Yeah... so hi!

I really suck at this blogging thing. I just don't have the time, it seems... oh well, I think I need to just settle down and do it. It could be good for me. So with that said, I had an interesting experience this weekend:

PC3 had a dinner/meeting for the production and worship teams last Friday. The purpose of this meeting was to provide us with the changes that will take place when we move into our new building and to cast vision about our purpose as a ministry and a church. It was a great night. Paschal, Duane and Tim did a phenomenal job with both the practical aspects and the vision casting. The food was unbelievable and hanging out with friends is never dull.

One thing struck me though.

We had a small time of worship and communion during the meeting. As production and band volunteers, you don't often get the chance to participate in the act of communion because you are facilitating it for the congregation. We had the opportunity to actually experience it Friday as a community, which was great. As this was happening, Duane and Olivia led us in worship. I was praying and soaking it all in when something struck me. I opened my eyes and realized no one was really singing... A few people here and there, but largely everyone was silent and still. At first I was put off by this... Why weren't these people singing to their Creator? Why weren't they telling Him how great He was? Then I realized something; this was the first time we didn't have to do anything during a service. So often we have to facilitate the environment or lead the music, that we don't get to just take it all in. Not that we aren't worshipping, but tat we aren't still. So we sat there, being sung over, trying to grasp the reality of the words and the gravity of the Sacrament.

I looked around and thanked God for my family, because that what every person in that room is, family.

It has been a while...

I apologize for the delay in posts. I can't promise that they will be frequent, but I will try...

A few things before I start this post:

1) I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat. i consider myself a member of the Libertarian Party. (you can check them out at )
2) I believe that everything belongs to God and that He is in control. We are merely stewards of His immeasurable wealth.
3) I am not an economist nor a theologian. i am simply stating my opinion based on my experience, education, and self study.

Ok, with that out of the way:

There has been a loud outcry from the Church (the universal body of Christ, not my specific church) against "consumerism" in America. This is especially true for those of my generation. I completely agree with this sentiment. The consumer culture of America has taught us that our happiness is only found in gathering more stuff and that we will never be satisfied until we have it all. The truth is that this will never truly satisfy because we are always looking for the next bigger and better thing (or job, or person, etc.).

Now, there is a startling trend inside this fight against consumerism that has me a bit scared. Some believers have begun to rail against our economic system in America in response to this consumer driven culture. They have misdiagnosed the problem.

They have mistaken CAPITALISM for CONSUMERISM.

This is a mistake that we have to correct. It is dangerous to confuse the two. There is a vital difference between them. Consumerism says "Take all you want and leave nothing behind." while Capitalism says "Take all you need and leave some for the future".

Consumerism exists in a world without consequences (which we have due to our overbearing government, but that is another post) while capitalism punishes those who make mistakes or take to much.

I believe that as Christians we should be absolutely against the idolatry of consumerism, but we can not confuse this with the freedom of capitalism. Capitalism does not feed on greed but on competition. Greedy people are successful, but are ultimately forced out of the marketplace because they take too much. Consumerism is a politically correct term for greed. It is the unabashed desire for more at all costs. Capitalism counts the cost of any action and its consequences. These are factors in the decision making process of both consumers and producers.

We have to understand the difference and confuse an amoral economic system with the immoral desires of our fallen selves.

I think my brain is empty right now, so I will retire. I may continue this post when I have more time, but this is something I had to get off my chest.

What a Crazy Weekend

This weekend was Easter, which in my world meant 5 services at Port City Church. They were amazing and I am so honored to be around such passionate, creative people who are trying to worship Jesus with their talents. We brought in string players for the last song and they killed it! It was great having them as a part of our community.

I hope that what came across is that God is doing amazing things here in Wilmington and throughout the world and we have the opportunity to be apart of it. We can be the culture, not let the culture shape us.

I think this picture sums up the weekend pretty well:

Easter

He is Risen...














He is risen indeed!


"Hope which was lost, now stands renewed." - Saviour King - Hillsong United

Sick Day

So, I am home sick today... what lovely fun it is.

Last night was Overflow, and it was a great time. I feel so old being there, even though I am only four years removed from college, but it is such an amazing worship environment. I am reminded each week that there is a generation who is chasing after God and what He wants for their lives. Who are willing to sing out to Him from the overflow of their heart. In the words of Hillsong, they are "rising up to take their place."

We sang a song last night by David Crowder called "Remedy". It speaks of the fact that God is the remedy for our brokeness and in turn we can be the remedy to the world. If you know me, you understand that this so huge for me. I wrote this post on Myspace awhile back:

The message of Salvation has been on my mind recently (Although, I wish it was on my mind more). I think it has to do with time of year. The Christmas season, where we, in at least a small way, remember the day when rescue came to us.

What I have been thinking about most is the end goal of my faith. A common thought is that becoming a Christian and following Christ simply gets you to heaven and helps you to lead a good life along the way. This is the gospel that we share to others. Christianity can become no more than a pass to an exclusive club. This can breed pride and apathy in the believer because there is no reason for us to develop our faith, let alone share it with anyone.

So it hit me the other day why I have hope in Christ. I believe that Christ is the hope that I can be made whole. That one day I can be everything that God intended since the Garden. Complete, repaired, no longer broken. This is justification and sanctification. The act of repair! How could you not want to share that with others!?! The Gospel is about salvation to the lost, healing to the broken, food to the hungry... This is not a goal that will be reached someday in a far off land, this is here and now. Heaven is simply returning home to see the One we were meant to be with all along.

And when the day comes, and Christ returns to earth, He will set everything right. His people and His world will again be made whole and holy. How can we not rejoice in this message!?! This is the Good News!

To me, this is truth. One day I can be everything I was meant to be. I will no longer struggle to place God first in my life. But until then, I hold to Hebrews 12:12-13: "Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed."

A New Endeavor...

Well, these blogs seem to be all the rage now so I thought I should have a proper one.  I can't promise that it will be consistent or even interesting, but I will try to write something... So keep an eye out!