Two for One Monday

Everyone likes a great deal, so this morning I’m offering two videos from last night’s Power Rally

The first is the Parkway Wesleyan (Roanoke) Worship Choir singing — “Lord, I Believe In You.”  The second is the Matt Reynolds Trio.  Enjoy!

Rev. David Leeder from Kokomo, Indiana is our speaker for this year’s Power 09. Here are the notes I took from this evening’s rally

Deuteronomy 20:1-9

• We live in challenging days – Sound the battle cry!
• If we are going to reach our community for Christ, we are going to have to get out of the box.
• How can I change my world? Only by being empowered by the Holy Spirit.
• One person can make a difference for Christ.
• What can we do? What kind of people is God looking for?
• We face an active enemy — ¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

   

1. God is looking for people of faith
   1. Must believe in the cause
   2. Must believe in the possibility of victory
   3. Faith is encourage by remembering the past
   4. Assured by God’s presence
      1. We are not on our own
      2. God will be with us
   5. Know they have the strength to win the battle
      1. All things are possible
2. God is looking for people of integrity
   1. Be holy for I am holy
   2. Do not forget the Lord your God
   3. Remember who we are and who we are about
   4. The church is not about me but it’s about Jesus
   5. A soldier must believe in his cause and represent his cause
   6. Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.
   7. “Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.” – Jim Elliott
3. God is looking for people of Commitment
   1. “If Jesus Christ is God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” – C. T. Studd
   2. “God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus.” – Jim Elliott
   3. Not armchair Christianity but cross-carrying Christians – nothing less than all – whatever the cost!
   4. What kind of commitment?
      1. Possessions – we depend on things too much
         1. Where your treasure is there your heart will be
         2. We own nothing, everything is God’s.
      2. Planning – our future and planning belong to God
      3. People – we may have to stand alone.

Are you willing to stand?

Getting Into the Groove

Today marks our second Sunday at Parkway.  We were able to get out of the house on time, which was a remarkable feat considering we only have one bathroom and we were getting ready to go to District Conference this afternoon.  I was able to prepare for worship at church and still get to Sunday School.  Which was much better than last week.  The weather today was about the most humid we have had in the two weeks we have been here.  You could really tell the different once we got to Roanoke this afternoon.  It is hot and sticky here.

Celebrating the Lord’s Table

As you can tell by the Sunday set list our church celebrated communion this morning.  As we progressed through worship, the worship got better and better.  The praise team did an awesome job during the offering and during preparation for communion.  The harmonies were gorgeous and I love good harmony.  The Holy Spirit was evident as we progressed through the service.

On the Road

This will be the theme for most of the rest of the summer.  For the next few days, our family will be at District Conference which is like a big church family reunion.  It was great to catch up — in days past this happened at campmeeting.  This evening we had the Parkway Wesleyan (Roanoke) worship team lead worship — wow!  Thanks to Pastor Moe Diggs and the team.  Our speaker for the next three nights is Rev. David Leeder — he brought a great message which I will be sharing shortly.  Looking forward to District Conference in the morning.

Seize the Day!

Below: Pictures from Power 09

July 12, 2009
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost

Call to Worship – Beautiful Savior (All My Days) – (Townend)

Welcome and Announcements

Unison Reading – Apostle’s Creed

Invocation – Almighty God, to whom all hearts are opened, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Songs of Praise and Worship

You’re Worthy of My Praise (Ruis)
I Will Sing of My Redeemer(Bliss/McGranahan)

Connecting in Prayer

Giving Back to God

Praise Team –There Is A Redeemer(Green)

Worship Through God’s Word – The Attitude of Communion (1 Corinthians 11:23-32; Psalm 51:10-11)

Song of Preparation – You Are My All In All (Jernigan)

Worship at the Lord’s Table

Lord’s Prayer

Benediction

Reverend Boudreaux was the part-time pastor of  the local Cajun Baptist Church and Pastor Thibodaux was the  minister of the Covenant Church across the  road.  They were both standing by the road, pounding a  sign into the ground, that read:

‘Da End  is Near

Turn Yo Sef ‘Roun  Now

Afore It Be Too  Late!’

As a car sped past them, the driver leaned out  his window and yelled, ‘You religious  nuts!’

From the curve they heard screeching tires, and  a big splash…

Boudreaux turns to Thibodaux and asks, ‘Do ya tink maybe da sign should  jussay…..’Bridge Out?’

Seems like many people are down on religion nowadays.
Perhaps we don’t clearly define the message?

Thanks to my friend Teresa for this one.

Bachelor Weekend

This weekend finds James and I as bachelors. Pam and the girls are in Roanoke for the Shenandoah District Wesleyan Women Conference. Pam has been nominated as the District Wesleyan Kids for Missions Director. Just this week, she accepted the Wesleyan Kids for Mission Director for our new church. Pam does a great job with younger students and she loves missions and compassionate ministries so I think it will be a great fit. Parkway is a very missions-minded church. When Pam gets back, I’ll have her report on the conference.

Anyway, James and I decided we wanted to have Papa John’s Pizza – since Pam has the car, we are stuck here until this afternoon when they return. This is the first time in nine years that we could have Papa John’s delivered and I even tried something new, placing an online order. It worked very well, with an email confirming they received our order. Tomorrow I am planning on making Tuna Melts. I tried it earlier this week and they were really good. Since it was boy’s night, we watched NASCAR tonight, and what a great night to watch J! I liked the guts that the Joey Logano team had. The crew chief really sold the idea that Logano could win the race on 36 lap older tires and no gas fill-up. The strategy worked.

The Lost Has Been Found

Somewhere between the time Pam left and dinner (which was only about an hour) I lost my glasses. I don’t need them except for close-up work – so I took them off to watch TV. I spent the next five to six hours watching the race and looking for my glasses. I was becoming very nervous that I crushed them, but they continued to come up missing. The last place I remembered having them was on the bed. I searched the bedroom and living room and kitchen several times, to no avail. I even checked the bathroom. Just before retiring I moved a chair in the dining room (I thought that they might be there, but I only checked the table) and there they were.

It says something about our persistence. Sometimes we need to pursue the Lord like that – keep on seeking Him. Other times we need to pursue others with the gospel – this doesn’t mean to be obnoxious, but some people need a lot of time and persuading. I felt like the parables in Luke 15 of the lost sheep and the lost coin. There was much rejoicing when the lost was found.

Walking to a Different Drummer

Before Pam left for Roanoke, we had to go to the church to pickup a few things. About a mile from the church, we came upon a man walking – he was walking with exaggerated motions and it looked quite strange, but then I thought to myself – Here is someone who doesn’t care what people think – he is going about his life the way he wanted to do it, not caring what others thought. As I thought about it, it is a great attitude to have at times.

As I sign-off this morning, I thought I would give you a link to see the pictures of the house the church is building. [click here] The foundation is almost complete and is now awaiting waterproofing. I can’t wait to see framing going up.

Seize the Day!

Suffering, as markedly unpleasant as it is, can have several serendipitous side affects.  If approached, or rather embraced, properly, suffering can result in an increase sense of holiness, not just in an individual, but in an entire church congregational family.

Jim Garlow

Proper 10

July 12, 2009

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 * Psalm 24 * Ephesians 1:3-14 * Mark 6:14-29

³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. ⁴ Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ⁵ God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. ⁶ So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. ⁷ He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. ⁸ He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

⁹ God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. ¹⁰ And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. ¹¹ Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

¹² God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. ¹³ And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. ¹⁴ The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

The Old Testament, the Psalm, and the New Testament this week all speak to the topic of praise.  This past week, I have been working on a Philosophy of Ministry for our Worship Arts Team.  It was good to do that and to think through why we do what we do.  Here at the beginning of Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, we are given reasons why we should praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  All we have to do is to look at what God saved us from — look at the amazing grace that He has bestowed upon us.

In the Olt Testament passage we hear of the account of the Ark of the Covenant being brought back and of David’s dancing.  David’s wife was not too happy with all of the proceedings — while it is not in this week’s reading, David reminds his wife that he was dancing before the Lord and not in “the flesh.”  David’s dancing was a result of what God had done.

¹ The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to him.
² For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas
and built it on the ocean depths.

³ Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴ Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols
and never tell lies.
⁵ They will receive the Lord’s blessing
and have a right relationship with God their savior.
⁶ Such people may seek you
and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.

⁷ Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
⁸ Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty;
the Lord, invincible in battle.
⁹ Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
¹⁰ Who is the King of glory?
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—
he is the King of glory.

Prayer:

O God,
sustain us in the complexity of our humanity
as you sustained David–
playing the harp of youth,
throwing stones at giant problems,
loving our friends beyond wisdom,
dancing worship,
mourning children,
breaking our hearts in psalms, and
longing for warmth in our old bones. Amen.

What is Christian perfection? The loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. This implies that no wrong temper, none contrary to love, remains in the soul; and that all the thoughts, words and actions are governed by pure love. The perfection I teach is perfect love; loving God with all the heart, receiving Christ as Prophet, Priest and King, to reign alone over all our thoughts, words and actions.

–Wesley.

The streak of beautiful weather continues here in the Shenandoah Valley.  Today we went to the DMV to get our address changed.  It was a surprisingly pleasant experience.  Much thanks goes to the employees of the Waynesboro DMV.  It was quick and painless.  It helps that we didn’t go right at the end or right at the beginning of the month and I found out that Wednesdays are a pretty good day to go.  We are continuing to get our feet on the ground and getting the lay of the land, but we are settled.

I spent a good part of the day working on the worship set for Sunday and working on a philosophy of ministry for the worship arts team.  Tomorrow, I’m planning to put together a philosophy for student ministries.  These will both be working documents that will change as needed.

Tonight was my first Wednesday night in student ministries.  We don’t currently have a name.  I have tossed around the name Crossroads, but want to get the student’s input and hopefully even have them design a logo.  We had 6 middle school and high school students and I taught.  I was supposed to assist but the teacher was sick, so I called on my previous experience and taught.  It has been amazing how God has always placed us around middle schoolers.  We had a good time as we played a word game and then sang a few songs and then I taught the lesson.

Following student ministries, our worship team got together to rehearse.  I love the chance to work out the kinks and we had a few tonight.  This is only our fifth time together and we are still getting to know one another.  We have a great team of volunteers and I really appreciate them.  One of the last songs we practiced was “You Are My All In All.”  At the end we dropped out the instruments and sang a cappella — it was wonderful.  I am looking forward to Sunday’s service.

Seize the Day!