Chains as Tambourines

Does God Hate Vegetables? A post for Worship Leaders.

2011-04-13T16:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why in Genesis, God rejected Cain's offering?

Genesis 4 says this:

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Seems to me like an honest attempt. What's wrong with offering the fruit of your labor to God? Does God hate vegetables as much as I do? Maybe God just really prefers the smell of a good steak to grilled veggies which makes sense. Have you ever accidentally burned an onion? Disgusting.

No doubt Cain and his brother Abel had grown up hearing the story of how their parents had been evicted from the garden in Eden. Adam and Eve sinned and tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. God said "Let me cover you with garments of skin." They tried to do it on their own and God said "let me do it for you."

That is a picture of the grace of God; God doing for us what we could never do, even when it's our fault.

So back to Cain. Knowing full well that he was required to offer a blood sacrifice, he offered vegetation. He came to God with an offering that he knew was an insult to His grace, and God rejected it. Cain in essence was declaring that he would do things his own way and in his own power, outside of the plan and the requirement God had put in place; that he could atone for his sins by the sweat of his brow and the fruit of his fields. Cain was spitting on the grace of God so God rejected his offering.

As worship leaders, it can be tempting to bring our offering to God with the attitude that we have done all the work in practice and in preparation. We put in the hours learning chords and scales, we picked out the songs, we spent the time figuring out smooth transitions. We can fall into the trap of thinking that outside of the grace of God, we can do anything. God's grace is that He has given us the gifts and the talents and the anointing to bring worship to Him. When we think that we can do it on our own, we spit on that grace.

So how do we avoid that? By acknowledging His grace to us and not trying to do things in our own power. Instead of making our offering the focus of our worship, make God the focus of our offering. He has graced us with everything we need to bring an acceptable offering to Him.

A Marathon but with Words

2010-06-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin. It is by far the best book for worship leaders I have ever come across. I would highly recommend it as it also has a chapter for Lead Pastors on how to relate to/support worship leaders.

I am currently in the middle of a 4 book marathon. The other books are:

Worship By The Book by D.A. Carson
I Am Not But I Know I AM by Louie Giglio
Engaging With God by David Peterson

I really want to challenge my paradigm of worship and what it means to be a worshiper and never get stuck thinking that I know everything there is to know about worship and music.

2009-09-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

I had a very unique opportunity last weekend; I got to fly in a float plane up to a mountain lake and camp/hike/fish. I have been to Lake Isabel 3 previous times and all three involved a good 4 wheel drive and a brutal hike. The trip always takes at least 5 to 6 hours of driving up Hwy 2, taking the Reiter Rd, driving across a creek, taking your rig as far as you can and then and hiking. This time, we started from Lake Washington and after a 30 minute flight over Bellevue, Carnation, and Gold Bar, we were on the water.

The last time I was there was 3 years ago while I was in the worst season of my life. Working at a job I hated for a guy I couldn't stand, wondering why there were no ministry doors open. I think I literally spent the entire trip complaining about my boss. I was emotionally unhealthy to say the least. I will spare you the details, but that trip really started the chain of events that lead me where I am today.

This time around, I think I spent the whole trip in amazement at the fact that I get to do what I love for a living at a church that blows me away. What a difference.

So Tim and I got up to the lake on Thursday afternoon and got our gear to the shore. After the plane left it was unbelievably quiet. It was pretty peaceful except for the biting flies but they calmed down after some liberal doses of bug spray. Once the sun went behind the mountain and shade hit the water, the fish started surfacing. I put on a little black dry fly and caught a couple beautiful brook trout. Brookies are the most beautiful trout I've ever seen. I will believe that until I catch a Golden trout. None of them were very big, 9" was the largest but they were fun on a fly rod. We camped on the beach that night and got up in the morning. Did a little fishing, did a little exploring and in the afternoon, the plane came and picked us up. We flew back to the Renton airport and went home. It was a beautiful trip and a great getaway.

Worship Fast

2009-08-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

I started a "Worship Fast" a couple days ago. For the month of August I have decided to cut out any music that isn't what you would traditionally call "worship" music.

I understand that this can be a touchy subject and sound real religious and I can hear your mind beginning to get all worked up already so relax, and let me explain:

I am not saying that all secular music is bad.
I am not saying that some secular music can't be worship.
I am not saying that Christian music is bad.
I am not saying that Christians should never listen to secular music.

What I am saying is that I am taking a month to feed my spirit only music that is focused on bringing honor and glory to God. If you are what you eat, then as a worship leader, I want to be full of worship. In Matthew 12:34 Jesus says that "...out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." (NIV) I want my heart to overflow with worship so that when I stand in front of New Life Church, I am not drawing from a dry well.

We are beginning a series on worship on August 16th and I would invite you to join me on this fast during those 2 weeks and finish the fast with the first Simply Worship of the fall on September 2.

Passion Problem

2009-07-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

Have you ever met someone who was more passionate about something than you are? Chances are you have. Passion is an amazing driving force that makes our world what it is today and what it will be tomorrow. Now, have you ever met someone who was more passionate about something than you and actually looked down on you because of it? I have, in fact, I was that guy. As I've aged and mellowed a bit, I came to the realization that everyone doesn't and won't share my passion. I have been created and uniquely designed to be passionate about certain things. This seems to be a problem in the church world. You hear people say, if not directly, "If you aren't actively reaching out to the homeless, you aren't doing God's will", or "If you aren't sharing your faith with everyone you see, you're lukewarm."
Romans 12:4-8 describes us as the Body, made up of many different parts and many different gifts. My gift is music, I don't look down on people who aren't passionate about music, I think they are weird, but I don't look down on them. Can you imagine saying "If you don't do the songs we do at our church then you are doing it wrong"?
Everyone doesn't have the gift of an evangelist, and everyone can't be a public speaker, and everyone can't be a Pastor. Find your gift and be passionate about it and be the best whatever you are that you can be.

Maybe later

2009-07-01T15:49:00.001-07:00

I don't really feel like blogging right now.

LMP

2009-06-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

I once again, have the honor of being featured on Spirit 105.3's Local Music Project. It used to be on the radio every day at around 5pm but now they have it online 24/7. Swing by and give a listen. http://www.spirit1053.com/content.php?contentID=30. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and the player is there.

I Need Your Help.

2009-06-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

So this was pretty random, but I was nominated for an ITM Live Charity Music Award in the category "Best Male Vocalist". I'm not sure how I got nominated but it's pretty cool. You can help me out by clicking here and voting for me. Polls close June 30th. Thanks!

Sunday High

2009-05-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

You know you are at a great place in life when you start to feel bad for talking about how good things are going. I was talking with a new friend who is also a worship pastor and I was describing our situation at New Life Church and I felt like I should shut up so I didn't make him feel bad. I wasn't bragging, just expressing my excitement.
I feel like I am drinking from the Holy Grail of ministry and I fear that I might become too familiar with this for my own good. Like someone who climbs Mt. Everest and then says, "Now where do I go from here?" I have to remember that mininstry isn't about doing the newest and greatest thing or having the best musicians, it's about people. If I become focused on the "Sunday High", I will lose sight of that and become bored. If I filter everything I do through our purpose; "Leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ", I will continue to enjoy every step of the journey.

Another Great Day

2009-05-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

We had another great day at New Life Church yesterday celebrating Mothers' Day. We have been doing a song called Reign in Us by the band Starfield and it's really catching on. I've been trying to get my mind prepared for youth convention even though it's not until October. I have been polishing up some new songs and will be trying to record them soon. I came up with a cool melody hook for one of them this morning, that was encouraging. I'm going to try to have a new CD available by Youth Convention.

It's all Math's fault

2009-05-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

It has been a very busy last couple months. It's been a good busy though. I've done a few conferences, done a lot of church, and when you throw an 8 week old baby in the mix, things can be hectic. So much so that I have allowed myself to resume some very bad eating habits. When you add that to the fact that I've come up with some very convincing excuses to avoid the gym, the end result is me getting out of shape. That is really starting to sound like a math problem. [(conferences3+church) x (baby+food) x (tired+back pain) = sloppy]

Anyways, I dragged myself to the gym last night for the second time in about 2 months. It felt pretty good even though I didn't quite have the stamina I previously had. I'm sure it will return. I'm starting another cleanse soon and those always are miserable but worth it.

Twit

2009-05-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'm on Twitter, blah, blah, blah. www.twitter.com/samleyde.

Good Times

2009-04-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

At New Life Church, we have been in a crazy season of blessing. Giving is up, attendance is up, things seem to be firing on all cylinders. We took a special offering this past Sunday for Convoy of Hope and raised enough money to feed 30,000 people for a day. On top of that we started moving dirt on the property! I am making a conscious effort to enjoy this time and not take it for granted.

Torn.

2009-03-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the 4 year anniversary of the day we moved back to our home state. This rainy, cold weather has really been weighing on me lately. I was thinking this morning about a fishing trip I took one time. We lived in Bend, OR at the time so you could actually count on sunny days in the summer. It was the 4th of July and I got up at 4am so I could be on the water before the sun was. It was already warm out and the smell of smoke from recent local forest fires still hung faintly in the air. I decided to fish an area of the Deschutes river that during our time in central Oregon, became my favorite place in the world. This particular spot was just above Benham Falls but below the footbridge. I turned onto the forest service road as the sun was making it's appearance through the Ponderosa pines. Since it was summer, I had the top down on the Jeep and the mixture of pine needles, Juniper pollen and forest fire smoke filled the Deschutes National Forest. I had just received a copy of Jason Upton's album "Faith" and was listening to it while I drove. If you've ever heard the title track from that record, you know the part where he says, "Because I'm learning to trust that it's not you that hurt me, I'm learning to believe that it's not you that deserted me, I believe that you still love me, brokenness and all." When I heard that, something inside of me broke and I began to weep. It was a bit of a spiritual re-awakening for me.
I pulled up and parked, got my waders on, strung up my rod, and began to walk the trail up to the footbridge that at one time had been a railroad grade. I got on the water and found a spot where the reeds were tall and right against the river. I knelt behind them and pulled some line out of the rod tip and gently dropped the fly onto the surface of the slow moving water. Since the reeds were so tall, I couldn't see my fly. After a few drifts and no action, I began to wander mentally. I was admiring the trees, the birds, the sunshine and I was so enthralled by nature that I was startled by the splash of the fish that had come up and crushed my fly. I felt the weight of a bigger-than-my-average fish on the end of my line. I had been so shocked by the disturbance of my quietness that I was not in the state of mind to actually play and land a fish and as suddenly as it had made it's presence known, it was gone. The price of barb-less hooks.
I fished a while longer once my hands stopped shaking from the adrenaline, and about 9:30 am, I called it day, fishless. I drove out the forest service road, onto the highway that connects Bend to Mt. Bachelor and drove home. Even without ever seeing a fish that morning, it had been a great excursion and I knew that I had been changed as a person and that I would remember that morning for the rest of my life.

Picks Down Please.

2009-03-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday after church we hosted a lead guitarists workshop with the intent of getting all the current and future lead guitarists on the same page. Essentially, the message was, "If you're going to play lead guitar at New Life Church, this is how we want it done." It went really well, Corey presented the technical aspects of technique, theory and tone, while I was there to provide demonstration music.
It was really an "Above and Beyond" kind of event. We have a wealth of quality musicians here and it would be easy to sit back and enjoy that fact but we want to go above and beyond just having quality musicians, to actually developing our musicians into quality worship teams. The hardest part was keeping 9 guitar players quiet long enough to say anything!

If you would like to learn how to play guitar, check out www.coreysublett.com

No Communion Cup Holders?

2009-03-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

We purchased a used vehicle yesterday. During the test drive, I tried out the radio and it was set to 106.9 which is a pop station. While I was talking with the salesman, the fact that I work at a church came up. When we drove off the lot, we noticed that the radio had been set to 105.3, the local Christian music station. I thought that was funny. Religious profiling.

What Do You Say?

2009-03-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

I just talked with a guy who came in to the church office wanting to talk. He told me his story. Let's just say he had a sordid past. He moved out here from really far away to escape his old life after becoming a Christian. He has been struggling to find work and more importantly, someone to talk to. He has been to a number of churches but found judgmental stares and words. He is contemplating returning to his former life.
So what do you say to someone who has turned to God but found nothing but rejection from people who bear the Name of Christ? Sorry? What do you say to someone who can't find work and is staying in his car? Wow that sucks?
I prayed with him and encouraged him to get connected here at New Life. I hope too much damage hasn't already been done. Say a prayer for this man, let's call him Joe.

What Beats a Black Hole?

2009-03-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

I was playing with my 4 year old son the other day and he wanted to play "Rock, Paper, Scissors". We were playing and he kept making a gun and I kept correcting him saying "No you can't use a gun, it's not a rock, paper, or scissors." A few more times through the process and he started waving his arms around in front of him and I said "What is that?" and he immediately replied, "Black hole."
Since I don't know what beats a black hole, I gave up.

The best prison ever.

2009-02-26T14:05:00.000-08:00

I have been working on some scripts for some videos we are doing for an upcoming series, "Joesph: The E True Hollywood Story" and while studying for it, I came across a verse in Genesis that made me stop and laugh. In Genesis 40, two of Pharaoh's servants are in the prison with Joseph and they each have dreams that upset them. So Joseph walks in that morning and says "Why do you look so sad today?" (v7)
Why do you look so sad?!! They're sitting in prison! Did they normally sing in the morning? What kind of prison was this that he would notice that they were sad? Wouldn't they have been sad every morning?
Anyway, that made me laugh.

Coffee

2009-02-23T22:07:00.001-08:00

I was just thinking about coffee and how much I enjoy drinking it and smelling it and going to a coffee shop and leaving smelling like coffee. I think the only thing that makes coffee any better is when it's free and enjoyed with a kindred soul.

Any Day Now

2009-02-18T16:23:00.000-08:00

Well, we had what is supposed to be our final interview for the foster/adopt process on Monday. The phone could ring any day now.

On the Online Radio

2009-02-16T21:09:00.001-08:00

Spirit 105.3 is the local Christian music station in the Seattle area and they have a program called the Local Music Project where they play local artists and give a little bio. They have moved it to their website now and this week, I am being featured on the program. Give it a listen.
Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on My Everything.

Adoption

2009-02-13T13:09:00.000-08:00

So we made the drive down to Kent this morning to the DSHS office to watch a video on caring for, and recognizing the symptoms of drug affected babies as part of our process for adopting a child from the foster care system. Wow. It was one of the most sad things I have ever seen. The good news is that with proper care and environment, these children can, in most cases, go on to live very normal, productive lives.
When we started this process, our motivation was purely selfish in that we were doing it to be sure we got a girl. After going through the process, we have come to realize that we really will be helping someone have a chance at life they would not otherwise have had.
I would never say that everyone who can should adopt because it's not for everyone, but there is such a need for these kids to find homes that maybe we should search our hearts and see if there is room for a child who needs a family.

You Know You're In A Large Church When...

2009-02-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

I brought my oldest son to the kids event at the church Friday night called Friday's Rock. It was great and he was so excited. There were so many people there we stood in line to get in line. We had to fill out an emergency contact sheet and the woman helping at the table asked me if we had been to the church before. I thought that was pretty funny because I get a lot of "face time". I said "Yeah, we come" not wanting to embarrass her or pull the whole "Do you know who I am?" bit. You know you're at a big church when that happens.

It's things like this that illustrate the importance of small groups. In a congregation this large, it is easy to get lost in the crowd (apparently even for me). Having a place where you can experience accountability, belonging and care is vital to our spiritual growth.

You know you're in a big church when...

You can't see the building from where you parked.

The walk from your car to the building counts as your 30 minutes of daily exercise.

The camera operator is closer to the stage than you are.

The ushers have to swap out for empty plates halfway through the offering.

The pastor introduces himself every Sunday.

They have trough style urinals like the Kingdome had.

Every week in staff meeting, the pastor asks "Is there anybody new here today?"

The band has more members than your old church did.

Knuckle Head

2009-02-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

Winter Camp '09

2009-02-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was our youth ministry's Winter Camp. We had a great time on the ridiculous tubing hill and the drive over the pass provided enough memories and inside jokes to last for a long time. The best part however, was seeing the kids engaging God in worship and praying for each other. The last night, after service we were packing up and getting ready to head back over the mountain and I started to feel a tickle in my throat. So now I am fighting a pretty bad cold. I am thankful that it waited until we were done with camp to come on.
The speaker for the camp was Roosevelt Hunter who really connected with the kids. On Sunday morning, he spoke at New Life in the Main Services and absolutely KILLED it! I think the funniest thing he said was in regard to Jesus not being white or black but in the middle: "He was white enough to get into the dignified places but dark enough to eat chicken with the brothas on the weekend."
Roosevelt is dealing with cancer and if you read this, say a prayer for him and his family as they go through it.
Here are some inside jokes from the weekend, you probably won't get any of them but I put them on here for posterity.
Fly Away
Busting Grumpys
"No, I have coffee."
T-Shirt
"Uh, they have good coffee there."
"Ees on dee paper, ees close enough"
"I don't know anything about trailers...I don't know anything about guys either."

Discipline

2009-01-27T20:59:00.001-08:00

This is what I ate tonight.

Knucklehead

2009-01-27T20:48:00.000-08:00

So this morning I got out of the shower, put my towel on and went downstairs to get something out of the laundry room. My kids were downstairs eating breakfast and as I went in, I heard my youngest say "I saw Dad wearing a Man-skirt!"
Knucklehead.

7 Years

2009-01-26T22:01:00.000-08:00

My oldest son turned 7 today. It doesn't seem right. I remember when he was born, feeling so inadequate and feeling like I had no idea how to be a dad. I guess you learn on the job.
I am so proud of the boy he is. He is generous and thoughtful. He is smart and curious. He is excited about life and loves to laugh. He is a good big brother and a well behaved son. He likes to dance when he thinks no one is watching. He likes to sing when he thinks no one is listening. When we ride to school in the morning, he is content in the back seat just thinking and looking out the window. He asks the occasional question or asks whether or not I remember a certain scene from a movie we have watched together, but mostly he is quiet. He is always thinking.
7 years.

The Discipline of Worship

2009-01-15T14:51:00.000-08:00

In Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, there are some good insights into worship, among other things. Here is some of what he says:

Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father. Its central reality is found "in spirit and truth." It is kindled within us only when the Spirit of God touches our human spirit. Forms and rituals do not produce worship, nor does the disuse of forms and rituals. We can use all the right techniques and methods, we can have the best possible liturgy (I would add music as well), but we have not worshiped the Lord until Spirit touches spirit."

As a worshiper, how do you (or I) cultivate the atmosphere where "Spirit touches spirit" in our own lives? If you are a worship leader, how do you cultivate that atmosphere in a corporate setting? I would love to hear any thoughts/insights you might have on this.

Sunshine

2009-01-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

Sunshine

It's been raining forever.
Promises fall from the sky, broken on the ground,
at least in my mind.
Oh I wish these clouds would break.
To see some blue sky above would lift my soul.
I could use a little sunshine today, just a little sunshine today.

Semi-self-inflicted exclusion
is exclusion nonetheless.
A kind word, a smiling face,
some good news for a change.
I could use a little sunshine today,
Just a little sunshine today.

A River Runs Through It

2009-01-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

Last night I got out my favorite movie. A River Runs Through It. It is the story of Norman and his brother Paul, the sons of a Presbyterian minister growing up in early 1900s Montana. I saw it a couple years ago on t.v. and enjoyed the scenery and the fishing. My wife got it for me for Christmas last year on DVD. Watching it now I love it because I connect emotionally with it on 4 levels. I relate as a father, watching two sons grow up. I relate as a son wanting to make a father proud, and I relate as a brother. I relate to the characters' love of nature and fly-fishing as well. It is a beautiful story of love, family and loss set in the beauty of pristine Montana. If you've never seen it, I would highly recommend it.

"Eventually all things merge together, and a river runs through it."

New Year's Eve

2008-12-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

I did not get to the gym today. I have been the last 4 days in a row. I generally go 3 or 4 times a week and exercise at home the other days with body weight exercises like push-ups, free squats and back bridges. It works pretty well for me. I always take at least 1 day off a week. I've been on vacation for a while now so I've had time to go. It has been nice going at around 2 in the afternoon since it's pretty slow. Today, however, I didn't feel like going. I'll go tomorrow.
Tomorrow night I am doing an acoustic set for a New Year's Eve party at a church in Puyallup. That should be fun. My bit is 45 minutes starting at 10pm. Then I have to run up to Renton to catch the turn of the year with the wife.

Beans and Eagles

2008-12-29T21:35:00.000-08:00

I had coffee with Jeremy Johnson this morning. He killed it yesterday morning at New Life Church. That guy is an incredible communicator. It was nice to spend some time talking with him and getting to know an Eagle.

Lazy Sunday Morning.

2008-12-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

I'm having a pretty good morning. I am sitting at home watching football, drinking a non-fat peppermint mocha from the Bux, and just about to get ready for church. Since I'm on vacation right now, I have no responsibilities at church today. We discussed visiting another church today just to see what other churches are doing but when we thought about it further, we decided that we would rather attend our own church. This will be the first service my wife and I have driven together to in about a year.

Good times

2008-12-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

So I'm loving this winter weather! I am taking a few vacation days staying around home and couldn't be happier about all the snow. It's always a little nicer when you don't have to drive in it (even when I do have to drive in it, I have a Jeep). The fam and I just finished building a pretty incredible snow fort and then put it to good use with a snowball fight. The cold reminds me of living in Bend which has awesome winter weather. Good times.

Better Days

2008-12-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

Better Days from Brent Schindel on Vimeo.

I've never seen so much fog in church.

2008-12-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

We just finished up our Christmas production this weekend. We did 1 Friday night and 2 on Saturday. The only bad thing about only doing 3 shows is that by the time you really get things dialed in, you're done. My part was a Goo Goo Dolls song called Better Days. I had a guitar strapped on my back and singing while I walked down the center aisle with spotlights on me the whole time so everyone was calling me "Rock Star". Hopefully that will go away soon. It was more uncomfortable being called "Rock Star" than it was to actually do the part. It was a fun show and the best Christmas production I've ever been to. The hardest part was sitting around back stage waiting until my song.

My Brain On Music.

2008-12-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

So I started journaling again a little bit today. It has been quite a while. If you don't know, journaling is like blogging only you use paper and a writing utensil and no one else reads it. It really is great to get some of my personal thoughts out...other than on here.
I've been reading a book called "This is Your Brain on Music." It is an explanation of the science behind music and how your brain responds to, stores, and processes sound. It is pretty fascinating although it reads a bit like a music theory textbook in the first chapter. It reads like a neural biology textbook in the second chapter. We'll see in the next few chapters if it lightens up any. It is really interesting though how our brains process music. All kinds of neurons firing and such. Really the only things I don't like about it are that it reads like a technical manual and the author takes an evolutionary viewpoint in explaining the processes. Whatever; I can be mature enough to read an author I disagree with on a couple things. I'll let you know how the rest turns out. Unless my brain explodes before I finish it.

Congratulations.

2008-11-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

I want to congratulate Nik Baumgart and his family on becoming the new Senior Pastor of Marysville First Assembly, the church in which I grew up spiritually. The church has had some difficult times lately and I pray that under his leadership, things can turn around. There is and always will be a special place in my heart for that church.

Amazing Grace

2008-11-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

I watched the movie Amazing Grace the other night. It was a bit slow, but the story was great. If you haven't heard of it, it is the story of a man named Wilberforce who was a member of Parliament (but not Funkadelic) in Britain in the late 1700's early 1800's. He had a passion to see the slave trade abolished in the British empire. Year after year, he would introduce a bill calling for the abolition of slavery, and every year, he would be laughed out of the building. After years of struggle, he finally realized his dream, slavery was abolished.
The movie made me think about my own life and whether or not I have the same passion to see people freed from their spiritual chains as Wilberforce had to see people freed from their iron ones. I should, but sadly, I don't. I should hate their chains with a righteous anger. I should be consumed with the idea that people every day are being sold into spiritual bondage and equally consumed with the fact that I know who can redeem them, but to be quite honest, it doesn't keep me up at night.
I don't always understand my apathy. I do, however, understand that the more self-centered and self-focused I am, the less I care about other people. That is not the kind of person I want to be, nor is it the kind of person God has made me to be. Nevertheless, this is where I find myself today; needing to be shaken.

Do you have a passion that keeps you up at night?

Fortune

2008-11-14T22:16:00.000-08:00

We had a Pastor's night out tonight. We all met at The Rock pizza place in Covington and then we headed up to Cutter's Point for some coffee. When we showed up, there was some live music going on and it was a guy from Zambia named Fortune. Dude was phenomenal! You will hear that name again believe you me.
It is awesome to be a part of a team like this one. I have never felt more appreciated.

Done with the Herb

2008-11-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

I finished my herbal cleanse yesterday. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was essentially a 10 day whole foods diet with a few supplements. I feel pretty good. I started eating healthier and exercising every day about a month ago and then started the cleanse. All together I have lost 11 lbs in the last 4 1/2 weeks. The danger is now that I'm done with the cleanse, I could start bad eating habits again. I am going to celebrate being finished today with a feast and then back to healthy again.
I have a weight loss goal of 20lbs and I am more than half way there.

He

2008-11-11T16:06:00.000-08:00

He just wouldn't accept that they were right and he was wrong. He wouldn't conform to the popular opinion that that was just the way things were, and they hated him for that. "His mind doesn't work right." they said. "He's dangerous." Despite their best efforts to keep him quiet and subdue him, he would not bow. He had this confidence that no matter what happened, he was not alone. They hated him for that too. Playing on the fears of rejection, they convinced the populace that he was not one of them and in typical mob fashion, he was killed, but in the midst of the violence, something amazing happened. In an act of selflessness never before seen or since equaled, he asked that they be forgiven. Suddenly it was evident that greater forces were at work. There was a sense that somehow his death had made a difference. The fact that he died alone seemed to cement the idea that we didn't have to be alone. Their rejection of him meant that we would never have to live without the security of acceptance and the knowledge that we are loved beyond our ability to comprehend.
He did that.

Puzzling Behavior

2008-11-10T21:55:00.000-08:00

Just got back from the gym. I kind of had to because I wanted to watch Monday Night Football and my wife wanted to watch John and Kate Plus blah blah blah and there are TVs at the gym. I pretty much ruled the crap out of the elliptical machine. Anyway, it always puzzles me when people get on the treadmill and put the incline level up and then hang on to the front of the treadmill and lean back essentially negating the excersizacle benefits of the incline. That's right, I said excersizacle. Write it down.

Another Great Sunday

2008-11-09T18:29:00.000-08:00

I got home from church today and after a little lunch, headed to the gym because I didn't have to lead a service. Did 68 minutes on the elliptical machine, 1008 calories burned. So I got home today and I was thinking about the day; What a great church! I really feel like we are gaining momentum with our worship in the area of participation. We began a series on missions and today we had three church planters come and tell their stories and we blessed them. Sometime during the third service it became clear to me that we are a church that isn't simply trying to survive but we are the kind of church that really wants other churches to succeed. We aren't the kind of church that plays the jealousy game, but the kind that is outwardly focused. The fact that we are committed to missions the week after our own groundbreaking ceremony shouts volumes. I love my church. There has been a great feeling in the place the last 3 or 4 weeks and attendance has been up like crazy.
One student brought a friend today who had never been in church before. That's exciting by itself but his mother told me that the guest was impressed with the music. Man, that gets me going. There is sort of an expectation that music in the church is sub-par. I would like to see that change, and we are making progress.
One funny story: Right before the third service, one of the musicians, who shall remain nameless, said "Hey you haven't broken a string in a while." And another nameless musician said "Yeah, you're due." I said "What are you doing!? Quit jinxing me." So we went out and during the first song, guess what happened? Yep, broken string.

What are you doing tomorrow?

2008-10-27T20:44:00.001-07:00

Sunday was a great day all around! There was a great atmosphere in all three services as we worshiped together as a church. Pastor Troy spoke about sin and we showed our final Interview With Satan video, which killed by the way.
I went to lunch with an old friend who was the youth pastor in Bend, OR while we were there and he is now the District Youth Director for the state of Oregon.
Sunday night at Axis Church, Jeremy Johnson spoke and as always, tore it up. That dude is funny. During the response time we sang Mighty To Save and we hit another gear as the students pressed in to God like I've never seen them press.
Just a great day all around and the kind of day that makes you say "I could do this again tomorrow!"

The stuffing was my favorite.

2008-10-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

Today at New Life, we celebrated Pastor Appreciation Day. The admins prepared an incredible lunch for us and had it all set with nice china and silverware and everything. Nothing beats getting prime rib and not having to pay for it.

You Never Know

2008-10-27T20:29:00.001-07:00

So in our 4th installment of the Interviews with Satan, we randomly mentioned that Beelzebub himself prefers Samsung flatscreen T.V.s. In our 9am service that Sunday, it just so happened that there was a man there who is the Regional Director of Marketing for Samsung. Oops. He actually wasn't mad and thought it was funny. He asked for a copy and wanted to show it sometime at his office.
We were pretty shocked and were thinking "What, is David Hasselhoff going to be in the 10:30 service?"

Culture of Worship.

2008-10-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

I have been chasing mentors lately and asking questions about how to be the most effective worship leader I can be and how to create a culture of worship in which people naturally engage with God. From what I have gleaned from these mentors, it essentially boils down to 3 things:

Pray: Do not underestimate the power of a solid prayer life.
Be yourself: Honesty and genuine-ness put people at ease.
Lead by example: If you want people to be worshipers, then be a worshiper, not just a worship leader.

I am starting to believe that I was over-thinking the entire thing! I was looking for some more difficult hoops to jump through. I feel pretty good about where we are as a church and more specifically, as a worship ministry at New Life Church. We are gaining momentum and quality at the same time!

In Honor of Timothy C. whom we are mourning.

2008-10-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

He is not afraid to fly
He is not afraid to soar
He is not afraid to dance
Through Heaven's open door

He is not afraid to run
He is not afraid to love
He is not afraid to sing
In the loving arms above

We might be crying today
But it's only for a moment when we know our God is great
And one day soon, we will be there
We will be there.

I'm glad

2008-10-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

I'm glad I don't have to get punched in the face for a living. I'm just saying...

Getting our serve on.

2008-10-19T19:03:00.000-07:00

At New Life Church this past Saturday, we had what we call "Serve Day". We bring in huge dumpsters and invite people to come and drop off their trash for free. We had a station for people to drop off old appliances, a shredding service truck for paper and 2 Salvation Army trucks. We had free car-washes and gave out sack lunches as people left. It is a great way to serve our community and a great time of camaraderie.
Since my wife has been about of town all week, I had my oldest son with me so I had to find something for him to do. He had a blast handing out lunch sacks and playing with some other kids. As we were leaving the house that morning, my son asked me why we had to go. I told him that Jesus said that people would know that we were His followers by the way that we love each other. So I said "What is one of the best ways to show someone that we love them?" To which he replied "Take their trash?"
Good call kid, good call.

Lead Without Leaving

2008-10-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

I attended The Crossing gathering last night and had a great time worshiping. As someone who leads worship about 5 times a week, it is awesome to be at a worship service without having to think about all the technical aspects involved in creating a quality worship experience. Over the years, I have learned how to balance technical and spiritual aspects of worship whilst leading. What I mean is that it isn't all "head worship"; I can still connect with God when I am thinking through transitions and key changes and the like. In fact, the technical aspect has been the bigger challenge for me. My background was more heart than head which doesn't always lend itself to quality. Learning to be a great worship leader involves learning to balance both and also to be able to "lead without leaving". I have to lead people and not leave them behind, but bring them along on the journey.
That being said, when I get to forget about all the other stuff and focus my heart and all of my attention on connecting with God, it is incredibly refreshing.
I count myself blessed because I get to lead worship as a career and it still doesn't feel like a job.

Interview part 3

2008-10-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here is another installment of our interviews with Satan. This one is rated PG. maybe PG-13. The interview begins at 2:o5.

Worship Leader Ad-Lib

2008-10-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

I have been leading worship for about 12 years now. I have lead 5 people in a living room to leading 3000 at outdoor events and everything in-between. When I started it was "Lord I lift your name on...(pause while changing chords)...high." Worship music has come a long way since then but one thing that remains the same is what I call the "Worship Leader Ad-Lib". It sounds like this, "Lord I lift Your name on high, yes I do Lord, Lord I love to sing Your praises." See what I did there? I threw in a little extra in-between the lines, just to let everyone know that I'm serious. Here is another example: "Jesus You've become my everything, oh yeah, I will stand for You in the face of the trial." That one is a little more subtle. Darrell Evans took this art form to a level that was previously believed to be non-existent with his "Freedom" album throwing in the unforgettable gem "Come and take a spin with the Lord".

My all-time favorite however is the "Sing it out". Usually when the song has come to it's natural end but the worship leader decides to sing the chorus "one more time" he or she will give direction in the form of "sing it out" indicating that he/she expects a greater volume level from the congregation. Also "sing it out" can be used in the event that the WL forgets the words.

Here are some others:

Let's put our hands together.
Come on.
Yes You are Lord.
Oh we worship You.

*I don't know how I forgot "Lift it up"

I'm 15 today!

2008-10-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 15 year anniversary of my walk with Christ. What a long journey it has been! Growing, learning, changing, falling, climbing, running, walking; all with a purpose. The means to an end; becoming like Him. I can't say that I have achieved all that I wanted to, but I can say that I am a different person. Someone once said "I may not be where I want to be but thank God I'm not where I used to be."

15 years ago today I walked into a production of Heaven's Gates; Hell's Flames at a small Assembly of God church in Arlington, WA. It was not the greatest drama I had ever seen and I remember thinking that it was kind of corny, but at the end, when some guy got up and gave an invitation to accept Christ, I knew deep down that it was what I needed to do. So I did. I walked down from the balcony and surrendered my life. I don't remember the words I prayed, but I remember the feeling of being clean and lighter than air. I remember talking to a counselor but I have no idea what he said. I remember thinking that it would not be easy to live this life and I was right but for the first time in my life I had something worth living for.

Thanks to all those who worked on that production 15 Octobers ago. It made a difference to me.

Fun on the Snoqualmie

2008-10-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

I got a call yesterday from John Fiskum who is an elder at New Life Church and also a fellow fly-fishing enthusiast, asking me if I would be interested in taking a float trip. "Hecks yes!" I said. So I met him at Starbucks in Carnation, which if you don't know where Carnation is, you are well within the majority. 6:15 is early but worth it when there are cutthroat to be had. It was raining when we arrived at the launch and that means good cutt fishing. We floated for about 5 hours and caught a bunch of 7-8 inch sea-run cutts punctuated by a few 9-10 inchers and actually landed a couple 12 inch resident rainbows. The fish are brilliantly colored and full of spunk. The best part of the float came after I switched from a bright pattern to a drab olive fly. Feeling the pull of a fish that is larger than average really gets the heart going, When it came to hand, or net, it was 16+ inches; big for a sea-run cutt. It was a great trip and a fun day!

Camp Food

2008-10-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

I got back yesterday from leading worship at the Northwest Ministry Network PK retreat in Easton, WA. It was a pretty good time. I had never been to this particular retreat so I didn't know quite what to expect. You know the stories about PKs. They were a cool group though and we had a good time leading them in worship. Easton is only about an hour from where I live so it wasn't a long drive but it still felt like a road trip and as we all know, the best thing about road trips is coming away with inside jokes*.
We got back to the church about 3pm and then had rehearsal for Simply Worship at 5. We had dinner at 6 and then Simply Worship at 7. It has been a busy couple days for me. 5 worship services in 3 days, all with a cold. I am excited about having the next 2 days off with my family.

*Vacuums
*Loading Dock
*T-Shirts
*Release the Creeper!
*Montana, Montana, Montana
*Is that a Gibson?

I Hate Paper

2008-10-01T16:37:00.001-07:00

Check out the Facebook group "I Hate Paper". It will change your life forever. We are strong, we will prevail, we are the revolution!

Interview With Satan: Part 1

2008-09-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

Check out our welcome video. The interview with Satan starts at 5:58.

Indecision '08

2008-09-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

For the first time in my life I am not 100% sure who I'm going to vote for in the presidential election. I'm not one of those people who vote along party lines exclusively. I tend to vote for candidates who mirror my values (at least on the outside anyway).
This cycle though, it hasn't been as clear cut. I am going to watch the debate tonight and maybe something one of the candidates accidentally says will convince me one way or the other. I say "accidentally" because you can't trust politicians. They have polished answers and speech writers who tell them what to say. So maybe one of them will let something slip and let those of us who try to read between the lines will get a glimpse of who these people really are.
Another thing that may sway me is the way the candidates supporters behave. One camp in particular seems to have nothing but sarcasm and name calling on their side. I have yet to hear an Obama supporter say anything positive and substantial about their guy. Everything I hear from that side is about how bad/old/inexperienced/over experienced/religious the other ticket is. They talk about how "inexperienced" Sarah Palin is but they don't want to talk about experience when it comes to Obama versus Mcain. Not one candidate on either ticket has 1 day of presidential or vice presidential experience so I don't put much weight behind that argument. I want to hear why your pick is a good one, not why the other pick is bad. As of yet, I haven't heard anything but buzz words and mud-slinging.

Palin was clearly a token choice by the Mcain camp but at least their supporters are, for the most part, respectful and haven't resorted to name calling (so far). You could make the same argument about Obama or Hillary, had she won. Sure you've got your whack job conservatives hanging effigies but those nuts are few and far between (thank God).

All in all, I am having a hard time figuring out how either candidate will make my life any better. Maybe the debate tonight will answer some questions, maybe not. My advice to you: Don't listen to what they say, try to hear who they are.

Kickoff

2008-09-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

We had our kickoff service for the new young adults' ministry, The Crossing, last night. What a great environment to be in and what a great group of people to hang out with! Click here for pictures.

The Crossing

2008-09-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

I am excited about the Crossing tomorrow night! The band we have put together is phenomenal, and the new room, "The Alley" is awesome. It will be great to see how this new ministry comes together.

Man Skirt

2008-09-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

We went to the Puyallup fair last night. As we were walking to the entrance, a guy wearing a kilt walked past us. I totally want to get a kilt because I hear they are comfortable. I probably wouldn't wear it in public like at church or anything like that but still. My 6 year old said "Dad I know what that skirt is called." I said "Oh yeah?" He said "Yeah, it's called a 'Man Skirt'.

Kids are great.

Dreams

2008-09-09T20:41:00.001-07:00

I had a dream 2 nights ago that I thought was weird. In this dream I was standing on a dock at sunset. I was holding a little blond girl about 4 who was my daughter. I don't have a daughter in real life so that was odd. I remember that in my dream I was leaving but I don't remember why. I tried to talk to her but she was unresponsive. Then I remembered (in my dream of course) that she was deaf. So I had to have someone translate for me. I said "Tell her 'Sweety, we will always have this (time together watching the sunset).'" That was it.

Have you ever had a sad dream so vivid that you wake up and are kind of affected all day?

T.G.I.F.S!!!

2008-09-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

I have been working on some scripts for some videos we are doing for an upcoming series. The video guy and I have been writing, creating, editing, sharing and brainstorming for what seems like a month. They are getting pretty close to being done and we are just about ready to start shooting the teasers. That being said; my brain hurts. I feel pretty spent creatively. I need to turn my mind off for a while. Thank God it's football season!

On the Radio Again

2008-09-04T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well I found out that I will be featured on Spirit 105.3's Local Music Project Friday night at 5:25! It's pretty cool, they do a little bio and play a song and then recap the bio. It's fun to hear yourself on the radio. It is sponsored by www.track10.com which is a cool web-site for local Christian artists to post music and photos and event calendars. It is a great resource if you are looking for an artist for a service or event.
Funny Story: Brenda, who runs Track10, emailed me today saying that I would be on the LMP Friday. I glanced at my calendar and emailed back "Friday the 8th?" She emailed back and said "No, tomorrow the 5th." Then I looked at my calendar again and realized that I had yet to switch it to September. Musicians.

If you are in western Washington Friday at 5:25 pm, tune in to Spirit 105.3 and have a listen. If not you can stream it live at www.spirit1053.com, either way, I appreciate the support.

Labor Day

2008-09-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

There's no better way to celebrate labor than sitting around watching college football. Gotta love Labor Day.

Weird

2008-08-31T23:11:00.000-07:00

I turned down a fishing trip on a blue ribbon trout river tonight. I was planning on going but when I sat down and thought about it, I just wasn't that excited about it. I would rather stay home and be with my family than get up at 5am and catch fish. I wonder if this is what growing up feels like. Whatever it is, it feels weird.

Breaking Home Ties

2008-08-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

I saw this painting for the first time a couple months ago in a news story. The original was found behind a fake wall in the home of a man who had died. It is called "Breaking Home Ties" by Norman Rockwell.
There are a few things that struck me about this painting when I first saw it. First, the detail in the painting is amazing. The contrast in the old, weathered face and hands of the father and the youthful excitement in the face of the boy headed off to college. The man seems like the type who has lived by the sweat of brow for a long time. He strikes me as the kind of man who will see his son off with a handshake instead of a hug. Notice that the boy is looking for the train and the old man is looking back toward home.
Looking at this picture today I noticed something I hadn't before; The old man is holding his hat in his hand but he is also holding the boy's hat. His last attempt to hold on to his son. Maybe he knows that he won't see him again for a long time. maybe he knows that his son will not follow in his footsteps.
I have at least 12 years until this scene becomes a reality for me but it hits home.

What do you see?

Girl With a Pearl Earring

2008-08-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

I watched a movie last night called "Girl With a Pearl Earring". The story is about a girl who becomes a servant in the house of a Dutch painter in the mid 1600s. the movie, I felt, gave some insight into artists and how the creative process is fostered. If not for that fact, I probably could not have endured more than 20 minutes of it.

The interesting thing to me was that the story revolves around an actual painting. The painting inspired a novel and the novel was made into a movie. I thought that was the coolest thing. I would love to be able to see art inspire art more often. To write a song about a painting or a picture or paint a picture inspired by a short story. To see creativity cross-pollinate. That would be cool.

Unagi: More Than A State Of Mind.

2008-08-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

I just got finished with a creative meeting regarding Christmas. It was fun and sort of a continuation of a meeting I was in yesterday. With zero notice, I was involved in a getaway meeting to discuss the teaching calendar for 2009. We left at noon and went to lunch at a secret place which ended up being a cool sushi restaurant. I'll be honest; I'm not a sushi fan. But it wasn't that bad and didn't taste as fishy as it has in the past. Bad pun, sorry. We grabbed some coffee and headed to our meeting location in downtown Renton. We spent the next 4 or 5 hours brainstorming. Thoughts and creative ideas were flying like hymnals at a revival...um...never mind. Hunger began to creep in again but we were able to shove it away like it was Andy Dick trying to get into a club before he was famous. When we finally did break for dinner, we ate at a little deli across the street. Then we came back and did a quick review, packed up and headed back to the church.

It is always fun to be around other creative people and feed off each other. To see an idea start like a mountain stream, small and indefinite, and as it is added to, it gains depth, definition, color and speed and becomes a river.

It hit me last night as I was brushing my teeth: What an awesome responsibility it is to be involved in shaping and leading this church. It is truly humbling.

No, It's not named after the bad actor.

2008-08-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

I got to break in the Keyano (see below) this morning as I was playing the keys for the Sunday morning main services. It worked pretty well. The only thing was that the stool was a little tall and my mic was rocking back and forth when I would tap my foot to the beat. It was way less cluttered than having the piano and keyboard on stage and it made transitioning between sounds quick and painless. All in all it simplifies things and it looks way more rock and roll than the grand. Now I have to sort through the thousands of sounds on the new software!

The Keyano

2008-08-23T20:07:00.001-07:00

So the new project is finished. It is an old Baldwin console piano with the guts torn out and a 49 key midi controller mounted inside. There is a wireless keyboard and small touch pad controlling the Mac tower running Logic 8 and Mainstage. Oh and don't forget the Digi 002 interface/output. Here is is in all it's glory!

Plug

2008-08-23T00:19:00.001-07:00

If you are in the mood for some good poetry, check out my friend Cerissa's blog. cerissacerissa.wordpress.com or click the link in my "Blogs I Read" section. Good stuff.

Nothing Sticks to a Clean Heart

2008-08-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

We had our pastoral staff retreat the last couple days. We were in the small tourist town of Leavenworth, WA. It is decorated in Bavarian style with small shops everywhere. The weather was crazy hot: 101 the first day and 90-something and rainy the second day. The focus of the sessions was the heart. Pastor Troy spoke on keeping our hearts right. It was a lot of fun, we went on hayrides with a snarky driver and even took group square-dancing lessons (I threw a little Robot-fusion in just to keep it real).

I really had an opportunity to practice what we had learned in the sessions as I had a reason to become very offended. Even though I knew that there was probably no malice intended, I was hurt. When you are new in a place, it is easy to feel like an outsider. When you have no history somewhere, it's easy to feel like you don't belong.

Here is the thing; I heard someone once say that "Nothing sticks to a clean heart." Clearly there was a heart issue I needed to deal with. It was my insecurity. The root of insecurity is pride. The pride that needs acceptance from people, that cares what other people think about me.

So I had to work through it. I knew that if I didn't, bitterness would eat me alive. I had to deal with my pre-disposition toward feeling like any time I am not included, I am being rejected which is of course, not true. I spent a couple hours brooding and moping and trying to sort things out in my head. I got over it. I came to the realization that I could have changed things and it really wasn't that big of a deal.

You might wonder "If you are so insecure, is it hard to get up on stage and lead people in worship every week?" The answer, oddly, is "No". By nothing but the grace of God the answer is "No". When I'm worshiping, I am in my sweet spot. It's what I was made to do. I need to learn to walk in the security that comes from knowing that I am accepted as a son of God. I need to walk around with a clean heart.

The Jeep Wave

2008-08-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

So I drive a Jeep Wrangler. It's a '97. Some day I would love to get one of those new Wrangler Unlimited 4-door models. Man, those are sweet. I see quite a few of them around and almost every one I see is driven by someone who has never owned a Jeep Wrangler before. How could I possibly tell that you ask? Because people who drive those do not know about the "Jeep Wave". The Jeep Wave is a small gesture made by Wrangler owners when they pass one another on the road. Generally with one hand on the steering wheel, the driver will raise two fingers in a casual manner. It conveys a sense of community; a shared misery only the owner of a Wrangler could understand. Leaky roofs and windows, broken suspension components, sketchy wiring, all things we are familiar with. It's all part of the mystique that is Jeep ownership. That's why we wave.

Barbarian?

2008-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I got back from our staff retreat in the Bavarian town of Leavenworth, WA yesterday and it's good to be back.

I was lying awake in bed one of the nights and the thought occurred to me: I bet deaf people appreciate text messaging on a much deeper level than you and I.

You Can't Do That On Telelvision

2008-08-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

I just got finished with worship practice and got home. It's exciting to see the progress we have made and are making with the worship team. We are really getting things dialed in as far as our sound and excellence of our musicians. I was thinking today how blessed I am to be able to make a career out of the gifts, abilities and passion that God has given me and the fact that I don't have to break my back to put food on the table. I get to do what I love full time. So blessed.

My wife is watching the women's gymnastics right now on CBC. That's right; the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. If you have never watched CBC it's kind of weird. It's almost like American TV except everyone has a slight accent and the sports they show are different. For some reason there is a maple leaf on EVERY logo. Even the Golden arches have a maple leaf on them. Have a headache? Take some Tylenol with a maple leaf on the bottle.

Now they are showing highlights of men's field hockey. Canada lost.

Head Wounds

2008-08-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

They say you never forget your first head wound. Well today my 6 year old got his. He fell in the back yard and gashed his head on a concrete block. I had to rush home and run him over to the urgent care because my wife is not good with blood. I told him to tell the doctor that he was in a gang fight but he wouldn't do it. Two staples to the head and he was ready to go home. I was proud of him, he did really well with the whole thing.

Have you ever noticed that when you are in a hurry, no one else is? I tried really hard not to be agitated on my Cannonball Run home but it wasn't easy. That made me think about driving and being frustrated. As someone who has his face projected onto a giant screen in front of a couple thousand people a week, it only takes being recognized a couple of times at Starbucks to realize that when I am in public, I can't have a crappy attitude with baristas even if they totally screw up my order or get 5 people behind me in line their drinks before mine (Sadly, these are things that sometimes trigger a crappy attitude in me). I have to think about that when I drive as well. If someone cuts me off, I can't give them a dirty look even though deep down I feel like giving them the bird. I represent New Life Church. My problem is not with the fact that I can't do those things; My problem is with the fact that I want to.

Someone completely cut me off today and then glared at me. For some reason, my first thought was "Why am I holding on to this aspect of my personality?" The part of me that wants to punish people for their mistakes. I want to be a person who is completely surrendered but I don't want to let go of that part.

I once heard someone say "You can't cast out your flesh, you have to crucify it." I have a part of me that needs to be crucified. I need to make a concious choice to crucify my flesh every day. This, I think, is the least fun part of following Jesus.

Again, I feel like today I grew a little.

Let the Games Begin!

2008-08-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching 5 hours of live coverage of the TBN olympic games opening ceremony from southern California. It was a brilliant production, ok, it was Carman singing extended dance mixes of his greatest hits but still...

I can't wait until the actual events take place. My favorite is the toupee toss. They are adding a new scoring system this year for accuracy. The closer you get it to Paul Crouch's head the higher your overall score.

The team from Texas, anchored by Joyce Meyer, is heavily favored to win the 4x100 meter offering plate relay.

Rod Parsley and T.D. Jakes won the world championships last year in synchronized hand raising and are expected to put on quite a show in these games with a brand new routine.

A new event this year is expected to cause quite a stir in international competition. The open event consists of competitors ballroom dancing around theology to get their point across.

The gymnastics portion of the games is expected to draw huge crowds. The fan favorite is the balance beam where athletes try to balance prosperity ministry and good solid doctrine. Not an easy task.

Well I should get back to the tube, the swimming in cash competition is about to start!

;)

Special thanks to Brian Foster Kane for the inspiration.

Yo Momma

2008-08-11T18:22:00.000-07:00

Some of us were talking yesterday about Tourette's Syndrome and why you never hear of a case of polite Tourette's. One thing led to another and that evolved into a discussion on polite "Your Momma" jokes. Here are some.

Your momma is so holy, she sweats anointing oil.

Your momma is so holy, she smells like a hymnal.

Your momma is so holy, Jesus has her face tattooed on His shoulder blade.

Your momma is so holy, when she bakes a pie, it can feed 5000.

Your momma is so holy, when she snores, it sounds like organ music.

Whatchu got?

Like a Warped Basketball?

2008-08-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

I am watching the opening ceremonies for the Olympics right now. I was thinking that there are 1.3 billion people in China and over a billion people in India. That's a full third of the entire population of the planet! Given the proximity of the two nations, I am surprised that the Earth can actually rotate on it's axis with all that weight loaded on one side.

Moments

2008-08-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

I had a moment this morning. One of those moments where suddenly things become clear. It's like when you look at a river and occasionally the surface becomes smooth and briefly you are able to see the bottom without distortion. I was sitting at a stoplight and there was a police officer in front of me in line. After our light turned green a full-size pickup ran the red through the intersection right in front of the cop. I was thinking "Wow, bad timing. Enjoy your ticket." The truck was stopped at another light about 100 yards ahead waiting in the left turn lane but to my surprise the cop slowly drove up to the light and made a right turn.

My first thought was "Are you kidding!!!? That guy deserves a massive ticket!" I was actually mad a little. Then I had a moment.

I felt like God wanted me to see something. He seemed to say "Why do you ask for mercy for yourself and expect justice for everyone else?" Suddenly I could see a little of the ugliness inside me. I pray for mercy, I have been praying for mercy for a while now, and yet somehow I become indignant when mercy is shown to someone else. Ugly. Maybe the cop was off duty or wasn't looking; Whatever the reason, no ticket was given and I was not OK with that.

My prayer is that I would not be quick to stand in judgment, but be merciful. To not demand justice for others while begging for mercy for myself. These moments are the growth points of our lives. I think I grew a little today.

What can we do today to show the mercy of God?

Test Confirmed

2008-08-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

Well the test has been confirmed. Turns out it took a little prodding by some family members but my wife finally read my blog. Turns out I'm not in trouble. That's good news.

A Cool Thing to Say

2008-08-06T11:21:00.001-07:00

I think a cool thing to say to someone who tells you that they dreamed about you is: "Oh, sorry about that. Sometimes my awesomeness bleeds over into other people's sub-consciousness."

Meetings!

2008-08-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

I think I might be strange. I really enjoy meetings, especially when there is the possibility of being creative. I actually feel energized after a good meeting. Strange, I know.

Last night we had a creative meeting about a sermon series we have coming up in a couple months. It was so much fun that when I got home I wouldn't shut up about it. My wife said "I'm glad you had fun at work today. Why don't you fold some laundry?" Geez, some people have no appreciation for the beauty of creativity.

The New Project: When Baldwin meets Makita

2008-08-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

So we have a new project. Brent and I got started on gutting this old piano that someone found whilst cleaning out a storage closet. Brent got the idea to gut it and put in a midi controller and mount the computer inside so it looks rustic but it's totally slick. We even hooked up the existing sustain pedal to a keyboard sustain pedal.

I apologize for the video being sideways; I always forget to rotate my phone when I take video. This is what happens when Baldwin meets Makita!

Groups at the Game

2008-08-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

I got to go to a Mariners game last night. My sister got some tickets through her work and gave them to me for a belated birthday present. My wife and I went and enjoyed an evening without kids which was a long time coming. Baseball games are fun but the Mariners are bad so I had to occupy myself in creative ways during the game. One way is to notice people. We have been to 4 games at Safeco field and there are always certain groups of people that also attend the games and somehow always end up sitting by us. This is a brief description of some of them.

Group 1: Rooting For The Other Team Guy, or RFTOTG. This individual usually has a smug look on their face and the visiting team's colors on their dome. As if that wasn't enough, RFTOTG has to say obnoxious things like "Let's go Nick", like the rest of us are going to believe he is on a first name basis with these players and cheer loudly when the other team does something good. Bro, you're in the third deck, they can't hear you.

Group 2: Chatty Folk. Chatty Folk come in 2 subgroups; baseball educated, and social chatters. Baseball educated folk always bring someone with them who has apparently never heard of the game before and they spend the entire game explaining the finer points like "That is a baseball and that is called a field." A necessarily evil I suppose for the furtherance of the game. Social chatters seem like they know a lot about the game but spend absolutely zero time discussing and/or watching the game. They are more interested in sharing details on anything from their job to their health problems. One time, there was a couple behind us, apparently on a date, and the guy was talking about completely inappropriate bowel issues he was having. Seriously.

Group 3: Group People. these folks get group discount tickets and arrive in herds, normally in the nosebleed section. They are the ones making entirely too much noise when nothing is actually happening. These folk are the ones responsible for attempting to start "the wave" 87% of the time. (By the way, just say no to the wave.)

Group 4: Arrive Late, Leave Early People. ALLEPs attend so many games that they know the names of the ball boy and they say things like "Billy looks a little slow tonight. I'll bet he had a hot pocket for dinner again." They show up right after you mention to whomever you came with that you are glad no one is sitting in the seats in front of you. Right around the 2nd or 3rd inning. These people are usually cool and will talk to you about the game if you want. They are very familiar with ballpark etiquette. Generally they will get bored by the end of the 6th and start discussing the idea of leaving. By the 8th they are up and out of there. I kind of like ALLEPs.

Group 5: A Few Too Many Before The Game Even Starts Guy. This guy, well, we've all seen this guy in public. A good talking to by the Alcohol Enforcement officer and he will calm down a little.

I hope that prepares you in the event you get out to a game. There are a few more groups that regularly attend games and hopefully I will be able to post about them the next time my sister gets some tickets.

The Shack

2008-07-31T22:33:00.001-07:00

I read The Shack this week and I was really moved by it. I thought it painted a beautiful picture of how God relates to us. There is a lot of discussion about suffering, loss and forgiveness. I don't think I made it through a whole chapter without crying but then I am a crier. I can't watch other people cry without choking up myself. I've always been that way. I can't watch other people deal with tragedy or loss without sympathizing. I remember seeing the Challenger blow up on TV when I was little and being moved by the loss of the families. So when I read The Shack, I cried more than a catholic statue of Mary. I know there are a lot of people who take issue with some of the theological issues presented but that's to be expected. Whenever someone challenges the way we think about God, it's only natural to defend what we believe. I enjoyed the way it was written and that it challenged the way I think about the character of God and the relationship between Jesus, God the Father and The Holy Spirit. I won't spoil it for you, but the way that God the Father shows Himself to the main character threw me for a loop. I guess because the way I picture God in my mind's eye is the same way as the main character says he does; An old white man with a long white beard.

Overall, I would say that if you want to be challenged in the way that you think and are into moving stories, read The Shack. If you're the kind of person who gets all bent out of shape when someone makes fun of your WWJD bracelet; read something else.

Wow!

2008-07-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

Wow!
I'm not sure what else to say. Click the link, grab a kleenex.

Back From Vacation

2008-07-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back from vacation, feeling rested and refreshed. We got to see a lot of friends and enjoy some time away. We spent an afternoon walking around downtown Bend going into the shops and walking along the river. We camped for a couple days but with 5 boys ages 6 and under between our two families, it was quite an ordeal. I led worship at our old church, that was fun. I got to get out fishing a couple times and had a good time doing that. I pulled a 16 1/4" rainbow out of the Crooked River Saturday evening which equaled the largest fish I've ever caught in a river. I wanted to take a picture of it but by the time I got it to hand and measured it against my rod, I didn't want it to be out of the water any longer so I held it up quickly for my buddy to be jealous of, and then slipped it back into the water and it said "goodbye" with a splash of it's tail as it swam away. It was long and slim with brilliant white on the bottom and dark blueish green on the back. Speckled and spotted with the trademark rainbow-red stripe. Man, talking about it makes me want to go fishing.

Vacation!

2008-07-20T21:58:00.000-07:00

We are packing up and heading off to sunny central Oregon in the morning! Going to take some time off and just relax and by "relax", I mean camp and fish. I'll be doing something at Faith Christian Center in Bend on Sunday, our old church. Either a special song or leading worship. Should be nice to see some old friends and visit some old fishing holes. Sweet, sweet vacation.

The Playoff

2008-07-19T00:45:00.000-07:00

There was for the first time in Chains history, a tie in a blog poll. He-Man and Billy Ray Cyrus have tied for whose mullet you miss more. Let's have a playoff!

Defining Community

2008-07-19T00:16:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine emailed me today asking me for some thoughts on community. Like what it means within the kingdom, outside of the kingdom, and how we can cultivate community in both. Apparently people really care about my opinion. Ok not really people necessarily, it's pretty much just my 1 friend, but I digress. Then he finished with "What does John 13:35 mean to you?". That got me thinking, which was odd because most of the time when I reply to emails I just ramble incoherently until I figure I have completely confused the person to the point that they have quit reading my reply. Works like a charm. Try it sometime like when your supervisor asks you where your time sheet is or whatever. Anyway, John 13:35 talks about how we will be known as disciples of Jesus by the love that we have toward each other.

So here is my question for you: What does community mean to you in light of John 13:35? With permission, I will forward your comments to my friend. He writes a wildly unpopular blog and might use them.

Biting Back

2008-07-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

What is it with us, Christians I mean? Why do we insist on tearing down one another? I have been reading www.stuffchristianslike.net for a couple of months now and the guy is brilliant. Seriously. But the other day he posted about Todd Bentley and the move of God in Lakeland, FL and hateful people came out of the woodwork talking all kinds of garbage about someone they don't even know. Why? Because what is going on there doesn't fit inside their comfortable little western theology? Because what they see on TV is contradictory to what they have heard from their pulpits? Not contradictory to what the Bible actually says, mind you, just what they have heard from a man. Why do we feel like we have the right to bash someone who is just as much a child of God as we are? Todd Bentley is not preaching a different Jesus. He is not claiming to be The Way, The Truth and The Life. He is praying that people would be healed and guess what? They are being healed. If you don't like the guy because he has tattoos, fine. If you don't like him because he rides a Harley, fine. If you don't like him because he prays for people and sometimes they get healed, fine. Just keep your mouth shut unless he violates a direct scriptural mandate. We don't have to like everyone or even every church or method of church but we do NOT have the right to speak of a child of God in a hateful manner just because we disagree with them theologically. I have a Pentecostal background. You will never see me posting on how all non-Pentecostals are "Whack Jobs" who are "Afraid of the Holy Spirit". No! There is too much at stake for us to be constantly attacking each other. You don't like what is going on in Florida? Don't go. You think Todd Bentley is a fake? I bet someone who got out of a wheelchair at the meeting would disagree with you.
I'm not saying Todd Bentley is perfect or the next Oral Roberts or anything; I've never met him, but neither have the people who have been ripping him down and that's the problem. Let's hold our tongues except for building each other up. Come on, a little Building 4:29 anyone? Ok Ephesians 4:29.

Man that was a serious post. Feel free to vote in my mullet poll to balance yourself out a little.

Song titles into Christianese

2008-07-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

I was thinking of some old song titles and how they would translate into Christianese.

You Shook me all Night Long:
What the tambourine said to the worship leader's wife after the youth worship shut-in.

Cashmere:
What the worship leader's V-neck argyle sweater is made of.

Jump:
The only acceptable form of dancing in the church.

Panama:
Where the short term missions trip was this year.

Smoke on the Water:
What happened when the fog machine fell into the baptismal.

Love Potion #9:
What's really in those bottles of oil at the altar.

Twist and Shout:
How you get into the 1 suit you own when you visit your grandparents church.

Purple Haze:
What you're pretty sure you saw coming from the fog maching after they fished it out of the baptismal.

Stairway to Heaven:
That stairway to the balcony that always has the "Closed" sign hanging from a rope across the stairs.

Where the Streets Have No Name:
The city where the church is that you are trying to find.

Man in the Mirror:
The guy in the bathroom who takes forever to wash his hands thus blocking everyone else from washing their hands. (I don't really have a problem with this guy cause at least he washes right?)

Danger Zone:
5 foot perimeter around any and all refreshments for the adult Sunday School class. As in, "Stay away from our donuts punk, don't think I don't see you there in the danger zone!"

I'm sure I will continue this list in the future. Thoughs? Suggestions?

Sunday Morning Service

2008-07-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

We just finished up Sunday morning services and what an awesome day! We had our new freind Gabe lead a song in all three services. He did a great job. We had a full stage today as we had two electric guitar players along with two acoustic players (Gabe and me). Pastor Troy spoke on James chapter 1 about sin and temptation. You can watch the sermon on-line here on the church website.

There was a really good atmosphere in all the services today. In the lobby as well. Not that there is ever a bad atmosphere, it just seemed more joyful today.

More song titles translated into Christianese

2008-07-12T21:21:00.001-07:00

Here are some more song titles translated into Christianese.

1999(Prince)
The year the church switched from overhead projectors to powerpoint projectors.

Cruel Summer (Banannarama)
That year when VBS was 2 weeks long.

Don't Dream It's Over (Crowded House)
Pastor is preaching the long version of his sermon today.

Africa (Toto)
Where the short term missions trip is next year.

Every Rose has it's Thorn (Poison)
There was a wedding or a funeral on Friday and now we have semi-fresh flowers to put out Sunday morning.

Funky Town (Pseudo Echo)
What the children's ministry is named.

Right Here Waiting for You (Richard Marx)
Where your mom will be and what she will be doing in the car while you are at the friday night youth event.

Hit me with Your Best Shot (Pat Benatar)
Your pastor is hosting a Q and A session during the business meeting.

Still Haven't found what I'm Looking For (U2)
What you say when you've attended every church in town.

I want you to want me (Cheap Trick)
When the new pastor is trying out.

Ok that's 10 more. Probably more to come.