on worship

Five days again! On a roll!  :)

Well, once again, it's just a little before bed time. Just enough to write a short blog...

As many of you know I've been a worship leader for several years. TN, TX, and now in the big SC! Actually, now that I think about it...   the title "worship leader" is actually a bad one. I'll explain...

Today Jordan and I visited a church plant with our friends the Beebes (our church didn't meet this morning). The message was about living your life as worship to God. Romans 12:1 might pop in your head...   that's a main passage we looked at.

Our life, as christians, is to be lived as a continual worship to our Savior. At home, at work, school...  you get the point. So by me calling myself a worship leader, what all does that imply?

1) Worship is simply the "musical" part of a church gathering

2)Without me, there's no worship (playing off the "leader" side of the title)

3)Worshiping God needs a leader

4)Worship is always done in crowds

5)Worship needs to be rehearsed and organized

6)Worship only involves music

7)Worship is on Sunday mornings with a praise band/team...

I could go on for a while, but like I said, I try to keep my blogs somewhat short...

The sad part is that this view of worship is deeply embedded in the christian church. I definitely need to put more thought and "blogging time" into this...    but for now, I'll stop calling myself a "worship leader". Luckily, I work full-time at starbucks (coffee!!!), so if someone ask me where I work I say sbux. But if someone ask me what I do in our church, I guess I'll have to substitute for a longer answer...       "I help lead people to worship God through music during church gatherings."    ...I guess that will have to do for now.   I might think of something better later.   :)  

on tracts

Yes! Only five days later! I'm progressing! Of course I just probably jinxed myself and the next time I blog will be like 2 weeks.  :)   ...  hopefully not.

The other day I came into work at Starbucks and saw a tract laying beside the register. Of course...  I knew what this was. I was actually very fond of them back in high school, but not anymore, and I think you'll see why...

One of my good friends was working the drive thru. 

I picked up the tract, 

"Where did this come from?" 

I said. She replied,  "Someone gave it to me at the drive-thru." I stood there for a few seconds with the tract in my hand thinking about all the people 

I had given tracts to when I was younger, and wondered later how it made them feel. And then I thought...  Wow! I actually have the chance to honestly ask someone what it made them feel like. So I turned to her... "How does it make you feel when you get one of these?" She didn't hesitate...  like she had been thinking about it...  "Do I give off some kind of weird orb that makes people feel like I need one of these?" She said smiling (she's a very optimistic and bubbly person). "Do I seem like a bad person?" " 

I get one almost every time I work the drive-thru." 

Oddly, that was the exact response I expected. And I got a little upset. But why should I...   this is what the majority of Christians very as being a witness. Not living like Jesus and handing people a tract through the drive-thru to make themselves feel like they're doing something good.

Well, this isn't a paper, it's a blog, so I got to keep it short. I'm not saying that "pop-corn" witnessing is wrong (i.e. tracts and randomly witnessing to a person). This is just one example, but I'll put it this way...      this girl gets a christian tract when she works and it make her feel like crap...    I've been working with her for 7 months, lived like a christian and haven't brought up one "religious" conversation, and I have the pleasure of marrying her and her fiance and counseling them...     you can draw you own conclusions.

I threw the tract into the trash...   "I think you're a good person!" "You are me and Jordan's favorite person at Starbucks!" A bashful, yet humble "thanks!" was returned.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." 

(Jesus speaking to His disciples. John 15:12-14)

moving

Alright...    so I'm still not very good at blogging everyday!  :)    But I PROMISE I will someday!!!!   :)

Anyway, we've been very busy moving this past few days! And if you're wondering why you haven't heard about it, it's because we just moved down the street!  :)

"Why?" you ask...    well, the main reason is that our former landlord wanted to sell. But it worked out for the best because Jordan really needed some more room for the office. This year has been the first year that we've been pretty busy with Landon Jacob Productions, and it's thanks to Jordan! She's running the whole thing by herself! I just throw in some annoying advice sometimes...    ok...   I through in annoying advice a lot!   :)      But that's what a business partner and husband is for!  :)  Just kidding!

Well, off to bed, but we finally have everything into the new house (yea!!!). And tomorrow we hope to be painting. And enjoy the mild storm as hurricane hanna goes north. Good for us! But sorry NC! We'll be praying!