Praise - and Worship

It's funny how these two words are used to describe how we do what we do on the weekends as a body of believers. We get together and give our praise and our worship to a Sovereign God, who is deserving of it all! But there's another aspect that we, as artists of various types, have to be keenly aware of on a daily basis.

That's the trap of praise for our worship.

Let's face it: as artists (of all kinds) we have bigger egos than most people do. We have a skill or ability that is special, and it draws attention to us as individuals. Praise for what we do is not all bad, hear me say that!

C. S. Lewis said it well: "Pleasure in being praised is not pride. The child who is patted on the back for doing a lesson well, the woman whose beauty is praised by her lover, the saved soul to whom Christ says, 'Well done', are pleased and ought to be. For here the pleasure lies not in what you are but in the fact that you have pleased someone you wanted (and rightly wanted) to please." But our trouble comes when we move from "I have pleased Him" to "What a fine person I must be to have done it." (Excerpt from Holy Fools, by Mathew Woodley.)

God is pleased with us when we do the things He calls us to. He is the Father who wants to lovingly shower us with praise as much and as often as He can. He is deserving of our praise every day.

We play a set on Sunday and it 'rocks the house' for Jesus, or we have an art piece that jumps off the canvas and speaks volumes into someones life. When we're in the right relationship place with our Father, our response will be, "I have pleased Him." But there are times when we do get caught in the other box, when we lose sight of the right relationship and say, "What a fine person I must be to have done it." It's in those moments I want to run and hide from Dad because I know I've just let Him down. Folks, ANYONE who is an artist has had at least one time where they 'fell' into the trap of praise for the wrong reasons. That's no cause to abandon God. It is an opportunity to get back in touch with Him and ask Him to forgive so that we can draw even closer!

So how do you deal with the praise of the people when worship rocks, or art blows their mind? In my case, I have been responding to the 'worship was awesome' comment with a question: Did you encounter/experience God in worship today? I don't just mean the music, either. The WHOLE worship service, did you connect with God? Talk about turning the tables!

I'm not saying I don't want or need praise. I just want to make sure people here at FBC, Pocatello, know that I'm not doing this for them. My audience is a very small ONE. The rest of the people in the room are invited to join and that's it.

Artists, when you come to worship:

• Is your attitude the same as that of Christ? (Phil. 2:5)
• Have you dealt with the issues in your life that you have with others? (Mat. 5:23-24)
• Are you putting a higher value on your gift than you are the giver? (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

When you get your heart in the place that God desires for it to be, especially as an artist, you begin to see your gift(s) the way He intended for it/them to be seen. And you begin to have a new appreciation of worship, both in a corporate setting and in your personal time.

Here's hoping that your week gets 'wrecked' as you wrestle with God on this issue!

See ya in church...

About Yesterday...

I love my job!

In case anyone hasn't noticed that yet in coming to FBC, Pocatello, I really do love what I do. And it's not really a job to me. That's what I had at Target. Get up, go in, do my job, get paid, go home. Here, I (usually) can't wait for Monday and for what I get to see God do everyday of the week. Some days are bigger than others. But hear me on this - EVERY DAY God does an amazing work in someones life and I get to see or hear about it. That's a very fulfilling and encouraging work environment! LOVE IT!

Anyway, here's what I saw God do yesterday...

• Once again, as I looked out and worshipped with you, there were about 12-15 new faces that I had never seen! AWESOME! I think many of them are new to the church because you've been invited to one of our new connection groups with I Saw The Lord.
• We introduced two new songs, and you picked up on them both with worshipful hearts. I love it when FBC pours its heart out in musical worship. It's not just the sound of your voices that stirs me. It's the outward expressions that you share.
  
• Pastor Bill gave us ALL a great reminder - God is not hiding from you, open your eyes!
• I really need to hear that once in a while in my own life. I can see what God does in other people's lives, but sometimes don't pay attention to what He is doing in my own life. (Call it "occupational hazard".)

I thought Pastor Bill asked a great question that I want to restate for you here - would you follow a God you can't figure out? If God is so confusing, then we don't need to be following Him. When we dig into God's Word, as we are in the "I Saw The Lord" study, we can't HELP but find a God who is clear in His expectations, clear in His plan/will for our lives, and clear in how much He loves us and wants to provide for us. Open your eyes! We have a Savior who FULLY understands all that we will ever have to experience in our lives, and MORE! Jesus - the fullest revelation of God's glory - has given us the model for how to live. And it ain't all that hard to figure out or follow!

The hard part is our hearts. We don't want to change OUR ways for HIS ways because our ways are comfortable, familiar and 'safe'. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be safe if it goes against what God wants. Safe is keeping God at a distance.

Here's what a 'safe' life with God looks like:

• Occasional prayer, mostly when you remember to pray.
• Some giving (financially) when it's convenient for you and your budget. In case you're not sure, that is NOT tithing. The Greek word for that is selfish. (Hey, it's all His anyway.)
  
• Some ministry service when it fits the schedule.
• Little to no sacrifice for someone outside your immediate family.
• Avoiding tough conversation with others, hoping it will just 'pass over' so that we don't hurt anyone, is not what the Bible refers to as Passover.

God was revealed to Moses in incredible, extraordinary ways. And what was his response? Show me MORE of you, God! He didn't keep God at a safe distance. He was willing to risk to have more of God in his life by being obedient and by stepping out in faith when God told him to do so.

You're in the same boat today. God is NOT hiding from you - open your eyes! Look for where you see God is working in your life and go join Him there. Be like Moses and ask God to show you more of His glory in your life. Once you get that taste, trust me - you'll want more!

Seeking more of His glory with ya!

WorSHHHHHHHHHip!

Did you ever have moments in worship (private or corporate) where you just couldn't focus? You tried and tried to clear your mind and get in touch with what God wanted for you in that moment. But no matter how hard you focused - clutter, distraction and noise ruled your brain.

{Okay, if it's just me then someone better have me committed NOW!}

My wife will tell you that when I worked at a retail giant - I won't mention their name, but they were always 'on target' - I would really have a distracted mind. So much so that I would dream out loud about sales events, merchandise sets and employee situations. According to her, unless she responded to what I was saying, I would just keep on merchandising, or checking in freight, or whatever I was dreaming about. (I'm really fun to live with sometimes!) I never really cleared my mind when I got home, and it carried over to my life of worship just as bad. I was never really focused - and I was in ministry! (What a sinner.)

Clutter, distraction, noise and more constantly rule our brains in the world and in the church.
We just let so much of life consume our every thought that we never really give ourselves a chance to see God, to hear God or experience God. We miss out on ALL He has for us when we allow this to happen. And as someone in full-time ministry, that's just not acceptable. In fact, the un-churched of our community/culture have a word for that - hypocrite. And they're right. I say one thing - even preach one thing - and do another. I don't really practice what I preach.

In fact, none of us who claim to be Christ followers really does. We don't take regular time to get away and be alone with God. We don't take regular time to 'clear the mechanism' so that He can speak into our lives. And then we have the nerve to say things like "I just don't think I'm hearing anything from God" or "I don't see any fruit in my life" - to which I have to say - DUH!
To use Anne Graham's words from last week - WAKE UP! You have NOT because you aren't doing your part, pinhead!

You get the most out of what you invest the most in. I don't invest in enough 'SHHHH time' nearly as much as I want to - at least not yet. But I'm committed to working on it because I'm committed to being a radical Christ follower. I know it will cost me. I'm willing to let some things in my life go so that He and I can become closer than we've ever been. I want this because I love God and I need this because I want to please God.

What about you? What are you willing to surrender in order to have some SHHHHH time with the Father? (Many of you have younger kids and that takes a ton of time. I get that.) But do this before you say you can't find the time:

• There are 168 hours in a week. Take one day and write down where EACH hour goes that you can account for.
• Then note how much time is spent 'relaxing' in front of the TV or the computer or how much time is spent 'reading tabloid magazines' or whatever else robs your time.
  
• Now, note how much time you spend with God.
  

It may not be fun, but at least you will have an idea where your day goes. Once you see where your time is spent, why not commit to give Him more? If you want a changed life, if you want a life that REALLY worships God, then invest in time with Him. I can guarantee that you will NOT be disappointed. Seriously, what do you have to lose?

See ya Sunday in worship...

Pay Attention!

I am still buzzing about today! We had some great times of worship and I believe God got a hold of several hearts. We are in the third week of "I Saw The Lord". Today we looked at Ezekiel, focusing on chapter 1. Here's a quick snapshot from the peanut gallery:

• Storms ARE coming. We may have already had a few in our lives, but we're not done until our final days.
• We need to take away two things when we face storms: 1) God is in control! 2) God has something for YOU in your storm.
• The question for us all is will we pay attention in the storm? Sometimes God uses the storms to bring us BACK to Him. (Hmmm...ya think we're a little slow sometimes?)
• Completed CLASS 201 again tonight with 6 people. We had a great time and it got me excited to be able to pray for and encourage folks as they work on the spiritual disciplines needed to become more like Christ! LOVE watching people grow!

This study we're doing is breathing new life into this church. We started out with about 95-100 people involved in connection groups, with about 13 total groups. As of this blog, we have almost 190 people in groups and have launched 6 groups with two in the wings. WOW! The feedback so far has been extremely positive. PAY ATTENTION - God IS up to something, and He wants to include you all in it. Be ready.

Today's worship, with regard to the music, was special for me. You all seemed to want to give to God your best. It isn't about the tempo or the style of the music. It seemed as if FBC Poky was ready to give God their hearts in worship. You could see it on your faces. You could see it in your outward expressions. You could even see it in your non-verbal expressions by HOW you sang. Thank you for making my job such a joy.

I want to continue to challenge each of you to find that place where God wants you in His church. You don't just get to come and 'do' church on Sunday and then leave. That's not God's plan. PAY ATTENTION to how God stirs your heart, when and where He gives you a passion. Act on that passion and find a way to plug into God and His ministry. The opportunities that exist are numerous and every one of them extremely fulfilling. Call the church office if you want to find out what all is available for you to get plugged into. Find one, try one. If it fits, GREAT! If not, find another one and try it. Keep trying until you find that match, that God-fit. Then enjoy the ride. Oh yeah - and make sure you pay attention along the way. God's got somethin' for ya!

See ya in church...

"God of This City" link

No More Sleeping!

Good challenge Sunday from Pastor Bill to step up and evaluate where we are in our walk with Christ.

• Being good is not good enough. You'd think that most Christians would say, "Duh!". But we all see these same Christians live day to day like this. They think they can just do good and God will accept them just like that. They don't believe they really have to spend quality time with God, that just casual on-the-fly conversation is enough. They don't believe they have to really serve God in any substantial way. They don't believe they need to be connected to other people, like in a connection group. Yeah...keep thinking that. I'll pray for you.
• Obedience is not an option. Don't know how many of us got that, but that's exactly what the passage from1 John 2:3-6 said. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did! Any questions?
• Once again, as I got to observe from the back, I learned a lot about people. For some reason, the 9 a.m. service was much more awake and alert than the 11 a.m. service. Must have been the coffee!
• We have a TON of people just sitting on the sidelines - watching. What's up with that? Do you not realize how much more ministry could happen if even just 20 of you got off your blessed assurance and served in ONE SERVICE A MONTH? Some ministry opportunities are as little as 20-3- minutes a month - WOW!
  

How about we ALL step back and look at what we really value. If we say we love God, does our life show it, both in the church as well as outside? If we say we have a relationship with God, are we permitting Him to change us? Or are we too afraid that He will and we're not sure we'll like it? If you really want to wake up to what God has for you, get into His Word and let it change and influence every facet of your life. Get involved in "I Saw The Lord". We have some groups forming this week so if you're not in a group, call the church office and we'll get you connected.

Don't miss this! God is moving - don't be left by the curb because you were too stubborn. Get on board!

See ya in church...

Radical Worship

I've been dwelling on this concept of radical worship ever since I began reading the book Holy Fools, by Mathew Woodley. If we are going to be true worshipers of Christ, I mean TRUE worshipers of Christ, our view of everything we are and everything we do as His followers HAS to change.

Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" and each time He called Peter to do something radical for Him. He called Peter to love, care for and feed His sheep. Put yourself in Pete's shoes right now and ask yourself, "As a Christian, am I really doing what Jesus called Peter to do? Am I doing this today for the people in my life?" If you're like me, the truth is going to be no. In fact, you're going to find out, as you really get after God, that you and I don't even come close. Let me push it a little further. Some of those people that we aren't loving, caring for or feeding, we don't even like. In fact, we have issues with them that cause us to avoid them, ignore them or be mean or disrespectful toward them. How does that measure up to what Peter - and us - were called to?

If you want to experience radical worship, in your personal life and in corporate life, then I want to challenge you to do something that will make you super uncomfortable (and possibly make you not want to come to church on Sunday).

I want all of us - me included - to be the person that God called us to be and love the unlovely in our lives like we never have. I want us - God wants us - to deal with the junk we're hanging onto with the unlovely people like these:

• You have an issue with a family member, a friend, a co-worker that has gone unresolved for years and you're not willing to try to correct it. Then don't come to worship until you do. You're heart is not ready to hear from God. The Biblical word is unrepentant - not willing to change (in short).
  
• You have someone in your life who you know needs your help. You're too busy or too uncomfortable to work with them or help them, and even think that someone else will step in and take care of them. Don't bring your fake, hypocritical worship to God on Sunday and expect that it will please Him. To Him it smells like what it really is. (Hey, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, smells like a duck - must be a duck!)
• As if I haven't stepped on enough toes, here's one more. You're in a connection group that is just the right size for you. If you add more people, it just won't be the same. And yet, you know there are people who are starving to get into a group and grow closer to God. You won't let them in for fear that it will change your group. Really? You're the biggest problem with the church in America today. The word that seekers use is 'exclusive'. In Jesus' day, He had a lot to say about the Pharisees who knew a lot about how to be exclusive. Everything they did was all about them. Connection Groups, it's not all about you! Jesus said, "Feed my sheep". If you can't do it, stop calling your self a connection group. And don't think that God doesn't see that heart when you bring it to worship. (Remember the duck?)

Before we all get the pitchforks out, let me remind you that at the beginning I said that WE need to change, not just you. I have things that I have to work on in relationships. I have to get over myself in helping those in need and caring for them God's way. And I'm not doing this because I have too. I WANT to make the changes in my life so that I can be FULLY used by God for His purpose in my life.

You see, I want to experience ALL that God is, and I want all of US to experience all that God is. And I know that we don't always experience Him on Sundays because we all fit into one or more of these areas that I mentioned a moment ago. My prayer (in this season of my journey) for you is that you will join me in fully surrendering the struggles that we are holding onto and give them - I mean REALLY give them - to God. If we truly become the people that we are called to be; if we truly become the servants and caregivers that we have been called to be- - I know that we will encounter a God we have yet to meet. We will be transformed, not just changed. And He will get the glory and praise that He truly deserves. Will you join me? Will you help me in my journey by holding me accountable? Let's get after worship with the Creator like we really do care.

See ya in church...

For Your Listening/Learning Pleasure

This is mostly for our Praise Team, but anyone will enjoy listening to and learning these songs. For the folks of First Baptist Church, Pocatello, take a listen and learn these songs. When you're in church with your friends and family it will be nice to have the extra voices being lifted up!

For the Team: here is the Tomlin tune that we need to learn by 10/19. You've heard it a lot on K-Love, so it will come fairly easy. Don't worry about the choir in the background on the chorus at the end. We'll add that later. For now, just melody and harmony. We will NOT do it in this key, as Tomlin is an animal when it comes to range. Our congregation would just listen and not sing, so we'll make it easy for us all!


Here's a reminder for a tune we learned a year or more ago, Love The Lord Your God, by Lincoln Brewster. This one will also be coming up for 10/19 I hope. The nice thing about this one is it has a lot of the old-school echo technique vocally, so there isn't a lot to learn harmonically!


See ya in church...

Off and Running...

We kicked off the "I Saw The Lord" campaign Sunday and it has some great momentum. Pastor Bill did a great set up getting us ready to hear from God as we dig into His Word. If you have NOT connected to a group yet, call the church office THIS WEEK and get yourself in position to let God do an incredible work in your life. More on that in a minute. From yesterday ---

• No drummer, no problem. God STILL shows up even when there ain't no booming beat! Who knew?
• Even though it was an 'all male review' worship team, God touched our hearts and brought us closer to Him.
• First service, what is up? I know we had a smaller crowd than normal because of the women's retreat, but come on! If you're going to come to the 9 a.m. service, give yourself a little extra time in the morning. We don't want you to miss whatever it is that God has for you cause' you couldn't wake up. Bring your coffee to church if you have to (YEAH! I said it!).

Some of you thought that without the drums you seemed to miss something. To that I'd have to say that you probably did! We need to do more music without the whole team, including the drums, so that it's not about the team. I know that's not what some of you meant, but it's getting close to being about the music with statements like these. My job is to make sure it never is. So I'll be working very hard at being 'creative' in our arrangements so that we connect with God through our whole gift of worship, not through the instruments of our worship. That's my bad for not catching this sooner.

I Saw The Lord - The group exercise was WAY COOL! If I had to guess we had well over 95% participation in both services. And the responses back to Pastor Bill were GREAT! Thank you to those who were brave and stepped out to share - IN PUBLIC- what they just picked up from God's Word. Our hope is that enthusiasm and momentum will continue into your daily study time as well as your group study time. Remember, we need you to let us know how it's going throughout this study. You can comment on this blog or email it to me at karl@fbcpoky.com.

God is moving His people into position for something incredible. Will you join Him? Will you step out and seek Him in His Word and let Him change your life? You won't be going it alone. We have almost 200 people committed to this campaign (we average 320-350 in weekly attendance). With that level of commitment, I can't wait to see what God does when we're done!

Working alongside you to see how God wants to use me,
Karl