Worship Confessional: January 18, 2009

Today we wrapped up our series on the church called “The Big D.”  The focus of the series was to talk about how everyone fit into the body, and how has delegated to each and every one of us to be a part of the body and to perform our function in the body.  The responses that we have gotten have been very positive, and we have seen some movement in the church over the last several weeks of people coming and getting involved.  Attendance is up, and people are asking about where they fit in.  God really has used this series in our church!  It is so cool to see people get connected in ministry and strive to find where they fit in the body!  We shook up the order of service for our second service, and it seemed to generate a lot of positive responses as well.  Here is our order of service for first service:

9 AM Service

• You, You Are God – Beach
• A New Hallelujah – Smith/Smith/Baloche

Video for our discipleship class

Welcome from our discipleship Pastor

Special – If We Are The Body

Message

Offering/Closing

Our 10:30 Service:

• You, You Are God – Beach
• All Because – Fee

Video for our discipleship class

Welcome from our discipleship Pastor

Special – If We Are The Body

Message

Offering

• The Stand – Houston
• Marvelous Light – Hall
• A New Hallelujah – Smith/Smith/Baloche

Closing

Our people really liked going into a worship set after the message.  It let us leave with high energy and an excitement that was just awesome!  The song we ended with was a perfect fit as an ending, as it is a call for the church to rise up and take Jesus to those around us… to live out the “Song” in our life.  Rehearsals were a little rough this week, but God was good and blessed it anyways, allowing it all to come together.  Love it when you know it is God!

This post is also part of Sunday Setlists at Fred McKinnon [dot] com.

Worship Confessional: January 11, 2009

I know I am taking a risk at sounding like a broken record, but we had probably one of the best services we have had at Glenville since I arrived.  The energy was just overwhelming!  People were singing out their praises to God without any reservation at all!  Our Pastor nailed it (again) with his message!  Everything was just incredible!   Here was the flow:

• Better Than Life – Houghton/Cruse-Ratcliffe
• Sing, Sing, Sing – Tomlin/Reeves/Gilder/Carson/Nunn

Our youth pastor welcomed everyone to the services, and gave a brief announcement.  We then showed a video about our Discipleship program, and our Discipleship Pastor  gave a brief announcement about our Connection Lunch next week (a dinner for those interested in membership).  We then went into our next set:

• Open The Eyes Of My Heart – Baloche
• All Because – Fee
• Holy Is The Lord – Tomlin/Giglio

This was our first time doing All Because, and our people absolutely latched on to it!  We actually struggled a bit at the beginning, but it all smoothed out at the chorus and was just great from then on. This was the second week of our series “The Big D” (Delegation).  Our Pastor just nailed it as he talked about everyone finding where they are at in their process of discipleship.  It was more of a message aimed at us individually as far as God’s delegation to us in our spiritual journey.  Next week, we will again focus on the church as a whole, and encourage people to get involved in ministry.

It is so awesome to see God working in the lives of people!

This post is also part of Sunday Setlists at Fred McKinnon [dot] com.

Worship Confessional: January 4, 2009

January 4, 2009!  Happy New Year everyone!  I love the new year and new beginnings!  I am looking forward to what God has for our church this year.  These are exciting times for our church, and I am so glad that I get to start the new year here at Glenville to see God move and work among our people.  Ok, moving along!

Our day today was really good.  I had the opportunity to speak today, and sometimes it is hard for me to take everything in when my mind is so full of so many things.  The people did seem a little tired, but that could have just been me.  I was so wired that I did get but two hours of sleep last night!  Certainly not what I had planned, but hey, it happens sometimes!

We started out bother services with:

• Your Grace Is Enough – Maher (I love the energy of this song!  Great opener to get people singing!)
• Mighty To Save – Fielding, Morgan (Powerful words!  Our people love this song!)
  

Our pastor welcomed everyone, and took a couple minutes to introduce our new series called, “The Big D.”  Basically it is a series about God delegating to us the responsibility of being the church to this world… the church as it should be… a people that are loving God, loving others and serving both.

We had a special by a few of our teens and the guy that leads them.  It was a song that he wrote called Consuming Fire.  They did a great job!

During the second service, we had another set here…

• From The Inside Out – Houston (This one is still a little new for us.
• The Stand – Houston
• Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) – Tomlin, Giglio, Excell, Rees

Our band then did Give Me Your Eyes (Brandon Heath). Our guys just tore this up!  Awesome job guys!  You sounded great and I had some great comments about the song.

One of my sons friends was here for the weekend.  He is a great lead electric player, and did all the solo work for the Hillsong stuff today, as well as played with the band on Give Me your Eyes.  Great job Timmy!  Thanks for playing with us!  In fact, everyone in my band did an awesome job today!  They are so great to work with!  I have a great team!

I spoke today.  As I mentioned, we started a new series today called, “The Big D.”  I spoke from 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 on how the body is fit together, and that everyone is in the body because God placed us there as he thought best (vs. 18).  I encouraged our people to find where God has gifted them, and the step up and start serving with their gift, that they were a piece of the puzzle here at our church, and that the picture could not be complete without them fitting in where God made them to fit.

I love the church.  I love seeing people fit in to the the church where God has gifted them and then seeing them soar as they serve Him!  Loving God, loving people, and serving both!  That is what it is all about!

How were your services today?  I hope God moved in your church and made Himself BIG!

This post is also part of Sunday Setlists at Fred McKinnon [dot] com.

Worship Confessional: December 28, 2008

This week was not a week that I usually have long rehearsals or try new songs.  People are busy and I try to respect their time during the holidays by having as short a rehearsal as I can.  We typically have rehearsal on Thursday evening.  The band rehearses and then the praise teams joins tha band for the last hour or so.  Usually, rehearsals are about 2 1/2 hours total.  This week, we combined the praise team and band for about 45 minutes of rehearsal.  We also only had one service this Sunday.  Everything we did in church today we have done before.  Next week will pretty much be the same.  So, here is our setlist for this Sunday.  We did have a new keyboard player today… well, he was new for me, but he has played here at Glenville before.  He did a great job!

Here is the list:

• Friend Of God – Houghton
• Everlasting God – Brown

Baptism – I LOVE seeing people take this step of obediece!  Always cool!

• Forever – Tomlin
• Blessed Be Your Name – Redman
• You Are My King – Foote

Pastor’s message was a call to thank God for the blessings of the year, but he spent most of his time encouraging us to push forward and anticipate great things in the future.  The people seemed to be very attentive and were receptive during the response time.  It was a low-key day, but there was still lots of energy and excitement in the place.  I am looking forward to another laid-back week (although I am speaking next week, so I have to get ready).  I love all this extra time with the family!

This post is also part of Sunday Setlists at Fred McKinnon [dot] com.

Merry Christmas!

From our house to yours, have a Merry Christmas!  Remember, Jesus is more than the Reason for the Season, He is the Reason for life!

Anticipation

I am home today on Christmas Eve.  We are doing all the last minute things that you do before Christmas Day.  We are watching Santa’s progress on the NORAD Santa Tracker RADAR.  My kids are on a high just waiting for the big day.  The waiting is going to kill them, and drive their parents nuts!  Actually, it is fun to sit back and watch them in their anticipation of the arrival of Christmas.  It is like Christmas will never get here for them!

As I watch them, I cannot help but think about all the people involved in that first Christmas night.  The nation of Israel, Joseph and Mary and all those expecting the arrival of a Messiah… the One who would come and save them.  They did not know the weight of what would happen that night.  They did not know what the birth of Jesus would be all about, and what it would set it motion.  They could not comprehend that the birth of this child would be the catalyst that would allow mankind to come into a right relationship with the God of the Universe.

I hope that as we go about our fun the next couple of days that we do not forget that all this was because God wanted a relationship with us.  He wanted to be a part of our lives.  He wanted to be able to lead us to the life that He has planned, a plan that will allow us to live life to the full!  God has always had a plan… and that plan includes us! It includes you living the life that God planned for you.

As we anticipate Christmas Day, let’s not forget that Jesus is not just the reason for the season… He is he reason for life!  Let’s live that way!

Worship Confessional: December 21, 2008

This Sunday was our Christmas concert. We used a collection from Travis Cottrell, David Moffitt and Sue Smith called “Everything Glorious.” My choir did an absolutely amazing job. The tech teams were flawless during the service! The soloists sounded great! I really could not have asked for anything to go any better than what it did! We did not do any congregational music before hand. Our pastor welcomed everyone and then introduced the concert. I had the opportunity to give a brief message during the concert. We had a time of response and saw several people come forward to make decisions. I am not too sure what all those decisions were, but it is always cool to see the hearts of people being moved by God. At the end, we took the offering and that was it. People stayed around FOREVER talking with each other. I love watching our people build relationships. Things are so exciting here at Glenville right now! I am looking forward to see what God has for us in 2009! To all who read this, I hope you have a Merry Christmas! Oh… here is just a simple pic of the stage for the concert… nothing too elaborate, but it sure worked for this…

This post is also part of Sunday Setlists at Fred McKinnon [dot] com.

Starbucks like the Church? What if?

Not sure if you have seen this or not, but this clip is humorous, yet gets it’s point across… Just thought I would share it with you today as some “food for thought!”

Ten Things I Have Learned This Year: Part Four

This is the last post in the “Ten Things I Have Learned This Year.” you can see the other posts here, here and here.

8. It is important to remember that we are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves, our church, and our affiliation (denomination, fellowship, whatever…).

• I am not minimizing the importance of the local church.  Not at all.  It is God’s plan for us to reach people.  But, it is part of a BIG plan that God has to bring people into the Kingdom.
• We have to remember that everything that we do as a local congregation of believers gives people around us a view of what God and His people are all about.  So, if you are some wack-job that preaches hate and intolerance (to personal preferences – not core doctrinal issues) than you give those in your community (and unfortunately, maybe even a larger audience) a view that God’s people are a bunch of idiots.  You also give people that are visiting your church, maybe for the first or last time, something other than the hope, acceptance and love of Jesus, which is what they are looking for.  As the people of God, we have to create an atmosphere that allows us to show the love of Christ to people in a non-judgmental way.
• If you are a part of some denomination or fellowship of churches, that is great.  Those things are helpful for the big picture as far as home and foreign missions are concerned.  But it is sad when a pastor or a church get so “affiliation” minded that they forget they are called to build a church, not an affiliation.  I literally have heard pastors say that another pastor would have made a great leader an their affiliation if he had not been so focused on his church.   Excuse me?  Jesus did not die for you affiliation…
• We need to have a big picture mentality that allows us to work with others to accomplish the work of God.  I like how Paul said it in Philippians, “I don’t care if they preach Christ out of envy or good will, the important thing is that they are preaching Christ.”

9. With that in mind, we should live our lives as if we are a part of something big

• God has a purpose and a plan.  We should live to be a part of that, knowing that we were are involved in is God redemptive process for man.
• We are a part of what God wants to do.  We need to see where we fit that plan, and dig in to love God, love others and serve both!
• Why do so many Christians walk around like they do not matter, and like what they believe does not matter.  They walk around like it is a small thing to be a Christ follower!  Stop it!  We are a child of the Most High God!  Live like it!
• Live your life as if the person you are in contact with at this very moment is a divine appointment from God… because it is!  We are a part of His master plan!

10. God is sovereign.  The end!

• So many times over the last year I have had to just sit back, take a deep breath, and remind myself that God is in control.
• I have had to remind myself that no man is bigger than God, even if they think they are.  No circumstance is beyond God’s control, even if it seems like there is no escape.
• If I believe that I am a part of God’s great plan, than I have to believe that the things He allows to come into my life are also a part of that plan, and will help me to be exactly who He intends me to be.

In another post this year, I shared a passage from Job that gave me great strength.  I have gone back to that passage many times this year.  Job 23:8-14 says:

8 I cannot find God anywhere— in front or back of me,

9 to my left or my right. God is always at work,
though I never see him.

10 But he knows what I am doing, and when he tests me,
I will be pure as gold.

11 I have never refused to follow any of his commands,

12 and I have always treasured his teachings.

13 But he alone is God, and who can oppose him?
God does as he pleases,

14 and he will do exactly what he intends with me.

It is such a comfort to know that He is in control, and that He will do exactly what He wants to do with me to fulfill His purpose and plan!

I hope I am always learning… I cannot wait to see what God has for me in 2009!

Ten Things I Have Learned This Year: Part Three

Continuing on from Monday and Tuesday…

5. Ministry without passion is just you going through the motions

• Seriously, if you are not passionate about what you are doing, you are not really doing anything!
• God has gifted each and every one of us to do something that only we can do for Him… that comes with a passion.  If you do not feel that passion, maybe you are not doing what God has gifted you to do!
• I am not talking about waking up in the morning and wanting to stay under the covers… or even just wanting to call in sick for a day.  I am talking about when you wake up in the night, your first thoughts go to what you do, and how it excites you!  I am talking about you standing in line in a store, and you hear someone talking about church or Jesus, and you light up, knowing that what you do for Him fires you up!
• As servants of the most High God, how can we be more passionate about trips we will take, games we will play and sports teams we follow than we are about the God we are called to serve that changes lives and does things that only He can do?

Ok, again, think about it… God has called us to serve Him… how cool is that… how humbling is that?!!?

With all of that in mind…

6. If you are not passionate about what you are doing, you are cheating yourself, God, and the people you serve.

• God deserves better than a half-hearted attempt to serve Him.  Jesus went ALL THE WAY to the cross, the least we can do is go all out in our service to God.
• You need to be totally sold out to what God has called you to do.  People can tell the difference between someone who is passionate about serving God and others and someone who is just doing something because it is either their job or because it is a religious exercise.
• How can we expect others to be passionate about serving God if we are not?  If God has placed us to lead or serve beside people, we need to exhibit a passion and fire what God has called and gifted us for.  The passion is contagious!

7. It does not matter if you are traditional or contemporary as long as you are following what God wants you to do for your church

• I get so ticked off when I hear stories about guys that spend hours preparing articles and writing papers like, “Why such-and-such church is an abomination to God,” or “Why this version of the Bible is of the devil,” or “Why this music is wrong because if you play it backwards is says, ‘Read the NIV’” or something like that.
• I seriously think when God sees this stuff He shakes His head and just says, “I said you should redeem the time because the days are evil, this is not redeeming the time, it is wasting it!”
• I am glad there are all kinds of churches because there are all kinds of people.  If someone down the street wants to wear a suit, have services 6 times a week and sing nothing but hymns, that is fine.  I hope they reach people for Jesus.  I am not in competition with them, and it is certainly not my job to judge or critique them.  What they do is between them and God.  Again, I am not competing, they are trying to reach people for Jesus, so I am grateful for them.
• Seriously, we should spend more time reading our Bible (whatever version it may be), praying, and building relationships with people so we can lead them to Jesus.  All that other stuff is junk, and does not do anyone, any good.

We will finish the top ten up tomorrow.  Man, writing all this stuff fires me up!