Upper Room Worship Gathering

Had a sweet night of BEING THE CHURCH with multiple churches coming together to worship in music and prayer. 6 different worship leaders from different churches. I loved it!

Thankful for X-Factor
Watch the Video on Youtube here!

The door night.

I was cleaning up my computer when I found this video clip.


It's from November 16th last year when some really cool things happened in our 5:30pm worship gatherings. Gary spoke on Revelation and used an illustration of 3 doors representing our decisions to belong to the church family, believe in Jesus and follow him, and intentionally bless others. Everyone was invited to "walk through a door." It was very moving. Some people made some decisions to follow Jesus that night. Since we tape each gathering I wanted to post it to remind our community, much like baptisms, of our shared privilege of helping others who profess faith to walk with Jesus and follow through with their decision. All the prayer and movement from that night just touched me. May we continue to be a community where people hear and respond to Jesus, and where each person finds accountability and grace to continue.
Hear the message that God used to inspire the decisions here.
Do you know anyone who needs encouragement or to hear the truth in love? Who are you praying for to come to know God or to come back to Him? Don't forget to share some love and prayer through phone call, text, email, or the best way--face to face contact. Hebrews 3:12-15.

Seek God for the City (for Worship from every nation)

I've been using this awesome prayer guide during the season of Lent. Today's reading inspired me. I found myself yelling out loud, "YES! YES GOD, BRING IT!"
Read these scriptures.
Psalm 22:27-28
John 4:23

Pray:
For citywide worship events to draw together believers from many churches as never before,
that extravagant worship of God would resound through the city, and
that the Father would find what his is seeking: many new worshipers in our city!

Glitz, Glam, & Jesus

Last night hundreds, probably almost thousands, paid $22 (that's like 5 Starbucks' drinks, man) to sing, dance, and witness the world wide, (church proclaimed), phenomenon known as HILLSONG UNITED. A group of people who love God and want to serve him in the world (AKA: a church) through music, media, and messages. So, I must mention that this church (a called out people), also happens to be made up of extremely good looking, trendy dressed, twenty somethings with cool accents, who dance and sweat around the stage strategically striking awesome guitar strumming poses. What better way to get people to follow Jesus, right? (hmm..Shane Claiborne has a great quote in Irresistible Revolution about being "cool for Jesus," and how Jesus might even have been considered UGLY. Yikes. I'm convicted).


Can I say if I've coveted anything--besides being a hand and foot model-it's to be a sweaty Rock Star.

So there we were just a small group of youth groupies, tweens, twenty (and thirty plus-me) somethings all crammed into a building in San Jose to experience the music that has filled the lips of worshippers all around the world. I was excited to go because I love music and experiencing God in and through these types of venues. And I love the story of the Hillsong band which emerged from the youth group of passionate followers of Christ. But here's my thoughts on my experience...


First off, when we arrived at Jubilee Christian Center, no joke we (Shoe and Rocky carpooled with me) were at the end of this line at 6:30pm. The last will be first, right? I couldn't fathom so many people lining up for a gathering like this--and made me wish this were the norm--the typical case for most of our worship gatherings--maybe that's what it felt like for the guys in Mark 2.


But thanks to friends who arrived earlier-we DID get to be first---cause....WE CUT in with them. Did I feel bad? Yes. Yes, I did, but because everyone around loved God, too, I absorbed the love and grace that permeated that place--and didn't get punched in the face, nor feel bad afterward--like what would have a happened if we were entering any other different concert. So continuing, we entered the huge building--which some people mislabel a church-(more ranting on that in a post later this week) that I admit I admired!

It was ginormous, with it's high tech, swarming, strobe lights and feature film-like video equipment! Again, I tried not to covet. But then I started getting all philosophical and theological. Maybe it's because I'm the 30plus guy now. But I was thinking about how we as the church complicate the gospel, mislead people, and get carried away by the hype--which, come on, I love a good smoke machine, once in a while, just like the rest--but sometimes it's these experiences that American Christians compare as they "church-shop" and then don't commit to a family of believers because they "don't feel" the worship, don't "get fed" by the messages, and don't like what they see. Oops, I digress, I said I would rant later this week. So, last night, I couldn't help think of the worldwide church....like in Africa. How our brothers and sisters there simply worship by the dust of the ground and with only the sounds they can make from their own mouths. Humbling. Humbling, Humble pie! They aren't complaining about their worship venue, that's for sure.

So by this time I pull my scattered brain back into the moment. As the night goes on they gave away FREE STUFF like CDs and T-shirts (with their cool logo) by throwing out their products to us blood-thirsty American consumers--sorry-more sarcasm-(I ALMOST bought a t-shirt for $25 but bought instead a sticker for $2). Cool Logo, huh? A picture is worth a 1000 words.



They also had a competition. Below is our very own Carla, who went up for the "Australian accent impressions." Every one thought she did great! And that's because she's a native Australian. Way to go CAAHR-LA!

So then..
Out comes their (very non-geeky) Hillsong United front man for the Band. He really wasn't your typical sweaty rock star, even though he looks like it. He's got heart. He really challenged us. As all these philosophical thoughts were going on in my head and I was seeing all these people raising hands and singing out to God--myself being one of them...

I found myself really doing some mental work, wanting my heart to be right with God as I sang. I didn't expect this experience to be "work" at all. At one point I heard another one of my (non Hillsong) favorite songs playing in my head. Jon Foreman's INSTEAD OF A SHOW which has amazing lyrics from Isaiah. I've fallen in love with the song while at the same time feeling completely uncomfortable and disturbed. Watch and listen here. And it was a perfect anthem for the night. So as I am singing these great Hillsongs--I'm thinking about how easy this is to worship God in this way (feeling conviction and enjoyment at the same time) and how good it feels as I dance around with the colored lights swirling all around me (Seriously at one point I imagined Heaven and the excited of worshipping at God's throne). Is there anything wrong with that? Comments? I don't think so, unless--like Mr. Non-geeky guitar man said last night--that's all we do. I was so struck, appreciative, and impressed that this glam band for Jesus really GETS IT. In fact, that's what he said last night. At one point he stopped, and looked at the crowd. Almost prophetically, in the quiet- between songs, with some gut of frustration and compassion--he said, "I wish we could all just get it {the gospel}." And he went on to talk about the Church's need to GO, to serve, and to live out God's love in the world by loving others-AS WORSHIP! And check this--they had videos of serving and going--TO AFRICA.

Hey, I HEART HILLSONG UNITED!!!!

They really seemed to be challenging and warning a generation of people from getting emotionally wrapped up in feeling good about singing and walking out the door and doing nothing- ignoring the real needs of the world. And maybe he was also warning us NOT to pigeon hole our worship to just singing--but that it also includes feeding the hungry, taking in orphans, clothing the naked, healing the sick, and visiting the imprisoned. This gutsy Australian also called us out as the American Church saying we are a SLEEPING GIANT! And he's right, we have SO MUCH and we have so much potential that we really could help lower the pain and evil in the world (some being 27 million in human trafficking, 63 million orphans, 1 in 5 in San Francisco hungry to name a few) but we're tired, blind, busy, lazy, and too comfortable.

I walked out of that building last night breathing deep, breathing deep the breath of God and the mission of his church. Now, that was a sweet time of worship for me. It "felt" good and not so good. And I like that.

As I made my way to be with our Street Church, I was encourage and filled.



Here's the crew who came together last night and gave up 5 Starbucks drinks. Way to suffer for Jesus everyone!

a prayer. a poem. a confession. an exhortation.

At least I don't bow down to any statues..

Daniel 3. (It's me)

Funny little story,

Nebuchadnezzar… storing up his glory—

Poor little guy

Better get his act figured out

Cause that's what' it's about..

But it's not just him,

that I can pass over with a whim,

Take a good look at yourself,

For once

Other than to fix your hair,

acting as if you didn't care

About what you wear,

or what your drive

Shiney -shine up that golden chariot, of mine

guzzling its gas-

So what if it doesn't last,

I'll just charge a back up-

Cha-ching-

The American dream-of thee I sing

Getting our way,

Day after day,

forgetting the poor and

Shutting the door to the enslaved & oppressed

Because we're afraid, or confused

and besides I'm way too busy,

And we don't know what one little ol' person can do,

So we write a check at the end of December

And feel good about just being a member.

Could this be idolatry?

Couldn't these all be idols?

Strutting our stuff

With the cigarettes we puff

It's me,

it's you,

We all act like fools,

Tooting our horns

Secretly checking out porn

Acting like we have it all together

Trying to weather

the pain,

of the ten pounds I gained by

avoiding the confession

I should have been telling

to my friend who asked, "Really, how are you doing?"



if I can just whip up a snippet

to avoid sharing the integrity that I lack

I'll put on a show

And receive a pat on the back,

It's the lie I believe

That all I need

Is to be "liked",

Esteemed, the crop & cream

But if I'm honest..

I am an idol,

I am an idolater.

I worship myself, my ideals, my ways,

(And I wouldn't mind if everyone else did the same)

I worship the stuff that I eat and drink every day

I don't even realize

I buy trinkets that decay—

Believing and hoping they will fill me,

make me feel good.

And they do,

For moments, days, and sometimes a week

It's not just the drugs, sex, & alcohol in which we seek

To find this fulfillment

It's the coffee, chips, and the target trips,

brand new threads and king sized beds

Complaining about my spouse,

The size of my house,

and paycheck,

Or any part of my body that I doubt

doesn't match up

with the air brushed models at grocery store check out.



But hey, at least I don't bow down to any statues…

Choosing to be at his feet

I got home from the gym and it was 7:30pm. Usually Monday nights Wendy and I both work out, have dinner, and relax the night away. Wendy was already in bed because she was feeling sick and wanted to get her rest so I unexpectedly had the night to myself. I immediately conjured up my to do list. I wanted to shower, eat, finish laundry, start packing for our Christmas trip, organize my bills, watch some of my TIVO shows that I haven't watched in weeks, email some friends, empty the dishwasher, and write this blog. I decided to shower first because I was sweaty and it would give me more time to think through my agenda a little more. It was almost within minutes that the course of my night changed. I turned the water on and it was as if these words were spoken. "Mary has chosen what is best." I had my eyes closed as the hot water was beating down on my head. It felt so refreshing and then again, "Mary has chosen what is best (Luke 10:38-42)." That's it. Those words in just that one line fluttered through my mind. I stood there thinking. How did that get in my mind. Did I just think it or did something trigger that? It was a simple sentence actually spoken from the mouth of Jesus to his friend Martha about her sister Mary. Just as quick as the words came, an image came to my mind. The picture was Martha standing in front of Jesus with her agenda in hand. In my mind I could see her holding a to do list in one hand and a kitchen pot in the other.


She stood there realizing her well thought out busy plan really wasn't the best for her at that moment. I only saw the picture in my mind... but I knew how she felt. She felt a little awkward, singled out, and a little ashamed that she elevated house hold chores above time spent worshiping Jesus. That was exactly how I felt. And why shouldn't I? I had been truly longing today for some time to just read and journal. I had made my plans, but God ordered my steps. I actually felt relieved, even though I felt humbled. How could I have missed what was best? I finished my shower, warmed up some leftovers, and made myself comfortable with my journal and Bible. It was such a sweet time of reading, praying, and reaffirming my trust in God in this day and this moment.It was the best use of my time. (And the great thing was that I ended up being able to complete everything else I wanted/needed to do, as well (Hence, this Blog is written). See Proverbs 16:9. And I had more awesome revelation through Psalm 127, that I'll blog about later.

This Tuesday 12/19 we will meet at PCC's Fireside room to wrap gifts for the homeless, bake some goods, and go out to Christmas carol on the street.