Um, if you don’t read Anne Jackson’s blog, you should today.
how many times do we get this backwards?
step 1: get people to a weekend service.
step 2: encourage them to “feel” the song.
step 3: inspire their hearts to fully unite and engage with the father’s love for others.
the heart comes before the words. before the song. and well before the weekend service.
One of my pet peeves is when people complain about weekend services. Especially at The Village Church where we are quite spoiled with a gifted teacher, Matt Chandler, and a passionate worship leader, Michael Bleecker. So spoiled that we complain when they aren’t doing what they do best. So what if the Holy Spirit draws Bleecker to pray and “interrupt worship songs?” So what if Matt decides to take care of some internal church business instead of preach some life altering message, especially since you brought your visitor along? So what if we sang your least favorite tunes and had a guest speaker?
This is something I have to be reminded of as well. Church lives outside of that building. No doubt, it helps, but we shouldn’t rely on a weekend service to change a non-believer’s life. We shouldn’t rely on having our favorite songs, uninterrupted to bring us to the foot of His Throne. We shouldn’t rely on a few guys to be the source of our spiritual nourishment.
“Empty worship. God sees it.” Yikes, man, yikes.
I tear up almost every Sunday night. It’s embarrassing, but true. I wouldn’t consider myself a very emotional person, but there is something that tugs on my heart every time I watch Extreme Home Makeover or Oprah’s Big Give. There is something about the community coming together to help out a person or family. There is something about random people pulling together their resources to meet simple, yet necessary needs. And these people not only meet their needs but go above and beyond.
It’s strange when that person is you.
My friend D’Ann who I met at Texas Tech lives in Fort Worth where she attends seminary. She is also a member of The Village Church so she makes the trek every weekend to hang out and hit up church. What I did not know is that she is involved with a Bible study with members from another church, Wedgewood Baptist. (Yes, that Wedgewood.) Apparently, they covered the topic of “faith” a few weeks ago and it was laid on their hearts to help out someone in need. And for some reason, D’Ann threw my name out there. Her unemployed Asian friend that is heading off on a mission trip with the daunting task of asking for more money since she just took the same trip eight months ago. And what’s crazier is that they decided to help me out.
Tomorrow night, I will be in Mansfield, Texas to eat spaghetti and meet these people that have decided to extend their hands out out of their city limits. I will meet the people that have graciously put together this dinner to raise money for me which I will give to The Village Church international missions funds towards my trip. Tomorrow night my heart will be full of joy, knowing my pride kept me from asking many people for help for this trip, but God has provided this random group of people to love on me.
This small group has reminded me that community isn’t just the neighborhood I live in or the church I attend. Community extends quite further than that and my hope is that I don’t forget this truth.
(that is the flyer they made up for the dinner! there’s even a facebook event!)
What? One core value at The Village Church is Missional Living, stating Acts 17:26 that “He (God) made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation…” To live this out, in addition to local missions, there are often teams sent from the church to South America, Africa, and Asia. I am part of a small team heading out to East Asia to push back the darkness, focusing on relationship building in order to proclaim the Gospel among the lost. Some opportunities include English corner, prayer walking, and just spending time with the locals.
Who? Me and a few members from The Village Church.
Where? East Asia
When? The deadline for financial support is March 28, 2008. The trip will be April 14-26, 2008.
How? I recently went on a mission trip in August and find myself humbly asking my sponsors to help me out again. In attempts to reach more supporters, I’m asking you - my online friends and acquaintances - for help, both prayerfully and financially. I must raise $2100 before March 28 which goes towards The Village Church short-term mission trips funds which will cover the team’s expenses during this trip.
If you would like to help financially, please e-mail me at theneener[at]gmail.com and I will give you the information. No amount is too small and I will be sure to bring back a gift as a token of my appreciation!
If you cannot help financially, you can still help me out through prayers (specifically for finances, team unity, open hearts and eager ears) and by posting this web banner on your web site and/or blog! You can copy and paste the html code below which will post the image as well as a link back to this page.
Last week was relatively busy for my unemployed self.
I spent three days at The Village Church offices, training the staff on the wonders of Outlook. Preparing material for the training took quite some time and it was a challenging task guessing what the staff already knew, would like to know, and needed to know but didn’t know they needed to know. I dusted off the public speaking skills and the training sessions were met with immediate positive feedback. I was paid with a lunch from McAlister’s, cookies, and many words of appreciation. It was a good experience all around.
I spent Thursday and Friday with my dear friend Mandy who got hitched on Leap Day. As her Maid of Honor, I found out that the honor meant more than just standing around and looking pretty. I was with her during just about every single stressful event that happened within those 36 hours. I’d say I had it easy since she was far from a Bridezilla plus I also had Lori who I dubbed the Maid of Honor’s Maid of Honor. Lori helped me pick out shoes and apply makeup so mad props to her. The wedding was sweet (the reception was literally sweet as it was a dessert bar!) and it was good to see those two finally become a family together. They’ve already encountered their first chunk of marital problems, external problems, but they have met it together. No doubt it has put a damper on their honeymoon week, but no doubt will it make them an even stronger couple.
Well, I should be getting some stuff done as I made the trip to Dunn Bros. Coffee House just to get away from my ever-teasing bed. Thankfully, Snotty McSnotterson hasn’t snotted in quite some time. However, there are some young high schoolers chatting it up loudly with some older twentysomethings right next to me. I have a feeling it’s a blind date situation and it’s creeping me out. Like “don’t you think they’re a little young and illegal for you” creepy.
26. I was baptized a year ago today, February 24, 2007.
27. United Artists used to attach their animated UA logo with some music at the beginning or end of their movies. This severely creeped me out as a kid.
28. Including states I have passed through, I have to been to Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Seattle, California and of course, Texas. (California was a layover but I’d love to spend some time there.)
29. I’m convinced I could eat pineapple with every meal ’til kingdom come.
30. I would like to screen print posters and t-shirts as an extra source of income and fun.
31. As a senior in high school, my UIL spelling and vocabulary team made it all the way to state. We didn’t place there though.
32. Part of me wonders if I could be a nurse or doctor, be good at it, and enjoy it.
33. January 10, 2001 was when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at a high school church service in Plainview, Texas.
34. People think I’m from California because of my personality and accent. I’m not sure what that means and if that’s a good thing.
35. I really like apple cider (Hornsby or Ace) with fish and chips.
36. I was voted high school band sweetheart during my senior year alongside my best friend at the time, Clay, who was voted band beau.
37. My parents enrolled me in piano lessons when I was four and kept me going ’til I left for college.
38. I was against church membership until I discovered The Village Church. I am now a member.
39. I use Crest Whitestrips about once a year or so.
40. As a kid, I used to hide food I didn’t want to eat in the plants behind the dinner table. My mom eventually watered the plants and found out.
41. I’m not a dog person. While working for the Geek Squad as an in-home technician, some dog owners were convinced I was a dog lover because I had a way with dogs. They were deceived.
42. I’ve only had my fingernails painted once and I think it was Megan Cherry that sweet talked me into letting her do it.
43. After one very crazy night, I let my friends dye my hair for the first time. They dyed it blonde in attempts to lighten it, then red. It remained a strange shade of orange until the day before graduation. I paid for a professional to dye it back to black before my parents got into town.
44. Without a doubt, I am a night owl.
45. I don’t like mac and cheese as much as like Velveeta shells and cheese.
46. I also really like this soup my mom used to make me that was basically shells and chicken broth.
47. I have successfully gone a year without changing my vehicle registration.
48. I check facebook, myspace, iGoogle, and cnn.com an obsessively amount of times daily.
49. I wish I didn’t live alone so I didn’t have to pay all my bills, figure out how to cook for one person, and sadly look at my unloved Wii.
50. People who tan so much I can see their tanning goggle lines are kind of gross to me.
