Living God’s Plan in God’s Love

Dear Worshippers,

Last week I did not give reference for Jeremiah 29:11, Sorry about that. “I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Some of you may have immediately known where that reference was. If you did not, I want to encourage you to memorize it. You will need it at some point, whether you are looking for the grace to suffer, as Pastor Andy put it Sunday, or know someone else who is.

I was already privileged to know this when I asked my ordination mentor years ago what he and his wife had done to raise their three boys to know and love and serve the Lord. As a young father, I wanted to know the secret of raising my sons the same way. I wanted to do everything I could to instill those desires in my boys. What he said to me reminded me of this verse from Jeremiah.

“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” I think I was expecting something a little more complex, or at least something with a few more steps to follow. But the beauty of this was the simplicity. What a wonderful thing to know that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.

I bless my boys at night when I put them to bed. I often will speak this truth over them with my hand placed on their little, or not so little, head. I remind them of it at other times too, when things are going great and God’s plan for their lives seems to be coming into slightly clearer focus, and when things are going poorly and they are struggling to see God at all.

The real challenge I think was what he added after that. He said that although he and his wife never had a detailed plan for raising their boys, they always endeavored to live this simple premise before them. Do you hear what I am saying? It is more than speaking it, it is living it that really makes the difference!

Some of you have heard me say, “You teach what you know, you reproduce what you are.” I can teach my boys these truths, but they I will only reproduce them in their lives in I live them myself. Here is my point.

There is someone watching you. Someone who is going to emulate some facets of your life. Parents you know this to be true. Keep working at being. For those of you who are not parents, there are people watching your godly example too. Live in a way that shows them that you KNOW God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. I am certain you will be pleased with the results in your life…and theirs.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

The Last Word

Dear Worshippers,

I wrote to you last week encouraging you to think about heaven. Part of the point of that was to encourage you along the lines of the old adage, “Begin with the end in mind.” If you do not know where you are going, you are probably going to have a hard time finding your way there, and will probably end up wherever the road leads you.

This can be a frightening thought when you look at the road many people are traveling. It may not always seem a wonderful prospect when we look down the path a bit even though we are walking along the way with Jesus. Our course is not promised to be easy, even though His yoke is. [Matthew 11:29-30]

The solace we find is that the final word the Lord speaks to us is mercy. I was reading in Jeremiah today when I was reminded of this. Jeremiah lays down so very strong words of judgment to the people of Jerusalem as he speaks for the Lord, but it is balanced with God’s desire for mercy.

I am speaking specifically of Jeremiah 33:26. [This year I am reading The Message, by Peterson] After comparing His covenant with Jacob and David with the functioning of the sky and earth, God says, “The last word is, I will have mercy on them.”

Have you ever been in an argument? You know, you go back and forth trying to state your case. Sometimes things can get pretty heated. Most of us want the last word, because we would simply like to win by silencing our adversary. I like how Bill O’Reilly [of The OReilly Factor] will say, “I’m going to give you the last word”, then lets his guest make a final comment, to which Bill often adds one of his own. It is his show after, so he gets the last word, ultimately.

And that’s the case with our God as well. You may be facing a difficult time, or one may be headed your way. You may find yourself in an argument that just will not seem to quit. Maybe your situation at work is awkward or uncomfortable. Maybe you are ready for the end of a particular circumstance.

Know this. The same One who said, “I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” is saying, “I will have mercy on them.” That’s the last word.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Heaven

Dear Worshipers,

When was the last time you thought about heaven? I believe it was Randy Alcorn who rightly asked, "Why do we spend so little time thinking about where will spend so much of forever?" Heaven was brought into a much clearer focus for me last week through a couple different experiences. Thank You, Jesus.

I received a call last Tuesday that a family friend was in the hospital after falling and hitting his head. This is complicated by the fact that he has had cancer in his jaw, and currently has a tumor in his brain. They have been through a lot in the last two years. As I spoke with his wife I shared words of hope and prayed for healing, but remain uncertain as to whether this friend is truly ready for heaven. I left the hospital thanking the Lord that in heaven there will be no more pain.

On Friday, I shared that Good News with a woman named Sherry. She had come to the church looking for help. She was at the end of herself, literally in tears. Living in this world had taken its toll on her, and she was ready for heaven. As we talked I discerned that Sherry was homeless, hopeless, and helpless. Not anymore.

I asked her a few questions to discern her spiritual position. 1. If anything were to happen to you and you were to stand before God and he asked you, “Why should I allow you into my heaven?” what would you say? She answered with the common “works righteousness”, ‘I tried to do the right thing’. I followed that up with 2. Would you like to know how you can be certain you will enter heaven? She responded, “Absolutely”.

After explaining to her that her sin had separated her from God and that only Jesus could bring the chasm, she repented, turned to Christ, and I believe was gloriously redeemed. I say that because her countenance changed. Her tears were now ones of joy. She was ready for heaven.

I heard a wonderful testimony just this morning of another change of countenance. A friend whose mother had struggled with life for some time finally went to be with the Lord. In her final moments, they said “her entire facial expression changed.” In my friends’ words, “she went from struggling for breath, to relaxing, safe in His arms.” Even for the believer, the transition from earth to heaven can be fearful. But it need not be, as these words remind us. The reward the Lord has in store for those in Christ is unfathomable.

Think of heaven today. And live like its real, and your ultimate reward. Thank you, Jesus.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Growing

Dear Worshippers,

Have you noticed over the last few weeks that everything has greened up? I was away for a week leading up to Memorial Day and when I returned it was like God had turned on the green. Leaves were bursting forth from the large tree behind my house providing a lovely covering, along with all the other trees in my yard. It was wonderful to return from Florida to all this green

But weeds were also growing. It had been almost two weeks since I had mowed my lawn and done some weeding, and it showed. My yard was in desperate need of some attention. There were weeds in my landscaping beds and steps going down around the house. Weeds, weeds everywhere. Some maintenance was needed.

How about in your life? Have you come through the winter and spring to find your spirit bursting with life? Are the weeds choking out the growth God is bringing? Maybe God is doing a wonderful thing in your life, and at the same time something is choking out that wonderful thing. Some maintenance is needed.

Where do you go to do maintenance on your soul? God's Word.

I was reminded of it's importance in the growth of our relationship to God last week. We must read it, for it uncovers to us the areas of our soul that need attention. It shows us where we need to grow, and what needs weeded out. But the challenge for us is to read it as more than a maintenance manual.

We must look to God’s Word as a way to discover God, not like a self-help book.

The difference is that of reading the Bible to learn how to lead a successful life and reading it to discover the God who has revealed Himself. I hope you are doing the latter.

Are you reading the Bible? I certainly hope so. If you are reading it, what is your perspective on it. I hope you are reading it to discover God, and not just to help yourself. If you are reading it to discover God, you will help yourself. You will do some weeding. You will grow.

When people look at you, I pray they will see the life of Christ growing every day. I pray the same for myself.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

A Taste of Heaven

Dear Worshipers,

Last week, I had a chance to travel to heaven by way of Orlando, Florida, and trust me it had nothing to do with the Magic Kingdom. Certainly, the times of corporate worship were wonderful as I expected them to be. Yes, we reconnected with some old friends and were encouraged greatly along the way. We met the Lord in His Living Word and heard Him speak words of vision and passion to our hearts. All these I was expecting. But there was one element I was really not prepared for, and it was this glimpse into heaven on and through the faces of the diverse group of people we are as The Alliance.

The face of Council was diverse, from the speakers to the worship team participants. It was the probably the most culturally diverse Council ever, with regard to representation from the delegates. The comment was made that almost 1/3 of our Alliance church in America are ethnic, making us probably the most multiracial denomination in the States. You could see it.
On Tuesday morning, one group after another were brought to the stage...

A Vietnamese delegation representing the 1 million+ Alliance believers in Vietnam, the largest national Alliance Church in the world, even though our missionaries where flown out on helicopters in the 1970's leaving behind a church of around 125,000.

Ten Portuguese-speaking churches have just joined our Alliance family in America with maybe a hundred more to follow.

Two couples were honored who had served 50 years in ministry! WOW! What an example! I cried as I prayed, "Lord, help me to run the race marked out for me".

Through the week we heard from a number of missionaries, some who after having studied and lived in the U.S. returned to their countries of origin or followed God’s call to yet another place of service. Each one told the story of God’s love crossing cultures and numerous other barriers. One stated the Call this way, “It’s not about crossing the seas, but about seeing the cross.”

Seeing the cross. Communicating it’s love and power to those around me. I was challenged and encouraged. Thank you for praying. Continue to pray as I and our other delegates discern what the Lord would have us do with all that He put on our hearts last week.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

General Council

Dear Worshipers,

I am sending this out a little early this week because Tuesday morning I will be on my way to Orlando, Florida for the bi-annual convocation of the Alliance family. I will be traveling with Pastor Tony and Kathy Etris, our Church Administrator Gloria Mackey, and my lovely wife Sarah Leigh. Pastor Andy Hawkins and Pastor David and Mossie Goodin have preceded us and will also be at this grand event. And that it is.

How I wish all of you could go! Really! This is an incredible event in the life the Alliance, not only because this is the first time it has ever been two years between gatherings, but simply because of the people it brings together and who they represent. Thousands of churches across America will send delegates, and many of our Alliance mission fields will be represented. In addition to them, many others from the Alliance family worldwide will be present.

It is grand not only because of the people gathered, but also for the purpose. We will conduct business that will guide the Alliance in the next two years. We will celebrate the amazing things God is doing all around the world through us. We will reconnect with old friends and make new ones. We will worship the Lord.

That's right, we will have many opportunities to worship corporately, and of all the experiences of General Council I wish you could experience that. From the opening night right, through the Communion and Healing Service, and to the climax of the Missions Rally, it is an unforgettable week of worship because of the way the Lord will reveal Himself. I pray each delegate will respond sincerely. I pray I will be prepared to do so.

Please pray for us as we head to Council and especially for the first-time delegates, of which Pastor Tony and Kathy are two of almost 1,000 new delegates. Pray that each of us, new and old alike, would capture the vision of this movement and return home with a renewed vigor to live the call while encouraging others to do the same. Pray for the moving of the Holy Spirit in our midst like unto the days of the birth of this great, extraordinary work of God of which we are all a small, ordinary part.

Thank you for your prayers. May God bless you this week as you live the call right where you are. We will endeavor to the same.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Summer Plans

Dear Worshipers,

If your family is anything like ours you have already begun to make some plans for the upcoming summer season. No doubt those plans probably include some traveling, maybe to see family or to get away from them, to visit an exotic or exciting destination, or simply some time to escape to a quiet place. Vacation means something slightly different to everyone, but to each of us it means a break from the usual. Here is where I want to encourage you today.

Our vacation plans begin sometime after July 4^th. The reason for this is the upcoming musical where we will combine forces with several other area churches. It is a terribly exciting time to see God at work in us collectively, and particularly as we link arms with folks who serve the Lord in their own unique ways the rest of the time. This endeavor really began to gain some momentum last year as Pierpont Nazarene hosted us. This year we will be at Drummond Chapel, or Suncrest United Methodist Church as it is now called, for our “church” performance. I hope you will consider joining us.

But I am really interested in encouraging you in totally different regard. I want to encourage you NOT to take a vacation from God this summer. When you take a break from everything else, DO NOT take a break from Him. Rather, I want to encourage you to think of how God can be a BIG part of your vacation.

You do not have to go on a short-term mission trip to do this. Maybe for you, it could actually be a time when you begin a new spiritual discipline, or strengthen one that has been waning. Maybe your vacation could be a time to break away from some things that have been holding you back from deeper intimacy with God, and to dive into the deeper life He has for you in Christ Jesus. Whether it is taking something on or putting something off, I want to encourage you now as you make your plans for vacation to INCLUDE GOD IN THOSE PLANS.

For those of you with families and younger children, think about venturing into some new area during vacation. Maybe you could visit a historical place and talk about the importance of knowing the past. Maybe you could visit a place that has been significant to you in your spiritual growth and explain that to the little ones. Again, think about God and His commands when you make your plans for the scripture tells us, “Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again.” Deuteronomy 6:7b

Let us make some good plans this summer, that will help us live God’s plans for life!

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

A Pilgrim’s Prayer

Dear Worshipers,

We are only a few weeks away from beginning work on another combined work with community churches. We will celebrate America, honor our heroes, and exalt Jesus Christ. I am delighted to be a Suncrest United Methodist Church this year where my good friend Lya Stroupe is the Music Director. What a joy to work with her and others who love the Lord, and want to find ways to express that together. I am really looking forward to being at the Drummond Chapel campus of Suncrest UMC with their folks and many from other churches on the afternoon of July 1^st.

I am also looking forward to being in some public venue on July 4^th. And that is the matter of prayer that I bring before you again. I have been on a pilgrimage over the last several years to see our perspective on America being shared in a public venue. It has taken me through some turbulent waters, and I have learned a lot about the faithfulness of our God along the way. This year is no exception.

I have been in contact with the Chairman of the Celebration of America Committee for months. We have dialogued at length about the possibility of sharing a musical as a part of the community celebration. He has heard the work we are planning to share this year and has reviewed it with officials of BOPARC. We are being told again what we have been told before: that our Christian message is not appropriate for this setting particular because of the references to Jesus Christ.

Here is where things get difficult. I believe we have a right to freedom speak our views in the public forum that has been created on July 4^th. There are others who do not share this view. They need to be convinced otherwise.

This is what I am asking you to do. PRAY. Ask the Lord Jesus to give us a platform to declare His mercy over our community. Ask Him to open the necessary hearts and doors to ensure that can happen. Ask Him to change this situation.

He can do it. I am believing that He wants to do it. Will you believe that with me and go before Him with me until He does it, or changes my heart?

Thank you for partnering with me. Let us build His kingdom and not our own. Let us decrease so He may increase. Let us trust Him to move in these days and give us favor.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Unholy Satisfaction

Dear Worshipers,

I mentioned in our “tuning” from last week that I hoped to be able to write of Breakthrough this week. I am glad to say that I can. Our Tuesday morning Concert of Prayer was a wonderful time of being before the Lord. Our District Superintendent gave glory to God for the miraculous healing in his body, and also in his soul. It was a very powerful time as God broke through to many of the delegates, including me. As I sat there during one session of prayer when we had been encouraged to let the Holy Spirit speak, God did just that in a surprising way.

Our Director of Church Planting, Todd Sovine, had led the night before in an inspiring service about being “a Spirit-empowered church multiplication movement in which every church is strategically involved.” I wish you could have been there as we saw God’s hand at work all across our District creating partnerships and opening doors for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a stirring experience with a great personal challenge.

It the midst of one of the prayers I believe he prayed that God would give us an unholy satisfaction. I think he meant a holy dissatisfaction. I have to admit I was guilty of wrestling with those words and getting caught up there for just a minute. I thought about them after the service and then again the next morning. Little did I know what God was going to say to me through what I perceived to be a few apparently misspoken words.

As we journeyed through the Concert of Prayer, I asked the Holy Spirit to speak to me. I am confident He illumined that I have an unholy satisfaction with regard to our corporate worship. I believe He was saying to me that I have become content or satisfied with less that what He desires to do in our midst, including the greatest of His works which is to magnify Christ. I believe I have become satisfied with the work of man at least at times, instead of pursuing the work of God. I repented and asked Him to continue to speak to me about this. I would appreciate your prayers as I wrestle with this before the Lord.

I also want to encourage you to do your own wrestling. Ask the Spirit is you have any degree of unholy satisfaction. Is there any area of your life where you have become content with your relationship with or service to God and have stopped pursuing more of Him? Is there any way that you have become satisfied with anything less than all Christ has to offer to the children of God? If so repent, and ask God to speak His fullness into your life.

We will be satisfied with nothing less than the holiness of Christ, in position and practice! That is just a part of living the call together. Let’s do it!

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

BREAKTHROUGH 2007

Dear Worshipers,

Our theme for District Conference again this year is Breakthrough. Our District Superintendent has tried to prepare our district family for this by sending us a wonderful book, Prayer on Fire by Fred Hartley, asking us to read that book and spend some time over the last six weeks to pray and even fast. I have submitted and have been preparing myself for what the Lord will do during these days of our District and Prayer Conference. Now I want to ask you to help.

Will you please pray for our conference this week?

Let me give you a simple list to pray that you may invite the Holy Spirit to magnify Jesus Christ in our midst to the glory of God the Father. I will write it so that you can pray it as you read. Prayer concepts borrowed from Fred Hartley’s book.

• Father God, Send your flaming presence into our District Conference today. Take the dry tinder of the inner lives of these pastors and leaders and show Yourself to be the God who answers by fire. (I Kings 18:24)
• Father, help these delegates to receive this week by faith the infilling of Your Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ. Saturate every area of their lives, every cell of their bodies with You holy presence. Take control of them-spirit, soul, and body. (Ephesians 5:18)
• Father, You don’t force Your presence on any of us. You are far too gracious for that. Instead You send Your Holy Spirit to give wisdom into Who You are in principle and revelation into Who You are in reality. Come on our District Conference so that we might have a desire to know You better and better and better. (Ephesians 1:17)
  

Thanks for your prayers. I pray next week I will be able to write of some wonderful breakthroughs in response to them.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Ordained

Dear Worshipers,

We are looking forward to hosting the Ordination service of our upcoming District and Prayer Conference for the Central District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance next Wednesday. It will the highlight of the week for our church to enjoy this special privilege. The conference will consume the week for our professional staff so I do not foresee a tunings coming your way next week. With that in mind I wanted to toss some thoughts your way about Ordination.

When I think of this word within the context of our worship ministries I think of Psalms 8:2. “From the lips of children and infants You [God] have ordained praise.” This is the foundational verse for our Children’s Music Ministry. This is the verse that I use to reinforce to the kids the musical and spiritual principles that we learn and web in a life of praise. God has established that infants and children will give him praise. He has laid a foundation for the praise of His name to be uttered from the lips of young people.

The word for ordain here is the same word that is often used in the Old Testament for foundation, and particularly is used in reference to the foundations of the earth and the foundations of the Temple. Both of these communicate strength and substance. We read this word in Isaiah 28:16, “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” [NASB] There is a permanence to them, or at least one that is relative to the age in which they serve the purposes of God.

It is this concept of a permanent designation for a set purpose that is most often conveyed in the New Testament word that is translated ordained. As we see in Hebrews 5:1, “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” [NASB] That is the concept of the word ordain that will be employed next week as our worship ministries provide support for this special service. There will be ten men who will be ordained, permanently designated for the set purpose of communicating “things pertaining to God”.

I want to encourage you to come to this service if you can. You will not soon forget this moment that God ordains this men for service in the Kingdom of Christ. It will be a reminder of God’s ordained purpose in the present order of things.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Alive Forever, Amen!

Dear Worshipers,

I spoke with Kara Brown just after the close of the service on Sunday and she relayed how much she loved that closing song. I know there were several of you involved who found it to be your favorite in the musical, and others who heard for the first time Sunday who would say the same. I have to admit there is an infectious attraction to something about the song, but I want to assert it is much more that the pulsating rhythm, driving text, and energetic arrangement.

It struck me as we were singing through this in Saturday’s rehearsal. The draw of the piece is the joy of life eternal if proclaims, “He’s alive forever, Amen!” And resultantly, “I’m alive forever, Amen!” We know that Jesus is alive, but when we consider that we are alive forever BECAUSE HE IS, oh, what joy!

It is honestly a little difficult at best for us to grasp eternal life. But we believe. It is a comfort that we will live forever, even though we may die. It is a comfort when all is well, but the true depth of peace that it proclaims is best known when we have to stare death in the face. It is one thing to sing these words, it is another thing altogether to live them.

No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me.
From life’s first cry to final death, Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand.
‘Til He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

It is yet another thing to grieve the loss of one who has lived them. One who has lived this truth, “In Christ alone my hope is found.” Though we mourn the loss of one we loved, we are consumed with the overwhelming joy that what he believed in his heart is now realized in his experience. And we do not grieve as those who have no hope [I Thessalonians 4:13], for our hope too is in the Lord.

As certainly as Jesus died, and lived again, so do those who are in Christ. We sang Amen at the close of the Good Friday service, and we sang it all the more heartily at the close of the Easter Sunday Morning service. We assent to the finality of death, but acclaim the eternity of life in Christ. Though we may say amen, so be it, when one we love departs from our presence, we will also say amen as they enter the presence of our Lord.

For those in Christ, like Him, are “Alive Forever, Amen!”

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Along the Way with Jesus

Dear Worshipers,

Over the course of the last several weeks Pastor David has been taking us through a wonderful series titled "Along the Way with Jesus". I love that title. That is exactly the path that I want to take. I want my tombstone to read in effect "He walked along the way with Jesus." Don't you? It happens one day at a time.

This week we will have the opportunity to do just that. To walk along the way with Jesus. Through the course of this week we will have our normal Holy Week services, but we have also added a few so that we can step with Jesus as opposed to skipping along.

One first step is a little one with the children in mind and will be on Wednesday night at 6:30 P.M. as we have our annual Egg Hunt at the pavilion of Krepps Park. As usual it will feature the Resurrection Eggs from Family Life which beautifully portray the whole message of Easter in 12 powerful egg-encapsulated symbols. Pray for good weather, a good turnout, and a good message from Pastor Tony.

Our next step takes us into Holy Week and we remember Maundy Thursday. The word "Maundy" comes from the Latin for 'command' (mandatum). It refers to the command given by Jesus at the Last Supper, that his disciples should love one another. In this 7:00 P.M. service we will focus on the service our Lord demonstrated as foot washing is modeled and communion is shared. We will sing a hymn and go out, just as Jesus and His disciples did.

The next step will be on Friday as we take time to reflect on the cross. Beginning at 7:00 P.M. we will share in a service the will provide the opportunity to come to the altar and meditate on the significance of the cross, and the implications on our living. We will leave with "Amen" ringing in our ears, as we confess the needfulness of this dreadful, wonderful moment in time.

Saturday takes us back to Krepps, but on the upper side near the street. We will meet thirty minutes prior to sunset, or around 7:30 P.M. We will take a few steps in the disciples sandals as we try to imagine what it must have felt like to see their dreams die with their Lord. We will pray and wait as the darkness descends, just as they must have been doing.

Sunday will find us at Krepps again as we begin our celebration of the Resurrection at 7:00 A.M. Pastor Drew will bring the message from the Lord. Come and celebrate! Christ is risen!!

We head back to the sanctuary for the 10:30 service. Jesus, No Other King will feature choir and orchestra, as well as narrators, Thomas and Kara Brown. You will not want to miss this glorious celebration that retraces the steps of Jesus through His earthly ministry culminating in that final week.
We finish our journey on Sunday night as we celebrate the newness of life in Christ through the ordinance of baptism. If you have never been to baptism service, or have not been to one lately, come and see the changed lives. Witness the next steps of faith for several who are diligently following in Christ's footsteps, and be encouraged in your walk "along the way with Jesus".

It will be a busy week. Please pray for me and all those involved in the services. Please pray that many people come to celebrate Jesus with us. PLEASE PRAY! And then invite someone to walk along the way with Jesus WITH YOU!!

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Hosanna: Save Now, Lord!

Dear Worshipers,

Palm Sunday is upon us. I trust that you have been making some preparations to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord as Easter fast approaches, even if only in your heart. I want to take a few moments to encourage in a particular way along that path.

Hosanna, an ancient term having Jewish and Christian liturgical uses, means “Save now, Lord!” Hosanna was a Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise. We see it in Psalm 118:25, “O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us success.” This followed by 118:26, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” One can quickly see that as the people accompanied Jesus into Jerusalem during his triumphal entry, they were looking for a blessed redeemer, someone to save them. Their words are recorded Matthew 21:9b.

I was thinking this morning on what must have been on the minds of those who were shouting their hosannas to Jesus that day, and pondering the corollary to what is on our minds. You will recall that the nation of Israel had been occupied by the powers of Rome for years, and were looking for a deliverer. Of course to the Hebrew mind the best deliverer would be the Messiah. The heart-cry of the Jewish nation was, “O, that Messiah would come and save us!”

How often when we look at the response of the masses on Palm Sunday as contrasted with Good Friday are we amazed at the transformation? I have often thought that we would likely have been swept along by the crowd as were so many casual observers. But even today I realized there is another layer to this.

The Jewish people seemed so aware of the deliverance they needed, they were blind to the one Jesus was determined to accomplish. They wanted freedom from Rome. Jesus wanted to give them FREEDOM. How often do we want freedom from ______ [insert your favorite object of scorn and/or displeasure], when actually what we need is FREEDOM?

Christian, I am not talking about freedom from the curse of sin. You have been granted that through Jesus blood, and your acceptance of that finished work on your behalf. I am speaking of the oft inexperienced freedom that is life IN Christ. This is the life which realizes that taking up a cross is not a chastisement, but a honor. That to be crucified with Christ is not a punishment, but a delight. That there is no real life apart from Christ.

As you shout, “Hosanna” this Sunday, cry out to the One who desires to save you: From wants, as He delivers your needs. From disciplines, as He makes them delights. From yourself, as He gives you Himself.

Hosanna! Save us, Lord!

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Revelation and Response: Lord, Have Mercy

Dear Worshipers,

First of all, to my regular readers, have mercy on me if you will. I had every intention on getting these tunings out a week ago, but the Lord took me into other pursuits last Tuesday and away from them. I like the discipline of writing regularly, and from the comments I have received from a number of you, you enjoy reading them regularly as well. To God be the glory for all the tuning in the past in advance for that which His voice will invite today.

Pastor David in his annual report published in January put the words of this simple prayer before us. A couple of weeks ago he expanded on it a bit in his Thursday thoughts. In our weekly meeting he shared that he will likely develop this into a sermon series. It has been on his heart a lot lately, so it has been on mine too. In the midst of that meeting it occurred to me [the Holy Spirit revealed to me] how this concise prayer gives us both elements of worship that we have been examining lately-revelation and response.

You see, in the very act of calling out to Him, “Lord”, there is the acknowledgement of His position over us. Immediately, we are confessing that we exist to serve Him, His purposes, and His ways. Though some will call Him Lord using it simply as a title (Matthew 7:21-23), we choose to submit to His kingly authority. He has revealed Himself to us as Lord, and we have chosen to recognize that.

That recognition is only the beginning of our response. When we see God rightly for who He is, we can then and only then see ourselves rightly. When we catch a even a glimpse of Him in His sinless perfection, we immediately will be aware of our sinful imperfection. What does one say who realizes he is guilty and deserves punishment: “Have mercy. Do not treat me as my sins necessitate.” When we have a good understanding of God, and ourselves in light of Him, our first response after adoration will be confession. Lord, have mercy on me for…

But these are not the only times we call out for mercy. When facing a very difficult situation the Psalmist cried out for God’s mercy, “Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.” (123:3) When the father of a demon-possessed man came to Jesus asking for healing and deliverance he asked, “Lord have mercy on my son…” (Matthew 17:15) And there are any other number of situations that have probably already occurred to you [the Holy Spirit revealed them to you] as you have been reading. Maybe they are in your life, or the life of someone dear to you. Cry out to the Lord now for mercy. And then keep doing it through the rest of your life as you “tune {your}heart to sing {His} grace.”

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Revelation and Response: NT Example

Dear Worshipers,

Last week I gave you an example of revelation and response from the Old Testament. God revealed Himself to the prophet Isaiah, and Isaiah responded from Isaiah 6. This week I want to give you an example from the New Testament that will hopefully be a helpful illustration of this summation of worship. Let us walk a while down the road to Emmaus where the Master revealed Himself to a couple of His servants.

You remember this amazing account of Jesus walking along with two of His followers after His resurrection. (Luke 24:13-31) It is almost humorous to read this account knowing this is Jesus, but these disciples did not realize that for the longest time because “God kept them from recognizing him.” (24:16) Now there is an interesting truth. God began to slowly reveal who Jesus was to these two who thought they knew Him. How often have we experienced a greater revealing of Jesus as we spent time with Him?

It is noteworthy that Jesus used the Scriptures to reveal Himself to these two. “Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what the Scriptures said about Himself.” (24:27) And He is still doing that today. As we come to the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit reveals who Jesus is.

The disciples response, before the revelation was completed, is worth considering. They invited Jesus to spend even more time with them. This is how we feel too when we have had a sweet time of relating to our Lord, coming to know Him better. We want to spend more time. Our quiet time often feels too short because we just want to linger there with Jesus. That must have been how Cleophas and his friend must have felt. Certainly, it was the hospitable thing to do in their culture, but I am confident there was more behind that as we see evidenced later.

Do you see it already? Jesus revealed Himself, even though slowly, and the disciples responded. Just this much is a clear exampling of this pattern, but in the remaining verses there is much more.

The next section is of particular interest as Jesus takes the loaf of bread, asks Gods blessing on it, broke it and gave it to them. “Suddenly, their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” (24:31a) Then interestingly, Jesus disappeared. Even so, this did not deter the immediate response of these two. Within the hour, they were on their way back to Jerusalem through the dark of night to tell the others. It could not wait. Revelation and Response.

But it does not even end there. As the Scripture records, even as they were telling the disciples about their encounter, Jesus appeared to all of them gathered. Their response to this revelation, “the whole group was terribly frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost.” (24:37) Jesus quickly reassured them he was no ghost, encouraging them to touch Him.

And Jesus wants to a similar thing in our lives today. He wants to reveal Himself to us and He wants us to respond. He wants to be with us as we walk down the road with another friend. He wants to be with us as we entertain guests, and share meals together. He wants wants to be with us as we gather with others to consider the truth of who He is. He wants to calm our fears with His presence. He wants to erase our doubt. Revelation and Response. Do you see it? If you do, how will you respond.

Jesus wants to reveal Himself to you today. He wants you to respond to Him in faith. But Jesus also wants to reveal Himself through you. May the Spirit of God open your eyes to see Him at work around you, for then you will be better prepared to enter into the process of revelation and response.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Revelation and Response: OT Example

Dear Worshipers,

Over the last several weeks we have been looking at different aspects of the vision statement of the Worship Ministry we share. I want to spend this week and next giving you a couple of Biblical examples of this summation of worship. Next week we will consider the way Jesus revealed Himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and the way they responded. This week we look into the Old Testament as God revealed Himself to the prophet Isaiah and Isaiah’s response.

Isaiah 6:1-8 has always been one of my favorite passages of Scripture. The prophet receives and answers God’s call in this passage. He catches a glimpse of heavenly worship and then responds in worship himself. The way this transpires is instructive for us as we consider this pattern of revelation and response. I have preached an entire message on these verses and there is much material here, but I will focus this brief look into it here with these words-revelation and response.

The first several verses show us several things about the nature of God. He is high and lifted up. He is holy, holy, holy. He is the Lord God Almighty. His glory fills the whole earth. He is worthy of worship. It is interesting for us to note that the Lord reveals Himself to the prophet in the context of the Temple, THE place of corporate worship in the OT.

When Isaiah saw God, he immediately responded, “I am undone!” He realized that in comparison to the holy wholeness of God he was as good as disintegrated. Actually, he probably expected to die. This is a key for us, because too often we approach God too casually.

But the revelation continues. God shows that though He is the powerful One who reigns on high, He has a purification and purpose for Isaiah. God reveals that He has something for Isaiah to do. God is looking for someone to go on His behalf.

Isaiah responds again. Before he even knows what will be asked of him he replies, “Here am I. Send me!” I suppose after what he had seen, to respond with such sacrifice is not surprising, but it is note that this was a total commitment of self.

Do you see it here? God reveals Himself. Isaiah responds. God reveals His purposes and His ways. Isaiah responds again.

The Life Application Bible commentary offers these words: “Our daily frustrations, society’s pressures, and our shortcomings narrow our view of God. We need the Bible’s view of God as high and lifted up to empower us to deal with our problems and concerns. God’s moral perfection, properly seen, will purify us from sin, cleanse our mind of our problems, and enable us to worship and serve.” We God reveals Himself to us, we are ready to respond.

Let us give Him every opportunity to reveal Himself…especially when we gather together.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

We Respond

Dear Worshipers,

We Respond

This is the last week we will be looking into the vision statement. I know that we have been at this for a while now, but I want to spend a couple more weeks looking at our vision statement.

Our Worship Ministries exist to nurture worship as a lifestyle
characterized by sincere responses to God’s self-revelations.

This week I want to consider how we respond to God. Henry Blackaby in his Bible study Experiencing God makes this statement, "What you do next after the Spirit of God speaks to you through His Word is crucial.” What you do next says a lot about what you believe about God.

There are significant revelations, moments when God is unmistakably speaking. Think about Moses and his long discussion with God in Exodus 3 and 4, and its consequences. [He had to speak through Aaron.] When we respond with a lack of faith, we suffer the consequences of our disobedience.

There are also many more less significant revelations, the everyday ones. How we respond to them prepares us to respond to the others. When we respond in traffic, at school, at work or at home with reverent obedience, it prepares us for the next time.

As concerned as I am that you will respond to God in those life-changing moments like the one Moses had, I am honestly more interested in helping you cultivate a life of response, made up of many smaller responses. I had a good friend say years ago, a faithful life is made up of many acts of faithfulness. I want to help you nurture that kind of life.

Here is my challenge for you today. When God reveals Himself to you, respond. Maybe it will be in an opportunity to die to self [Galatians 2:20], maybe to serve others [John 13:14-17]. Maybe you will actually have to speak of His worth in some simple way [Hebrews 13:15]. Maybe it will be offering a reason for the hope you have in Christ Jesus [1 Peter 3:15]. Maybe it will be to respond to some unkindness kindly [Matthew 5:39].

Only the Lord knows how He will reveal Himself to you today, but you can purpose right now to respond in reverent obedience. As you do, your experience of worship will heighten, and your life of worship will strengthen. My prayer for you is that your life would be characterized by sincere responses to every revelation of God. May our collective efforts bring glory to His matchless name.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

God Reveals Himself

Dear Worshipers,

I know that we have been at this for a while now, but I want to spend a couple more weeks looking at our vision statement.

Our Worship Ministries exist to nurture worship as a lifestyle characterized by sincere responses to God’s self-revelations.

This week I want to consider how God reveals Himself to us. Henry Blackaby in his Bible study Experiencing God stated this as one of the Seven Realities of Experiencing God: "God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church, to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways." The other six realities are just as life-changing as this one, but I will let you discover them on your own. [If you are interested in knowing and doing the will of God and are looking for a resource to train you in this, you have just found it.]

God reveals Himself. We do not discover God. Like rounding a corner and finding Him setting there. He puts Himself in our path and leads us around the corner. Then He gives us eyes to see Him. Otherwise, we simply would not. The Holy Spirit is the person who does this. When he does it, He is revealing the Truth to us. The Truth is a person: Jesus Christ.

Any believer would agree that God reveals Himself to us through the Bible and prayer. How many times have you been reading or meditating on a passage of Scripture and it was as though the light had been turned on in the dark room of your mind exposing things that you previously had not noticed? God speaks to us and shows us Who He is as we read and pray. But God also often uses circumstances and the church, or other believers, to help confirm what He is saying.

In John 5:17 Jesus gave us an example of God using our circumstances to speak to us. He said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” In verse 20 Jesus tells us that the Father would let the Son (Jesus) know what He was doing. The Father took the initiative and revealed to Jesus what He was doing. That revelation is an invitation to join the Father in what He was already doing. God does the same with us.

He starts doing something around us, in us, through us, etc. He reveals that activity through our circumstances. That revelation is His invitation to join Him. We respond with obedience or disobedience. As Blackaby says, two words that should never go together in a Christians vocabulary are “No Lord.” Unfortunately, though we may not speak those words, sometimes our response SHOUTS them.

The fact that God speaks through the Church is born out beautifully in I Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 which form our concept of the Church as the body of Christ, and Jesus as the Head. This is a picture of how we are mutually interdependent. We all need each other to function as intended. God has intended for the church to function as a unit, not just individual parts. Blackaby says, “As I function in relationship to the church, I depend on others in the church to help me understand God’s will…Apart from the body, you cannot fully know God’s will for your relationship to the body.” If you have ever walked through a period of rebellion in your life, where the church was not an important part of your life, you know this to be true. If you have never experienced the peace of having God’s will for your life confirmed by a number of other believers, then you may still have yet to understand this vital truth.

My prayer for all of us is that we would ever be open to the speaking of the Holy Spirit, through all these vehicles. They will be in agreement when God is revealing Himself. Then the crisis of belief occurs. Will I obey what God has revealed…or not?

Next week...

Our responses to God's self-revelations. When God reveals Himself, His purposes and His ways, what we do next is crucial. We will consider that a little further next week.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Quiet Time Repertoire

Repertoire - the entire stock of skills, techniques, or devices used in a
particular field or occupation: a musician's repertoire.

Dear Worshipers,

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at the vision statement of our Worship Ministries. We looked at some different perspectives on worship as a lifestyle and the character of our responses to God. We also considered how corporate worship prepares us for our life of worship. Today I want to consider our private worship prepares us for our life of worship, but first let us remind ourselves of our vision.

Our Worship Ministries exist to nurture worship as a lifestyle
characterized by sincere responses to God's self-revelations.

I am borrowing a list from a book I have been reading, worship-a way of life by Patrick Kavanaugh. He takes care to develop the role of the Bible and prayer in our private worship. He states that the key to quality in this discipline is consistency. He takes a pretty hard line saying that if something is important to you, you make time for it. I would agree. I have struggled at different times in my walk with Christ to prioritize time with God, but have always found a way to make it work. It has always required sacrifice and flexibility on my part, but I believe that is part of the sanctifying process.

After outlining some key aspects to these previous pillars (Bible and Prayer), he offers a list with suggestions to help develop Worship as a part of the quiet time. This is his list: speaking praise to God (Psalm 71:8), singing songs to God (Ephesians 5:19), singing spontaneous praise to God (Psalm 96:1), physical activity (Psalm 95:6), adoration Psalm 46:10), communion with God (Luke 22:15), meditating on the Word (Psalm 199:97), and waiting on God (Psalm 27:14). [pp. 184-187] This is quite a list!

Before you become overwhelmed with this list, remember that they are suggested things to ADD to your quiet time repertoire. Kavanaugh, an orchestra conductor, used the analogy of a concert pianist adding to their repertoire to illustrate the approach. These artists have a list of pieces that they have at their disposal to use at any time they have the opportunity to play. Beyond this list, they add one piece at a time so as to diversify and compliment their repertoire. Remember the definition of repertoire above.

As you desire to continue to grow in your worship lifestyle, one essential component will be to develop your quiet time repertoire of worship. This will enable and empower your worship as you go through the “noisy” time of your day. It will give you an expression of worship for every setting quiet or noisy, essential repertoire for the life of worship.


In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Preparing for Worship

Dear Worshipers,

Last week we begin a short review of the vision God has given our worship ministries. We considered some different views with regard to responding to God and what a worship lifestyle looks like. I would like to expand on the latter a little farther today but first allow me to remind you again of our vision statement.

Our Worship Ministries exist to nurture worship as a lifestyle
characterized by sincere responses to God's self-revelations.

If you have not yet read Pastor David’s annual report I want to encourage you to do so. Several paragraphs near the end it is dedicated to some honest discussion of the worship services of our church. The Elders have appointed a subcommittee to define the core values of our worship “that are representative of Scripture and matched to our corporate personality”. I appreciate your prayers as I chair this committee.

As you will readily see, his comments regard our worship services, but our vision takes into account much more than that. What happens in our services is only a part of our expression of worship, but it is a very significant one. Our corporate worship both demonstrated the strength of our private worship, and prepares us for our public worship. Let us focus on the latter (public) aspect, and save the former (private) for next week.

I was reading last week and came across this phrase, "The worship service is a rehearsal for the everyday life of worship." That puts a little different spin on it. When we gather for corporate worship, we are actually preparing (rehearsing) for the real "performance." That puts all of our worship (service) preparation in a whole new light. We are rehearsing to rehearse our worship. Did you get that? Let me say it a slightly different way. When we rehearse our worship (service) leadership, we are actually preparing to rehearse our worship life beyond the service.

This also gives a whole new meaning to the word "nurture" describing the active intent of all we share with the church gathered. It is the answer to our prayers as we pray for God to foster a life of worship as a result of our corporate worship. It is what Solomon was asking the Lord to do in His people when he dedicated the Temple.

As Solomon prayed there are a number of phrases that speak of this life of worship. They are spoken as Solomon’s heart for a people re-inclined to God. He admitted they would turn away, as we all do being “prone to wander” as the hymn writer said, but asked God simply to draw them back to Himself by helping them live lives of worship when they returned. These are some of the phrases in his lengthy prayer in I Kings. (From The Message)

“as they sincerely live in obedience to Your way”

“careful to live obediently in My presence”

“so that they’ll live before You in lifelong reverent and believing obedience”

“so that people all over the world will know who You are and what You’re like and will live in reverent obedience before You, just Your own people Israel do”

These were Solomon’s prayers at one of the most significant corporate worship gatherings in the Old Testament, the dedication of the Temple. God, when Your people turn back to worship You, help them to live lives of worship. Do you see the common word which I have italicized there-live?

I love that phrase “lifelong reverent and believing obedience”. Solomon obviously liked it too, and being the wisest man on earth must have known God liked it as well. That was his prayer for the worshipper who chose to incline themselves to the Lord. That could be our prayer as well.

Lord, when any of Your people realize they are in sin and turn back to You, hear them from heaven and help them to live before You in lifelong reverent and believing obedience. Help them to live lives of worship, walking in Your way, and practicing Your presence. Do this every time we gather for corporate worship, and do it all the while we are dispersed to worship as well. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

What's the point?

Dear Worshipers,

A lot of folks work really hard in our worship ministries. From AV techs to choir members, worship team vocalists and instrumentalists to soloists, our sacrifice of corporate praise is expressed in many ways. But what is the point of all this labor? What are we trying to accomplish?

Each year as we begin again together I like to remind us of the vision God has given for our worship ministries.

Our Worship Ministries exist to nurture worship as a lifestyle
characterized by sincere responses to God's self-revelations.

This is a daunting task, one that is truly beyond our ability to accomplish, for we are far to ordinary. I am reminded on this on a daily basis. However, the God we serve is far from ordinary; He is extraordinary. As we yield to the Lord, He empowers us to fulfill His purposes in our lives, individually and corporately.

Near the end of last year I was reading two different books which provided solid reasoning for the vision we share: Facedown by Matt Redman (opening words) and Worship - A Way of Life Patrick Kavanaugh. I would heartily recommend both to you as you continue to grow in your pursuit of a life of worship. I want to share a few words from each to continue to expand our understanding and expression of worship as a lifestyle.

Matt Redman’s book opens like this.

When we face up to the glory of God, we soon find ourselves facedown in worship. To worship facedown is the ultimate outward sign of inner reverence.

Every posture in worship says something of both the worshipper and the One being gloried in. The raising of hands tells of a soul stretched out high in praise and the worth of the One being exalted. Joyful dancing interprets a grateful heart and points in adoration to the source of that joy. When it comes to expressing our worship, what we do on the outside is a key reflection of what’s taking place on the inside. Out of the overflow of our heart we speak and sing, we dance, and we bow. God reveals and we respond. [emphasis mine] God shines and we reflect. In the very same way, facedown worship is the overflow of a heart humbled and amazed by the glory of God…

Patrick Kavanaugh offers a very reasoned development of this response that is worship. In the last page of the book he shared this analogy which I thought was a wonderful picture for us to consider.

A true relationship does not limit expression merely to certain times and preplanned places. Suppose I kissed my wife only once each week in a specific place in our house. If you observed such an odd ritual, you would surely conclude that the relationship between my wife and me must be rather formal and cold.

Of course I kiss my wife when she wakes up, and when she walks down the hall, and when she is working in the kitchen, and when she sits at the table. There is no “standard time and place” for a husband to kiss his wife. If they truly love each other, then he delights in giving her a kiss and she delights in receiving it.

So it is-even more so!-in our relationship with the Lord…

This analogy is strengthened with the knowledge that the most common word translated for worship in the New Testament is proskuneo, which means “to kiss toward.”

This is our goal, individually and corporately. Each of us is growing in this discipline of worship. Some of you have resolved even this year to pour your energies into your pursuit of God, and may find yourself frustrated. Kavanaugh offers this words near the close of his book as an encouragement to the individual worshipper in their worship of God, but I believe we can receive these words as a ministry as well. “Like any new habit or discipline, there is a need for persistence-but not guilt.”

Persist in your worship my friends, and it will become your way of life. As we persist together, it will also characterize the ministry we share. To God alone be the glory.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Resolutions or Real Solutions

Dear Worshipers,

Just a few weeks into the New Year and you may be wondering what you were thinking when you made some of the resolutions that seemed like such a good idea only a few weeks ago. Maybe you decided to read through the Bible, but you have missed a couple of days and are now feeling overwhelmed with the idea of reading 110 chapters just to catch up. Maybe you had hoped to loose a few unwanted pounds, but the scale seems to indicate that you weight is the same as it was on January 1. Maybe there was a long overdue phone call you decided to make early in the year that remains unmade. Or maybe there is something else.

The reality of the New Year is setting in and it seems to be shaping up much like the old one. There are habits to develop, and others to break, as well as things to accomplish. Yet the resolutions you made do not seem to be helping you. What you need is real solutions. And you know who has them? GOD! [I know, you already knew that. But I wanted to remind you.]

Every year since sometime back in the late 90’s [that seems strange to say] while we were serving a church in Nebraska, Sarah and I have had what has know become known as our Annual Planning Day. This is a day where we separate from our normal schedule and reflect on our plans for the New Year. Though the planning has much to do with budget and calendar issues, we also discuss specifics of spiritual formation as well.

Now, in case you are thinking, “I would like to get away for a day and plan my year”, let me encourage you. It does take a day, or rather not all at once. For Sarah and I, that day is the culmination of working last years plan successfully or not and reevaluating it, finding better solutions, and setting it in motion. But really more than a day, this is a lifestyle. Just like what you probably need is more than a resolution, but some real solutions.

You have heard this phrase, “Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan”. But you have to be certain to let God guide this process. An old friend once said to me "We worship our work, we work at our play, we play at our worship". That is the danger if you let your life priorities get out of balance.

I saw a little story on ABC News last week titled “24/7 Lifestyle”. I was immediately curios because this is my vision for the worship of God. It was about companies who are letting their employees work whenever they want, wherever they want, as long as they get it done. You might think that less work gets done, but the employees end up working even more. They are working all the time, easily putting in 60-70 hour weeks, with many 12-14 hour days. The freedom to take their work with them anywhere has left many taking it with them everywhere.

While I am not advocating that kind of lifestyle for anyone, I am advocating that kind of commitment. Live your life resolved to worship the Lord 24/7. But don’t just resolve to do it, set in place some real solutions that will help you attain that goal. Maybe you need to get to bed earlier so that you can wake up earlier to get that Bible reading done before the day really gets going. Maybe you need to fast a couple meals a week, spending concerted time with the Lord as He fills your soul with Himself, instead of your stomach with food. Maybe you need to organize your thoughts before the Lord for that phone call, humble yourself and pick up the phone.

Carve some time out with the Lord in the next week and evaluate your plans for the year. Where is God in them? Or rather, where do you plans put you in relation to God? Make it your intent to live a lifestyle of worship, one that is constantly responding to the glory of God. Set in motion some real solutions that will help you live that way, and set your plan in motion.

If you will resolve to let God reveal His plan for you and that you will work diligently at whatever He places before you, you will have some real solutions coming your way that will revolutionize your New Year, for the glory of God, and your good.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

How’s Your Vision?

Dear Worshipers,

Let me ask you a question. Do you see yourself in this picture? I sure hope you do, because I do. That is, I see you in this picture. This image is the new symbol-brand-logo for our Worship Ministries created for us by Andy Moore. THANK YOU ANDY!

There are so many aspects of this brand I would like to outline for you. Do you see the W and the V? That could stand for West Virginia or world vision, but for me it also represents Worship is a Verb. Do you know why there our several figures in the image? An early concept included a single figure, but our worship as a church as a corporate dimension to it. I particularly like that three is more than a couple, and represents a family. We are a family of worshippers, made up of many families and other units of worshippers. Did you notice that the word is the same font and the colors the same from our Alliance brand “Living the Call Together”? This connects us with the larger vision of our Alliance family, while showing our unique part of it.

There are many other aspects of this that we could explore, but I want to ask you the question again, “Do you see yourself in this picture?” The vision of our Worship Ministries is that we “exist to nurture worship as a lifestyle characterized by sincere responses to God’s self-revelations.” God reveals Himself, we respond. That is worship. And God reveals Himself in a number of different ways: through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, the church, the cross, communion, etc. Too many to capture in a simple logo, as if it could be captured in a complex one either.
When God reveals Himself, what is your response? The reality is your response will not be a cookie cutter version of the image you see here. Instead, it will be your sincere reaction to all that God has shown Himself to be in that moment. Your demonstration of worship may will look different than the figures you see, but the posture will be the same. You will be lifted up, exalting the Most High God, even if you find yourself on your face in tears, undone. Your focus will be on Him and nothing else. You may be aware of your surroundings, including your partners in the journey, but they are less significant the the object of your affection, the Lord Almighty.

That is the vision the Lord has given me for worship. A vision where we are focused on Him, responding to what He has shown us, in every situation, every circumstance, every moment. A vision that is consuming and captivating, as certainly as it is convicting.

Let me ask you the question one last time. Do you see yourself in this picture? I certainly hope so.

In Christ,
Pastor Scott

Unadorning to Adorn

Dear Worshipers,

It occurred to me the other day while taking Christmas decorations down that in order to adorn my home for the “ordinary” season which we will soon enter, I have to unadorn. It then occurred to me that unadorn was not a word, so let me clarify. In order to dech my halls for the after Christmas season, I had to first undeck them. Wait a minute? That’s not a word either.

O.K., let me try this again. We are talking about taking off one thing off and putting on another. Imagine how silly it would be to just put all your other stuff back up on top of the Christmas stuff, if it would even be possible. You would not imagine doing that, would you? I mean really. You change outfits for a different season, not simply put a new on top of the old. This is pretty obvious stuff.

Then the Lord reminded me of the spiritual principle at work here. “You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:9b-10 Oh, yes!

As I enter the New Year, I find myself asking, “What do I want to put on this year?” Here’s a good list to start clothing ourselves from “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved”: “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 1Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14.

Then I realized, “I can not put those things on over my current wardrobe.” I cannot just add to my life. I must first take away. Unadorn, if you will. Some of the things I might be guilty of would include “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from my lips.” Colossians 3:5b, 8b That was my old life. I used to walk in those ways. And so did you. Let’s not lie to each other.

As you enter the New Year. Take some time to ask the Lord what He wants to adorn your life with this year. As you do, listen for what He is telling you to strip off. Let Him help you and be prepared to be clothed with the peace of Christ your Lord, now and throughout the year.

Don’t just adorn, unadorn.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

DO NOT OPEN UNTIL THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS!

Dear Worshipers,

I pray you had a very, merry Christmas, and am praying that God will bless you as we enter the New Year together ever tuning our hearts to sing His grace.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Six Shopping Days Until Christmas

Dear Worshipers,

As I read to Samuel’s second grade class yesterday I made a passing comment about the Christmas season. I was instructing them that we are currently in the season of Advent, that period stretching four Sundays and through Christmas Eve leading us up to Christmas. Advent is the first season of the liturgical year. I continued saying that Christmas in the church year runs from Christmas [December 25] through Epiphany {January 6]. I could tell from the look on their puzzled faces that many of them had never heard of this sequence. For that reason, I wanted to take a few minutes today to familiarize you with it, in the hopes that it may renew your savoring of this season, which may have been partially robbed by the consumerism of our culture.

Among all the festivals and holidays of the Christian Church year, Christmas remains the most observed and most popular. Of course, much of that popularity, especially in the West, is due to the commercial promotion of the holiday. In many areas of the world, it is still a rather insignificant holiday even among Christians. Still, the Christmas story captures the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype. [From CRI/Voice Institute, © Dennis Bratcher. The remainder of this article can be found by Ctrl+Clicking this link. The Christmas Season Here you will find some other resources that may aid your Christmas worship.]

I said to the second graders, “Christmas, for most people unfortunately, lasts for about fifteen minutes on the morning of December 25th.” That is the case for so many folks. Having rushed around the days and weeks before Christmas to get gifts to leave loved ones dazzled leaves us feeling a little bit frazzled. The Christmas season can capture “the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype”, but only if we stop long enough to be captured by it.

This will look different for each of you and your families, but I want to encourage you to make the time, beginning on Christmas day if not before, to ponder the meaning of this season. God became one of us. He made a personal connection for us through His Son. He demonstrated His desire and ability to get personally involved in our lives.

Pastor David has been encouraging us these last few weeks to consider “The Miracle of Christmas”. [You can view clips of his Advent series at Advent Messages.] Many talk about Christmas being a magical season, yet that “magic” wears off too quickly for most. The miracle lingers for those who consider the meaning behind the season. Don’t you figure the shepherds talked about that “Silent Night” the rest of their lives? The angels probably recall with amazement the birth they “heralded” so long ago? I am certain the magi were filled with wonder for the “Star of royal beauty bright” long after they had arrived back at home. More on the Magi in a few weeks in the next “Tuning” on January 2.


In Christ, Pastor Scott

In Need of Rescue

Dear Worshipers,

I think one of the things that really amazes me about the Christmas story is how unaware we are that we are in need of rescue. God on the other hand was totally aware. Before we could even realize our need He has already made our rescue available through the sending of His only Son. All that is required for us to do is make the call.

This was brought home to me this morning. I was going around town taking down the roadside signs that I had scattered in various places. [If you put any out, thank you and please be certain to get them down soon.] I ended up going by the church to take down the banners as well. I had Josiah, our 19 month old, with me and figured since it was still pretty cold I would leave him strapped in with the van running so that he would not get cold. You see where this is going.

I returned to the van a few minutes later to retrieve a tool to finish the job and realized the van was locked. I believe it must have a feature I did not know about that locks the doors after a period of time if the van is running. That is the only explanation I can imagine, other than my somehow locking the doors accidently on my way out of the van. All that to say, I needed rescued, or more accurately Josiah did.

I called AAA but as I was on hold I decided to try a different course. My sense of urgency was heightened as I watched Josiah in tears inside the van wondering why I was not coming to his aid. I believe the Lord brought Bill Rumble to mind. I figured he could help, or would know the fastest course of assistance. I was right. He informed me that the fire department will come and unlock your car if you have a child inside.

Once I swallowed my pride, I made the call. I could here the sirens even before the 911 dispatcher was finished talking to me. I was humbled as four firefighters jumped out and rescued my son in a matter of seconds. Almost before I could sign the waiver excusing them of potential damage to the vehicle, the door was open. They loaded up with smiles on their faces even before I could calm Josiah's tears.

As I sat in the front seat holding Josiah and recovering from the ordeal, I reflected on the rescue. The system was already in place when I made the call. The response was immediate. The situation was remedied quickly with no pain to me other than a little humility. The feeling of resolution was sweet.

The parallels to the work of our Rescuer, Christ Jesus, were so clear to me this morning. By coming at Christmas, then dying at Easter, He has instituted a system by which we can be rescued from our sin. This was in place long before we could call on Him. His reponse is immediate when we call. He remedies our situation. The resolution He brings is sweet.

All this, and then another thing occurred to me even as I was writing. I placed the call, and Josiah was rescued. Who in your life are your calling out to the Rescuer for? They are not aware of their need but you are. Ultimately, they will have to turn to Christ, but you can call out to Him on their behalf.

I am thankful that Jesus is my Rescuer and that He is poised to jump into action whenever a call comes in, whether on my behalf or anyone else’s.

In Christ,
Pastor Scott

PRODUCTION WEEK

Dear Worshipers,

That is the term I use for this busy week leading up to a major production. If you combine the time each person will sacrifice at rehearsal this week it will literally be in the hundreds of hours. Think of what you could do if someone gave you a few hundred hours to work on something. Think of what you could produce if you had 300 hours of concentrated effort to put into a project. Anyone could accomplish something of worth in that amount of time, if focused on a profitable outcome, right? Not without the Lord.

We are focusing on producing this week. Oh, certainly we are talking about the Christmas musical, but I am talking about much more. I am talking about the greatest product of the week which is not what the Lord will do through us but what He wants to do in us. We want to work on all these details so that we can communicate the wonderful message of Jesus clearly and convincingly, but even then, apart from Him it is all for naught. So let us pray for what we desire for Him to do in others, but ponder what He is doing is us.

Remember Jesus’ words in John 15:5b “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Apart from the Lord we can do nothing. A lot of talent, a lot of time, a lot of nothing apart from Him. I do not want to waste this week or it’s efforts, so I commit right now in the midst of everything I have to do and delegate to hold to the instruction in the first part of this verse.

Remaining. That is not so easy to do. I hit the snooze button a few too many times this morning and did not have the time to spend with the Lord that I desire. Remaining is hard to do without time. This is a busy week, but if I do not find the time to remain in Jesus’ how can I hope to bear the fruit He desires. The same is true for you.

I know that I have many of you out at rehearsals several times this production week, but without some time spent with Jesus’ you too will be hard pressed to produce what He desires. And what it is that He desires to produce in you? If you take a few minutes to consider this I think I know He will show you. You remember the list: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Patience is my focus this week. What is yours?

Of course, we are trusting God to do something miraculous through us this Sunday night. I trust Him for His revelation of Himself to all of us, and that some will respond by turning to Him for the first time, understanding the greatness of our God, and their need of the Savior whose name is Jesus. But I also trust Him to do something in us-in me, in you. I am honestly probably more excited about that because I know that the greatest blessing of this musical is for those who are producing it, because the Lord is using that process to produce something in us we probably were not thinking about when we signed on.

Merry Christmas and Happy Producing!

In Christ,

Pastor Scott