Preparing to Serve

As believers, we are all called to be servants. Our first priority is to serve the Lord. For those of us who are worship leaders, it is easy to confuse spiritual preparation with musical preparation. Let me explain what I mean.

As musicians, amateur or professional, we spend tons of time preparing ourselves for the music in which we are going to lead the church. There are notes to be learned, rhythms to work out, words to memorize, and phrasing to be structured. We work on blending. We work on stage presence. We even work on smiling. With all of this "work", it can feel at times that we have prepared ourselves to lead in worship. However, this is where the enemy can get a foothold.

Although there is a lot of work involved in the musical aspect of worship leading, our primary responsibility is to prepare ourselves spiritually. If we look at the life of the apostle Paul, we see him preparing himself spiritually before he poured into others. In Galatians 1, Paul says that he prepared for 3 years. Some theologians believe that the Lord had Paul in the desert training him, just as He did with Moses, Abraham, and David. The fact of the matter is that Paul prepared himself spiritually.

In John 4:23 & 24 Jesus says, "But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." It's not just the spirit; worshiping out of a relationship with passion and emotion. That is extremely important. But, it is also worshiping in truth; from a spiritual preparation of time in God's word, preparing our hearts and minds and aligning everything we do with His word.

It is not "either/or", it's "both/and". As a worshiper, we must worship in spirit AND in truth. Only then will we truly accomplish that which the Lord has called us to as worship leaders.

Created for Worship

You were created to be a worshipper.

The understanding of that statement alone carries with it a great weight of responsibility. It has nothing to do with a stage. Instead, it has everything to do with a lifestyle. Our lives are to exemplify Jesus Christ in every aspect.

Our Thought Life - every thing that we think on should honor God.
2 Corinthians 10;5 says "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Our Actions - 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that our old selves have passed away and that all things in our lives have become new. ALL THINGS! EVERYTHING! ALL!
That means our attitudes. That means our approach to ministry. That means our desire to serve. That means our home life. That means the pettiness of our pride that allows us to be offended over nothing because we think everything is, or should be, about us. That means that what we "think" does not matter anymore. Instead, it should be about WHO we know.

Our Worship - Theologian and Worship Leader Steve Camp says "a powerful doctrine sung in glory to Christ with an impure life is noise to the ears of our holy God. Submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the obedience to the Word of God are marks of the worthy walk of faith. However, when Biblical standard are dishonored and unrepentant sin persists we must adhere to the instruction of the Word-stop the music until life is right. (Amos 5:23-24)"

May every aspect of our lives bring glory to the living God. We were created for that purpose. Most people seek their whole lives for "their purpose" and to "find themselves". As believers, we should KNOW what our purpose is...to glorify God and to worship Him forever. This is the chief end of man. Live your life to accomplish the purpose you were created for. Only then will you discover the meaning of the abundant life Christ offers.

Integrity

I don't know why I am amazed any longer. I guess I just want to see the good in everyone. But, it kills me to see professing believers who do not seem to have integrity in any area of their life. I know that we will let each other down. I know that no one is perfect. But, when a lack of integrity seems to be a pattern, and our character is shaded by our choices and deceit, we cast a shadow on the cross of Christ.

Think about what David said in Psalm 101: "I will pay attention to the way of integrity. When will You come to me? I will live with integrity of heart in my house. I will not set anything godless before my eyes (now that is devotion)....A devious heart will be far from me; I will not be involved with evil."

How often do we rise up in the morning and make this kind of commitment to the Lord? Well, that is exactly what it takes. No one can live a life of integrity apart from a daily, renewed commitment to God. We have to renew that commitment every morning for it to be fresh in our hearts. That is why our New Year's Resolutions always crash and burn; we don't renew that commitment daily. Instead, we make a "one day" commitment with the intention of it being a year-long commitment. Renew your mind every morning. Focus on the things of the Lord. You will definitely see your character reshaped and your heart blazing with a new found passion to please Him.

Where does your Passion lie?

I am now in my 15th year of ministry. I know what you're thinking. "You're too young to have been in ministry that long." On the surface it would seem that way. But, God was using me at a very early age. At the age of 18, I began leading worship at my home church. In these years of ministry, I have learned a lot. As a result, God has now given me the opportunity to share those things with others.

I am currently mentoring 2 young men. Both of them are very talented and I am sure God is going to do mighty things with them...if they'll stay committed and focused. One of the first questions I ask when meeting with someone is "what is your passion?" We should all be passionate about something. It doesn't have to be preaching, or leading worship, but we should all have a passion. My reaction to their answer is always "follow your passion!" Whatever you are passionate about, give it to God.

When we follow our passions, we give them all we have. Our time, our money, our thoughts. They all go into our passion. Give it to God, and in turn, you are giving all you have to him in that area of your life.

Let me put it like this: Think about the parable of the talents. Whatever God has given you, don't return it to Him without pouring all you have into it. Pour yourself, all that you have, into all that you give Him. As a result, you'll honor Him with an offering that brings Him glory.

Catching Up

I was able to catch up with an "old friend" today. What an honor it was to renew our friendship and reminisce about old times. Adam Greenway and I served together on staff in Texas a few years back. He is now teaching at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. He is one of the sharpest young minds of our generation and I'm thrilled to hear that he is sharing some of that knowledge and wisdom with other pastors and church leaders.

Talking with him made me think about the name of this blog. I explained it in brief detail back in April when we redesigned the site layout, but feel that it would be good to explain it in greater detail. It always helps to hear the reasoning behind something. Although, it was no surprise that I didn't have to explain it to Adam. he knew exactly where I was coming from (as an apologetics guru).

The name came from my study of the Westminster Confessions. Within the confession two scriptures are used as a basis for our purpose as worshipers. Rom 11:36 says "for from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever." 1 Corinthians 10:31 says "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." It goes on to say:

We have read two scriptures, which speak to the ultimate and chief end of man, which is the glorifying of God by all our actions and words and thoughts. In which we have these things of importance: 1. That God’s glory is the end of our being. 2. That God’s glory should be the end of our doing. And, 3. The ground of both these; because both being and doing are from him, therefore they ought to be both for him. He is the first cause of both, and therefore he ought to be the last end of both. ‘Of him, and through him, are all things;’ and therefore all things are also for him, and therefore all things should be done unto him.


In all that we do. In all that we think. In all that we are. Our purpose in creation is to glorify God. To bring God glory is why we were created. It comes out of our relationship with Him. When we sin, when we are lazy, when we get so busy with our plans that we cease to be about His plan we are actually doing something we were not created for. When a tree no longer bears fruit it is useless, for it was created to bear fruit. When a car no longer works properly it is useless, for it was created to get us from one place to the other. When a man is not worshiping and bringing glory to God he ceases to do what he was created to do. Understand your purpose. Understand why God chose to create you. Grasp your reason for living and bring glory to God in every situation. Only then will you achieve the chief end of God's plan for your life.

Stay Focused!

Prepare for the Storms with a Smile

Now, I am not one to over-spiritualize things - I instead look at things with a spiritual eye. What I mean by that is I feel that I view things on the horizon of reality with God's word in mind. With that said, I believe with everything in me that when God is at work, the Enemy is always working just as hard to disrupt and destroy. In other words, when you're on the mountain prepare yourself, for the next valley is just ahead.

It is often said that you're either in a storm, just coming out of one, or about to go into one. God has been doing an incredible work at Immanuel and we've been riding on the mountain top for a while. We've experienced growth, both numerically and spiritually, and our church unity seems to be at an all time high. In the midst of these blessings I am now seeing some storm clouds that have quickly approached. Several of our members have been hit with various illnesses, many of which are extremely serious. Out of the blue? Well, to us perhaps. But, nothing has caught our God off guard. He is still on the throne!

Wherever you are He is sufficient. If you are on the mountain top - watch for the storm clouds. If you are in the valley, understand that joy comes in the morning.

Count it pure joy!

How's the Weather Up There?

As a kid, I always towered above most of my friends. Because of my height, I heard some of the same lame comments that have been floating around since Goliath was in preschool. In fact, I can remember my shoe size being the same as my age for many years. When I was 11 I wore a size 11 shoe. Each year I went up a size with my age until I finally maxed-out at a size 15. My perception of my height and shoe size was relative. I didn't think anything about it until people made comparisons. I just knew if my shoe felt too small or just right. My concept of height wasn't in comparison with everyone else.

We see the same thing throughout our lives. Our view is shaded by experiences and location. When I meet some of our church family for the first time, I often hear "you're a lot taller than you seem on stage". Their view is shaded by their location. Until they are actually up next to me, their perception is not a true one. Let me put it like this. All of us have experienced a change in our perception of the size of an object. The further we are away from something, the smaller it seems. It's not until we're right up on it that we are able to examine it for what it truly is and access it's true size.

Keep all of this in mind when you think about God. Our reaction to Who He is, is based upon our perception. Who is God to you? What mental image do you have of Him? Theologian A.W. Tozer puts it like this; "How you think about God will determine who you become. You are a byproduct of your God-picture. And that internal picture of God determines how you see everything else."

I ended up growing to 6'4", which is not that unusual. However, God can not be measured by anything that we can comprehend or imagine. We can't really access just how big God is from a distance. We have to be up close, next to Him to get a true view. We will never dream big dreams with a small view of God. In fact, if your "God-sized" dreams seem easily accomplished, then your view of God is small. Get to know Him up close. Only then will you see your dreams become bigger than your immediate surroundings and take on a form that only God could accomplish.

Convinced

How often do we say things like "I'm praying for revival"; or "I long for the day when we see a bunch of people saved"; or "we just need more programs in the church to reach more people"? Give me a break. What we need is for people to be sold out to a God they claim is real and living in their heart. We need people who will stop at nothing to see people saved, have a passion to see lives changed, and seriously long to see families restored. Now, is there anything wrong with praying for revival or wanting to see a "bunch" of people saved? Absolutely not. But, we have grown into a church who sits idly by and hoping for something instead of a proactive church who is willing to beat the bushes for lost people and make an investment in their lives. Revival starts with me. It starts with you. It's not something God is going to do in the life of a man or woman who continues to do the same thing they've always done while expecting different results. That is the definition of insanity.

The church is in desperate need of people who will not only pray for revival but will earnestly seek a deeper relationship with Christ. To pray for it is not enough. Act on your faith. If you truly believe that God is Who you say He is, then ask yourself this question: "what is keeping me from telling the world about this God that I know personally?" I'll tell you what I think it is. I don't think most people know God as well as they might have us think. I'm not talking about knowing the answers to a Sunday School lesson. I'm not even talking about having the "Romans Road" memorized. I'm talking about knowing the Savior of the universe in an intimate and personal way.

As a huge fan of a TV Show, we talk to people about it, we try to convince others why they should watch this show, and we make it our personal mission to keep everyone up to date as the plot thickens with each episode. We don't sit and fret about how to explain the storyline. We don't feel our palms get sweaty and our knees buckle as we consider asking someone if they watched last night's show. But, when it comes to telling someone how we were lost and on our way to hell until God saved our soul, we chicken out and talk about how that's not our gift. Something has to change.

Revival is an action - it's not an event. It is the result of your desire for a deeper relationship. We can sit by no longer and pray for things that we would like to see but are not willing to work for. Spend time with Him. Tell everyone you see about Him. When (and I do mean when) they accept Him, let's get them involved in the relationship. I pray new Christians don't learn from most of us. If they do, they will end up on the sidelines instead of in the game.

Now, what will you do with this challenge? Will you talk about how harsh it was? Will you speak of how much you agree? Will you think of how it relates to someone else instead of taking a long hard look at yourself? Or will you accept the challenge, get on board, and help me win this community for Christ? Is it time for a change - or are we going to repeat the cycle and keep doing things the same way?

Ministry Highlight

I had the opportunity to meet by phone with Lavon Gray today. Lavon is the Minister of Music at First Baptist Jackson, MS. He will be the worship leader for one of the worship sessions with our choir and orchestra in San Antonio, TX at the SBC. During our talk we discovered that we had one year in common when we were both at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. I seem to run into "Southwesterners" more often than you may think. There are many of us in the ministry, praise the Lord! Lavon is leading his choir to St. Petersburg, Russia from May 31st - June 9th. Lavon, I am praying for you as you minister in the name of Jesus. I can't wait to hang out in San Antonio and hear about what God did on that trip.

I hope our Immanuel family knows what a great Pastor God has blessed us with. We seem to take for granted people and things over time. The things that we've been experiencing and witnessing at Immanuel are not happening everywhere. We should marvel in the presence of God at what He is allowing us to be a part of. Serve Him with everything you have this week. Do not allow negativity to creep in to any aspect of your life. A negative attitude is the beginning of destruction. Stay positive, giving thanks to God in every situation.

Vision Casting

As a Worship Pastor, I am expected to be a lot of things:
1. I must be a good musician. People expect you to excel in every aspect of music. (I can't disagree much on that one)
2. I must be a good teacher. People want to know that they will benefit from sitting under your leadership - that you can & will take them deeper in their walk with Christ.
3. I must be a good motivator. Even though we're dealing with adults in most instances, everyone needs encouragement. Each person needs to be challenged to give their best, and you can't settle for less than that. An offering to the Lord that is not the best we can give is worthless. It's often difficult to get people to grasp that concept.
4. I must be a good peace keeper. On an (almost) daily basis I am pulled into a situation where people are at odds. You have to keep your head and challenge both parties to reconcile. As strange as it may seem, not every Christian that believes he/she is a mature believer is a mature believer (that's hard for most people to see in themselves).
5. I must meet the needs of my people. Though this may seem like a foreign idea to some, people like to know they are cared for. I am not perfect (my wife's been telling me that for years) and therefore I miss opportunities in this area on occasion. However, my ministry is only as strong as my ability, and willingness, to personally minister to people where they are. After all, these are the people God has called me to.

That's only 5 of about 50. I'll get to some of the others in future blogs. Let me just conclude with this...Many church staff spend a lot of money going to conferences looking for the secret to building a successful ministry. They spend hours sitting in breakout sessions listening to what works for someone else at some other church in some other town. Let me save you a lot of time and money. If you are a worship pastor, here is your golden nugget of information - everything you need for a successful ministry is sitting right in front of you every time you lead a rehearsal. The answer? Your people. They want to cheer for you. They are pulling for you to succeed. Pour all you have into them. Invest in their lives on a personal level. Yes, you will let them down occasionally. Yes, you will make yourself vulnerable. But, your people will not respond to you if they don't know you. Make an investment in the people that God has called you to, and they in turn will stop at nothing to help you attain the vision God has given you.

Thought Provoking

I've been thinking a lot lately about people. People just like you and me. Fathers & Mothers. Husbands & Wives. Sons & Daughters. Just plain, run of the mill, ordinary people. People with dreams. People with disappointments. People with hope. And hopeless people.

All around us - in every aspect of our lives - these people are living, walking, & breathing. All around us - in every situation we encounter - we cross paths with them. Some we know by name. Others are strangers. Yet, people just the same. In an average week we come across thousands of them. A sea of faces all looking for the same thing. Hope.

I know where hope resides. I know how they can find it. I know the answer to all of their questions. I can sit silently by no longer. I have to throw out the lifeline. I want them to cease to be a faceless crowd. I want to know them. I want them to know Him. With me or not I'm going. If I am the only voice crying in the wilderness then at least there's a cry to be heard. Am I alone? Are you with me?

Chase that Lion!

One of my favorite blogs to read is by pastor/author Mark Batterson. His book, In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day is without doubt one of my favorite books that I've read in at least the past 2 years. It has challenged me, made me think, and has helped to light a newfound fire under me. In a recent blog Batterson listed his "chase the lion manifesto". It gives you a little taste of the book. I've listed it below for you to consume, chew on, and then put into action. If you will adopt it as your own and apply it to your mindset, it will change your approach to not only ministry, but life itself. Let me know what you think.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion!

Mountain Mover

The Immanuel Choir and Orchestra are working on some new material. One of the songs we're working on is called Mountain Mover. What an awesome song. Some of the lyrics are My God is a mountain mover. My God's gonna make a way. How true is that? Have you ever had a GIANT in your life? All of us have at some point. That daunting mountain that seemed that it would be the death of us. But somehow, in the midst of the trial or circumstance, God brought us over the mountain...through the Giant, granting us victory. Everytime. Every single time.

Everyone of us has a story (probably several) of a time in our lives when God sustained us and brought us through impossible circumstances. David - he would have never defeated Goliath had God not provided the stones. The children of Israel - they would have never crossed the Red Sea and escaped Pharoah's Army if God had not provided the dry land. Paul - he would have never impacted the church for all of eternity had God not temporarily taken his sight. In each circumstance, there was no hero who had super-human abilities. Instead, there was man, and there was God. They had nothing more, and nothing less, than we have. Know, that no matter the circumstance - no matter the situation - no matter the gray skies - My God is a Mountain Mover. My God's gonna make a way!

Welcome Immanuel Choir and Orchestra

We are in the process of revamping my blog. That's right...even some of the things you see now will change soon. I love change. Not simply for the sake of change, but for progression. I am one that if I find something that works better than what I have, I will go for the change. Why keep doing what you're doing when something else will work much better and more efficiently? I approach my marriage, parenting, technology, and my ministry the same way. In ministry, if there is a better means of reaching the lost and encouraging the saved, then I'm all about it.

Along those same lines, I discovered blogging...and I love it. Blogging has enabled me to get to know more people below the surface. More importantly, it has allowed many people within my ministry to hear my heart, see the real me, and get a "behind the scenes" glimpse at my life. By letting down that guard and being real with your people, I have found you create a stronger bond and team approach to ministry. People will get behind someone they believe in. I believe in my people, and I want them to know the real me, not the facade.

Tonight, we will be unveiling (if you will) thechiefend.com in choir rehearsal. Many of you reading now may be visiting the site for the first time. Welcome. I'm so glad you're here. Feel free to look around the site. Please check back often. You never know what you might find in here. To our Immanuel Choir and Orchestra: I love being your Minister of Worship. Nothing thrills me more than helping to prepare God's people for leading in worship and worshiping with them. Every choir rehearsal we make sure there is a point in which we turn our focus solely to Him and worship. We need that time. How can you prepare yourself to lead others in worship without truly worshiping. The chief end of God is to be glorified. In every situation, circumstance, problem, etc. He wants the glory. He created us for the purpose of worship, which is glorifying God through a relationship with Him. Sell out all that you are and all that you have to meet this "chief end" that He created you for.

My post won't usually be this long, but since we have so many new readers I wanted to give you a view of what this blog is all about. Feel free to leave comments by clicking on the comments tab following this blog. You will have the option of leaving a comment as anonymous or registering your name. If you don't register, please sign your name so that I can address you personally. Thanks again for reading and I hope to hear from you soon.

I Believe

For as far back as I can remember I have loved to write music. Silly little songs that made absolutely no sense to anyone but me eventually developed into songs that had a purpose. I remember the week I was saved I penned a chorus that is still with me today. The chorus was simply "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me. I am the way, the truth and the life, and in heaven you can spend eternity." I was so excited to put the message that had radically changed my life into music that it was written before I could even get off Jekyll Island (this is the place the youth camp was held when I was saved).

Fast forward to 2005. I now have 2 children of my own and write from a different perspective. My songs are still very personal, but they are from varying life experiences now. God gave me a melody for a chorus (where else but in the shower) and I couldn't get it out of my head. Finally, the words came and I sang them to myself until I was sick of the song. Weeks later while driving to hospital visitations in Memphis, TN, I began thinking about different things God had taken me through over the past several years. As I reflected on each situation, the verses formed. I put the verses with the chorus from weeks earlier, scribbled out a quick bridge and "tada", the songs I Believe was born.

Hit the LiveTV button on your TIVO and we're in Highland, CA in 2007. Last Wednesday night I had the privilege of presenting the song I Believe to the Immanuel Choir. Tonight we'll work more of the parts and dynamics. I can't wait to get it ready and lead worship with it.

Be encouraged. Even in the midst of the storm in our lives we must understand one common truth...God is still in control. He uses these times in our lives to shape and mold us so that our impact for Him can be even greater. How powerful would your testimony be without that struggle in your life last year when you didn't know how you were going to pay that bill? How would you be able to offer council to that person who is losing their loved one to cancer if you hadn't suffered and cried through a similar loss? God tells us in Romans 8:18 that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." What we are going through is just a speck in the broad scheme of eternity. Have faith, press on, and allow God to use every situation in your life for His glory!

Amazing

I'm amazed every time I'm around God's people. Sometimes I'm amazed at what idiots Christians can be...but then I think about how I probably appear that way to God most of the time. (But anyway, I digress) Most of the time I'm amazed to hear stories of God's power and deliverance in people's lives. Last night I met a lady that I had heard had a tumor. I had been praying for her without having ever met her. She showed up at choir practice and wanted to join the choir. As we talked further, she shared with me how God had taken such good care of her and her latest test came back benign. God is still our Jehovah-Rophe, our healer. He simply blows my mind.