When do we know we have done enough? Do you ever feel done?
I’ve felt this way in my position as a Worship Pastor. On one hand, ministry never ends. It’s never complete. It’s a journey. On the other hand, there are tasks I handle that have a deadline or a finished product.
I am a person that like to accomplish something. I loke to have a finished product. Yesterday and today I have been painting and moving into a new office. It feels good to near the end of this task. Although this task is quite insignificant.
Here’s where I have to balance. Ministry, is about the journey. It is about people. It is not about process. Sure, process and procedure is great, but only 1 part in loving God and loving people.
I need to continue, in every aspect of what I do, to evaluate. Am I only focused on getting the job done? Or am I enjoying the journey?
What do you think? Can you go through life without placing an expected accomplishment on your relationship with Christ?
I’ve been reading a ton of stuff this week about the song “Healer” and it’s author Michael Guglielmucci. I know many of you don’t frequent ministry blogs, so I’ll give you a little info. Michael wrote the song Healer as a response to finding out that he had terminal cancer. What was to follow was a whirlwind. The song became a huge story and went on to be recorded by one of the largest worship recording artists, Hillsong Church. Along with the song came a live DVD recording as well as incredible testimonial videos. This song was declared a song of hope and encouragement.
I fought writing this post, cause I feel as if I am just jumping on the popular bandwagon. The reality is that I thought the song was, ok. I didn’t really like it. although I thought the story was inspiring.
A lot of thoughts went through my head when I first heard this news, but none of them were as intense as many I have seen floating around the web. My initial thoughts went to concern over the validity of the ministry of Hillsong as well as the ministry that Michael was a part of. My thoughts went to his family. But then, my thoughts went to all of those who had put emphasis on this song and its part in their hope filled lives. How has this devastated those who thought, “if it happened to Michael, it could happen to me?”
I’ve read some great posts and subsequent thoughts on this over at these sites, as well as many more.
There were lots of great thoughts here. These each had one thing in common. Frustration, but also a sense of grace in how we respond. I truly appreciate that.
But, what really hits me in all of it is this. We as Christians have been given an amazing wake up call. A wake up call to evaluate where our hope and passion are found. Is it found in a song? No. Is it found in an amazing testimony? No. Is it found in any human at all? No. “Our hope is found in nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness.”
We have to see, that in some way, on some level, we have made this song and this testimony an idol. It is powerful, yes. It is good, yes. But it holds no redeeming power or saving grace over our lives. It is not about the song. It is not about the healing. It is not about the story. It is about our God.
We as Pastors and worship leaders can easily place a song in our set list because of the story or because of the way it feels. We can use music to tell a story or we can use music to manipulate. It is truly a fine line. I have no problem believing that both of those things took place with this song in churches all over the world. We don’t find hope for healing in a song, we find it in God. The song is only our profession of this hope. The song is only an inspiration.
We’ve been given a wake up call to check where our passions lie. Where our focus is set. And in whom our hope is found.
The idea of filling your life with things of value is huge. It’s a discipline that is both Biblical as well as fulfilling. As my blog continues to grow and take on form, I always want to accomplish one thing. Make it valuable to you. What does that mean? Well it doesn’t mean that I am trying to earn your readership. What you get here is going to be real and honest. I am not looking to please you, but I am definitely looking to engage with you. Sometimes it will be serious and sometimes silly. Sometimes it may mean more than other times, but I always want it to have value.
Something really important to me is that I do not waste your time. I think I have a lot to talk about. heck, I am a talker. But I also believe that many of the things I could talk about may be of no value to you, my readers.
So, what do you think is valuable about this blog? What would give it more value?
I am asking you this, becasue I am considering some of the things I want to do here. One of my options is to talk more to the ministry I am a part of. If you are not aware, I am the Pastor of Worship and Media at our church. Basically, I am in charge of everything music and media, including service programming and some creative direction. I have not taken a lot of time to talk about these things, because sometimes, frankly, I am not sure what I have to say is any different than so many of the great blogs out there already talking about it. But, I want to add value to this blog. Would this bring it value?
In the past, there have been really popular posts called worship confessionals. A buddy of mine Fred McKinnon has just started up a fresh version of this called Setlist Sunday’s. it’s an opportunity for those of us in leadership at our churches to talk honestly about the weekend gatherings we just participated in. I am considering joining in with this, but will it bring value to you? I could talk about our production till I am blue in the face, but why? Well, I think you, my readers, know why. You know whether or not I would be doing this because others are, or because it would be a valuable resource.
So, let me know. How can this blog be more valuable to you? Would posts about my work bring you value?
So a blogging friend of mine who shall remain nameless (LOVE!!!) has called me out.
Last night we enjoyed an awesome time with a bunch of you at our live chat. Tam and I are humbled that you guys want to actually spend time with us. It’s awesome!
At our first chat and also last night, Tam and I were asked to sing. I can honestly say that I am not a performer. I love music, I love playing and singing, but more than that I love to produce and create. That’s always been my heart and passion. I love being the guy in the back or behind the curtain making it all work and sound better. God has me in front of the mic as well right now and I’m good with that. It’s an honor. But, when I am put on the spot, I generally am not one to go for it. I don’t believe I have something amazing to show you. I am blown away by the talent I hear everyday all over the place and I like to appreciate that. I know my strengths and weaknesses and I am comfortable with them.
So, with all that said, I did say last night that I would post up a song that Tam and I have led together in church recently. There is a CD by a Vineyard church in Cincinnati called Dwell. I highly recommend it. I love that project. We do a couple of songs off of it as a church and this is one of them. It is called “Waiting On You Again”.
I play piano and sing with a great group of musicians and vocalists every week. It’s a blast. Please keep in mind this is live from one of our services, it is raw, and it is a rough mix. This is just used for reference for us as a team to listen to and for new players to learn parts and arrangements.
But in honor of all you who asked, especially Love, here is Tam and I leading “Waiting On You Again”.
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