"Me Contradicting Myself...ish!"

A friend of mine has an incredible ministry which you can check out at http://NoisemakersUnited.com. It's a put your actions where your mouth is type ministry that actually does something as opposed to those that say they are or want to but never do, well you get the point. Anyway, I responded to a post entitled "Paid vs. Volunteer Musicians" and to make a long story longer I supported the paying of musicians; which you can read below the post. But then, on my way home from some "me time" I couldn't stop thinking that maybe I was wrong, or at least needed to rethink my position. Why? Simple, it is because I believe that Satan desires nothing more than to disrupt anything God may try to do.
I am now helping out a church in Jackson County, GA as a part-time staff person, and this church has zero extra cash. Now, I've heard the argument that you need to cut elsewhere or re-prioritize and figure out how to pay musicians to get the quality, but I can assure you this budget is prioritized and then re-prioritized! Ironically, this argument always comes from someone who has never been where we are as a church. So, what should they do? Don't answer yet!
Ivan Pavlov is credited with the concept of "classical conditioning." Basically, if you ring a bell over and over again, then provide food or some other form of positive stimulus each time the bell is rang, a subject will come to expect the positive stimulus after the ringing of the bell each and every time they hear it. So considering that, if the Church creates a culture of paying musicians when they play, what will they expect each and every time they play? You guessed it, to be paid! Now, if this culture becomes "the norm", then churches that have no possible way of paying a musician, will not be able to have quality music, if in fact "paying" brings just that. See where I'm going with the whole, Satan disrupting God's plans now? Even if it means using something that I still believe is a very positive thing.
Don't believe this can happen, well unfortunately it can and does, I have experienced it first hand. Is this an attempt to get churches to stop paying musicians? Absolutely not. But, I would like to encourage musicians and worship leaders to kneel before God and pray about where he wants you to be each and every weekend. 50% of the places I lead worship and/or speak at pay absolutely zero, but I know that God had me go be there in spite of that and let me tell you, I was blessed just as much.
So, pray, seek, commit, don't back out for the better paying "gig" and God will work in your life and use you beyond your wildest dreams. And one last thing for churches to consider, I know of churches that pay their musicians well and the quality of their music is unbelievable, but they haven't grown a bit. God draws mankind to himself, God grows His church, and God honors the heart of the musician, worship leader, pastor, singer, etc. that honors Him and seeks Him in everything that they do! Peace...J

"That'll Shut 'em UP!"

Luke 15 begins with a very interesting description of the crowd gathering to hear Jesus, "Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him." The chapter then goes on to present the importance of reaching "lost" people even at the expense of ticking off the people you already have (vs. 28-30)! Now the goal shouldn't be to tick anyone off, but it is possible that you will and it may at times even be necessary. Luke mentions another group that was present, "But the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." This group had a real problem with the people Jesus chose to spend time with. So what does Jesus do? He tells three stories that explain why those "sinners" the "righteous" have such a problem with, are the object and focus of His ministry. Here's the point, the goal of a church is to reach people, not keep people! However, if a church is truly effective at reaching people then it will keep the people who understand and buy into this unbelievable urgent mission and the those that don't will leave! Some people would have a problem with that and use the old "they're leaving out the back door as quick as they're coming in the front" as their argument. To that I say WONDERFUL! The Church is the Body of Christ and just as your body feels horrible when it gets "backed up" so the church can be stagnant when it does! Have a great day. Peace...J

Worrying!

Let's talk about worry! Here's the list as of right now: house foreclosing, may not get our state tax refund, no job so money is running out and lastly, there is a church I am probably gonna end up working for that I know for a fact needs qualifications I just do not have (and God is still telling me to "GO!"). May not seem very daunting, but I'm a thinker who will sit and imagine the worse happening! But, then there's my new found understanding of my heavenly Father's love and provision for me. I just know with all my heart that when the dust settles, this time of uncertainty will have passed and faith will be amazingly stronger because of what I will have seen God do and what His Holy Spirit will do through me.
It's funny to think that just four or five weeks ago, I told God I would never work in one of His churches again! God's laugh must have rocked the very foundations of heaven. I imagine Him just as I would an earthly father as their defiant 6 year old stamped his foot and shouted, "I'm runnin' away!" Picture Him trying not to laugh, all the while knowing the future and loving me unconditionally all the while! I guess Scripture was right again when it says that the wisdom of man is basically and entertaining comedy act to God (paraphrase of course!) (1 Cor. 1:25)! Peace...

"Bored!!!"

I think my boredom is getting the best of me. It seems that after I run out of things to do my mind begins to get the best of me. I have but one prayer for this day, and that is that I take every thought captive and make it obedient to Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 10:5)!
My past is finally becoming my past, I just wish that it would do so more quickly! I know that it comes to mind just to torment me, a perfect tactic of the flesh and Satan, because there is no way that I would "go back!" I just do not want to stay here where I am spiritually. It is long over due that I finally develop an intimate relationship with my God and quit this half-way mess! And the answer to your question is yes; I have long since believed that my spirituality was dependent upon how much of the Bible I read and how consistent I was with it. Fortunately for me, God wants to talk with me now! I imagine trying to have a close relationship with a friend or family member when all I did was read their letters to me, but ignored them when they were standing right beside me! I'm just guessing, while I might know a lot about them, I probably would not be very close with them.