newworship blog

The Fountain

I just got back from a very beautiful and interesting film. "The Fountain" attempts to deal with the topics of life, death and eternity with varying success. It's not a film of faith per-say, but really tries to wrap it's arms around some enormous ideas. I enjoyed it very much. Yet, I wouldn't recommend it to you unless you enjoy more non linear abstract kinds of art.

A film experience like this expands the imagination in many levels and I found it provocative in ways the film maker probably didn't intend. It really points me to our great God and our very finite concept of him. He is so far beyond even the most far reaching imaginations in Hollywood.

Col. 1:16-20 (NIV)
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Link: The Fountain.

Worship Quotes

"The Father is looking for worshipers. So, if you are looking for God and you just can't find him, then stop what you are doing and worship Him--and He will come and find you."
Joseph Garlington

Time Magazine - 100 All Time Albums

Time has put out there list of 100 all time recordings. Mostly pretty great with the wise inclusion of a couple of Radiohead albums. I can understand Hank Williams and Bob Dylan. Even Kanye West and Garth Brooks. But, Outkast, Eminem and D.J. Shadow? Greatest albums of all time? Hole? Are you serious?

Take a look and see what you think here.

Is My Leadership Spiritual?

Very often those who are gifted with leadership find themselves relying more on their talent and intellect than leading from a more soulful place. In this article, Ruth Haley Barton encourages us to seek God wholeheartedly as leaders and to let that nurtured intimacy with him shape and inform the leadership gift he has given us.

"Most Christian leaders sense that there should be something different about our leadership than what is offered in the secular marketplace, but we're not always sure what that is.

Spiritual leadership emerges from the soul of us—that place where God's spirit and my spirit commune. This kind of leadership is not about roles and titles within organizational hierarchies; it has to do with our desire and ability to recognize and respond to the presence of God. It depends on our willingness to lead from a place of communion with him."

Read More Here

Smart Things Andy Said

I spoke a little about how great the Drive conference was for me. On Tony Morgan's blog he sums up many of the bullet points form the main session talks. Kudo's to Tony for having the presence of mind to post this stuff! You can read it here at Smart Things Andy Said.

"Drive" This Last Week

Most of our leadership team from Westside went to Northpoint Community Churches conference. It was a really extraordinary time for all of us.. These guys are on the leading edge of leadership in the church in America.

Andy Stanley, their senior pastor, spoke at most of the main sessions with only his father Dr. Charles Stanley speaking in one. (He speaks with the kind of authority that makes you think he came off the mountain with the Ten Commandments. "Yes sir! Whatever you say sir. And what else should I do with my life?" No wonder Andy and Louie Giglio came up under his leadership!  The range of topics went from volunteerism in the church to systemic thinking to prayer in conflict.

I absolutely loved it. It's been a long time since I had such smart and practical input. I am planning to take my team next year so we can all share the experience.   

I would try and unpack some of the things we learned there, but you would do better to read about much of it in Andys book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Ministry.

I'm sure I will be reffering back to ot over the course of the next year as I begin to (attempt) to apply what I am learning.

Does secular music have any place in the church?

From Tim Stevens of Granger Community Church

Pastors have asked me, "How can you use a secular song in your services? How can you let your team sing a song by Hoobastank? Or Evanescence? Or the Killers?"

Let's talk a little bit about secular music in the church.

First of all, we should clarify terms. There is a big debate in church circles today about what "secular" even means in relation to music. What makes a song secular or Christian? Is it the type? The lyrics? The person singing it? Madeleine L'Engle had an interesting statement in her book, Walking on Water.

She wrote: "To look at a work of art and then to make a judgment as to ... whether or not it is Christian is presumptuous. It is something we cannot know in any conclusive way. We can know only if it speaks within our own hearts and leads us to living more deeply with Christ in God."

Read More Here

Great New Band!

One of the few new bands I have heard in the Christian marketplace that have caught my ear. Leeland (a guy or that band name?) have a great modern rock sound with some good writing, great energetic arrangements that don't sound like everything else in the recent worship scene. Check them out in itunes here.