As a pastor who leads worship, I am well aware of every type of argument on every side of the worship wars. One important discussion is regarding the decrease of congregational singing. In a majority of congregations, people are lamenting the fact that people just don’t sing as much as they used to sing. While I have read many reasonings on why …
Before you teach your children how to live for the Lord, have you taught them how to love the things of the Lord? Enjoy this video? Check out the growing collection of Family Alter videos!
We sang “Holy, Holy, Holy” in our services yesterday. While this hymn has been a favorite by so many through the years, we sang an additional verse along with it. Before anyone screams, “sacrilege,” I think you will appreciate the change. I read about a verse that someone added because concerning the holiness of God, the hymn doesn’t articulate the …
I wanted to use a responsive reading from Isaiah 6 for worship, but I couldn’t find one. So I wrote this one to guide our people to reflect upon God’s holiness, our sin, and his grace. Leader: In the year that his king died, the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord still alive. In a moment when he beheld the glory …
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. -Romans 1:24-25 Great time gathering with the church family through a very sensitive topic today as how the Bible speaks …
Planning a worship service should be more involved than the worship leader picking out his current favorite songs. Unfortunately, it can oftentimes be just that. Leading worship must be more intentional than picking out 2 fast songs and 2 slow songs that happen to be your personal favorites. For years, I have planned worship services around the text of Scripture being preached …
Want to get out of debt? Here is a principle that can help you do just that. Enjoy this video? Check out the growing collection of Family Alter videos!
for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. -Acts 20:27 In Paul’s farewell speech to his beloved family in Ephesus, he makes a startling and yet glorious statement. In his 3 years in that city (Acts 20:31), he taught them the complete counsel of God. He wanted to make sure that they understood the …
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse (Romans 1:20). Service Order Reading – Psalm 108:1-6 Brethren We Have Met to Worship – North Side Worship Prayer Time – 1 John 1:9 How Deep the Father’s …
As of late, I’ve had some great discussions concerning personal Bible reading. While this spiritual disciplines post sparked some great conversation, I’ve also been trying to step up my intentionality in training my family, friends, and anyone who wants to listen concerning the need to read the Bible. For many years, Christians have called time in the Word and prayer …
You job is to make your child independent, but you might be going about it in the wrong order. Family Alter Videos
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. -Romans 1:18 Service Order Open Up the Heavens – Meredith Andrews Prayer Time Lord, I Need You – Matt Maher Baptism (11:00) It Really Does Matter Day of Giving Prayer Time Jesus Paid It All – North …
Worship leading is a dangerous task. Concerning the musical side of worship gatherings, churches and ministries assemble teams with a unique charge: Worship teams are the only type of musical producers in the world who are expected to give a quality offering without desiring a commending response. In every other setting in life, musical presentations are always meant for the applause …
Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. -1 Timothy 4:7 If anything other than godliness is your purpose for spiritual disciplines, you will lose momentum. Spiritual disciplines are not to earn God’s love, increase his favor for you, or to help him by supplying something lacking in him. God doesn’t need you to spend time with him. If you don’t spend …
Make sure that you don’t prepare more for the wedding than you do the marriage. Here are 4 relationships you need to cultivate during your engagement: Jesus Fiance Godly Friends Godly Mentors
We introduced “Open Up the Heavens” today. I love this worship song that comes from Isaiah 64:1. Lyrics We’ve waited for this day We’re gathered in your name Calling out to you Your glory like a fire Awakening desire Will burn our hearts with truth You’re the reason we’re here You’re the reason we’re singing Open up the heavens We …
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. -Romans 1:16 Great services today. What a wonderful privilege to be able to focus on the gospel throughout our services today! Service Order Welcome Open Up the Heavens – Meredith Andrews Your Word – …
When the school year begins, we send off many college students to other cities who are searching for the perfect church. We also meet college students invading our community looking for the same thing. If I actually found a perfect church, it would no longer be perfect once I joined it. In reality, I know and you know there is …
I can’t lead you somewhere if I don’t know the way. While that admission seems like an obvious statement, its reality can be tragically forgotten in our churches. In worship, the desire is to respond to God via offerings of praise and thanksgiving. The gathering of God’s people is a needed pause from the routine in order to proclaim the goodness of …
It was a great and full morning with the people of North Side! We focused our services on Romans 1:14-17 today. Service Order This Is Amazing Grace – North Point Worship No Longer Slaves – I Am They Spoken Word – Set Free – Tammy Haynes It Really Does Matter (FCA, Membership Matters, Day of Giving) Prayer Time When I …
When your child goes to college, your parenting must change or your relationship will suffer.
I was never passionate about becoming a worship pastor, but I was passionate about becoming a pastor. So when our pastoral staff decided to restart our church’s focus with a blank page, I honestly had no idea where we would land. If I still had a job, I wasn’t sure what I would be doing. We had grown overwhelmed with the busyness of …
Exciting day to worship as our church family. It was our 2nd week in Romans, and it was so great to center our services around Romans 1:8-15. Loved seeing all our college students coming back into town! We’ve missed you and glad everyone is rolling back into Greenwood over the weekend. Service Order Here for You – Chris Tomlin Prayer …
We never intended to scare the engaged couple, but that is exactly what happened. Their faces said it all. No longer were they excited about the prospect of marriage, but they were frightened concerning the impending storm awaiting them. In perfect tandem, my wife and I sat across the table and barraged them with all the possible marriage landmines awaiting them after …
Since Sunday, I’ve received some questions and engaged in some great conversations concerning how long it takes to prepare a sermon. Our senior pastor has been talking for a long time about how ready he was to begin a sermon series through the Book of Romans. Due to his excitement, it was shocking when he wasn’t there delivering the first message on Sunday. …
We are back with the 1st installment of this year’s Family Alter videos. These short videos are intended to help you make small alterations for home transformation. In this episode, we talk about the open places. In every home, there are open places for the enemy to enter. We must identify where they are, build up the walls, and fight …
We introduced a song today called “No Longer Slaves.” While there are many versions of it, I love I Am They’s version they recently released. It was such a great song to sing today thinking about Romans 6: 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching …
It turned out to be a crazy, intense, fast-paced Sunday morning. Some things outside of our control caused us to step back and punt in some areas this morning, but we are thankful for the faithfulness of God during those times. We were so excited to kick off our long-anticipated Romans series. We got through the first 7 verses of Romans. Only …
We finished our “Proverbs” series this morning! Service Order There Is a Fountain – North Side Worship How Deep the Father’s Love for Us – Kings Kaleidoscope Announcements Team Rephidim Video Prayer Time O the Blood – Gateway Worship Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb – North Side Worship Sermon – Two Invitations (Proverbs 9) Lord, I …
As of late, I have talked with a lot of people who have a whole lot of intention to follow Jesus, but they simply keep getting tripped up along the way. I hate to see someone who truly wants to change, but they can’t seem to get over making the same mistakes over and over again. What I have learned …
You guitar players out there know how important it is to make sure you have the capo on the right fret when playing with a band. For you non-guitarists out there, allow Wikipedia to explain: A capo (short for capotasto, Italian for “head of fretboard”) is a device used for shortening the strings, and hence raising the pitch, of a …
Precious Jesus, Help me to matter. Save me from a life of complacency, Days filled with apathy, Concern without empathy. Let me not wander passionless, Aimless, frivolous, unambitious; But keep me driven To the point where I appear obsessed. Stir up my pathetic, comfortable state. Shake away my carefree, unintentional lifestyle. Invade my casual life and make me dread the …
Loved watching God at work today! We built our services around Proverbs 29:25 in our next-to-last week in Proverbs. Service Order Victory in Jesus – North Side Worship Love Come Down – North Point Worship Commissioning Time – Africa Team and Emerge My Worth Is Not in What I Own – Keith and Kristyn Getty Be Thou My Vision – …
Powerful day of gospel-centered worship, testimonies of the church on the move, and an incredible warning concerning adultery. So thankful for such a committed team that works so hard! Service Order May the Peoples Praise You – Keith and Kristyn Getty Reading – 1 Cor. 15:55-58 Christ the Lord Is Risen Today/Hallelujah Chorus – North Side Worship Everyday Church – …
Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. -Proverbs 6:6 We focused on the “Wisdom About Work” in our “Proverbs” series today. Loved worshiping with the North Side family. One of my highlights was praying over these missionaries being sent out this week. I love watching our church become a praying church! It was also great …
We are introducing this great song from Psalm 67 this morning at North Side. As we prepare to send out another mission team, we want to maintain a global awareness as we worship. This song by Keith and Kristyn Getty is so complete in its theology and musicality. It’s great. It is on the fantastic album. “Facing a Task Unfinished.” …
The best ideas I have come from the best books I read. When I think back over the last year, I can’t communicate that enough. The best ideas that have changed my walk with Jesus, my marriage, my fathering, my vocation, my habits, and my worldview have come from the best books I have read. And that is huge for …
I woke up with a heavy heart this morning. After reading about the removal of Perry Noble as pastor of Newspring Church, I was simply heartbroken. I am heartbroken for him, for his family, for his church, and for all those close to him. Besides meeting with Perry once, I really don’t know him. We have mutual friends and what …
Great day watching people be the church today! Our focus was on “Wisdom About Marriage” in our Proverbs Series. Due to the cultural climate, I changed some things up this morning for our services. I love that our church is willing to get into prayer groups in our worship services and get after it! It is my favorite sound to …
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