New music I need to get.

1. Paper Route-Absence
2. Jermey Larson
3. John Mark McMillan
4. Imogen Heap
5. Hillsong United-Across the Earth
6. David Crowders new CD.
7. Perfect Wonderful-New Cd
Thats It for now. Check out my favorite new artist!

One of my new favorite Artists

Imogen Heap-

The Big Idea (chapter one)

Yesterday, I began reading a book called "The Big Idea." While I am only on chapter two, I have learned so much on leadership and the fact that the church focuses so much on all these little concepts throughout the service and weekly programs. Dave Ferguson uses the following as an example in the first chapter....
"After church on the way home, the most frequently asked question by parents to their children is 'So what did you learn today?' and they most likely reply with 'umm...(Silence) umm...(More Silence)' never really knowing what to say. But what if the kids asked the parents the same question?" Every service, we are bombarded with all of these different little lessons when in fact if we had one and stuck with it, an answer might come to thought.

So far, "the big idea" Ferguson touches on is, "follow me" (referring to Jesus) Jesus did not call us to be Christians. He did not call us to have all of these Bible Studies and get stronger as a church together. Jesus was not a Christian, he did not build churches with steeples, He never took up offerings, He never wore religious garments, He never Incorporated for tax purposes. He simply called people to follow him. That's it. I am beginning to realize that our call as Christians is not to make the church bigger. The church is outside the steepled building and parking lot. It is the whole world.

I guess these past few months, I had it in my head that making a difference revolves around more church activities. As my youth minister recently said, "we don't need more Jesus, We need to be Jesus."

Enter this temple

They play the song at 2:50. The story is before. Such a great song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0HalV9uE0k

Homeschoolers...

Greetings.
So yesterday I had my weekly English class online. My teacher announced that we would have a "Peer Review" (where we read our papers we had just written over the week to the class.) (They are not my peers. I know them through a chat dialogue box thingamajig.) These kids are in fact home schooled. (Not bashing them or anything) They always have their papers revolved around the topic, "why homeschooling is good" "why homeschoolers are not weird" "Why homeschooling should not be illegal." "why abortion should be illegal. Mine are usually something much different than that and I never really seem to get a great grade. The class is hard though. here are some major rules.

1. NO BE VERBS. (am is are was were be being been) throughout the whole paper.
2. No two sentences may begin with the same word in the same paragraph
3. No starting sentences with articles. ( A, AN, THE)
4. I'm done.

Yesterday, during the peer review, she announced my name and I read my paper aloud to the class through a cheap walmart brand microphone that makes me sound like something I don't want to talk about. After each paper my classmates read, she would say something good like "I look forward to grading this. (because she liked it.) After mine, SHE SAID NOTHING. I was thinking "Worlds best teacher mug?" So now I wait anxiously for my paper to come graded in my inbox Thursday night.... :(

Last week, before class, one kid began to criticize twitter... And the class went crazy. They are totally against it. Now those of you who know me understand that my life revolves around twitter and sometimes facebook. (depending who is online)
The kid who brought it up was like, all it is, is a website where you tell everyone what you are doing. It is so stupid. WRONG to a certain point. Now, that is what a lot of people use it for. Back on topic though, I realized as I typed this huge argument i was going to post, "These kids do not know me. All they know is that I write lame papers. They don't know that I like stupid facebook drama. They don't know that I am often sarcastic. They don't know me." So I thought before I made some kids cry, "Hey, what am I doing? They are home schooled. They are confused." so I then held backspace and erased it all. By the end, I watched them all bash twitter and they still have no idea that I use one. Anyone who is reading this,look into GETTING A TWITTER. That is what my class is like. LAME.

Funniest Video Ever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPPj6viIBmU

Funniest Video Ever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPPj6viIBmU

Glory of it All

This is a video of crowder describing my favorite crowder song. Its pretty awesome. Make sure you go through the end and he begins to talk. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r_XWX00lH8&feature=related

Happy Easter!

This Week

So far, this weekend has been awesome. Last night, I saw Hannah Montana with some of my good friends. (Really good movie) For this past week, everyone has been talking about Obama calling us a Post Christian nation. A few people have asked my oppinion and I think I have finally come up with it.

First of all, my youth minister pointed out to me the question, "were we ever a Christian Nation to begin with?" That answer I will leave to you because I don't know for sure.

Mainly, I see it as, no matter what religion we call our country, our faith is our faith. As long as we have freedom of religion, then why does it matter if we are refered to as "Post Christian?" As long as we as Christians stay strong for what believe is right and wrong, I don't have a problem with him saying that.

Worship Together Conference

Throughout this past week I have gotten to attend one of the best worship conferences ever, I received a really good grade on my mid term exam for English Writing (It is a real class) (My mom has nothing to do with it) and I got to go to chick-fil. Sounds like a great week right?

The conference was awesome because in the afternoon, we got to hear Tim Hughes to a class on Effectiveness in Worship Leading. The class basically ran through the whole set list, who we are leading and ideas as to why the congregation does not respond sometimes. The best thing about that class for me came when he asked "Where do we Recharge?" (After the service) I realized that we go into a huge ordeal of preparation for the service that morning and afterwards, we go home and plan the next set or rest for the day because it is so exhausting.

Al Gordon taught the next class on
What It Means to Be an Authentic Leader
He used the 6 guitar strings as an acronym for
(E) Examine the Heart
-The heart is the wellspring of life
-Worship begins in the heart

(A) Advance Humbly
- If we don't choose humbleness, God will
- Humility does not come on its own
- A really good quote "When we want to criticize worship (a worship team or anything else in worship) Choose to be positive because it is all successful in his eyes

(D) Disciple Yourself
-We are responsible for our own walk
- Most of the greatest leaders in the world spend 50 percent in their own life. Basically, to do an effective ministry, we need to be prepared in our selves first.

(G) God and Relationship
He gave a list of how the ministry priority list should work.
1. God
2. Marriage
3. Your Children
4. Your Work
5. Ministry
Basically I learned if the first four are set in place, number five begins to happen on its own.

(B) Be Holy
"Pride is the cancer to the soul"

(E) Enjoy the Adventure
Basically he said to enjoy the ministry you are serving in.

Since this is so long, I will post the next class by Micheal Grunger tomorrow.