Sonnet XIII

On The American Election 2008 - A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

My God, Your wisdom far exceeds my own,
And I draw comfort from this very thing.
For by Your great omnipotence You've shown
That You determine president and king.
Yes, You know all men's hearts - this fact is true -
And render unto them a payment just,
Rewarding men and nations what is due.
Lord, in Your goodness I have learned to trust.
Your discipline is sorrowful for sure -
Your wrath and blows seem ever so severe -
But chastisement is sent to make us pure,
And by its cleansing helps us to draw near.
My God, this nation's nothing without Thee.
Please cleanse our hearts and truly make us free.

November 5, 2008

Daylight Savings Time Ends... Tonight

Don't forget to set your clocks back tonight! Otherwise you'll be showing up at church with the folks setting up!

So Important

Sonnet XII

My God – A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

My God, My God, who loves as well as You?
Your patience is more broad than all You’ve made,
And though all men are false your word proves true.
Your promises, vast as the stars arrayed,
Speak goodness, love, and mercy without end.
Your power stuns my intellect and yet,
The helpless and downtrodden You defend.
Your heart’s inclined to forgive and forget
The sins confessed by children penitent.
But anger flares towards those who mock Your path
And scorn Your truth with actions insolent.
They, sowing foolish seed, invite Your wrath.
Lord, let Your kindness cause them to repent.
Please draw them to the Holy Lamb You sent.

October 27, 2008

Undone

I was utterly undone by this song this morning.

Sonnet VII

My Treasure – A Sonnet To My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

Oh Lord, how sweet Your presence is to me.
Its worth exceeds by far the whole earth’s gold!
And yet I find sometimes I run from Thee
To cherish something not worth laying hold.
A foolish man I am, and there’s no doubt
To think that the created may compare
To He who made and stretched the heavens out
And notes each fallen sparrow’s end with care.
Yes, fool was I to choose something ‘fore Thee
When lovingly You wanted me to wrap
Up tightly warm within Your arms safely
And snuggle there with You upon Your lap.
“My son if you into My arms will fly
Your joy will grow as each new day draws nigh.”

October 14, 2008

Another Sonnet

Here's another sonnet I have written. The meter and rhyme scheme are right, but the phrasing seems off. What do you think?

Atonement - A Sonnet to My King
By Jonathan D. Eller

The Master summons me. What shall I do?
For I am in no state to meet the King.
‘Cause I am marred by sin without and through,
And next to Him I’m such a filthy thing.
My sins are numerous as ocean sands:
For other lords I’ve served in vanity,
And bowed myself to gods made by my hands;
I’ve stolen, lied, and despised family;
I’ve blasphemed, hated, been consumed by greed;
I’ve lusted after women not my wife;
And Sabbaths have I worked to meet my need.
A sinner I have been for all my life.
The Master shakes His head and calls again.
"The Lamb has made atonement for your sin."

October 11, 2008

A Sonnet To My King

Thy grievous wounds received for my defense
Hath paid in full my fearsome debt to Thee,
As age and wisdom show my full offense
And conscience aches rememb’ring my folly.
On what ground can I claim so dear a gift?
For righteousness or goodness on my part?
Nay on my own I’m naught but dust to sift
And bear the blame for my contrary heart.
“But God…” what words with joyous rapture filled,
Hath loved me and hath sent His only Son!
In shocking love His precious blood was spilled
And raised to life that death may be undone.
O glorious Captain, Savior, Lord, and King,
My life is Thine. I give Thee everything.

Homecoming

When breath is gone and mortal life is done
How precious will that moment be to Thee,
As spent and bruised my finished race is run,
Collapsing in Your arms in victory.
But crowns and garlands I do not deserve,
For truly it was Christ who bore me through.
In spite of flimsy flesh and failing nerve
Your Spirit worked within to make me new!
At times I wondered if the cost so dear
Against my flesh were truly worth the prize.
Yet now beholding You suddenly near
Hath destroyed doubt and caused my joy to rise!
From here the trials were transient, short and light.
My joy is full as faith gives way to sight!

Jonathan D. Eller

More On Effective Church Action

Town turns to prayer to fight pornography
Courtesy of OneNewsNow

An adult entertainment facility in Lavonia, Georgia, has shut its doors, and opponents believe it was due to the power of prayer.

Café Risqué opened six years ago, and the city lost several lawsuits to try to close it or force it to move from its location along the nearby interstate highway. The business was deemed an embarrassment to the city, but residents turned to prayer in order to shut the place down.

Larry Finger is senior pastor at First Baptist Church. "We prayed and hoped and trusted that the Lord would help us, and then eventually a situation came up where the property owner was prepared to sell, and using a third party, the city had someone buy the property," he details. "Then the city bought the property from them and closed the establishment."

Out of all the approaches to try to shut down the business, the only one that worked was prayer, says Finger. "It was a scourge on our community and we knew it, but we had come to the point where we thought we were almost hopeless outside God's miraculous help -- and we finally got the victory, and a great one it has been," says a joyful Finger.

The senior pastor is hopeful other towns with a similar problem -- perhaps that are ill-equipped to deal with the situation -- will not forget about prayer. He notes that Lavonians prayed for six years before there was a solution.

What?! You mean prayer actually WORKS?

Did you notice how long it took?

Have you ever quit before 6 years was finished?

I think that I probably added a couple prayers to theirs without knowing it on trips to Atlanta and Florida. I'm glad that place is gone... just like I'm glad Dockside Dolls in Mebane is gone. I credit prayer with that one too.

It is really amazing what the Church could accomplish if we would simply BELIEVE what the Bible says and act on that belief.

Here Is A Good Example Of What Church Is Supposed To Be

From an article on the Presidential Prayer Team website...

Leadership can be lonely. When you're the mayor, people who talk to you very often want something from you. That's why Portland, Oregon, Mayor Tom Potter was so surprised when one citizen - a prominent international figure - asked what he and his network of local leaders and activists could do for the mayor and the city.

"In all my years of public service," says Potter, "I rarely have people ask what they can do for me - and for our city. My answer, of course, was immediate - please help us solve the problem of homelessness."

The outcome two years later has been substantial. Over 25,000 volunteers have mobilized to tackle not only the area's homelessness but also medical needs, hunger, poverty, school cleanup and more. Their "Season of Service" (www.portlandcityfest.com/season_of_service) includes a dizzying array of projects to connect needy people with those who can help.

Luis Palau (www.portlandcityfest.com/luis_palau), the international Christian speaker who approached Potter, and his team have helped organize local churches to volunteer for the public good. Partnering with government and business leaders, the church coalition is producing impressive results.

Read more...

This is what I am talking about! The church being the hands, feet, and mouth of God here on earth. VERY COOL.

What Is Church?

We need to rethink our definition of “church.” When we come to “church” as an individual who is primarily a consumer we begin to view church as an “event” where we can consume spirituality or religion to meet our own personal needs. The alternative here is to move from church as event to church as family. When we approach “church” as individuals in a community where we are cooperating together for a common goal its almost impossible to think of church as an event. Instead a better metaphor for church, as we have talked about at The Well a lot recently, is “family.” A family cooperating together to care together for the individual needs, all for a common goal.

- Todd Hiestand pastor of The Well (From the Provocative Church blog)

Psalm 8:2

"From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger."

SJB at Trinity Oaks

StillWaters Jazz Band will be playing tonight at Trinity Oaks ( 728 Klumac Road Salisbury, NC 28144) at 7:00. It will probably only be a one hour show, but we are planning to pack in as many songs as possible in that hour! Hope you can come.

We are also tentatively scheduled to play for a fund raiser in China Grove on Saturday June 7 (no concrete time for this one yet) and for Farmers' Day in China Grove at Dixie's coffee house. I'll have to check on the date for that one, but it is usually the hottest day of the year... we'll be making it hotter!

Very Cool Video

Fearfully And Wonderfully Made

You can see a picture of the molecule over at Deborah's blog, Thoughts Along The Way. That's where I found the video.

Quote Of The Day

Prayers are deathless. The lips that uttered them may be closed to death, the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God’s heart is set on them and prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them; they outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world. That man is the most immortal who has done the most and the best praying. They are God heroes, God’s saints, God’s servants, God’s vicegerents. A man can pray better because of the prayers of the past; a man can live holier because of the prayers of the past; the man of many and acceptable prayers has done the truest and greatest service to the incoming generation. The prayers of God’s saints strengthen the unborn generation against the desolating waves of sin and evil.

—Edward McKendree (E. M.) Bounds

The Path Less Traveled

Found this on one of the blogs I regularly read and thought it was so appropriate. Hope it stretches you!

"Nothing (truly nothing) hurts more than to see people reject the hard road in search of an easier one. We get lazy when things are too easy - and it's far too tempting to do that. It breaks my heart when I pass by someone's house on Sunday that used to attend our church - and notice that all of their cars are still in the driveway. Who knows if they are attending at an odd service time, but it still hurts to know that they could be missing out on what God wants to do in their life. It hurts to see a family teach their children that they are more important than God - by switching churches based on a kids program and not the leading of the Holy Spirit. It kills me to hear critics complain when they themselves have not shared the Gospel (much less invited someone to church) in years.... All in all, God wants our spirit to be broken so He can fill us with His. You cannot experience true brokenness while you are working to feed your own ambitions in life.... Sacrifice, risk, and the Gospel are partners that spend a ton of time together.... and they cannot be separated! "

- Patrick Gillen @ Active Pursuit

Reward In Full

This past weekend the StillWaters Jazz Band played at the Brian Center in Salisbury. It was a much different show than we had done up to that point.

You see, so far all of our audiences have been very supportive and enthusiastic. The guys at the NC Veterans' home last week were the most receptive and fun crowd that we have played for. The folks at the Brian Center couldn't have been much more different.

I can say this - at least the crowd wasn't hostile. We weren't having stuff thrown at us! However, there was almost no response from the residents. Most seemed unable to respond. It was very sad, and very difficult to play through. I guess I figured that most folks respond to music even when nothing else can get through.

We did manage to talk to a few folks when we took our break. Some were able to converse with us. Justin is so good at interacting with the people that we play for. I am amazed that a self-proclaimed introvert does as well at it as he does. I find myself hanging back far more than I should. He makes it look so natural - and I suppose it is because he genuinely does care for the people that we are serving.

And that gets right to the heart of the thing, doesn't it? We are there to serve and not to be served. We had a real gut check Saturday. Are we playing because we need an ego boost? Are we doing it just for the fun of it? Or are we doing it to serve our community? If we aren't doing it to show Jesus to our community, then we are missing the point.

It reminds me of the story in the Bible where Jesus talks about the Pharisees who enjoy making prayers in public so people will respect them and think that they are spiritual or those that appear haggard while fasting so that people will think that they are holy for their sacrifice. Jesus said that these people had received their reward in full. It is a good reminder.

There were many elements to Saturday's show that were difficult, but in spite of those difficulties we are committed to going back there again. Who needs our ministry more than these folks? We will find a way to make it fun and seek ways to break through, but even if we don't we really must return. I think it is what Jesus would do.

Opens TODAY!

Hey, y'all. You GOTTA see this!

SJB At the NCVH...

Here's an excerpt from a post I wrote on my blog about the StillWaters Jazz Band's most recent gig for the excellent fellows at the NC Veterans' Home:

This past Saturday the StillWaters Jazz Band had one of its most fun gigs so far. We got to play at the NC Veterans' Home on the campus of the VA Hospital in Salisbury, NC. None of us really knew what to expect as we began unloading our equipment. We set up in the front lobby of the facility and the crowd began to gather.

Right off the bat we could tell that these guys were different than the groups we had played for so far. They were asking questions and talking to us - genuinely interested in what we were doing and who we were. It didn't take long before our nerves had settled down. In the picture above you can see Justin talking with one of the residents. This particular fellow was really up on his jazz. He related one story about how he had the pleasure of seeing Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Al Hirt in concert with some other giants of the jazz world back in the late 60s. We were all envious!

Read the rest of the post...

Opening Next Weekend... Expelled

There is a new documentary coming out next Friday that I believe that we should support. It was produced by Ben Stein and challenges academia's rather unscientific defense of Darwin's theory of evolution. Here's the trailer:



Stein's approach seems to be dogged but respectful. Based on the trailer, I think that you may be surprised at just how much hostility exists in academia and general society towards God's existence and His role in the creation.

If you can see the movie on opening weekend it will be the most helpful. The opening box office will help to determine how many screens will show the movie. I plan to go. I expect it to be a most eye-opening film.

Taking Love Up A Notch

Today's post at Our Daily Blog went right along with something else that I read today. How interesting it is that such a coincidence should occur.

The morning after Korah's rebellion, a large mob of Israelites formed around the Tent of Meeting. The mob called for retribution against Moses and Aaron because of their role in God's judgment of that rebellion. As the cloud of God’s presence enveloped the Tent of Meeting, Moses could already feel God’s growing wrath.

The moment he and Aaron fell on their faces, a terrible plague began....

...Even though the Israelites had come to threaten them and possibly kill them, Moses and Aaron were still willing to risk their lives to save them. It should be no different in our lives; no matter how obnoxiously people treat us, or how threatened we are by their actions, we must be willing to call out for their salvation and deliverance in prayer.

This is also true when it comes to the sins and wickedness influencing the very life of our own nations today. For example, my personal aversion to homosexuality and other forms of perversion must not stop me from praying and crying out for those bound by these terrible sins.

At times, like Aaron, you and I may even be called to stand between the living and the dead. That’s right, God may even call you to personally reach out to the very people you have been praying for from a distance.

Whether it is someone bound in a homosexual lifestyle or a person addicted to some illegal substance, God may need your actions as much as He needs your prayers....

...Today, the Holy Spirit is calling you afresh. He is calling you out of your comfort zone into a place of service which will change both your heart and the hearts of those around you.

- Jim Laffoon @ Our Daily Blog

The post is really excellent. It would be worth reading in its entirety.

Today I also read about a new ministry that is encouraging Christians to "Adopt A Terrorist" on the Presidential Prayer Team website .

A new web-based ministry is urging Christians to adopt a terrorist and pray for them as Jesus Christ had instructed his disciples to love and pray for their enemies.

Adopt a Terrorist for Prayer (ATFP) agrees that the military needs to fight terrorism, but advocates prayer as a counter-offensive strategy not utilized by generals and politicians. ATFP founder Dr. Thomas Bruce believes the war on terrorism is a spiritual struggle against fear.

“The terrorists are just the highest profile intimidators in Satan's arsenal,” Bruce said in a released statement. “They think they are serving God.”

You should really check out that article as well. I believe that Dr. Bruce offers some relevant insights that I won't be covering in this post.

It is so easy to get locked into an "us against them" mentality. It is pervasive in American culture. Heck, my other blog is even named "Xs and Os!" And truly this has been my default setting when it comes to people that I perceive to be opposing me in some way. I can't say that I am beyond responding this way, but God has been working in my heart to teach me to take a more diplomatic tone with people who disagree with my position on things.

It is our job to show love to our neighbors and even our enemies by serving them when we can (individually) and by praying for them. In many of the cases already identified in this post the eternal destination of our enemies is at stake. If we really understand how horrible hell is, we shouldn't desire that anyone go there. Perhaps our prayers can avert that terrible end for even our enemies.

A Warning

Very few Christians would deny that God still speaks to His people. This communication can come in various forms: from general impressions, to visions, to dreams, and to a voice that isn't heard with our ears but is instead discerned by our spirits.

One of my friends has a particular fluency in their communication with God. Recently, in the midst of a conversation that this individual was having with God about a situation that they are dealing with, God shared something that I believe is very important for many to hear. Based on my experience with this individual, my knowledge of their understanding of the subject matter of the message, and the context in which it was given, I believe that this is a bona fide message from the Lord.

The Bible tells us to "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment." While many in traditional and even evangelical churches are uncomfortable with calling someone a prophet today or even in allowing that prophecies are still given today, I hope that you will not be offended by this term. A prophet is merely someone who tells others what God has told them. It is our job as priests in the Kingdom of God to consult with the Holy Spirit to test the prophecy. It is with this caveat that I submit this message for your consideration:

If you have an abundance don't invest it in the stock market. That's going to crash later this year. It will be a lot like 1929, but for those whose investment is primarily in the Kingdom there won't be a problem.

Wealth, as America knows it is almost over.

Dave Ramsey's teachings about mutual funds work well in this season - this system, but the economic system is about to change dramatically. The same rules will not apply.

I'm getting ready for the great wealth transfer. Many will be saved. Those in debt will suffer the most. Many will lose everything. "But those who know their God will do mighty exploits."

Let me begin by explaining something of the context in which this message was given. What I have shared was an excerpt from a larger conversation between my friend and God. There was nothing before this in the conversation that even made mention of the stock market, although financial matters had been discussed. This is one of the reasons that I believe that this message is from God.

A second reason that I believe that this message is authentic is that my friend has no knowledge or understanding of the stock market or the economic factors that drive it. This individual has (as was indicated in the prophecy) listened to Dave Ramsey, but that is the extent of their knowledge. In fact, my friend hardly even listens to or reads the news. So I don't believe that this is an idea that could have come from this individual's own concerns about the economy or knowledge about it.

Where does this leave us then? One of the purposes of prophecy is to encourage God's people. The entirety of the context of this message served to strongly encourage my friend.

Another purpose of prophecy is to warn God's people of sin and/or impending events. Proverbs tells us "The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naive go on, and are punished for it." and "A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty."

I am no financial expert. I cannot tell you what to do in response to this message. Perhaps it would be wise to study the events of the Great Depression and look specifically to the areas that thrived in the midst of the collapse of the Stock Market. I have heard that when one type of investment falters there are often other areas that thrive. This may be a time for God's people to be able to thrive because of this warning.

Perhaps it would also be prudent to move funds from stock market based investments to investments with guaranteed interest. (I'm thinking particularly of folks with 401-ks and that sort of thing.) However, once again, I don't really know what I am talking about. Your best bet would be to ask God what you should do with your investments.

Can I guarantee that this is a word from the Lord? No. But I felt strongly enough that it was that I felt a responsibility to warn as many people as I could about it. Please pray and ask God to show you whether this prophecy is true and to tell you what you should do about it.

One last thought... Christians are not to be motivated by fear. This message should not cause fear, but should encourage us to praise God for giving us a warning before this event takes place.

If you are heavily in debt this may cause you some distress. That is understandable, but do not operate out of fear. Cry out to God in repentance over your situation and ask Him how to fix it. Allow your faith to rise up and trust your God to take care of you and your needs. I can attest that He does and He will. That is not to say that you may not suffer loss, but God will not allow the righteous to be forsaken or their children to beg for bread.

To Vote Or Not To Vote... It Really Isn't The Question

I found this at the Pray The Vote website:

Has this year’s presidential campaign left you so uncertain...so discouraged...that you’re actually considering not voting in November?

If you can honesty answer “yes” to that question, know that you’re not alone. Other fellow intercessors for Pray the Vote 2008 have expressed to us they feel the same way. Despite their prayers, they’ve wondered if they should even participate in the election process.

But God is moving in their hearts. Here is the story of one such person. Read More...

As citizens of heaven it is our responsibility to do all that we can to impact our society for the Kingdom of God. As American citizens that means voting (among other things). God has decided who He wants to be America's next President. We must seek His face until we are in line with His choice. Don't shirk this divine and valuable trust.

Holiness

Jim Laffoon has written an excellent devotion on his blog about seeing the consequences of sin and using those examples to create in himself a fear of God and a hatred of sin. It is a most worthy read. Here is an excerpt:

In my own life, God has allowed me to be involved in spiritual autopsies more times than I care to count.

Every time I have to face the horrible consequences of rebellion and sin in the life of a person I love, it makes me fear God and hate sin all the more. Whether it is the horrors and pain of sexual immorality, or the pride and insecurity keeping a man or woman of God from confessing the sinful habits which would later destroy them, these close encounters with God’s judgments have helped to make me a wiser man today.

May your heart be filled with the fear of the Lord and a hunger for holiness as you consider the message of this story.

- Jim Laffoon @ Our Daily Blog

We must be careful to not trample underfoot the grace of God or to take sin lightly. The wages of sin have always been death and will remain so, but Christ's sacrifice gives us the power to live holy lives through the Holy Spirit.

A Quote For You

I am being pressed forward in the Spirit to assume my position. How about you? Each one of us in Christ has a position that we MUST assume. His Bride must be ready for her Groom! We can't fulfill our life's mission if we don't boldly step into that rightful place He has for us.
- Deborah @ Thoughts Along The Way

A Little Music To Help You Through The Day

StillWaters Jazz Band will be playing at Dixie's TOMORROW from 12:00 Noon to 2:00. I hope you can make it out. It should be a good time.

We had a great rehearsal last night, so I am hopeful for a really good outing on Saturday. We're even having another one tonight!

Tomorrow will be the public debut for my first jazz song, Dog Days Of Dixie, written in memory and as a tribute to the namesake of Dixie's, Dixie the bloodhound.

According to the reports that I have seen it looks like it could rain tomorrow, so that will give you a good excuse to come on out and hang around at the coffee house. The coffee is good, the atmosphere is pleasant, the prices are reasonable, and there will be jazz! What more could you want?

We look forward to playing for you. See you there!

Wonderful News!

OK, this is a little late, but I figure better late than never. I got some great news from Luke D a former member at StillWaters about the medical condition of his son, Josh. Some of you may remember that Josh nearly died several times as a result of complications from a surgery that he had. It was really touch and go there for quite a while. I'll let Luke give you the details:

Just so you know the context...
Many doctors said Josh might not eat by mouth again.
Josh ate solid food at Thanksgiving.
Some doctors said Josh would not get off the vent.
Josh hasn't used the vent since December 21st.
One PICU doctor raised questions about Josh's future "quality of life" and suggested that we just take Josh home and "let nature take its course".
We know that God determines what Josh's life will be, and because He loves Josh, we can rest in that hope.
Virtually all the doctors (except pulmonology) said he'd never get rid of the trach.
(You know where this is headed...)
TODAY DR. SIMPSER REMOVED JOSH'S TRACH!

Out it came, and Josh continued breathing normally! In fact, he has not had to be suctioned once since the trach's removal at 2:15 pm EDT! He is on his bipap now sleeping comfortably and enjoying this new turn of events. We will change the gauze over the small hole in his neck tomorrow, and the hole should be half the size then. It should close off completely in a bit and all that will be left is a slight scar.

There is still more to be done in terms of Josh's strength and speech, but therapy is dealing with that. This trach issue has long been viewed by Josh as the summit of the mountain he needed to climb. For some time, he has expressed that he will be "normal" when he gets the trach out. No matter how much encouragement and prayer we have given him, he still has struggled with his image. Since mid-afternoon today, Josh has been positively glowing.

Josh's life and successful independence from the trach is testimony to God's faithfulness and the efficacy of prayer. Perhaps you are facing a huge challenge that is causing you to doubt God's goodness and His care for you, but let this story encourage you that God loves YOU and is working for YOUR good. Don't give up - even when the "experts" (like the "doctor" that thought they should just stop wasting resources on Josh and let him die) tell you there is no hope. With God there is always hope. NOTHING is too hard for our God.

That certainly doesn't mean that the road won't be difficult. If you knew the whole story behind this wonderful report, you would know that there were some very dark days and some heart-wrenching cries to God, questioning how He could allow this to happen. You would realize that there were excruciating weeks spent in hospitals where there was little hope offered and exhausting hours spent caring for this brave little soldier.

But God has come through! Take Him at His word when He says, "For I know the plans that I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

SJB Gig Update

The StillWaters Jazz Band will be playing March 29 from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 PM. The time is a little different than I had reported earlier. Hope to see you there!

An Amazing Lyric

I found this lyric posted on the blog Crying Out To Make God Beautiful recently and thought that it was pretty amazing. There are some really unexpected lyric turns. I hope you enjoy it.

I heard He’s up there in that room
I’m afraid—I don’t know what to do
If He only knew what I’ve done He might never even look at me
I have to climb those stairs
I have to find His voice
As I make my way through the crowds nobody sees me, nobody notices me
I walk up those stairs and through the window I hear Him talking—telling parables
I can hear Him telling parables, I can understand what He’s saying
I should have changed my clothes
I’ve had this dress on for almost two weeks now and it’s stained in my sin
My sin—it’s like stains all over this garment but I have to climb those stairs
The room is crowded and I can’t see Him
He’s kneeled down and He’s talking in parables again
I just make my way over to the right and I lean against the wall
There’s an opening between the phrases
And I make my way, I make my break and I run and throw myself at His feet—and I weep
I have this perfume
I know it’s a gift from my lovers—it’s the only thing I have
So I break the neck of the bottle and start to pour my life
My mother forgot my name
My father disappeared when I was just a girl
I was used by everyone, abused by everyone and I was angry
So I ran and hid in the darkness—can you smell my darkness Lord?
Can you smell my sin, it’s being poured on you
And I worship you here at your feet
I hear them talking about me but I keep pouring
This is my one chance, this is my one hope, I have nothing left,
I’m gonna give you everything
Because I heard you heal the sick
I heard you give sight to the blind
I heard you would father the orphan
I heard you would be a husband to the widow
I heard you would forgive my sin
Demons will flee when the fragrance is lifted
Restoration comes when the fragrance is lifted
I’ve never known anyone in my life to look at me the way He is right now
He rebuked them in my presence and took my face in His hands
He looked in through my skin and said
“The fragrance is lifted. I can smell your worship daughter. You are free”
So I dance in a circle and I laugh out loud for the first time in my life
Cause the fragrance has been lifted—the fragrance was lifted
And I have the smell of His feet in my hair
Where He walked I can tell
Because the fragrance is lifted

-Rita Springer

Regarding Preaching

Sunday is about preaching the Word of God without compromise and leading believers into a time of worship. We are not seeker-sensitive…we don’t pull out all of the stops for guests. Sunday wasn’t Scripturally meant for them…it was mainly intended for the believer. Don’t get me wrong…we know that guests come to Compass Point on Sundays…and we want them to feel welcomed. We have greeters, Starbucks coffee and decent signage. We explain what each element of the service is so we don’t throw people off. However, when the preaching begins…that’s where “guest friendly” stops. Other church planters always ask me how we keep reaching people that are so far from God…it’s because we couldn’t give a rip about coddling them. People far from God…that venture into Compass Point…are already being engaged by the Holy Spirit. They aren’t looking for budget plans for their finances, their purpose in life or how to have better sex…they are looking for a Savior. If they want “self help” fluff they can get a Tony Robbins video or buy a “Marriage For Dummies” book at Barnes & Noble. If they come to Compass Point…it’s because they want to hear the Word of God…unfiltered. My job on Sunday is not to baby sit consumers…my job is to confront sin…for believers and unbelievers…through the uncompromised preaching of God’s Word.

- Chris Elrod (from his blog, Chris Elrod Dot Com)

Are You On Double Secret Probation?

I got this devotional thought from our brother, Rick, and thought it should be shared here. Please don't see it as an endorsement of the movie, Animal House. Neither Conspiracy of Kindness nor our brother would recommend that you watch it. It simply isn't edifying.
- Cephas

"We must constantly remind ourselves that Satan's thumb isn't bigger than God's. Try as he might to put it on us, our comfort is that God's is on him." - Rick

1PE 5:8-9
"8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

Lessons from Animal House:

"Sometimes life can feel like its lived under a double secret probation... like a big thumb hovering over our every move waiting to squash us at every little mistake. It seemingly follows us all our days making us wonder if there is any real hope of freedom, eternity, an assured relationship with God. We think it causes our stumbling, suffering and pains, and that it be the thumb of God. But when we receive Christ we find that the thumb is Satan seeking to destroy what life Christ has given us.

When we feel this stalker, our skin crawls, our heart quickens, our breathing becomes more shallow. Aha! Because of Christ we are now aware of what we could not know before. We keep ourself under control by letting God be in control. Satan says "you're not going to get away with it this time, smart guy" but God replies to him that his accusations are groundless because Jesus Christ went to that eternal detention on our behalf. This sets us free from the fear of Satan's looming thumb because it looms no more.

We must constantly remind ourselves that Satan's thumb isn't bigger than God's. Try as he might to put it on us, our comfort is that God's is on him." Rick

Honor

When there is a lack of honor in government, the morals of the whole people are poisoned. There is no such thing as a no-man's land between honesty and dishonesty. Our strength lies in spiritual concepts. It lies in public sensitiveness to evil. Our greatest danger is not from invasion by foreign armies. Our dangers are that we may commit suicide from within by complaisance with evil, or by public tolerance of scandalous behavior.
— President Herbert Hoover

Do Not Fear the Ides of March

Talk about a noteworthy weekend slate of events . . . consider the following menu of opportunities for the coming Saturday and Sunday:

1. "The Ides of March" The middle of the month, occurring this Saturday the 15th. Carol and Cameron invite you join us for a fun, food, and fellowship gathering starting at 6 pm. RSVP

2. "Palm Sunday" The commemoration of the Triumphal Entry of Christ into Jerusalem just days prior to His week-long teaching, challenging and suffering time. Sunday the 16th.

3. "St. Patrick's Day" A much storied and lively celebration of the patron saint of Ireland. Folks around the world take this opportunity to . . . well, let's just say celebrate. Wonder what Paddy would think of it all? Maybe other saints are turning green with envy!

Caitlin Springs would like you to know about a musical offering this weekend too:
The Catawba College Singers and Madrigals have a big concert at 6 p.m. this Sunday, March 16, in our chapel on campus. Meggie, Zach, and I will all be singing. We just got back this past Thursday from an 8-day choir tour. We sang at churches in SC, FL, and GA and got a wonderful response from each of the congregations. I really like the music that we are singing and would love if any of my Still Waters family could make it.

Enjoy your week, everyone. This just might be an excellent time to reflect upon the Christ as He navigated the final week on earth prior to the Crucifixion and Resurrection. It's in a great little book titled the Bible. (you knew that) The Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are excellent sources for information and inspiration on the matter, so consult them soon.

God's best to each of you.

StillWaters Jazz Band Update

The gig on Saturday, March 15, 2008 has been postponed to the Saturday after Easter.

StillWaters Jazz Band will be playing at Dixie's on Main Street in China Grove on Saturday, March 29, 2008. I assume that the time is 1:00 to 3:00 PM, but I'll verify that and get back to you.

Sorry things got postponed, but we should have a few new songs in our repertoire by then. We are working on Stormy Weather, Bye Bye Blackbird, and Deep River Blues. Hopefully we'll be ready to share them with you on the 29th!

See you then!

Well Done, Good And Faithful Servant...

Larry Norman, the father of Christian rock and roll, died early last Sunday morning. He will be sorely missed by those of us left behind. His pioneering work paved the way for the relatively easy access that we have to Christian music today.

Larry was aware that he was approaching eternity and dictated a message to be published on his website after his death.

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I won't be here much longer. I can't do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help.

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Larry

Larry also shared some thoughts about his mortality on the following video. The video also pays tribute to many of his friends. Those of you familiar with contemporary Christian music's roots will recognize most of these faces.



So long, Larry. I'm sure you wouldn't come back if you could. I look forward to meeting you in heaven!

Jazz Band Update

StillWaters Jazz Band will most likely be playing at Dixie's on Saturday, March 15th. We still have to work out a couple details, but as soon as I am sure of times, etc. I will be sure to let you know! Hope to see you then!

Havin' Church

Tonight we had our second installment of the Church Incognito. It was so pleasant. We had my sister's family, two other couples, and myself.

The night started with supper. It was pretty good too. I made shepherd's pie, Penny made an awesome salad, and Sara made chocolate chip cookies with a hint of orange. My sister provided the sweet tea!

After we had cleaned up from supper we got some coffee and headed to the living room where we sang a couple songs and then we talked about the passage in 1 Corinthians 14:26-33. I would love to say that I was better prepared, but I hadn't looked at the passage today. Justin really did a great job talking about this passage and had some really great insights to share.

One of the things that Justin talked about was a book that he read in college about spiritual disciplines. (I need to get the title from him, because it sounded like one I would like to read.) But as he was talking about the book it became clear to me that I have been lacking in the area of meditation and listening to God.

Lately I have been so harried by my situation and by all of the things going on around me that it has been hard for me to pray or hear God at all. I have to be able to come back to my base and hear what God is saying to me and bask in the peace of His presence. I have spent far too much time lately quite literally raging in the storm. The Word tells us that rage is a fruit of the flesh. If I am producing fleshly fruit, I must have gotten detached from the correct vine.

From a practical perspective I have to say that the singing section and the Word section were a little bumpier than I would have liked, but still it went OK. A little more preparation and some prayer towards this meeting should make things go a lot better. And as you can see from what I wrote in the paragraph above, there was fruit from this time.

By far my favorite time of the night was when we gathered together to pray. What a sweet time. We went for close to an hour and the presence of God was so tangible. It helped me to realize just how far I had been from His presence lately. God is so good to meet us, broken as we are.

Anyway, it was a great meeting and I will look forward to seeing how things continue to go. What will God do with our little group? I have no idea, but I am certainly looking forward to finding out!

Jazz Band Update

SJB had a great rehearsal tonight and added a couple new songs. One was written by Justin, and the other is the old standard, "Stormy Weather." It is always fun getting together with the guys and playing, and it is even more fun when you realize how much better you are getting with the practice.

When we first started playing my hands were worn out in just a couple of tunes, but now I can go for over an hour without any ill effects. (Unless I get excited and grip the guitar too hard!)

We hope to get some performances scheduled in the coming weeks. If you would like to have us perform for your organization just let us know and we'll be glad to see what we can do to accommodate you!

Keep checking back here to find out about our concert dates. Hope to see you soon!

Church On Thursday Night

I'm not quite sure of the venue yet, but there will be church on Thursday night. It will either be at my house or at my sister's. We will probably start at 6:00 PM. Food will almost assuredly be involved. I'd say that there is a good chance that there will be music, and there will be time invested discussing the Scriptures. We'll probably do some praying too.

This week's text will be 1 Corinthians 14:26 and we'll continue our exploration of what is involved in having church. Please feel free to bring a friend. There's always room for one more!

Live At Dixie's

Last Saturday the StillWaters Jazz Band played at Dixie's coffee house in China Grove. It was our fourth gig, but was really our first public outing.

When I drove to the grocery store the week before the show I was greeted by this excellent sign in front of the shop. I began to get excited about playing.

I really hadn't played for a secular crowd before, so this was my first time to perform in front of my peers. (When you play in church everyone HAS to be nice to you. It's the rules.)

Of course, I was also somewhat nervous about doing this performance. It was my peers that we were playing for, remember? This whole thing is still pretty new to me. I didn't get that nervous, though. I figured that not too many people would show up.

Boy, was I wrong.

When we got there to set up the place was almost empty. One or two folks came in and left. I figured that we'd be playing to the proprietor. That was OK with me too.

However, by the time that 1:00 rolled around, the place was nearly full. It was hard to believe that that many people from China Grove would actually come out in the middle of the day on a Saturday to hear a band that they had never heard before.

I mean, jazz? In China Grove? Seriously? Seriously.

The coffee shop stayed full until nearly 3:00. There was even a guy there taking pictures of the band. It kind of freaked me out because he was wearing a "Spin" t-shirt and had an armful of really cool-looking tattoos, and was taking lots of pictures in a very professional manner with a very nice camera. I knew that there was no way that we were good enough (or notorious enough) for Spin Magazine to be checking us out. But the longer that he snapped pictures, the more it perplexed me.

The first set went pretty well, and after we stopped for our break I was able to calm down a little bit.

By the way, the coffee at Dixie's is excellent, and the atmosphere is my favorite of all of the other coffee houses in Rowan County. It is classy vintage. I'll try to get some snapshots of the decor the next time that I go there.

Our second set started off a little rocky for me. We did "I've Found A New Baby" and for some reason, I never really got situated right. Both of my hands started getting tired. It was all I could do to finish they were burning so bad. Thankfully, I only had one other glitch during the gig. On "Greensleeves" something happened to my capo and the tension wasn't enough to push the strings down all the way. Not a really good effect!

It was also nice seeing Pastor Cameron, my sister, Vanessa and her daughter, Grace, Randy from our former church, and one of Sara's friends from work. We were so honored by all of the folks who came out to support us.

Let me take a moment now to introduce the folks in the band.

This is Justin, the brains of the operation. It was his idea to put the band together in the first place. I would have never thought of playing guitar in a jazz band. I wouldn't have had the first notion of how to begin, but Justin had the knowledge, the passion, and a notebook full of jazz standards.

Justin really carries the band. He is a great musician, and it is his playing that really helps to make what we do jazz. He has also written a couple of the numbers that we perform. His song that we do most often is called "Cookout." If you ever want to understand what StillWaters Jazz Band is all about just talk to Justin for 5 minutes. That's all he'll need to make you understand.

By the way, Justin is also the band director at South Rowan High School and is a talented bass player too.

Gillen is our bass player. He's only a few months out of high school, but has a lot going for him.

Like most guys his age, he is hyper-involved in all kinds of things. He works a full-time job, goes to school, plays for his church, plays for us... Oh, to have that kind of energy again!

The thing that impresses me most about Gillen is his passion for the Lord. Gillen loves Jesus and is really pursuing a relationship with Him. He hopes to eventually go into youth ministry, and I am sure that he will be excellent at it. You can't know too many people like Gillen. I love being able to hang around with the guy. I have never seen him discouraged. He always has a positive attitude.

This is Sara, Justin's wife. She plays a really mean piano and is uber-creative. I said earlier that Justin carries the band - well, so does, Sara. They both are scary talented and technically savvy. I have learned tons from both of them.

You can tell when Sara is really getting into the music - it is like there is no one else in the room. Sara comes up with some really cool ideas just messing around between songs. My favorite so far is a jazz version of "Fur Elise" that we are trying to work up now. Unfortunately, we have yet to commit it to paper. Hopefully, we will have done so by our next gig. It is so cool!

Sara is kind of quiet until you get to know her, and then you discover that there is a lot going on under the surface.

And this is me, Big Papi. (It looks like I have just had a brilliant idea pop into my head. I think that it is in reality an Easter decoration.) I live right here in China Grove, so it was fun playing on my home turf. I provide the rhythm section for the band.

I'm pretty new to jazz, and stepping out into the realm of solo playing is utterly new to me. I've always been a rhythm guy. So this has been both an exciting, challenging, terrifying, and absolutely fun experience for me. I've been learning new chords and a whole lot about music, friends, and living.

It has also been fun learning about this whole new realm of music. I had heard some of this stuff before (I'm into the swing and big band standards) but now I am starting to actually hear the music of legendary musicians whose names I had only heard before and some that I probably would have never heard were it not for the band - like that of the recently-deceased jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson.

Here we are all together - the StillWaters Jazz Band.

Now that I've introduced everyone, I guess I should say a little bit about who we are as a group. SJB is a group of people who love music, and love friendship, but mostly who love Jesus. We started this band to reach out to the folks of Rowan County in a non-churchy way. Hopefully, as people enjoy our music, they will see something of our Father in us.

We anticipate playing at Dixie's again next month, and I'll be posting updates and announcements when that date is firmed-up. Once again, thanks to everyone who came out to Dixie's last Saturday. We hope to see you next time!

Facing the Flood

The moment you have victory over temptation in one area of your life, you will immediately be assaulted in another area. When you find yourself under the relentless attacks of the enemy, it is critical that you do not lose your perspective.

In my own life, I have discovered that this level of warfare is normally a signal that I am approaching a unique time of spiritual breakthrough or transition.

... many times God does His greatest work at the darkest moments in our lives. Whether it is Joseph going from the prison to the palace, or Paul and Silas experiencing the power of God after they had been beaten and put in prison (Acts 16:16-40), God delights in displaying His power in the weakest moments of our lives.

- Jim Laffoon @ Our Daily Blog

An Interesting Thought

Here is a thought that I overheard today:

It is an interesting thing about Jesus: there were folks who hated Him and folks who loved Him. The folks who loved Him most were the worldly folks - the sinners. I think that our society is ready for a gospel that loves people. That doesn't mean that it hides the truth from them - just the opposite - but perhaps it is one that earns the right to share that truth first by building relationship.

- JED

What A Blast!

Today's gig at Dixie's was a huge success. I won't go into details right now because I want to share pictures later, but we had a great time, got some very positive feedback, and were totally enthused about playing there again in the near future.

Thanks to everyone who came out!

Oasis Cancelled Tomorrow

Due to sickness, Oasis Diner will be canceled this week.

It's Today!

StillWaters Jazz Band is playing Dixie's today from 1:00-3:00! Hope you can come.

Dixie's is located on Main Street in China Grove at the stoplight next to China Grove Hardware.

You Have Got To Check Out This Blog

Last night I discovered a blog that you really must check out. It is called It's My Mission and it is incredible. It looks like Geoff Moore (remember him from Geoff Moore and the Distance in the early 90's?) is affiliated with the blog. These folks are really doing a great work. I'm pleased that Blogger named them a blog of note. Had they not, I probably wouldn't have discovered them.

Church Went Great

Our gathering tonight was small. My sister woke up sick this morning and another couple decided to celebrate the sale of one of their houses. I can't say that I blame them at all. So there were only four of us - make that five - present. I say five, because it was clear that the Lord did show up too.

We had a great meal and talked about what was going on with each other. We played some jazz. We drank tea and ate Girl Scout cookies. (The coffee pot accidentally got broken.) We practiced some worship songs. Frankly a couple of them were pretty rough.

When we finished singing, we sat back at the table and talked about Acts 2:42-47. We laughed at our hosts' spastic cats. We shared prayer requests and we prayed.

It was perfect. I'd put our night up against anyone out there engaged in the Valentine's Day madness.

We liked it so much we're going to do it again next week too!

More to come... hope you can too!

What Exactly Constitutes 'Church' Anyway?

Ever since the demise of StillWaters I have been wondering exactly what constitutes having church. What are the key elements? What must be present to have had church, and which elements are optional?

One of the things that I have realized is that my community seems to be bound by a religious spirit. Lots of people are very religious, but few seem to have any idea about what it really means to be a Christian. Most are content as long as the service never really deviates from that to which they have become accustomed (and as long as there are adequate programs to take care of their needs.)

Even worse is that this spirit also manifests itself as false religion. Our county has a massive center for Jehovah's Witnesses that draws people from all over the country. There is also a very strong pagan presence in Rowan County. Freemasonry is extremely prevalent, and I dare say that in many of the congregations in our area, fully half of the men are Masons. Truly, those who call themselves Christians but depend on some sort of good works theology are bound by false religion too.

Recently I was talking with a friend of mine whose church meets on Sunday night. We were talking about how strange it is to get up on Sunday morning and not go to church. It is really hard to get it through your head that you have had church when you don't go on Sunday morning at 11:00. It violates that which is religious inside of you. I told her that perhaps the thing to do to help this community would be to have a church that really pushes against religion - an anti-religious church if you will.

Before people start flaming me, let me make it explicitly clear that I am not talking about doing anything that violates doctrinal orthodoxy. The church has many traditions that have become sacred cows. I'm thinking it may be time for some steak.

So this brings me back to my original question, "What elements are required for Christian worship to take place?" The main passage that I have had in mind as an answer to this question is in the book of Acts.

42And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)

What were the elements of worship in the earliest church? In verse 42 we see devotion to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread (which at the very least meant the sharing of the Lord's Supper) and prayer. In verse 44 it would seem that they couldn't get enough of each other! They were together alot. They were aware of each other's needs and generously sacrificed to help each other out.

I also thought about 1 Corinthians 14:26 (in three different translations for clarity):

26What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (ESV)

26What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation Let all things be done for edification. (NASB)

26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. (NLT)

According to this passage it would seem that each person is to be involved in the worship service. Each person is to bring something that the Lord has shared with him. I am reminded of the passage in Exodus where we are told that no one should come before the Lord empty-handed.

I have two more passages that come to mind. The first is Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” and the second is John 4:23-24, "But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

In the first passage, it appears that not a lot of people have to come together for God to get involved. Two or three will suffice. And in the second we see that it is imperative that we worship God in spirit and in truth.

So, to summarize: Christian worship requires at least two believers, the Spirit, and truth. It requires more than superficial interaction but needs true koinonia. The remembrance of the Lord's sacrifice through communion seems to be a minimum and a meal seems to aid koinonia. Devotion to the Scriptures and prayer are essential. Concern for each other's welfare and generosity towards each other play a significant role. Finally, everyone seems to be responsible to contribute to the gathering using the gifts that God has given them.

These are just my initial ruminations on this topic. I am sure that I could go much deeper and do a much more in-depth study. I'll keep chewing on it for a while. Any thoughts that you have on the subject would be welcome as I ponder this change in paradigm.

On a side note, I don't want anyone to think that I am trashing all church tradition. I actually appreciate traditions as long as I can see good reasons for them. Over the years as I have drunk from the springs of different denominations I have found that there is life and validity in many of the Church's traditions. The problem comes when we maintain a tradition for its own sake.

In the meantime I am preparing chicken and dumplings for the folks on my worship team for tomorrow night. Most everyone who is coming will be pitching in an element of our meal. As we enjoy the meal, I am sure that we will talk about the things that have gone on throughout our day. Afterwards we will work on a couple of worship songs, talk briefly about a passage from the Bible, and spend some time praying.
Could it be that we will be having church?

Interesting Article

Much of "traditional" Christianity gives the impression that God has these rather arbitrary rules about how you have to behave, and if you disobey them you go to hell, rather than to heaven. What the New Testament really says is God wants you to be a renewed human being helping him to renew his creation, and his resurrection was the opening bell.

- Bishop N.T. "Tom" Wright (Bishop of Durham)


Got this quote from an interesting interview between Time magazine and Bishop "Tom" Wright of the Church of England. It is about Bishop Wright's thoughts on Heaven and how different they are from many Christians' views. I found it an interesting, thought-provoking read.

Excellent Post On Servant Evangelism

You should check out this very insightful post about Servant Evangelism (SE). Chris Elrod is the author and he did a good job dispelling the myths about servant evangelism.

People who are really into evangelism don't typically get Servant Evangelism. The key concept to get is "NO strings attached." People who don't get this concept basically use SE as a means to draw attention to their church or try to entice people to come to their church. You can tell these people because they are typically bummed after an SE project that didn't produce a body count. It rarely does.

Servant Evangelism could also be called "Stealth" Evangelism. You are usually in and out before anyone realizes that they have been touched by your ministry. Churches that begin SE programs with the notion that people will come flooding into the church the following Sunday typically end up disappointed. They don't get it.

Steve Sjogren, the founder of Servant Evangelism and the man who wrote the book that this blog was named for once said that they saw very little direct growth from Servant Evangelism - in other words, few of the people that they had served came to their church. However, oddly enough, the Lord brought equivalent numbers of people to the church because of their faithfulness to serve Cincinnati.

Don't do Servant Evangelism to swell your members' directory. It will never work like that. Do SE to make your community a nicer place. Do it to get to know your neighbors. Do it to give someone a smile. If you do, you'll find that you and the people who do it with you will grow. Who knows? As a result of that, your church probably will too.

SJB On The Road

The SJB took it on the road tonight to Troutman's Barbecue in Concord, NC. We played for a great crowd of around 100 folks and got some great feedback.

We are playing this Saturday at Dixie's coffee shop on Main Street in China Grove at 1:00. It will be a great opportunity to see the band and check out one of China Grove's coolest establishments. We will hope to see you there.

The band is getting noticeably better with each performance. That is very gratifying, and the experience has been great for stretching me out of my comfort zone.

At our very first practice I was faced with soloing - something that I had never done before. As you can imagine, I was pretty awful, but Justin and the rest of the guys were very supportive and patient as I began to develop some chops. It has really taught me about not being afraid to try something new and not being afraid to make mistakes.

I guess I still have a ways to go in overcoming this fear. Even tonight as I was getting ready for the concert, I was very nervous, thinking, "I'm not good enough to be playing for folks!" There was a part of me that didn't even want to play. Yet once we got started everyone was great and I played a solo that I felt very good about. Of course there is room for growth, but I am having a blast.

I hope that this will be the beginning of a trend for me to be more bold and adventurous. It is time to put these silly fears in their place and begin to live and enjoy life. Sometimes that will mean messing up publicly, but it is OK. My experience teaches me that no one is perfect - even the ones who look like they are!

Hope to see you Saturday!

A Good Read...

Internet Monk has a really interesting series going on the church that would be worth checking out. In it he discusses the flawed but perfect paradox that we see in the Scriptures.

Thanks

A big thanks to Chad Rochester of the band Baumer who sat in with the StillWaters Music Team this past Sunday. Chad, you added a lot, and it was great getting to know you better and have the opportunity to jam with you!

By the way, Baumer will be playing this weekend in Greensboro and next weekend in Charlotte. Check them out if you can!

SJB In Concert

StillWaters Jazz Band will be playing this Saturday February 9 at Troutman Barbecue on Highway 601 in Concord from 6:00 to 8:00. We also have an upcoming show at Dixie's in China Grove next Saturday February 16 from 1:00 to around 3:00. Hope you can make it out to one of these shows! (We're getting better!)

Quote Of The Day

Propositional revelation spells trouble for it takes the heartfelt convicted knowledge of Christ the Lord and the great acts of our covenanting God as marvelous, praiseworthy and celebratory deeds, and replaces it with submissive intellectual assent to authoritative teachings. Instead of preaching being an amazing “Fear not!” announcement of glad tidings woven throughout the older and newer testaments, it becomes academic lecturing. Because it is humanly impossible to wholly eliminate the aesthetic dimension from worship, the hymns and special music provide the back-door individualized sentimental spasm tacked onto the “means of grace”.

And what depressing exercises when propositional revelation dominates theological discussion. Competing sense-verifiable facts inject uncertainty and tension into discussions of Genesis because we have to make sure what can and cannot be maintained against secular biology, geology and astrophysics. By contrast, how very relaxing it would be if we stopped the word play and immersed ourselves within the paragraphs, chapters and whole books to “prove” creation. Instead of declaring by fiat one’s insight into the divine meta-language, or self-confirming one’s method by bad-faith process of elimination, why not turn to the Psalms and Job to understand the Genesis creation?

The consequence of propositional revelation for Bible reading is that the book becomes a bone of contention in God-talk disputations. Gone from our hermeneutics is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob while we waste our time in scholastic pursuits like determining the ipsissima verba of Jesus. It is the yoking of Scripture to an unchristian positivist theory of knowledge and truth that substantiates the charge of bibliolatry. If we search and use the scriptures to reinforce our jots and tittles then our myopia will be too all-consuming for us to point others toward the Lord’s rule.

- Joel Hunter (From: "Can I Have My Bible Back?" at Internet Monk)

What Now?

With the announcement of the untimely demise of the congregation known as StillWaters, perhaps some of our readers wonder what will become of this blog. The answer is simple - it will continue on. This has become my favorite blog. There is no way that I will chloroform it. The sponsorship of the blog will change, and there may be some minor content changes, but this blog is going to continue right along, just as each of the individual members of StillWaters will.

It still remains to be seen what will happen to our little congregation. Will we somehow stick together as a unit in a different church, will we become a mini diaspora spread like seed among the churches of Rowan County, or will we stand together and soldier on as a new congregation in our God-given mission to the people of this area? It would seem that scattering is the most inevitable of these possibilities, and yet there are some among us who really have no interest in being anything else but a congregation. It is going to be interesting to see what happens.

Tomorrow is our last Sunday together as StillWaters. If you are near-by and can join us, I think that it will be a memorable service. We meet at KidSports off of South Main Street in Salisbury, NC. The service will start sometime around 10:30.

Then keep coming here for information about what is happening with our little band, where the StillWaters Jazz Band is playing, where you can find a house meeting, and for the content that you have come to expect on this blog. Thanks for your prayers, and thanks for reading.

Do Clowns Creep You Out?

I don't really remember being bothered by them when I was a kid - but now clowns kind of creep me out. I don't really know why. Those guys at the circus are pretty funny, so what is it about them that bothers me? It isn't like I would run off screaming if I encountered one, but I would definitely tense up - and I haven't even seen any movies or read any books where a clown is a bad guy. (This may be one of the reasons I enjoyed Big Fat Liar so much.) Weird, huh?

Perhaps not so much. I found a post over at Provocative Church blog that reported some information that clowns are universally disliked by kids.

He questions the popularity of "clown ministries" that have been assumed to be effective - when research shows that to a kid they are merely just creepy. He wonders how many other things that the church does in our culture are perhaps not as effective as we think.

Unbelief vs. Faith

Where are you today? Are you, like Abraham, going through all the motions of a person that has real faith, even though faith has long since died in your heart?

Maybe you’re still praying for your spouse to be saved, or a wayward child to return to the Lord, even though you stopped really believing months, or even years, ago. Worse yet is the fact that some of you have even begun to accuse God of being uncaring and even unfair because of the length of time you have been waiting.

Could it be that the unbelief in your own heart has lengthened the process? Sadly, in some cases that may be what has happened.

Wherever you are, however, it’s time for you to be honest with yourself and with God.

If you will only face the reality of your heart’s true condition, God will uproot the unbelief from your heart, so you can begin the process of planting fresh seeds of faith in the soil of your heart. It’s time for you to begin to apply the Word of God to your specific area of need.

As you plant these seeds of faith in your heart through meditating on the Word and verbally confessing it, fresh dynamic faith will begin to grow in your spirit.

This powerful infusion of faith will give you the power you need to fully possess the promises of God.

- Jim Laffoon @ Our Daily Blog

Finishing Strong

A 1995 publication by Steve Farrar (Multnomah Press, ISBN 0-88070-740-2) bears the title, "Finishing Strong." In addition to finding the title alone compelling enough to purchase the book many years ago, I am very much drawn to the sub-title, as well, "Finding the Power to Go the Distance." [It is easy for me to recommend from among his nearly twenty books, four other works by Dr. Farrer, "Point Man: How A Man Can Lead His Family;" "Standing Tall: How A Man Can Protect His Family;" "Anchor Man: How A Father Can Anchor His Family In Christ for the Next 100 Years," and "King Me: What Every Son Wants and Needs From His Father ."]

Steve is the founder and president of Men's Leadership Ministries (Dallas, TX) and a frequent speaker at local churches, conferences and international events relating to men's issues and ministries.

The premise of "Finishing Strong" is that it is never too late for a Christian man to assume his rightful position of leadership whenever and wherever our Lord provides opportunity. As you might imagine, "family" is the principal arena spoken of in his books listed above. The author suggests that even if a fellow has stumbled, or fallen, even repeatedly, what matters most in his all-important race called "life" is "how you finish." Steve's assertion is that by looking around one discovers that few men, even Christian men are finishing well.

Nope, this is not an advertisement for Brother Farrer - not exactly.

As you, the reader of this Blog must know, our StillWaters community is in the final stages of its corporate life. The remaining two Sunday morning worship services are scheduled for 27 January and 3 February 2008. These will conclude our two-and-a-half year exercise in weekly worship together, and four-year exploit at church planting. There are mixed emotions, surely, however no mixed beliefs. Having sought and received the thoughtful and prayerful wisdom of the brethren over us who are tasked with counsel and accountability, we are convinced that the season for StillWaters is rightly concluding. The large majority will hold this opinion, anyway.

Much valuable ministry in the Name of Christ has been effected; many folks have been blessed; more have been discipled; some have gotten saved; lots have been served; a few have known genuine community like never before; and the community beyond our congregation has been the beneficiary of numerous contacts and gifts over the years. All of these will continue to be precious memories in the months and years ahead.

Nevertheless, the faithful members of the Core Group at StillWaters find themselves embarking on a journey of discovery - a season of transition. Perhaps, better said, transitions.

Questions come to mind:

How will we each engage the days ahead?
What will be our individual and collective story to be told of the adventure now ending?
When will the next chapter in the lives of our people and families become the "new normal?"
Where will the folks who called StillWaters home become vitally involved in other fellowships?
Who will strive to overcome current disappointments and give whole-heartedly among others?

We shall see.

Another very important question is more timely, in my opinion: "How shall we finish strong(ly) now?" The current chapter is still being written so its conclusion is yet unknown. My prayer is that everyone at StillWaters will submit to the counsel of our Elders, receive their counsel and determinations as coming from our Father in Heaven, and move eagerly into the new challenges to become full participants in other church bodies. If any have cherished the value of "knowing and being known, loving and being loved, and serving and being served," then I am confident that numerous new people and fellowships will be blessed by their presence. I pray this.

Dr. Farrer states that studies among large numbers of men in America (touching on family, integrity, faith, practice, stewardship) suggest that about one man in ten is truly finishing strong in our culture these days, and in recent years. I hope ALL the people of StillWaters will bravely and selflessly engage the future our Lord has for them with a strong determination to finish well here and now, and to begin well elsewhere. A mere ten percent would break my heart - and surprise me no end. I have high expectations for the dear people of StillWaters, Salisbury North Carolina. That is because I know them. I trust that I know them well enough to warrant being so shamelessly confident in their Christ-likeness in the coming days.

The finish line is near, dear ones. Our precious StillWaters will soon be footnoted in the annuls of Rowan County and in the chronicles of our Christ's Church, A.D. 2005 - 2008. Each of us will contribute to the epitaph to be written. Make your part memorable for all the right reasons.

Thank you. Thank you, more than you know. Thank you dear people of StillWaters for the privilege of learning alongside you, of knowing, of being known, of loving, of being loved, of serving, of being served, of worshiping and praising our Lord together, of laughing out loud, of crying out loud, of being speechless at times, of being allowed to speak numerous times, of being accepted along with my family, of praying and of being prayed-for, of being forgiven, and of being reminded that "God's Sovereignty is not in Jeopardy due to my Difficulty."

Let's talk face-to-face in the near future, shall we? I want for us to agree on the heritage that Christ has crafted in us and from us during our journey together. Perhaps, we can incarnate the beauty of Brother Farrer's sub-title as we stimulate one another to love and good deeds, because we are "finding the power to go the distance." StillWaters is now a sprint; our lives of faith will be a marathon. Let's finish strong!

Praying all God's very best for each one of the StillWaters family, always
Cameron