Filed under: Moraine Valley Church, Technology, worship | Tags: Cell Phones, Moraine Valley Church, worship
Recently I had a conversation with a church member who was frustrated by the idea that our church leadership allowed cell phone usage in our worship services. Feeling that cell phones were a huge distraction to worship, I was asked if I was ok with cell phones being used in our services. My first response was, “of course I am because I do.” The conversation continued and towards the end I could tell that my position on cell phones in worship may not have been accepted. But just because I do it doesn’t make it right. So what do I think about cell phones in worship?
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Cell phones can be a great resource to creating interaction during service, especially if worshipers are encouraged to text or tweet a question about the sermon. Many churches have done this as a means to give people more opportunity to interact on the moment with the pastor/preacher. It can give a good indication of what people are thinking, especially if what they text or tweet is something they would never consider sharing out loud.
Tyler Charles, a freelance writer from Ohio, wrote an article about this very issue. He interviewed one pastor who actually allows tweets to be displayed on the screen DURING SERVICE! I know my church probably would not go for that, but the value of doing so is to give people the opportunity to communicate a part of who they are and what they’re thinking. So in a sense, it’s another part of building community.
HARMING COMMUNITY
Everything we do should be for the building of the Body, to edify one another. Again in Charles’ article, he talks about a Tweet-Free zone that some churches have. This perspective runs on the premise that tweeting about communion with God is different than actually having communion with God. Although true, the point here is not to harm the community of worshipers gathered for the purpose of magnifying God.
Every church must wrestle with every part of its worship service, including cell phone usage. I think there should be a proactive approach to communicating values that our leadership has and making sure that everyone is on board. Otherwise, the risk of distracting worshipers every weekend will continue.
Here is the link to the article mentioned above written by Tyler Charles: http://christianitytoday.imirus.com/Mpowered/book/vcat12/i1/p2
Isn’t it amazing to think that the Creator of the universe would have desire to dwell among us so that we could have a relationship with Him? What other God has that type of love, that He would send His only Son to make that possible? ”God With Us” is a new series starting this weekend where we’ll be looking at how God’s presence in our lives affects how we share our faith and how effective living the Gospel can become. The Triune God desires to work through us as we share our faith. Join us at Moraine Valley Church as we take four weeks to celebrate the birth of Christ, the anticipation of His 2nd coming, and the ways in which He walks with us through life.
www.MoraineValleyChurch.org
www.Facebook.com/MoraineValleyChurch
Filed under: Moraine Valley Church, prayer | Tags: Moraine Valley Church, prayer
This week we’re starting a new series on the topic of prayer. God has been very clear to our congregation that we need to be praying more corporately as we seek to fulfill the purposes of God and seek His heart for our body. It begins March 06 and will run through May 01. We’re even planning two worship/prayer services as bookends to the series! These next 9 weeks are going to be an amazing season for our church.
For more information:
http://www.morainevalleychurch.org/content/view/307/85/
Here’s two thoughts I had from yesterday’s sermon on Resting and Refreshment. We’re looking at doing a Sabbatical for our pastor and for our congregation sometime in 2012…
1) Fearing the Lord, humility and turning from evil is related to health and refreshment (Prov 3)
2) Times of refreshment are linked with repenting from sin and turning to God (Acts 3:19-20)
Here’s Pastor Bill’s sermon on Times of Refreshment. Enjoy.
Filed under: Ecclesiastes, Moraine Valley Church, worship | Tags: Ecclesiastes, worship
Ever had a hotdog with candlelight? Ever done something so intentional to make a moment special that it sounded outright crazy! Ecclesiastes has some wisdom for us in how to make each moment our lives count. Ecclesiastes reminds us that death is inevitable for all of us: righteous or wicked, good or eveil, clean or unclean (Ecc. 9). Everyone perishes!
The point? Enjoy what you have before its gone. Look to make each day special. In the words of Pastor Pat yesterday, figure out how to make eating a hot dog special.. try candlelight dinner w/ hot dogs!
WORSHIP
So how then must we worship? Can we enjoy life to its fullest an yet still do so as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God? Its important to understand that what makes each moment special for us as Christians is not our creativity, our passion, our efforts or ideas, but Jesus. Jesus is what makes life special. If our aim in life is to be a living sacrifice, then its in the sacrifice that we must find our enjoyment for life. It sounds backwards, but its true. Its in the daily sacrificial lifestyle of offering our lives to the Lord that we can find enjoyment. Allowing Jesus to be the one who makes each moment special is what will make our lives enjoyable and our offerings acceptable.
Filed under: Craig Parro, Ecclesiastes, Igniter Media, Jesus, Leadership Resources Int, Moraine Valley Church, Theology, Worship House Media | Tags: Craig Parro, Ecclesiastes, Igniter Meda, Leadership Resources Int, Moraine Valley Church, Theology, Worship House Media
Here’s a few thoughts I heard this morning that I think are really good. We were studying the truth that Jesus is King and what that means for us as Believers. Having an understanding of what it means to see Jesus as King can help us understand how we are to walk in the fear of the Lord, a major theme within the book of Ecclesiastes. The three statements below are thoughts that were shared by Rev. Craig Parro, President of Leadership Resources, Int. It was a good morning! I wonder what you think of these?
“Jesus is not safe. He’s good, but not safe.”
“We can not make Jesus into our own image.”
“Jesus makes a terrible enemy, but a loyal friend and refuge.”
Below is a link of a video that comes from Igniter Media on Jesus as King. Enjoy.
http://www.ignitermedia.com/mini-movies/4/Thats-My-King
Filed under: Moraine Valley Church, Theology, worship | Tags: Moraine Valley Church, Religion, Theology, worship
I’m doing a three week course here at church on some the basics of worship. This past week we looked at the relationship between True Religion and Biblical Worship. The concept came to me after reading the book of James and connecting his definition of religion with Isaiah’s words to Israel in Isaiah chapter 1. True Religion, as defined by James, is not the foundation by which we would call ourselves worshipers of God. True Religion is the mark of a true worshiper, and it’s an overflow of a true heart shaped and molded into a Biblical worshiper. If our church is a biblical worshiping church, then true religion will exist within our activities. Being religious is not a phrase we should be afraid to use in describing the Body of Christ. Unfortunately this word has carried far too many negative connotations for people and has distorted what God really had intended for His people in acting religious. Our religion was meant to be an overflow of our love for God, not a determinate as to whether or not our love exists. Our religion should never force our hearts to worship, but quite the opposite. Our hearts of worship should always be the source of our acts of religious service. Loving those around us, serving those who need help and giving to those in need are the by-products of a worshiper.
Filed under: Creation, Moraine Valley Church, worship | Tags: Blessed Earth, Creation Week, Dr. Matthew Sleeth, Hope for Creation, Moraine Valley Church
This year our church is starting something new called “Creation Week.” The focus is on raising awareness about creation and our God-given responsibility to take care of it. Our hope is that our church body will deepen their understanding of God’s world and increase their passion to love Him by taking care of the environment He has entrusted to us.
There is something inside of me that holds me accountable to the small things. What is it that keeps me from throwing trash out the window (outside of the fact that its illegal!)?? What is it that fuels me to enjoy taking care of my yard and trying to beautify the property I own? Why do I care so much to take time to separate the garbage from the recycling products to the point that I’ll reach inside a garbage can and pull out a plastic bottle? May it’s a just a stream of intensity or maybe its because the Spirit that lives in me stirs me to be responsible for the way I treat the earth I walk on.
Tonight I’ll be participating in a Simulcast called “Hope for Creation” with Dr. Matthew Sleeth. I’m not all that familiar with the content of the event but I’m excited to learn more about my role as Christian and how I relate to the world I live in. Here’s a link to the article about the event…
Blessed Earth on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/blessedearth?v=wall#!/blessedearth?ref=ts
Blessed Earth Website - http://www.blessedearth.org/
Blessed Earth Advertisement - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul4jE2NTxtw&feature=player_embedded
For more information about our event, you visit our website at www.morainevalleychurch.org
Filed under: ministry, Moraine Valley Church, Reynosa, Theology, worship | Tags: ministry, Reynosa, Theology, worship
Worship by Association. What a concept! This past week our family had the privilege of visiting some of the most amazing people located outside of Reynosa, Mexico. I have been challenged to see worship for God in a way I have not had much experience with. I have heard and read many times in Scripture about giving t0 the poor and helping the needy. But it was this week that God spoke to me very clearly about what it means to worship Him by association.
“Do not be proud, but be willing to association with people of low position.” Is is possible that I could give to the needy, help the poor, supply all the resources necessary to fulfill their need and yet still not have allowed my heart to worship God? I think this week the Lord spoke to me very clearly and said yes. Worshiping God by helping the poor is much more than fulfilling a need. This out-pour of worship to God must continue to the heart of seeing yourself like them, being with them, living like them, having a total identification with them.
We spoke with one our missionaries here in Reynosa and asked them very specifically: what is it that YOU need? Very clearly they said, “when you care for these people, you care for us.” I couldn’t believe my ears. The very thing that God has spoken to me a day prior I was hearing again, but this time in a different voice. I was seeing and hearing this very concept in action.
I was encouraged this week to read Isaiah 58, a passage that speaks about true fasting. Packaged inside this passage it says, “Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen; to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
My prayer is that as we look to become more Christ-centered worshipers, that will not only would have a sound that blesses God’s heart but that our lives would reflect the sound that He hears.
The last several weeks, we’ve been enjoying the opening of our new worship center. We’ve had a great time, and we’ve seen God do some amazing things already! Here’s some photos of the new space.
One really cool story that’s worth sharing…One our band members hurt her wrist during a snow sledding accident, which had brought a lot pain, and several doctor visits. Even after an MRI, pain medications, and a cast, the pain still limited her movement with her wrist, and still a lot of pain. One night at rehearsal, we prayed that God would come in a miraculous way and heal her wrist, if He wanted to.
Sure enough, the next morning, no pain. God healed her wrist, and no doctor, or cast, or any medication did that! All God! Pretty cool, and only the first month in the new space!!
