Random Thoughts

  • Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby and Claude King
We are currently going through this incredible Bible study in our Friday evening small group. This will be more 4th or 5th time to do this study. I have lost track. I have served as the facilitator for the study three previous times. Facilitator is a fancy word for a teacher who uses the teachers guide to lead the discussion. I would highly recommend this study. It remains the best discipleship study that I have ever encountered.
  • Senior Pastors
Why is it that Senior Pastors are always the pastor who preaches most at the church? I remember reading about a church plant in Kansas City (Missouri, not Kansas) that was started by two men who were both talented musically. Therefore, they took turns preaching and leading worship. It made me wonder how they decided which was the Senior Pastor and then I wondered why did the Senior Pastor have to be the preaching pastor. What if the Senior Pastor was the Education Pastor because he worked with all of the small groups and would be in a good place to help guide the church in the direction that God is leading. What if, and I know this could be seen as heresy by some of my preacher friends, but what if the Senior Pastor was the Music Pastor. Biblical examples do not help much, because New Testament churches do not describe multiple pastors and how they functioned within the church.
  • Prayer
I was wondering about the many prayers of David asking God to give him victory over his enemies. Asking God why he allows the enemy to continue to mock God. Then I was reading in the writings of David's son, Solomon, who says we are not to gloat when our enemies stumble or fail (Proverbs 24:17) and that we are to give our enemy food and water (Proverbs 25:21). How often do we ask God for protection against our enemies? Whether we want to admit it or not, we all have enemies. If not, then you are not living a godly life for those living in the darkness will never like those living in the light until they leave the darkness and come to the light. But while praying for God to protect us from and to give us victory over our enemies, we must remember that He has also called us to love our enemies. It is through love that we show them the light.
  • Music that makes me happy
One of the things I like about being a musician is that I can appreciate almost all types of music. Granted, I most likely will never enjoy listening to screamo music or as I call it, the "Screaming Banshees". But I do enjoy a large variety of music. There are times I like to relax to some Harry Connick Jr.; there are times when I enjoy turning up the stereo with some TobyMac; there are times when I enjoy listening to a Bach fugue, a Beethoven sonata or my favorite orchestral music by Tchaikovsky; there are times when I want to hear something from a Broadway musical; and some music like country and opera I can take in small doses. But it always seems that the songs that come to mind when I am feeling down and need a little pick me up are the hymns and praise and worship music that we hear at church. There are certain songs, such as "Above All" which reminds me of God's great love for us or "A Mighty Fortress" which reminds me of God's power or "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" which reminds me of God's grace and salvation.

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