ir·re·sis·ti·ble adj.

1. Impossible to resist
2. Having an overpowering appeal

We in today’s culture have a tendency, I think, to easily be distracted. While watching advertising on television, I often find myself forgetting one commercial as soon as the next comes on. As a generation we have found an venue where collectively we have spent almost 10,000 years watching stupid videos.

As the Church, we claim to have News that is so important, men and women have given their lives for it. Yet are we, as the Church, able to shout loud enough so that the world can hear this news?

At Trinity our aim is to create an “irresistible space” where people can come and hear the Good News. My job is to provide the musical aspect of this space. Through worship choruses and secular songs, the music’s role is to provide a window for those who are not familiar with the church, so they can catch a glimpse of God. I feel blessed to have the privilege of sharing with people who God is through music.

For those who are visiting my blog, this is my space where I can chronicle the times where we have seen our vision to create that “irresistible space,” how we accomplished it, and ways we can improve even further. I will also keep account of the times we haven’t reached our goal, and try to determine why that was.

For those of you joining me on this journey, thank you so much. And for those who actually get the chance to come to Trinity Community Church, I hope you find that God truly is an irresistible God…and that He cannot resist loving you too.

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Last night was a great practice. We were a little pressed for time, but overall we managed to create some very interesting arrangements of some of the songs, as well as learning a new song by Matt Redman called “Shine.”

I’ve been having some very interesting discussions with some people in leadership, as well as those who are on the music team. I could go on at length about them all, but I want to share one in particular that my lead pastor and I have just recently begun regarding the idea of having a “green room.” It stems from an article about the lead worshiper/pastor relationship, and the dynamics and importance of having a solid relationship in order to serve together on a Sunday morning.

It interest me because I’m not sure where I stand regarding “the green room.” We both agree that for the congregation, it is important for the pastor to be present for the worship aspect of the service. However, my lead pastor brought up a point that made me think: that in an ideal world the worship team would stay for the speaking. My first instinct is to agree, and to say “Of course! The worship team wants to soak up as much of the Word as possible, and we just want to hear the speaker speak God’s truth!” However another part of me is thinking “But wait…Do we really want to sit in for three 40 minute sermons rather than just the ‘required’ one?” But then I question my motives behind that statement…and then I ask “well, what do I honestly think?”

And so, I’m torn. What is the answer to the green room dilemma? Is there an easy answer? Is there an answer?

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Last night was my first practice with the FUSION music team. FUSION is our student ministry, from grades 6-12. I had actually practiced once with this team when I was going through the hiring process, but this was my first “official” practice with them.

I think my biggest struggle of the night was the sound. There isn’t a sound guy present at the practices, which I think is something I’m needing to address. I really want to build a sense of community between the musicians and our tech people, and I think that working together at practice will really help build that bridge. Also, it would allow the tech people the chance to participate in our devotionals we do as a team.

The only snag we hit last night was when we were attempting to play “One Way.” The team was doing a fairly mashed-up version of the song that reminded me of a mix between Steven Curtis Chapman and Metallica. Essentially, I knew I had to bring some unity to the song. Working out some of the parts with the musicians was something I knew I was going to need to do, but I think I can still use some work in how to approach it. I feel as though I’m too afraid to hurt someone’s feelings, when really it’s not a personal thing at all, but rather an attempt to really bring the best out of the team. I am wondering if I need to just say upfront that whatever I say regarding playing a song has nothing to do with the person, and only is being said for the betterment of the team.

(Note: I had to look and make sure “betterment” was a real world. Apparently it is!)

Anyways, I have practice with the adult church worship team tonight. I’ll be sure to let you know how that goes!

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I won’t make a comment about how I am so late getting into this whole “blog” thing.

Hello there,

This week is my first week at my new church, where I have been hired as the Associate Director of Music. This is not a position I was looking for. In fact, I wasn’t looking for anything. I was working at a call center. But, one day while on break from work someone from Trinity Community Church called and asked if I would be interested in going through the interview process for the position. After hearing the job description, I agreed, and a month or so later, here I am. It was not the easiest process, but I could tell the leaders in the church wanted to make sure they made the right choice. It actually was encouraging to me to think that God had gone ahead of me in so many ways to prepare this for me (and by me, really it was for Him. I’m just glad to be part of it).

And so, I know it’s been done, but I wanted to start a blog that would sort of chronicle my adventures here. I will hopefully be able to pass on some of the wisdom I will (hopefully) gain, as well as any of the leadership skills I pick up along the way. I hope you enjoy your stay, and thanks for coming by!

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today i wrote in cursive handwriting for the first time in probably 10 years. i think i will start practicing it again, as it is quite…rough.

today i worked from 5am-2pm. the first 3.5 hours had one phone call. i more or less slept most of the time. not real sleep, but turned off my mind.

today i got home and watched seinfeld.

today i went to the grocery store and earned 12 air miles.

today i went for a walk. 45 minutes or so. from my apartment to the guy lombardo bridge. it was enjoyable. i prayed for most of it, which was good. i also sang out loud to “the rocket summer.”

“and i, i am not into the idea of being without you.”

i think i need to take a bath soon and warm up.

maybe a cup of hot chocolate or tea.

mmmm.

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so this is christmas i don’t get very excited about christmas anymore. somewhere between february 25, 1985 and today, it lost its magic. the mystery and wonder that came with running downstairs to open the presents is replaced with the annoyance of having to wake up early on a day off. the thrill of going to see relatives was replaced by the desire to simply sleep all day long. is this what christmas is?
i’ve never been very sentimental, but it seems that this christmas was a lot harder to “get into” than others past. my mom joked that my apartment didn’t have any christmas decorations up. my response was why bother? it’s not like anyone is coming over to see them. i was also thinking about the wedding on saturday. don’t get me wrong, it was amazing. but one thing i wished had happened didn’t, and it really hurt (even if it shouldn’t have). anyways, i won’t go into detail because that would be awkward.

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i got to the till and paid for my half fresh/half processed to the max submarine that i looked forward to more than most anything else happening that day. i looked around the christmas-crowded mall food court for an open seat. i found several, but most had a similar problem - they were all near other people. not wanting to feel awkward, i walked halfway across the room to sit at a table that had a buffer of one empty table at least on one side. i walked up to the table and sat at the furthest chair to me…because the other chairs would have made me sit eye to eye with a few people at another table. i sat, facing the back of a woman in the table in front of me. my plan had worked. i had found the one table that would provide me the comfort of knowing i need not make eye contact with anyone. and then…i froze.

i began to wonder about all of the thoughts that had played out in my head as i was finding a table. i wondered how much time and thought i’ve put in through my life towards trying to avoid that human connection. how often have i sat alone at a table, for fear of having to converse with people close to me? how often have i not responded to someone on msn not because i don’t like them or think anything less than great things about them, but simply that i was not in the mood to talk? how often have i avoided sending that email or that text message or making that phone call because i wanted to remain comfortable?

i wondered then how often we as humans have done this as a whole. i looked around and even in this season of love and caring, we don’t look each other in the eyes as we walk past in the mall. we don’t smile at one another, and wish each other well, no matter what time of year it is. we hurry by each other, never once thinking “i wonder who this person near me is…i wonder what their story is, where they’ve been, what they know.”

i dunno. maybe it’s just me…but i think as a society who’s just been recognized as a generation that is more in tune with one another because of the internet and communication technology, we are doing so poorly at making and keeping the real human connection…

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some major developments have transpired over the last two days.

i stopped in at the salt lounge tonight to grab a drink, and to see if anyone i knew was hanging out/playing. turns out a band called leviride were. i opened for them a while back, and i really enjoyed their songs. i went up and said hey to the lead singer tonight, chatted it up a bit. however after talking to him, i had a thought.

i wondered if he knew i was a christian, and if he didn’t and found out, if his perception of me would change. i thought “would he think i was an intolerant bigot, bent on forcing my views on other people and ‘saving’ them?” would he think “this guy is part of the group that’s responsible for more deaths than any other religion”? i basically wondered, “does this guy think i’m ‘different’”?

walking back to my car, i then thought “those first two things i can’t really change, and i hope that he would have enough understanding or at least enough willingness to hear me out about those issues. But, that last question, I wonder if I would rather that answer be ‘yes’?”

i wonder if people look at me and realize that there is life inside of me? i wonder if there’s that sparkle in the eye, the calmness in my voice that lets people know that i’m safe and that i’m good. i may mess up, but God is making me a perfect person. he promised he would. he said i would be a new creature and that i would be used to reconcile the world to him. am i that person? am i sometimes that person? can people see that life in me?

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I wrote in a post a long time ago that God was in the business of provision. I said that I wanted to give more, and that it was not because God will then in turn provide for me, but that he has already provided. I can’t say I’ve been keeping up with what I had hoped to do, though I do still plan to give as soon as I can find a church home that I can give to.

However, today I just received a phone call that, if I ever had any doubt before, shows me once again that God truly is Jehovah-Jireh. I posted more recently that I wished I could have $200 so I could apply for residence. I honestly did not know where that money was coming from, as I’m already stretched to the limits with my current budget. I also owed a couple of friends some money from several months ago when I was just getting my life back together, and I know I have to pay that back first.

In the phone call, I was told that my old car insurance company had some money for me, which I knew was the case as I had paid one final payment when I had canceled the policy. I knew I had $300 coming to me, most of which was going to be going towards paying my friends back. However, I just found out tonight that in fact I am owed almost $700, and that they have my check at their office! I look at the principle I talked about before, about how God had already provided for me, and I am blown away!

Anyways, so if Marjory is reading this expect a check for $200 coming your way this week, and hopefully things will continue to work out with everything else!

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last night was incredible. led worship at a youth outreach event in st. catherines. it was at a huge church called niagara celebration church, pastored by peter youngren. it was an amazing event, with probably 100+ mostly unchurched kids out. they had a huge inflatables section, ping pong and other sweet games, and a great youth worship band. we rocked out for a good hour, finishing our set off by inviting their youth band on stage to play “everyday” with us. it was amazing.

it was one of those nights where anything that you wish wouldn’t happen did. ty had some major troubles getting to the show, and the sound wasn’t great, but the spirit and what God was doing in the kids hearts and in my own was truly amazing.

※ Permalink for “October 28, 2006” published on date_to_rfc822