I’m Now An Official Calvary Pastor

Well… it’s official. Today God blessed me with a Harley. Thanks to a friend and my mom I was able to afford a 2006 Night Rod with 2500 miles on it. (Gentlemen, it pays to have a great relationship with your mom!!!). I never in a million years ever thought I’d own one of these things. I’ve already been asked if I’m going through a mid-life crisis and have been formally called a “biker.” But, I can assure you it’s for more practical reasons than a mid-life crisis.

Plus… it has it’s benefits. I guess I can now join the secret society of Harley riding pastors. Pastors such as Greg Laurie, Skip Heitzig, Rual Reis and Steve Mays. True men of God who carry their Bibles in their saddlebags and travel throughout the known world to the thunderous roar of heaven.

The strange thing about the entire transaction was that the person who was selling the bike recognized me from Costa Mesa where I was Pastor Chuck’s worship leader. After a time of “fellowship” I learned he worked for a mutual friend who works in the Logos Building at Costa Mesa. What are the chances of that happening? It just seems like God was in the whole transaction. Plus… I got an incredible deal (at least that’s what I’ve been told). Further confirmation!!!

Spiritual lesson? How about this… God loves to bless us!!! Simple… but profound. How many times do we think – God may want to bless me… but only if it’s really something that He’s into. He would never want to bless me with something so mundane and unspiritual as a Harley. He only wants to bless me with spiritual blessings. What a ridiculous thought!!!

What I find about God is that He wants to communicate His love and favor over our lives. He wants to bless us in areas that we don’t expect – to break off of us the lies that say – He really isn’t interested in the deep desires of our hearts. All I know is this…. now I get to fellowship with a whole group of folks that ride their Harley’s to lunch and talk about God…. now I get to identify with a whole community of people that need Jesus…. now I get to save money on gas and provide my wife with my truck to help her get around…. and the biggest reason of all…. in some strange way – I just feel really loved by God right now.

Defeat Is Not De-END!!!

Okay… okay… okay… I admit defeat. Since January 1 I’ve been in a heated contest with my friend Gus Pizarro to be the first to loose 40 lbs. Today the contest ended and Gus emerged the victor. His ending weight was 167 and mine is 179. I may not have lost 40 lbs., but I did loose 30 lbs. and I’m still going strong.

Building up to the weigh in day, I did what every good athlete does when preparing for a major olympic contest. I bulked up. I ate everything in sight. Cookies, cake, huge portions of food, calorie rich dinners – it was wonderful. And then the dreadful day came when we did the weight in. I’ll never forget it – January 1 at 12:01 am.

Gus was first to step up to the scale. He weighed in at 208. I thought to myself – wow he’s heavy. Then I stepped up to the scale. In my mind I knew I was only around 200. The numbers turned and stopped at 208. I was appalled. It was rigged. I made everyone in the room step on the scale. I myself stepped on the scale three times. Each time I got the same result…. 208. As much as I hated facing the truth, I had to admit that all my bulking up had truly “paid off” and I was officially a porker.

I can’t say that it’s been easy. Loosing these 30 lbs. has been extremely difficult. But if I loose 10 more lbs. then I get the extra special discount on my insurance, I can touch my toes and my wife will fall in love with me all over again. It’s amazing what a few pounds will do. What’s my secret? Isagenix. I do recommend it – but it’s hard. Don’t fool yourself. That’s probably why I’ve been successful. I’m not thinking in my head that this is going to be easy. Also, I’m using this as a way to retrain my thinking and make a lifestyle change.

Is there a spiritual lesson here? Probably something about being faithful or counting the cost (calories that is). For me it’s best summed up in a statement my wife made to me…. “I just love hugging you now because it doesn’t feel like there’s another person between us anymore.” Husbands take note!!!

Are You Carnally Minded?

The natural man, or unbeliever, knows nothing about carnality. The desires of the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit warring against the flesh, which began at rebirth, are what produce carnality and the awareness of it. But Paul said, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” ( Galatians 5:16 ). In other words, carnality will disappear.

Are you quarrelsome and easily upset over small things? Do you think that no one who is a Christian is ever like that? Paul said they are, and he connected these attitudes with carnality. Is there a truth in the Bible that instantly awakens a spirit of malice or resentment in you? If so, that is proof that you are still carnal. If the process of sanctification is continuing in your life, there will be no trace of that kind of spirit remaining.

If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I can explain that.” When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it. If, however, you try to vindicate yourself, you prove yourself to be a child of the darkness.

What is the proof that carnality has gone? Never deceive yourself; when carnality is gone you will know it-it is the most real thing you can imagine. And God will see to it that you have a number of opportunities to prove to yourself the miracle of His grace. The proof is in a very practical test. You will find yourself saying, “If this had happened before, I would have had the spirit of resentment!” And you will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.

Reprinted from My Utmost For His Highest

A Theology Of Worship Leading

Have you ever asked the question where do worship leaders fit in the Bible? Are they the same as Old Testament Levites? Do we have a Biblical model for worship leading? These are difficult questions especially in light of the fact that they way we do church is really a modern cultural invention. Where do you find Sunday School in the Bible? The modern American church owes much of it’s methodology to the revivalists of the Great Awakenings. Charles and John Wesley modeled the Pastor and Worship Leader connection as they married the word and worship through their meetings.

One of the struggles I’ve had as a worship leader has been over the issue of the legitimacy of Worship Leading as an office or gift. I’ve been told that God had called me to be a Worship Leader, but it’s not listed with pastor, teacher, apostle, evangelist, prophet. I’ve been told that I have a gift of worship leading, but it’s not listed with the other spiritual gifts. So where do I fit?

I want to submit a theological paradigm that I believe provides a Biblical context for the office and function of a worship leader. Ephesians 4:11 tells us, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles,

some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers…” I don’t think that it is an accident that worship leader is not listed. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:1, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” He goes on to write “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” (1 Cor. 12:4 – 7).

There are three words mentioned as it relates to how the gifts of the Spirit function in the church.

They are diversities, differences and activities. The original language translates these words distribution, implementation and effect. In other words, all the gifts are from God but they are distributed to different people and implemented different ways through activities that produce an effect. This is where I find the “gift” of worship leading. A worship leader is a pastor, teacher, prophet, evangelist or apostle who exercises their gifts through facilitating sung prayer. It’s not a musical function, but a leadership function. In fact, you can discover the primary leadership function of a worship leader by the songs that they select. Pastors choose songs that emphasize

relationship and healing. Evangelists choose songs that are stylistically relevant with simple and easy to understand language. Apostles are concerned for the nations and mission. Teachers are

concerned with doctrinal truth and prophets are concerned about purity and holiness.

Your theology of worship influences your philosophy of ministry as it relates to the function of worship leading. If you view worship as a musical function, then you’re concerned about song selection and musicality. If you view worship pragmatically, then you’re concerned about setting up the message properly or having a worship ministry that will draw the community. Every pastor has an opinion of how worship should happen, but very few understand the role of a worship leader.

So what is the function of worship leading? Look at the book of Psalms. It is a collection of what I like to call – prayer songs. The prayers of David and others were set to music and incorporated into

the worship life of the nation of Israel. They became part of the corporate and private expression of worship to God. Using David’s model as a worship leader, I facilitate the corporate expression of

prayer from the congregation to God. It is a relationship based ministry where the worship leader is providing language through prayer songs for the congregation to relate to God. Worship songs are prayers set to music and the set list is equivalent to a list of prayer requests.

This has huge implications as it relates to how I perform my function as a worship leader. It means that I need to have my own private life of prayer. It also means that I need to be in touch with the

work of the Spirit within the community of believers I’m serving. In other words, I can’t fake it. My relationship or lack of relationship with God will have a direct influence on my ability to facilitate the

corporate sung prayer of the congregation. This is why you can worship with a group of well-rehearsed musicians in a worship service and walk away feeling like you’ve never met God. In other words, worship is not purely musical, but relational in function.

Incidentally, this is the creative impetus behind writing new songs of worship. All “prayer songs” are given to a local congregation for the purpose of facilitating the corporate prayer life of that community. Sometimes, those “prayer songs” inspire other communities and become part of a regional or national expression. I have never written a song with the intent of getting it recorded or to “get the songs out there.” My entire focus is simply to serve the people that show up every week for worship and that includes writing songs that best express the cry that is in their hearts. What happens after that is up to God.

If worship is relational, then spontaneity is a natural part of the worship leading function. Think of a prayer group. Each individual prayer influences the prayers of the group. When you are in the midst

of the worship event, the opening prayer of the pastor, the scripture reading, God’s leading or the message will all influence the prayer songs that I select. Sometimes this change might happen during the worship service after sound checks, set revisions and power point. Sometimes the only song that fits is a “new” song that is birthed on the spot. That is how Let It Rise was written. It was a spontaneous prayer that captured the cry of our hearts at a coffee shop Bible study in Pacific Beach. I always tell my worship teams, we play from the heart not the chart. This requires greater preparation at home on their part. I encourage them to live the songs. I prepare my media team to

be ready to go “off the page.” This requires them to pay attention and have good tools at their disposal. We’ve built a culture with the understanding that our worship is responsive and not programmatic.

I started leading worship when I was thirteen. I would sit in my room and play worship songs to the Lord for hours. I would sing what was on my heart. I would sing songs from the Young Life Songbook that I had. I didn’t know that God was training me to be a worship leader. I just loved to spend time with God. It wasn’t until I was sixteen that I led worship in front of people. Do you get my drift? I encourage worship leaders to sing their prayers during their private devotional time with the Lord. Sing scripture. Develop a natural prayer language of song. That way when you’re in a congregational setting, you’re simply responding as you do in your private times.

So where does style and instrumentation fit into all of this? This is one of the areas of greatest tension with churches. Jesus provides the best solution to this ongoing tension when he says, “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.” (Mark 10:49) When it comes to style and instrumentation, we need to ask, “does it best serve the community gathered?” When you bring a full drum kit into a room that holds 50, does it best serve that community gathered to seek God?

When you play traditionally arranged choral songs for a young congregation, does it best serve that community expression of prayer? Keep in mind that these dynamics change as a church grows

numerically and culturally. What works today, may not work in six months. You might be in a room that is best served with acoustic guitars and djembe. In a year, you might be in a room that can

handle a full band. But, if you keep the attitude of a servant and weave that attitude into every aspect of your ministry, then you will go far in diminishing potential problem areas.

I like to give some basic guidelines to pastors and worship leaders on instrumentation. Unless you have an extremely gifted drummer, I wouldn’t introduce drums until you’re in a room that can hold

over two hundred people. Actually, the acoustic approach is a very hip approach right now. Using acoustic guitars, bass, piano and djembe or cajon is a culturally relevant and sonically easy to

control instrumentation for music.

Be creative in your use of technology. New products are constantly being developed that expand your instrumentation in ways that are appealing even if you don’t have the talent base to produce

what you hear in your head. You might want to explore the use of loops or keyboard sequencing. What about using a vocalizer to strengthen backing vocals? The possibilities are only limited by

your imagination.

All ministry is incarnational. What do I mean? The word incarnational comes from The Latin incarnatio and corresponds to the Greek sarkosis, or ensarkosis, which is taken from John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh”. It is God made flesh in Jesus. In Colossians 1:27 Paul writes, “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Here he introduces the idea that this God made flesh in Jesus now lives in and through every believer. When we say that all ministry is incarnational, we are saying that all ministry is the life of Jesus living through the individual believer. It is Christ in

you ministering to those around you.

This is both freeing and terrifying. It is freeing in that so many leaders look at the success of others and try to duplicate them by imitation. We go to conferences trying to learn the latest techniques and kill ourselves trying to implement them. It can be a pressure filled prison of unrealized expectation. Or worse, it can work and we become enamored with our own success thinking promotion comes from my cleverness. I’ve watched leaders trapped by their self-made success.

I’ve also watched them crumble under the pressure of it. The truth is that God does not anoint us being someone else. God doesn’t anoint me doing someone else’s vision. God uniquely gifts and anoints you and I for the tasks that He asks us to do. So, be who God made you to be. Play the music you love to play, pray the way you love to pray, serve the way you love to serve. But also be prepared to discover that what you love to do may not be rooted in His love. It might be rooted in your desire to be something you’re not and He may take you to task in order that His image might be reflected unhindered in your life and ministry.

This is terrifying in that we realize that if we don’t obey then the expression of Christ through us is lost. He doesn’t give it to another. It remains undone because no one else can do what we can do as empowered vessels in the hand of God. God may give the assignment to another as in the case of Saul and David, but that reflects on Saul’s disobedience to God. That means no one can steal

your ministry or influence. God gives and takes away. That means you can hold no grudge when you feel held back. That means you can’t be bitter because you lost your position. You have to come face to face to God. Is He testing your faithfulness when given a better opportunity? Is He testing your obedience during hard times? Is He testing your sense of calling when it’s taken away? When we say thus says the Lord, are we making it up? Is your God schizophrenic or

unchanging?

Wherever you are in your development as a follower of Jesus, it is important to remember the central theme of worship. We love Him because He first loved us. Our service, our creativity, our passion is simply the response to the price that He paid when He died on the cross for our sins. We sing because we’ve been liberated from death and have been given a new life of hope and joy. So let us serve with gladness and thanksgiving the One who has redeemed us for Himself.

CREATING A FLOW IN WORSHIP

1. Think of your set in terms of a journey. A typical journey begins with songs of celebration and ends with songs of intimate adoration. You can also begin with songs of intimate adoration and end with songs anthemic exaltation. It just depends on the mood of the service.

2. Have at least two songs in a row that have the same key and feel. This creates a sense of movement without distraction.

3. When you move into a time of intimate adoration, use simple songs that are well known or easy to remember. You want people to focus on their personal experience with God and focus on trying to remember the words.

4. Create space to linger. Don’t feel the need to move quickly through your set from song to song. This might mean repeating a chorus or hanging on a particular chord. It might also mean allowing for silence.

5. Use prayer as a means to transition from one segment of the service to another. This keeps the congregation focused on the Lord and allows you to make dramatic changes with minimal distractions.

6. Once you begin your set of worship songs, focus all your conversation to the Lord. When you engage the congregation, you take the focus off Jesus and you put it on yourself.

7. Think of your set in terms of a theme. Maybe you will want to choose songs that focus on God’s holiness or salvation. Maybe your pastor has a message that you can reinforce through song selection.

SONG SELECTION

1. Choose songs that are not too high or low. The standard congregational limits are the “D” one octave above middle “C” and the “B” below middle “C”

2. Choose songs that minister to you.

3. Choose songs that fit the season your church is in. There are songs that express the heart cry of the congregation. These are reflections of the work that God is doing in the community. Discover what those songs are and make them a key part of your song selection process.

4. Choose songs that fit the worship team. Do songs that you can do well. Your job as a leader is to make your team sound great. If you don’t have the talent pool you wish you had, then pray and use who you have wisely.

5. Introduce new songs in seasons. I like to introduce four or five new songs within a short period of time. Those songs may represent a current message or season in our church life. The congregation accepts them because they relate to them and it gives them opportunity to say something new to the Lord. It keeps the worship team fresh and excited about worship. These seasons may happen once a quarter or with each new sermon series.

Forgiveness

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Tonight I had one of those rare times that a father longs for. I had a discussion with one of my sons about forgiveness. Questions that he had about how to receive forgiveness and how to live in forgiveness. I love how God provides these divine teachable moments in our lives where we can share some of the fresh bread we’ve been receiving from our Heavenly Father.

I’ve been pondering the idea of forgiveness. Forgiveness is one of those things that we want to experience in great abundance, but we give in scarce supply. When it comes to me… I want all the forgiveness that I can get. When it comes to you… I want you to prove to me that you deserve what little forgiveness I’m willing to give.

I have a friend who is showing me what forgiveness is on a practical level. His name is Jimmy Nicol. It’s great. He will often say, “I remember what you’ve done, but I’ve forgotten it.” It’s a simple statement, but it’s packed with theological depth and insight. I know many people who claim to be mature leaders who don’t practice this truth.

From a theological basis all forgiveness cost something. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death.” When we sin against each other – there is a price to be paid. When we sin against God – there is a price to be paid. You can’t just say I’m sorry and it’s okay. In God’s economy it doesn’t go away. The debt has to be paid. There is no way around it. So what does God do? He pays our debt of sin – the wages of which is death – with His own life!!! That is what gives Him the right to forgive sins.

That would be awesome if that were all He does, but there is more. Paul talks about “redemption through His blood.” What is the idea of redemption? Redemption speaks of one who purchases another out of slavery. Slavery that often times was the result of someone who was sold into slavery to pay for debts that he could not pay. Slavery that resulted from sins that were committed or sins that were done by others. Slavery that resulted due to a foreign power that conquered a people. Jesus purchases us out of all forms of slavery through His sacrificial death on the cross. How amazing!!! So Jesus pays our debt of sin and pays the price to buy us out of the slavery that our sin has led us into. That is the power of the gospel.

How does he pay for all of this? According to the riches of His grace. Ponder that truth for a moment – the riches of His grace. I’ve heard a lot of definitions for grace. The most popular is getting something that you don’t deserve or the acronym – God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. The one I like the best is this one… Grace is the divine influence on the heart and it’s reflection in the life. In other words, Grace is God’s power Presence and the effect that His Presence has on our lives to deliver, heal, transform and free us. It’s God’s power focused on those unredeemed, unrepentant parts of our lives. When Paul says – by grace you have been saved – it’s not that God felt sorry for us and gave us salvation when we didn’t deserve it. It means that God, the Warrior King, the Almighty Deliverer stepped out the glory of Heaven and stepped into your life to bring His Mighty power to bear on every chain that keeps you from experiencing the joy of the salvation that He has provided for you.

This is the God who now resides in you and me. This is the God who now – according to the riches of His grace… buys you out of slavery by purchasing you with His own blood… Forgives you of your sins by paying the debt of your sin… and now gives you the power to forgive others by extending to them the forgiveness you’ve received. Now we can receive forgiveness and life free from the shame of our guilt. Now we can extend forgiveness for sins done against us and receive healing from the pain of past and present hurts. Now we can be truly free to live in real time – fully present… fully alive… not bound by the past.

Maybe it’s hard for you to forgive because you haven’t really explored the reality of the forgiveness that has been extended towards you. Maybe it’s hard for you to receive forgiveness because you don’t believe that God has already served the death penalty that was meant for you. Wherever you are in your journey – I would encourage you to spend time alone with God and to meditate on this simple verse in Ephesians. I would encourage you to ask that God would give you a greater revelation of His forgiveness towards you. That you would allow God to extend His all powerful grace into your heart and to free you to receive more of His love. I would encourage you to meditate on the cross and the price He already has paid for you. And as you do… surrender those areas of bitterness, anger, hatred, murder, anxiety or whatever it is to the Lord and see what He will do.

A Heart Of Flesh

I’ve talked with so many folks that have prayers that seem to reoccur over and over in their life. You might call them life prayers. Prayers that seem to define our relationship with the Lord.

One of the ongoing prayers that I’ve prayed is for God to fulfill Ezekiel 36:26 in my life. The Lord speaks and says…

I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

My honest desire is to have a heart that is soft, tender, sensitized to God and His ways. However, I can look at so many instances where I am stone cold to His will…. His ways in my life. Where His favors appears to have lifted, but I haven’t a clue as to when, where or how it happened. In most cases, I’m sorry to say, I carry on the life course I’m on until I get so far away from Him that it takes some crisis to get my attention. Have you experienced that in your own life?

I wish I could report to you that I’m the first one to quickly run back to the Lord when crisis does come, but I can’t. Like all of us, I’ve also learned to survive. I’ve learned to tough it out through crisis and so I can go along time in my self protection mode… keeping my head down… moving forward… emotions turned off… not hearing God’s voice.

That’s why this promise is so precious to me. Because I know that God’s desire is not for me to live a hard life of emotionless, cold, lifeless existence. God’s desire is for me to be fully alive in Him… to be conformed into His likeness… for His reflection to be seen in me.

That’s where the exchange comes in. The exchange where He replaces my stony heart with a heart of flesh. Sounds romantic… doesn’t it? Sounds so freeing… doesn’t it? Sounds so good… doesn’t it? Until He starts to work.

Until you’ve experienced it… you don’t know what it feels like to have a heart of stone ripped out of your chest. The things that you cherished… the things that you held on to… the things that held on to you all come out of the darkness and into conversation with God. And when He speaks it is like thunder over the deep wells of your heart. He calls into accountability the broken dreams, unmet expectations, selfish ambitions, twisted thought patterns and manipulative mannerisms… and it hurts to the very core of your being.

But here is the hope. He is the author and the finisher. That means that He is jealous to see His work accomplished in our lives. He is fully invested to see His plans unfold before our eyes. He will stay on task until He can look at us and say… it is finished. Strangely familiar words aren’t they? The same words Jesus uttered on the cross. The words that accompany death.

So many of us cry out for a resurrection. We want resurrection power in our lives. But, before there can be a resurrection there must be a death. Before God can give us a new heart, He has to take away the stony heart.

“and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”

A heart of flesh… that’s what I want. The question for you and I is simple… are we willing to give God the permission to take out our stony heart and give us what we really want? A heart for Him?

Today as you spend time with the Lord, I would encourage you to write God a letter giving Him permission to take away the stony heart out of your flesh and to give you a heart of flesh. Write down areas of your life where you would like Him to begin working. Then, store it away in a place that is nearby. You will need to refer back to it over and over again as a reminder of the agreement you made with God – giving Him permission to work. You see, He loves to answer this prayer and He will take you at your word.