I don't know if this is real, but it is worth reading.

This will give you the chills.......
GOOD chills. A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study.

The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, 'Does God still speak to people?'
After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message.
Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways...

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started
driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, 'God...If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.'

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, 'God is that you?' He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.

The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.

'Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.' It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.
As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, 'Turn Down that street.' This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street . At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, 'Okay, God, I will.'

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi- commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.
Again, he sensed something, 'Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.' The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.

'Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid.' Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.

Finally, he opened the door, 'Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here.'
He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, 'Who is it? What do you want?' Then the door opened before the young man could answer.

The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. 'What is it?'
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, 'Here, I brought this to you.' The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway.

Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face.

The man began speaking and half crying, 'We were praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk..'
His wife in the kitchen yelled out, 'I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?'The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put it in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.

Are we truly listening for the urging of the Spirit in our lives?  

Dynamic Worship

Dynamic worship is from the heart and as individual as the relationship we have with God. It is a mature time of devotion to the creator carefully developed and practiced like a long daily walk over familiar ground. The more you do it, the better you become at the journey. GM and Jeanne both imparted great wisdom for us in their posts on the last blog, and I appreciate it very much. However, if this is all true (which I believe it is) what do we do for the young or spiritually young? How do we harness this wonderfully mature perspective on worship and translate that into something a spiritual babe might find appealing. I have heard many a mature Christian say something like "Oh, it doesn't really matter that the lesson or the song service is good, it only matters that your heart is right". Amen, but that type of a "worship service" doesn't always speak to our searching visitors or even to some of our less grounded, less mature members.

So let me go back to my original question and refocus it a bit. What are the key ingredients of a successful, dynamic, effective worship experience (here's the tricky part) that will draw people from the community and draw our fringe members closer?

I'd like to take a second to highlight some of what GM posted last time because I think she's right on the money, but she also illustrates the difficulties. Here goes:

I think a dynamic worship service comes down to, basically, having a JOY in sharing the WORD. I don't want an 'entertaining' preacher-I can turn the TV on to be entertained-I want a preacher who is COMPELLING! And I don't think a song leader has to have a lot of talent....but enthusiasm is good, along with a nice mix of old and new, fast and slow hymns. The prayers should be spoken for everyone present.....if they're too personal it feels like we're eavesdropping and if they're too bland, then it's difficult to have that 'connection'.

For the record, I agree 100% with everything listed above, but let's consider it for a moment.

Premise: Dynamic worship = Joy in sharing the WORD!!! Amen, amen amen! We can really stop here and be technically correct, but there are people out there who have difficulty finding that joy, so there must be something more to do.

Preaching: Not entertaining, but rather compelling. Amen again. I agree totally. I often use the word "Engaging" rather than compelling when saying the same thing, but I think both are good. My problem is that what compels me or engages me is someone who is skilled at one of two things, orating a well delivered lesson, or imparting some insightful Biblical information. What that does for us is to garner and keep our attention. It captivates us and holds us and doesn't let go until the end, and if he's really good, he'll leave us wanting more. The tricky thing is that if I was talking about a book, movie or TV show when I made that last statement, you could say it was an "Entertaining" book, movie or TV show. So even though in our worship services "entertaining" has a bad taste attached to it, when push comes to shove, it still applies. I'll admit that that term mostly holds a feel good, positive (cushy) connotation, whereas "compel" or "engage" can be cut to the heart convicting and still be effective. I've been compelled by something that wasn't so entertaining. Point? This too takes maturity to wade through the differences. We have many who are capable, even adept at this wading, but also many who are not. We must find a way to reach those who are not.

Songs: Not a lot of talent needed, but a good mix of old and new, fast and slow hymns. Please allow me one more Amen. Amen! Still though, I have a little difficulty here. I'm a song leader at church. I'm by far not the best song leader you've ever heard, but I can read music and carry a tune if you give me a big enough bucket. I think I have a relative feel for tempo, and I try (try very hard) to mix the songs up (old, new, fast, slow). Can I just take a moment and say that this is a fairly difficult task. By the time I get the time signature, the key note (or at least the starting pitch) find it and blow it on the pitch pipe, remember that tone and modulate to and sing the starting note, follow the music and the words, making sure to move my hand in the proper beat pattern in the proper tempo, oh and I have to also make sure I'm worshipping while all this is going on, it's no wonder that there are times I break out in a cold sweat. Oh, and then we can add in the option of running a power point thing for the overhead projector. At this point, can I say that I've far exhausted the small bit of talent that I have. I do my best and hope for the best. I pray that the congregation will overlook my sour notes and accept what I do in the worshipful manner in which it is given. For the most part, I think they do, but here's the kicker, what about the new Christian, the visitor, or the person who needs that extra something to hold them to their seat? I'm quite sure I've not lead too many song services that inspired a visitor to return. I've had song services that inspired members to come to me and thank me for singing a certain song or a certain type of song, but I've also had members complain about my singing of the same song or type of song. How exactly do you spell "Arrrrrgggghh!"?

Prayer: Not too personal or to bland. GM, I agree once again, but again, I find difficulty in the application. I realize that this isn't exactly a tightrope that we have to walk, but most men have difficulty at first simply getting up to pray in public. Often they get over this fear by practicing and getting up with a fistful of phrases like "guide guard and direct" or "our most gracious heavenly Father" or "until the next appointed time" and then we often find ourselves listening to canned prayers that are passed down through the generations. (Please don't be upset with me for posting all this, I'm talking about myself and my difficulties, and not pointing fingers or throwing stones at anyone else).

I guess what I'm saying is that when you take this "Worship" thing out of its box and examine it closely, it gets pretty tough. When you further try to make it effective for everyone in the building regardless of their preferences or spiritual level it becomes even harder. And when you try to do all of that within a certain time frame ... well, good luck!

Both GM and Jeanne gave good advice on worship last blog. GM, thanks for letting me use your suggestions for this post. The last one I'll use is also the first one I used. Joy! This is personal! God has made it personal. I have come to know that the best I can do regardless of what I'm doing up front is to truly and deeply attempt to worship. If I mess up a song, God will forgive me. I'll keep worshipping. If I goof up the beat pattern, I'll stop waving my arm around altogether (half the people in the congregation couldn't care less anyway) but I'll continue to worship. If I stumble over a prayer or get choked up in emotion, I'll keep worshipping and hope everyone else does the same. At best, I'll get a few things right a couple of times. At worst, you'll see me for the failing but forgiven man that I am with my neck out there on the public forum, but I pray that what I do (that what we do) reaches to God in Spirit and in Truth. If it does, I'm sure he is willing to accept it.

Dynamic Worship

Do you have a dynamic worship service at your congregation?

What makes it dynamic and effective? This question has come up quite a lot lately. As we seek to worship our wonderful God, is there a practical way to manufacture a meaningful worship experience for the majority of the congregants? Does it simply take a really good song/worship leader, or is it something more? Let me propose a short list and let you add to it what works at your congregation:

What makes a dynamic worship service?

1. Entertaining minister

2. Very talented Song Leader

3. Everything fitting within the 1 hr. time frame

4. A good devotional talk at the Lord's Table

5. Short prayers

6. Heartfelt prayers

What combination of these or other things makes up a dynamic worship service for you?

Merry Christmas like it or not?

Ah, it's that time of year when things seem just a little bit sweeter, when hustle and bustle are good things, and when every small child has a glint of hope behind his or her eye. I love Christmas. I know that we can't exactly pin down the day that Jesus was born. I know that we aren't told specifically to celebrate his birth on a certain day and I understand that there are many who don't celebrate this at all. I'm very sorry. I don't, however, hesitate to hold the door of Wawa open for, well, just about anyone and heartily wish them a "Merry Christmas". I do it all the time. I am usually met with some surprise and then a smile and then the greeting is reciprocated in some fashion. If "Merry Christmas" is offensive to you though, let me take this time to say I'm truly sorry. If my saying "Have a Merry Christmas" bothers you, then please take it this way. We traditionally celebrate Christmas on December 25, (just in case you live under a rock) and I truly wish "Merriment" (or just plain "Happiness") for you on that day and all the days of the Winter Solstice.

I would honestly prefer that you understand and accept that the God who made the world and everything in it set forth a time when he would send His only Son. On that day, whenever it was, the Angels sang out the news. The news wasn't just that a baby was born. It wasn't even to tell that there was something miraculous about the birth. The news was that He would be the one capable of saving us from ourselves. He could remove the stain of sin and take on himself the death that waited for us all. So the angels sang because a monumental event had occurred. God had finally sent salvation into the world. This salvation is for everyone without limit or exclusion; and its free.

So when I say "Merry Christmas" what I mean is "God Loves You and Jesus Died For You", but if you don't want to hear that, then let it mean "Have a nice day".

Sincerely,
Tom

David Phelps O Holy Night.

Okay, if you don't know who David Phelps is, I'm sorry. This is he, and this is my absolute favorite Christmas song. One other note, Dawn and I (along with the Baldwin's) were at this concert on about the same row, though we were ver far to the left of whoever was taking this video.
Enjoy! Let me know what you think. By the way, the sound is soft early, but it builds (wow does it build).
Tom

Gone the Sun

Night falls out of the sky tonight leaving pinpricks of dim light where the mighty Sun had recently shone. His nightly demise places a peaceful sadness on my soul, but with in that sadness there is the ability to reach into the sky with my spirit and reach for God.

A toddler reaches to his father, far beyond his own ability to climb or fly, yet within the child's eye there is a certainty of success. There is success because there exists a promise from above. The promise of a loving father who will reach across a distance which the child is incapable of crossing, and those fatherly arms will bear the child over. The child's success isn't in the climbing or the flying, but simply in the reaching. The father does the rest.

Night falls out of the sky leaving pinpricks of dim light where the mighty Sun had recently shone. I look to the stars and search behind them for the Father. His power is all around me; in the stars, in the yard in the trees and in my heart. My success in reaching exists in my Father's promise to reach across the gulf that I can not cross. He'll reach and he will draw me close.

"Come near to God and he'll come near to you."

Thank you God for drawing us to you. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

The Age Old Question

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

Why did the chicken ever cross the road? Here are the responses of some well known people...

KINDERGARTEN TEACHER:

To get to the other side.

PLATO:

For the greater good.

ARISTOTLE:

It is the nature of chickens to cross roads.

KARL MARX:

It was a historical inevitability.

TIMOTHY LEARY:

Because that's the only trip the establishment would let it take.

SADDAM HUSSEIN:

This was an unprovoked act of rebellion and we were justified in dropping 50 tons of nerve gas on it.

JACK NICHOLSON:

'cause it wanted to. That's the reason. You want the chicken? You can't handle the chicken!

RONALD REAGAN:

I forget.

CAPTAIN JAMES T. KIRK:

To boldly go where no chicken has gone before.

HIPPOCRATES:

Because of an excess of phlegm in its pancreas.

ANDERSEN CONSULTANT:

Deregulation of the chicken's side of the road was threatening its dominant market position. The chicken was faced with significant challenges to create and develop the competencies required for the newly competitive market. Andersen Consulting, in a partnering relationship with the client, helped the chicken by rethinking its physical distribution strategy and implementation processes. Using the Poultry Integration Model (PIM), Andersen helped the chicken use its skills, methodologies, knowledge, capital and experiences to align the chicken's people, processes and technology in support of its overall strategy within a Program Management framework. Andersen Consulting convened a diverse cross-spectrum of road analysts and best chickens along with Anderson consultants with deep skills in the transportation industry to engage in a two-day itinerary of meetings in order to leverage their personal knowledge capital, both tacit and explicit, and to enable them to synergise with each other in order to achieve the implicit goals of delivering and successfully architecting and implementing an enterprise-wide value framework across the continuum of poultry cross-median processes. The meeting was held in a park-like setting, enabling and creating an impactful environment which was strategically based, industry-focussed, and built upon a consistent, clear, and unified market message and aligned with the chicken's mission, vision, and core values. This was conducive towards the creation of a total business integration solution. Andersen Consulting helped the chicken change to become more successful.

LOUIS FARRAKHAN:

The road, you see, represents the black man. The chicken 'crossed' the black man in order to trample him and keep him down.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.:

I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives being called into question.

MOSES (via Monty Python):

And God came down from the Heavens, and He said unto the chicken, "Thou shalt cross the road." And the chicken crossed the road, and there was much rejoicing.

FOX MULDER:

You saw it cross the road with your own eyes. How many more chickens have to cross the road before you believe it?

RICHARD M. NIXON:

The chicken did not cross the road. I repeat, the chicken did NOT cross the road.

MACHIAVELLI:

The point is that the chicken crossed the road. Who cares why? The end of crossing the road justifies whatever motive there was.

JERRY SEINFELD:

Why does anyone cross a road? I mean, why doesn't anyone ever think to ask, What the heck was this chicken doing walking around all over the place, anyway?"

FREUD:

The fact that you are at all concerned that the chicken crossed the road reveals your underlying sexual insecurity.

BILL GATES:

I have just released the new Chicken Office 2009, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook.

BILL CLINTON:

I'm going to say something important. And I'll say it again to make sure you understand. I did not have sexual relations with that chicken. I did not.

OLIVER STONE:

The question is not, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" Rather, it is, "Who was crossing the road at the same time, whom we overlooked in our haste to observe the chicken crossing?"

DARWIN:

Chickens, over great periods of time, have been naturally selected in such a way that they are now genetically disposed to cross roads.

EINSTEIN:

Whether the chicken crossed the road or the road moved beneath the chicken depends upon your frame of reference.

BUDDHA:

Asking this question denies your own chicken nature.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON:

The chicken did not cross the road .. it transcended it.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY:

To die. In the rain.

COLONEL SANDERS:

I missed one?