10 Awesome Moments at DPC 2009

God has blessed me with an amazing church. Perfect...well no, but amazing yes. This month has reminded me that we are a church that is not satisfied with where we are at....I remember last Christmas and what DPc looked like then. 50-80 on Sundays, loud muffled music, curtains on the roof, kids in teacher's classrooms, set and take down each week, lighting was a struggle, volunteers were a struggle...but it wasn't all down in the dumps. Lives were changing, and Jesus was being worshiped but we all knew we needed to take some risks in order to reach more people....you see that's one thing we will never be satisfied with. We can never reach enough people. And if you look at our world you would see that most people need to have an encounter with God, so there is a seemly unlimited number of people to reach...(sorry to ramble)

This year has been amazing....we moved locations, and I have started seeing lives changed...which is the reason we are here as a church...

I am going to be sharing some awesome moments that I felt were huge for us this year!!!!

1# Philip's leadership to get us into the Parker Road Campus!!!!! You may not know this but He almost singlehandedly searched for locations to move to and prayed hard over each possible location. When Parker Road came on the scene we went to the Rockdale county zoning committee to get a special use permit....well a few of us showed up and expected a quick yes...thanks. We got a big fat recommended "no." (not enough parking)...we were all floored and Philip probably the most. We had a little under a week before the final city counsel meeting where the recommendation would be taken or not. Philip spoke with every city counsel member, he spoke with business around us, he worked up papers, worked out parking issues and shared it with all involved. He gathered a large group of church members to come and sit in at the meeting. Mayor Randy Mills and the rest of the guys saw that we worked it out and saw fit to not take the recommendation and thus we were able to meet where we are now!!!!! prayer and an attitude that didn't say no God couldn't over come that....Good job dude.

More coming!!!!!!

What kind of work??? Team work

An important lesson a worship leader can learn is to work well with others. This revelation in worship leading is a freeing practice. It also seems simple. Play nice boys...that's how it was put when I was younger. In a worship band situation trusting and listening to the other members that have an instrumentation idea, practice idea, or really any idea is very important. We are all working toward making an impact for Jesus. Are we as worship leaders to think our opinion is the only valid one???
Nope. I want to make a side note here and say that you should have a clear vision about the direction of your team. And team includes alot in today's production worship services. Lighting, Media, Computers, Video, Live Sound guy, Recording sound guy, Monitor sound guy, programmers, and everything else I can think of (that God has not blessed me with yet).

It's important to work well with those God brings together. When all those creative minds work together the outcome is......IMPACT. That's our goal. Life change for Jesus. We can't do that if we are on our own. God did not design us to be on our own. I was watching Wonder Pets yesterday ( I have a 2 year old okay...) and I was reminded of this Title of the post. It's true. There is no better more productive work...than team work.

Communion

Setlist today
Everlasting God in B
King of Glory in E
Hallelujah, Jesus in C

I stand amazed in G
Hosanna in A

When DPC shares the lord's supper we take the entire service and focus on it. This Sunday was interesting because Jeff our admin pastor, me, and Philip all shared a different perspective on what Jesus was going through.

• I shared about the separation he would shortly face from his friends, and God and how glad he must have been to share the passover with them.

• Jeff shared how Jesus told them to let their hearts not be troubled because they believe in God and should also believe in Him.

• Philip shared how the early church was persecuted for being a Christian and how taking this table could have cause severe persecution and even death.

It's great to be a part of a church that gives the Lord's supper the focus it deserves.
Thanks for reading.
www.discoverpointchurch.com a new website coming soon.

Setlist from Sunday (Brien Duke WLeader)
3. 1. 1 service format

Marvelous Light (B)
I Want To Love You C
You Saw Me C

How He Loves C

Not To Us (B)

www.youtube.com/discoverpointchurch

Are you ready for God to show up?

That's the question that has been popping into my head since the summer. So often we come as lead worshippers and are not ready for God to really show up. I think sometimes I would be surprised if I saw people's lives getting radically changed and those people following after Jesus Christ. Please tell me I'm not alone is this... but at the same time seeing those changes sparks a fire in me to keep leading, and working.
Are we ready for God to show UP?
The idea was brought up by a church member of mine at a men's bible study. Are we ready for the growth that God desires for us? Are we thinking with the attitude that hundreds will be influenced by our worship or by our church? Are we truly seekly to meet with God on Sundays? It's easy to get unfocused and fall into the routine of church. But we must remember that there is something spiritual when followers get together and shout out the name of Jesus.

I don't know if we are ever 100% ready for what God desires for us. He says who will go, we say send us...and Alot of times what He gets us into, gets us ready (if that makes any sense at all.)
So are we ready for God to show up this Sunday? Are we ready to see life-change occur?

All types of worship for All types of people

I grew up in a traditional southern baptist church. I followed after Jesus at an RA camp (google it if you don't understand it) at 12 years old and all I knew from that point was:

Blessed Assurance Choir anthem

Hymn ---ie----425 When we all get to heaven

Welcome

Offertory Hymn ---ie--- 533 He Lives

Piano offertory instrumental

special choir....I mean choir special

Message

Invitation Hymn---ie---136 Just as I am

(and we sang it until someone came down to pray or follow Jesus)

During my highschool years I went to concerts; christian, and secular. I went to youth camps and conferences...These events seemed to have a huge impact on me and worship style was a factor.

If you study music history (which is mostly church music) then you will find that the church thought certain music was holy and certain music was not worthy of the church. I find this same thought in today's church. Some think a more classical feel(baroque mostly) honors God because this style music focuses on technique and has a beautiful color to it. Some think that traditional style, (which makes me think of little house on the prairie), is the only way to honor God due to the teaching nature of hymns. Some are out on the edges of worship with worship leading djs, projection art, production teams, and whatever else they can come up with...these sometimes think the newest, best, most innovative idea is the only way to go. Some are in the contemporary worship movement that seems to blend older (with a guitar driven rythmn) and the worship music as a way to reach large groups.

Now in my opinion (which some would say is not worth alot) worship style is a preference of each individual follower. As a worship leader your personal preferences influence your musical choices, which is a good thing because all types of people like all types of music. God can use all types of music to share his message. Some types are more wide spread and reach a larger audience, and others are more focused, but neither are more or less worthy. God's plan for each of us is to worship HIM. He desires us to follow Jesus and start a journey of worship which is not a particular style of music. Sing to him with an organ and choir, Sing to him with a band and lights, Sing to him with candles and poetry, Sing to him with voices alone, Sing to him in prayer, the point is Sing to him.

All the way my Savior leads me...

All the way my Savior leads me.... My grandma has been sick for many years with Alzheimer's and I have seen her condition worsen over these years. She has gone from a vibrant strong mom and grandmom to not being able to speak and weighing almost half her normal weight. She has a strong faith in Jesus and no disease can take that spiritual commitment away. She is safe in the arms of Jesus who has been with her through these years. One day when she is free from pain, sin, and sorrow my grandma will be more alive than she has ever been in the life. She will have more there, and will have her family to greet when we are freed of here.

All the way my Savior leads me...

My mom and her 2 sisters have gone from being her daughters to being her caretakers and doing all that entails. Making, many times, life and death decisions for their mama. From creating schedules so that she is watched over every minute to practically pulling their hair out over financial issues. I have watched them grow closer through trials and lean on each other through fire, which has been some of the proudest moments of my life.

All the way my Savior leads me...

Worship is a lifestyle. And I don't know if you know this but life can be hard and unfair. Sometimes when we are at our breaking point a deeper worship can occur. I have seen this worship through my grandma's children, grandchildren, and friends. It has become evident that grandma's days are nearing an end here and a song has been in my heart for a few days.

All the way my Savior leads me...

My Savior has led grandma all the way...these past years the Savior has used her own children to lead her to rise up after this life. What honor and love has been poured out from this family. What a privilege to be apart of this family that has worshiped Christ through loving grandma.

All the way my Savior leads me...

Where he leads is where we all need to be. Where he leads us is to a new dawn, a new day, and a perfect eternity. When this season is through we will always have the Savior.