2013 God and Country service at FBC Tullahoma

Incase you missed it, I wanted to share with you the video from our God and Country service at FBC Tullahoma that our choir and orchestra presented on Sunday, June 30th.  So proud of everyone who took part and thankful for the opportunity to serve God in this way.  The presentation we did is titled "Indivisible".  As I shared with the choir and orchestra before the presentation, if there is ever a time for a musical such as this, that time is now!

One side note... It was a real blessing to have everyone in my family including my paternal family involved in the presentation.  My dad, wife, daughter, and son played in the orchestra; my sister and mother sang in the choir; and my brother and his wife were the narrators.  Very cool!

Click  the following link to see the video via vimeo - https://vimeo.com/69424061

Thanks and enjoy!

Christian

Grow, Pursue, Serve

This blog post is actually my note to our Worship Choir here at FBC Tullahoma dated July 24, 2013.  I wanted to share this with a broader audience because I believe these three words and their phrases should be things we all strive to uphold.  These three words first came across my radar while serving at Grace Community Church in Cranberry Twp. PA.  Abbreviated they spell G.P.S.  So in borrowing a page from the past, I now use these words to help bring purpose and drive to the Music & Worship Ministry at FBC.

 

Greetings Choir!

As we begin a new church year, we are going to strive to uphold three key words:  Grow, Pursue, and Serve.

·        GROW – To grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

·        PURSUE – To pursue relationships with others.

·        SERVE – To serve the church and beyond through music ministry.

I could point to several passages of scripture that support the three key words mentioned above.  One passage that stands out though is Acts 2:42-47.

Acts 2:42-47

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Here we see a picture of what the early church disciples were doing as well as the results of their efforts.  Speaking of efforts, it is important to note that their efforts brought about tangible results.  Truth be told, if our efforts as a choir, music ministry, or as a church are not producing tangible results… I believe something is wrong and either needs changed or fixed.

Considering the scripture passage above, and utilizing our key words, allow me to share with you what I aspire to see as we move forward in later half of 2013 and the coming year, 2014.

GROW – It is my prayer that we all grow deeper in our relationship with Christ in the coming church year.  The reality is that we are all at different places in our faith walk so what this will look like for one person will be different for another.  I work hard to make sure that the music we sing is scripturally based.  Sometimes the music we sing is actually scripture itself.  So again, it is my prayer that as you sing, worship, hear devotionals, and fellowship with other believers, you will grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ.

PURSUE – The old saying goes, “If you want a friend, be a friend”. Actually that “old saying” rings pretty true.  I’ve heard so many folks say, “I don’t have any friends at church” or “No one ever talks to me”.  Well, do you talk to others?  Relationships take time and require effort on your part.  Funny… I have never heard of any “great” relationships that were one sided.  Fellowship doesn’t just happen.  Someone (possibly you) have to take the first step!

SERVE – If what we do as a choir is simply a matter of tradition than I say we quit doing it.  I believe that everything we do as a choir and as a church must be driven by a hopeful outcome.  We sing songs of praise and worship to God and about God with the hope that it will draw others to worship and praise Him.  We sing songs of testimony to say that we are human and are in need of the grace and hope of Christ ourselves.  At the end of the day, we do what we do with the hope that lives will be changed, and that people will be drawn closer to Christ.

I hope you will join with me in upholding these three key words.  I believe God wants to do great and mighty things in and through us in the coming year.  Let’s keep pressing on as we strive to grow, pursue, and serve together!

Blessings,

Pastor Christian

 

Are you Content to be Content?

Lately I have been struggling through the question, "Is it ok for a Christian to be content?" To phrase it another way, "Is contentment ever a goal for the Christian?"

This morning as I pondered on this a bit more the answer came to me... NO!  Well, maybe...

One might look at a passage such as Philippians 4:12-13 and argue that it is ok for a Christian to be content because the Apostle Paul stated that he was content.

In Philippians 4:12-13 Paul says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength”.

There are two key phrases in verse 13 that simply cannot be glossed over. The first is “can do”.  These two words evoke action.  Paul is stating that there is nothing He can’t do because in Christ strength He can do “all things” which is our second key phrase.  Paul CAN DO ALL THINGS through Christ who gives Him strength.  Therefore Paul was doing everything and anything God had called him to do.  He was worshipping, sharing his faith, serving others, praying, and so much more.  He was only content in the fact that with the power of Christ in Him “all things are absolutely possible”.

In chapter 3 of this same letter, Paul speaks of His life in the frame of running a race and pressing on towards the goal of winning the prize for which God had called heavenward in Christ Jesus.  In other words, contentment for Paul was not a matter of being satisfied that he had done enough.  There was no ministry retirement for Paul and there shouldn’t be any for you or I either.  The old song says, “We’ll work till Jesus Comes” and that’s exactly how we ought to live out every day of our lives until we too are called heavenward in Christ Jesus.

So here are a few questions for you to ask yourself…

1.      Are you content with being content?  Or are you willing to do whatever it is God might be calling you to do no matter what age you might be, or what limitations you might have?

2.      What is God calling you to do that you need to believe He has the strength to help you follow through with?  Whatever it is I encourage you in the name of Christ and in the strength of Christ alone to step out in faith and do it!  If God is your strength, you can do whatever He is calling you to do.  You have to believe and have faith!

3.      Is your ministry service in a rut?  In other words are you serving in an area that has become comfortable to serve in yet the ministry isn’t showing much fruit or might even be dying? Have you considered that God might have a totally different area or place for you to be serving in?  It is very easy to become content in our serving yet be unfulfilled because we are content to serve in a ministry that has dried up and died.  Serving in an area where no fruit comes only leaves the server tired, frustrated, and unfulfilled, and the harvest just as plentiful as it was before.

4.      Have you retired from serving?  Maybe you already did your time?  As an old saying goes in the south… HOGWASH! There is no retiring when it comes to ministry.  I really wonder sometimes about people who do nothing more than come to church and never get involved in serving.  Either the church is doing something wrong by not helping them find a place to serve or they have a distorted picture of serving. I’ve seen both.

In conclusion, the Apostle Paul was content.  However, he was only content in the fact that his “doing” would be fruitful because He realized that anything he did in the power of Christ would always result in a favorable outcome. 

Don’t be content to be content.  Only be content to do something awesome for the Kingdom and cause of Christ!

Christian Watts