Perfect Pitch

A Story of Worship

  Whether it is the off-key voice of the person behind you on Sunday morning, the guitar solo that wasn't so hot, or the muffled sound of the voice from stage singing a song you've never heard before, how do you perceive the noise we call worship? Can you hear the beauty in it's offering, or are you the judge of its ineptitude? Worship has many different styles and even more methods of delivery and presentation. Most people think of music when we talk about worship, with many churches all over the world hiring a guy or gal that we refer to as the worship leader, but do we look at our worship as their job to create and administer the worship time? To manage what is said and done, to direct the church body into a position and realm of worshipful expression. Perhaps for the corporate time together that answer is mostly yes.
  Yet worship is so much more than people getting together to sing songs, whether flashy lights and loud music is your thing, or you pine over the soft and subtle folk sound of acoustic everything, maybe you prefer the realism of no sound system and just enjoy the harmony of voices bringing life back to the hymnal. None of these are wrong, or better than and more pleasing to God than the other. As a former worship leader, and longtime sound engineer, concert producer, and rock singer at heart, I have my tastes for what I like to hear on Saturday night or Sunday morning. But is that all there is to worship? The sights, sounds and endless opinions. I think that we have focused far too much on the style differences and have forgotten, or at least minimized the real purpose and motive of worship.
Worship has a purpose behind it in this world, just as life has been a series of changes and learning experiences, worship isn't something that you master on the first try. Although it's purpose is one of expression, the ultimate reason for it is far beyond this world. As a famous science fiction movie line once said, and I will paraphrase into the realm of worship to make my point, worship surrounds us, it binds us together, it helps us to see through eyes that are not our own. It is the light that we share with one another, an ally when we are alone, and as a little green guy once said, a powerful ally it is. Okay, so enough with the movie thoughts, but they are pretty powerful thoughts when you put them into the real world in which we live. While many of us think that we might enjoy being a movie hero and having special powers, how many of us develop the special powers and gifts promised to us by God through His word? Some of God's gifts would surely seem extra-special if we were to suddenly start healing people with a simple word or touch. Or perhaps healing the emotional issues on the inside that we all seem to suffer through would be an even greater feat. Imagine a church body full of believers that have prayed their way through the hardships of their own ragged lives, a group of people who have learned the full value of grace and forgiveness. People who might even have discovered the destructive power of loveless judgment and conceit, and find no room for it in their group and individual lives. A truly special power that would be.
  Worship without the distractions of failure and doubt, where everyone is valued and the stories of life tell of our undeniable need to ask God to form us into His likeness. Letting the past be the past, and removing the scales from our eyes, the inability to see life and others through the eyes of a loving Father. One who grieves when we are resistant, but One who party's with all of His creation when we come to Him and say, "I need you, I am sorry for making a mess of my life, please take over and guide me in the path that leads me to the heart of your perfect love, help me to hear the voice of that ally which you have sent to be with us. Through your grace and mercy, remake my heart into your heart, and show me the purpose and pathway to true worship". There are many words that you could say and have the same meaning, don't get hung up on the words of your prayer, it is your heart that matters to God. He knows it well, and if you're sincere with Him, the words that you use won't matter.
  Worship to me is far more than a song, or music; it's a state of being. A mindset that we need to use to talk to and visit with God. Before you theologians seek to reprimand me over what biblical purposes are called out for worship; yes, I agree that it is to exalt Him as Lord and as such it is an offering not always a two-way conversation, (at least the Pharisaical friends that I know like to point that out), but I believe if you look at worship as a single directional state of being, then you are missing out on the truly powerful message of the gospel. Jesus was very clear that our relationship with God was a personal one. Not something that could be done by remote or through an intermediary, but through time spent together. Having the knowledge of what each other is thinking and what their plans are. Certainly, we have reverence for God and His position as Lord of lords, over everything earth and sky, but He hugs us through His spirit, comforts us when we're sad, and enjoys every minute that we spend in His presence. As we intertwine our lives with His, we become a bound force, a shared power flows from Him through us, changing our darkened hearts into beacons of light. And though we have our faults and weaknesses, His light and His grace continue to burn through our messy lives, casting light into our shadows and failures.
  Normal three-dimensional thinking just cannot explain this connection that we have with Him. It is definitely difficult to explain to someone that hasn't at least attempted to experience it for themselves. The wonderful and inexplicable part is that He seeks our hearts to be one with His. For us to find a relationship with Him, through our rags and dirty mess of a life, He doesn't seek to judge that; What He does seek to do is celebrate our homecoming, our release back to Him that which He created, us. Worship is surely not about being a great singer, or fabulous guitar player, those people are fun, and I love to hang out with them and hear them use their gifts for praising God and sometimes just entertaining people. It isn't about how big a church building you have, or whether or not you have moving lights in your service. New songs or old hymns, Leslie organ, or keyboards and strings, let those arguments go. That isn't worshiping. It's about your heart? Are you conversing with God and getting to know His heart, or just judging the surroundings when you go to church. Don't wait for service times to worship, if you do, you're missing out on all of the time you could be spending with Him. Worship is every day, small minutes of your time, saying hello and thank you to Him for your blessings that very moment. Talking to Him during the first half of a walk, then listening to Him for the second half. I know that sounds a lot like prayer, maybe it is. The point I want to make is that worship is a lifestyle, a thought process that will help to bind your heart to God's. Maybe it's a prayer of worship and thankfulness: talking, singing, thinking of beautiful things. I look at those times as worship, agreeing with Him that I appreciate His creation and long to be more like He intended me to be. Worship isn't about having perfect pitch and singing like an angel, worship is about using what you have to enter into a relationship with God so that you can recognize His leading and influence in your life. And truly, what could be better than knowing that you have the ear of God when you call to Him and that He is as close as your breath when you need Him most. Off key or not, with my mouth or my hands, I will keep looking for ways to worship Him until I can do it in person.

Who Will Go

     Recently, a mentor of mine reminded me that it is not always the perfect and skillfully educated people that do the leading and discovering. More often than not, it’s the willing and even more importantly, the available, that fill those shoes. Those who talk without polish in their words, or lead without knowing the odds. Stepping out into a leadership role can be scary, and if it doesn’t scare you, you probably aren’t a good one. There were many reluctant leaders in the Bible. Moses and Jonah found out that even if you fight against God’s will, He sometimes has already laid the groundwork to use you, and no matter how hard you fight, God will find a way to put you where He wants you.
      Let’s just look at Jonah for a minute, Jonah was not ungodly. He knew God, and I think he probably thought of himself as a good person. Certainly God thought that he had something usable to reach the people of Nineveh. But for several reasons, Jonah was scared. He ran the complete and opposite direction from where God wanted him to be. Boarding a ship to sail away into the sunset, God put into motion a set of circumstances that would eventually find Jonah thrown overboard by the captain and crew. A bit extreme if you stop to think about it; yet no sooner than they had disposed of Jonah, the sea became more calm, and they were saved. They obviously made the right choice.
     Jonah on the other hand, had started out with some very bad decisions. I have a question for you though, after telling the crew of the boat the truth and coming clean about what he had done, did his life get better? I would say spending days alive, inside of a fish qualify as things only got worse for him. After some time, Jonah arrive where God had intended, and with an even more fascinating story with which to reach and hold the attention of the people of Nineveh. I’m sure he looked the part as well, haggled, worn, and in general a real mess.
      It seems that this story could be told about each one of us doesn't it? Of course you may never be thrown overboard from a ship, or swallowed by a fish, but don’t you feel like you have been on some days. I sure do. It doesn’t even necessarily come from directly going against God’s call, sometimes it’s just our stubborn resistance to follow His direction in our lives. We want something so bad, that we do it even knowing God wouldn’t approve. I’ve made decisions that way, and I am sure that you have too. Some are of lesser consequence, and then there some that really get us thrown overboard.
     The mindset that I usually find myself in when I feel God’s leading is this; I’m not qualified to do what I feel God is calling me toward. Either because I resisted so long to do it, or because I feel like I lack the education, experience or the skill to do it. I talk myself out of even considering it. I board my ship, and sail as fast as I can in the other direction. Not that I am, or ever have been, called to preach and save an entire region as Jonah was, but you have to understand that God isn’t always looking for that. He calls each of us to serve and believe it or not, most times the people and places He is calling us to are right where we are. Family, neighbors, friends, co-workers. Not everyone is an overseas missionary, in fact those are the rarest of people He calls.
     I am sure that you are thinking of someone or something that God has nudged you about in the past, or may be currently filling your heart with thoughts of, “this is for you”. Mine have changed over the years. Yours may too. I didn’t feel all that qualified for most of them either, but each time that I have been spit out by the fish that rescued me from running away from God’s plan, wonderful things have happened. I’ve met new people, some are affected by the stories or music that I have to share. It never ceases to amaze me how God uses my regular life of trial and error, and non-super powers effort, to create an outcome of beauty that glorifies Him. That’s His grace in my life; not only has He forgiven me, but He allows me to help others through sharing my journey and life lessons with others that are going through similar times. This is the true intention for fellowship.
     I’m not going to tell you that it isn’t a little scary at times. Okay, sometimes a lot scary. I think, “what if I am a complete failure”. If you feel that way too, remember this, you are following a path that God has led you to. If you have been obedient and prayed about it, asked mentors what they think, prayed some more, and you all agree that you should go forward with it, then you’re doing the right thing. Just remember, sometimes success can be in disguise. God’s plans can be far down the road, and though you and I may see what we did as a flop, it may be a foundation for what someone else comes to finish. Don’t judge your results by yourself; let God do that. Then listen to family and have good accountable mentors that can help you gauge if you are really being effective.. Don’t be afraid to say, I have finished this calling, or God has given me a new plan of action, and it’s time to move on. If I had not done that, you would never have read this message.
     The answer to who will go is simple, those that are willing to try. It’s not a pastor's job to reach everyone with God’s message. They can’t go to your work or school, and they certainly don't have your life stories of forgiveness and mercy to share and use to relate to others; You and I are called to go. We must, especially if you know God is calling you to a specific place or group of people. The alternative of sailing away in defiance in your own direction, well, we all know how that ended up for Jonah. Unless you are feeling short of trials and failures in your own life to share, I suggest we try His way the first time for once. Maybe you’ve done it your way for a while now, and you are not sure how to change. That is the single biggest obstacle for me to be sure, change. We can all do it differently as we take a step out in faith to follow our path. Believe in what God is calling you to do, seek His guidance. It isn’t easy, but it’s never too late to change. Finding your way to tell others about how your journey led to a "boat ride" of running away, or being swallowed by a big fish called failure; being used by God to help someone else in need, through our scars, that my friend is what grace is all about.

Jonah 1, 2, & 3
(also inspired by the passion and ministry of Pastor Terry Schneider

The Problem with Sinners..

     I think this message points more to the established Christian as a warning, not to become complacent in our tolerance of bad behavior within the church. There are those who need to be held accountable, and although I don't always circle the proverbial wagons around a highly spiritual or theological teaching in these pages, I am basing this message on the love and grace of Jesus. As Ragamuffins, we have no earthly goods that would be seen as worthy in God's kingdom, and before we pass judgement upon another person, we should be deadly sure that the yard stick by which we measure is Jesus, and not our idealistically warped sense of what we have labeled as righteous. 

     Drug addictions, a drinking problem, anger issues, unhealthy sexual desires or habits; these are just a few of the issues for whom society waves the popular treatment banner. In our self-help, quick-fix modern church, these are the types of problems that "real" Christians shouldn't have to be dealing with, right? After all, you have overcome all those "major sins" by accepting Christ. Wrong.. Reality is closer to this; just because God granted grace to you, doesn't mean that He's also granted you immediate deliverance from your sinful habits. Some of those lifestyle choices are so much a part of who we are, that it takes time to let go of them. I will accept that God could, if it was His plan, deliver you instantly from them, and oh how excellent that would be. That isn't usually the normal path of Christianity though. I trust that God fully expects us to be changed people, and to make an effort to be more Christ-like, but chances are, you will not suddenly stop having the urge for a drink, and you will not have an instant attitude correction leaving you free from anger issues or desires that aren't of the purest nature. Most of the time God's plan works its way through our lives in a slow and methodical way, supplying us with answers to questions as we grow more and more mature in our faith. If we are to expect, as longtime believers, that Christians should instantly be delivered from their sinful natures and habits; and that the expectations of perfection should be put upon them as they attend "our" churches, then that cold and merciless thinking in itself, may be part of the problem with keeping new converts in your church.
     One of the quickest ways that I know of to deflate the energy and excitement of a new Christian is to tell them that they aren't quite up to your level, or that their clothes or the way that they dress aren't up to your church's standards. The problem with sinners is, for the most part, when Christans forget that they are sinners too. Before we accept Christ, we know that we are living on our own. Something tells each of us on the inside that we are not Godly people. In fact many times we wallow in self incrimination, telling ourselves that God couldn't love or accept us, that I'm a lost cause, or that the church would fall down if I go there. None of which are true. The idea of the Gospel was to prove that God's love has no boundaries, that common people are in fact, included in the mission of the cross, and that you can come to Him at any time. Christians who have forgotten that they are still capable of sinning are more dangerous to God's kingdom than any drunk, addict or abuser that I've met. Think about the repercussions of gossip, selfishness, pride, ignoring the needs of a spouse or a child; I would suspect, that these types of behaviors cause as much or more harm to those around us, than the so-called major sins. That's because they affect the people closest to us, and ripple outward from our lives. Our family, friends, and coworkers who see these flaws are saying to themselves, if that's what being a "Christian" is like, then no thanks.. What's the difference between just living, and living a hypocritical Christian life?
     The problem with sinners is that when we look at our own sin, we either see a cascade of unforgivable guilt, or we think that we are "about as good as everyone else". Both of these scenarios have huge pitfalls when it comes to accepting grace. It's our job as Christians to live lives that are examples of God's gifts to all of us. The gifts of acceptance, value, worth, honor and love, these many attributes sum up the grace that God has set aside for you. Grace to cover your past addictions. Grace to cover your abusive behavior. Grace to cover the lying, stealing and cheating. But also the grace to live as Christians and still be working on becoming more Christ-like. No matter where you are in the journey of walking toward or with God, His grace is your membership card into the kingdom of heaven.
     New Christians, don't use it for a license to keep on sinning and say, Gods got me covered. God knows your heart, and will not honor your lack of effort. Long time (mature) Christians, don't think that just because you've been around a while that you've moved past that sinful or worldly part of your life.
     Many years ago, a good friend of mine, a young man that was just beginning his walk with God, was discouraged by the judgement of the established Christians from the church that he attended. Mostly, I think the church leaders felt that he didn't dress in clothes that they thought were appropriate for church. Not that he was wearing clothes with holes in them, or that they were dirty or baggy; his clothes were somewhat dressy. He wore nice, pressed shirts that you might say were stylish and business like. What was their issue then? He wore shorts to church. Not the gym or beach style of shorts, but the type that are business looking, longer with pockets, something that you might see a UPS driver or park ranger wear. But that wasn't the only complaint they seem to have with him. The leadership had another major issue with him as well, he didn't wear a tie. At that time, the church still had ushers and he was happy to help with that task when asked. He was a brand new Christian, and seemed to be really putting forth an effort to get involved with the church, while finding mentors and others that he could grow with and be accountable to. His rude awakening was right around the corner.
     Although he was liked by many in the church as a fun and excited new Christian, there were some in leadership, those sinners who had seemingly forgotten that they themselves were still just forgiven by grace, that felt compelled to confront him. Their message to him was clear, if he wanted to be involved in "their" church, he would need to stop wearing shorts, and put on a tie. His current wardrobe just wasn't meeting their standards for the Sunday morning dress code. Apparently they made the point so completely and so forcefully, that it had a permanent and lasting impression on him. He never returned to that church. In today's church going, flip-flops and t-shirt standards, this story probably sounds so completely ridiculous and petty. The point that I'm trying to make here is this; the actions of a few church leaders, based on something that today seems so trivial, may have cost this young man years of resentment towards the church. Even though the ridicule that he was subjected to wasn't biblical or God's doing, I'm sure that in his heart it was the church as a whole that was to blame.
     I lost contact with him after that, and I can't say whether or not God ever repaired that young mans heart from the rejection that he suffered at the hands of "sinners". This I can say though, where was the grace in their actions? How differently would his life have turned out today, if the church had shown him compassion and understanding instead of judgement? We will probably never know in this world. What we can do is treat others as valued children of the same God that grants each of us our pardon. The same God that forgives each of us daily when we lose our temper, or fail to honor our spouses. The very same God that was failed by his twelve most trusted disciples, but never stopped loving them. The problem is not the sinner, the problem is the sin. We should never forget, that the pomp and circumstance that we sometimes make our organized church into, is never worth the cost of losing even one single person. Clothing differences, gossip and hurtful language, addictions, abuses of all kinds; we have to find a way to be Christ's grace to everyone.
     Certainly there is a time for admonishment when it is scripturally necessary and we should hold each other accountable through love and in a merciful manor, just remember that you are talking to a child of the God of this universe. A ragamuffin that's broken, worn and tired from the journey. Whether the lost are just finding their way into our midst, or whether they are our church leadership, members or closest mentors, we're never exempt from showing others the same unmerited mercy, grace and forgiveness that has been given so freely to us. The trouble with sinners is that they're everywhere, ourselves included.