happy at work

I was looking forward to getting into work today. I know there are some of you who may not feel the same way. You probably think working at the church makes it easy to be happy, at least in comparison to your job.

But, consider this. Unless you are living in disobedience to the Lord, you are right where He wants you to be. You are right where He needs you to be. And you are where others need you to be.

I encourage you to go to work today anticipating God meeting you there.

There is nothing magical about a church building, like I work in. It's the Holy Spirit and the people that gather that make it a kingdom building tool and a place of learning and fellowship. Today without the congregation here, it is where I work. I feel privileged to have a job, and to have a position that is not just a job. You can feel the same way if you are willing to treat your job as if you believe that God has placed you there! Try it! May God bless your day!

preparing for communion

Tonight is communion at Crossroads. Time to prepare. I am referring to preparing myself, not the service.

We should not participate if we do not prepare our hearts for communion. Blameless before the Lord.

I am tempted to take this upon myself like all the other tasks that lay on my desk awaiting completion. Although we are told to practice communion in the scriptures, it is not a 'to do'. It is to be instead an act of worship, remembering the amazing sacrifice of Christ and the forgiveness His sacrifice provides.

I hope you will join us tonight for the communion celebration, please spend time preparing your heart and I pray the whole congregation will say, "it was good to be in the house of the Lord!"

overwhelming responsibilty

Occasionally as I walk around the auditorium and look over the sea of people, I become overwhelmed with the responsibility of ministry. As I walk by each person I wonder what they have faced the past week. What brings them to church...

I am responsible for what they experience, I take it very personally.

Sometimes I feel like I have totally brought my best, sometimes I don't feel completely prepared. In the moments I walk around I wonder if they can tell how well I've prepared, how much I've committed the preparation to God. This is weighty and this is important.

God of course is not in my feelings of being overwhelmed, being totally surrendered means resting in Him, convinced of my calling.

I love our congregation, I sometimes wish i could see our ministry through their eyes. Through eyes that come ready to receive hope and care and teaching that will change them forever.

what I learned today

I communicate with quite a few worship leaders and other people around the country that are involved in creating worship services, or contributing in some way. It is always very encouraging to see that we are leading many of the same songs and elements in worship.

In communicating this week with one leader I learned his father had unexpectedly passed away. He was of course devastated, but went on to lead worship. Wow! It could only be a supernatural power that would allow someone to carry on and even lead under this kind of horrible experience!

I don't like to be away from God's people - even in tough circumstances. I draw comfort from them. I don't think the congregation realizes what it means to those of us who create and lead the services each weekend - what it means just to be with them. To lead God's people - it is why we work hard, why we seek God's leading, why we pray and rehearse and prepare as best we can. What I learned today was that I am part of something far greater than myself, or even greater than our ministry. I am small part of a whole - the whole being the body of Christ that is spread across our amazing country and the world!