that brings joy is the beauty of grace displayed in our redemption – the prisoner has been set free. Our God is Mighty to Save! Is there any greater thing than that? “I once was blind but now I see…my chains are gone! I’ve been set free!” Our freedom as declared in such great songs as I Am Free, Happy Day, Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone), Your Grace Still Amazes Me, Hallelujah What A Savior, Mighty to Save, and In Christ Alone, to name a few songs. The second part of our service will focus in on the redemption and grace of God, shown to us through Christ our Savior.

Joy is also captured in declaring the works of the Lord on our behalf and aligning ourselves with his mission. This all happens within the context of fellowship – the unity of believers in heart, mind and purpose! The third and final component of our Service of Joy will focus on our corporate experience. While we’ve been experiencing it all along, now we turn the lights up and look around and realize that the icing on the cake, so to speak, is the people in front of us, beside us and behind us. Our experience of joy is incomplete if it is not experienced within the context of the unity of believers who are joined together in Christ, loving one another like Christ, and carrying on his work together.

“then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” (Philippians 2:2 NIV)

This Scripture is laid out in the context of Christ’s attitude of humility with the charge that we are to follow in the same manner. Beneath the Cross will be our theme song for the week and it captures joy in the 3rd verse, declaring, “How great the joy before us to be his perfect bride. Beneath the cross of Jesus we will gladly live our lives.” This song brings it all together!

I would like to include some media, corporate readings, Scripture reading, and songs in our celebration of Joy. Father, help me to put this together in a cohesive way that leads us into the fullness of joy that comes from you. And may both our experience of joy and our expression of joy bring you great glory. And may you be blessed as you watch your children delight in you! Amen.

~Bill

We have the privilege of having a “Hymn of the Month” focus for 2010. Many hymns reflect a personal relationship with the Lord. Such is the case with our February focus: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Robert Robinson.

During his early teen years, Robinson ran with a notorious gang of thugs and led a depraved life. At age 17, he decided to attend a revival where the noted evangelist George Whitefield was preaching. Robinson’s motive was to make fun of the people and their religious delusions. Instead, God “began a good work” in him and three years later, he accepted Christ as his Savior.

Not long after his conversion, he responded to a call on his life to preach and became pastor of a rather large church in England. He also wrote a number of theological books as well as several hymns. His most well-known song, written at age 22, is also his spiritual autobiography. Phrases from two of the verses become especially poignant, considering Robinson’s spiritual journey.

“Jesus sought me when a stranger, wand’ring from the fold of God; He to rescue me from danger interposed His precious blood.”

“O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let They goodness like a fetter bind my wand’ring heart to Thee. Prone to wander-Lord I feel it-prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart-O take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above.”

Most of us will never pen a book or write a song, but our lives can be a “melodious sonnet” sung in “loudest praise.”

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come Thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
Mount of Thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebeneezer
Hither by Thy help I’ve come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Bought me with His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above

January 27, 2010
7:26 AM

I’ve been given another assignment, to give a one-hour session on the topic of, “the significance at a congregational and personal level of being adopted by God.” This is for the upcoming Former Adventist Fellowship weekend in February and I’m excited to prepare the session and then to spend time with these wonderful people.

The Bible uses adoption language to help us understand who God is, who we are and what we have been given through faith in Jesus Christ. Understanding these three things on a personal level is crucial to the believer’s ability to experience God’s personal love and to “continue to live in him” (Colossians 2:6 NIV), as Paul commands all of us who have received Christ Jesus as Lord. Understanding these things on a corporate level leads us to experience the true community of the faith, the church as the family of God where our faith is nurtured, where we grow to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ,” (Ephesians 4:13 NIV), and where we contribute to that growth in others. There is no greater emphasis on adoption in the Bible than the opening to the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. I’d like to spend the bulk of our time uncovering and rejoicing in the wonderful truths that are there.

As we move through this hour together, I’d to encourage you to think from two perspectives. First, put yourselves in the shoes of the one who is adopted – if you are in Christ, you are! I’d like to think about the formerly and the but now aspects of being adopted. Second, put yourselves into the context of a huge family of adopted kids – the corporate setting. As we grow understand the Father’s love and purposes, while always a recipient, we develop our Father’s heart and join him in his passion to adopt. We also realize the intense value that our Father places on having a family that is healthy, where love and humility is the operating principle.

Here is a basic outline of what I’d like to present. First of all, I’d like to pause here, and show the Us Forever video. This demonstrates the heart of the issue of adoption and I think will soften our hearts to understand and receive the truth of what God has revealed in the Scriptures.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:3-14 NIV)

[Before proceeding, I will pray using some of the very words that come next. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for these precious people you have gathered here this weekend – for their faith, for their desires to seek you through this weekend. I keep asking that you, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, our glorious Father, may give each one here the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know you better. I pray also that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which you have called us, the riches of your glorious inheritance in the saints, and your incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of your mighty strength, which you exerted in Christ when you raised him from the dead and seated him at your right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (from Ephesians 1:16–23 NIV) May our focus be on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and may we experience more of that fullness as a result of our time together. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.]

Let’s uncover some of the powerful phrasing in the Ephesians passage above. The rest of the Scripture contained in Ephesians is spoken by God to us within the context of our identity as a child, dearly loved and adopted by God the Father, through Jesus the Son. This is so important to grasp! I love the truth that God the Father has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. I love it that he chose us in him before the creation of the world! I love it that he predestined us to be adopted according to his pleasure and will. I love the purpose of our adoption: to the praise of his glorious grace in Christ. And then what follows is a beautiful telling of the gospel, namely:

Redemption through his blood
The forgiveness of sins (through grace that he lavished on us!)
We were chosen, predestined according to the purpose of his will
Having believed, we were marked in him with a seal, the Holy Spirit
We are guaranteed an inheritance
We are God's possession--to the praise of his glory!

Wow! It doesn't get any better than that! And that is only the first chapter! Next, having stated these phrases, I need to do a little uncovering. But for now, I must head into the office. Stay tuned for more…
~Bill