As a mother to two young boys living in 32 feet of space, I am familiar with play places and parks all around the country. In a desperate attempt for them to run and crawl off all of their excess energy, we cart them to different places and let them play with reckless abandon. In some ways I feel like my full time job is to be an event organizer for a small pre-school consisting of 2 children, my own. While sitting and waiting for them to be ready to leave one day it dawned on me the consistency of some things I observe. Whether in the east coast, the south, or the mid-west I notice things about children and their interactions with each other that we could take to heart and learn from. Herbert Hoover was quoted as saying, “Children are our most valuable natural resource.”

The Bible has several clear passages about children. These truths I have observed as a mother. There is a passage about the faith of a child that I have seen demonstrated in Reese numerous times. Any ailment, hurt, or disappointment simply passes with a “in Jesus name Amen”. Gentry also loves to yell Amen from the top of his lungs. If only I could have faith that every negative experience in life is immediately gone without a second thought simply by calling on Jesus. The Bible demands this type of faith from us in the Gospels. We are to receive without question. Here are some lessons in life we can learn from children that are also spiritual principals.

Mark 10:15-16 15 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them. NASU

#1: Small Children do not Discriminate and neither should we

When I watch my boys play with other children, they have as much fun and invest as much energy into playing with every child regardless of race, gender, and religion. Basically the only thing children discriminate on is the basis of “My dad is bigger than your dad.” Children do not see color or gender as an obstacle to friendship. In doing this, children also do not minimize their difference. Oftentimes adults feel that to be colorblind or not sexist we must deny our differences. This is not accurate. Rather than deny our skin color or gender, we must embrace it and all play together.

#2: Small Children do not know a stranger

While this may invoke fear in mothers, small children do not know a stranger (unless they are the painfully shy hide under mommies skirt type) This is a great quality in life. We should play with all people and treat them kindly. Children are accepting and we should be too.

#3: Money has no value

Where children are concerned, they’d rather have 5 pennies than one quarter. Children do not judge others based on how much money they have. Reese also loves to share(with everyone but Gentry that is). If we give him a gum ball, he wants to buy another for his friends. As adults, we struggle buying for our friends because it is money out of our pocket.

#4: Children love to have fun

While this is a simple and basic point, adults take life too seriously. Many events in our life are out of our control. Sometimes we need to embrace that and enjoy life. If events are out of your control, no amount of worry, fear, pondering, or begging will change them. Enjoy what you can.

#5: Dance

When music is playing, whether in the mall, in church, or in the car, it is time to wiggle your hips, twirl your wrists, and roll your feet. My boys are dancing 24/7 and dancing is not only good for your hip size and health, it brings laughter.

Recently a very popular song has emerged by Israel Haughton entitled “Say So”. The essence of the song is to ponder the meaning of salvation and our role as believers in declaring the gospel. I have thought of this song several times. The faith and excitement that occurs in a congreation when this song is sung is palitable. We get so excited about saying so, rising up, and being salt and light to the world. The most climactic moment of the song is when the congreation sings ” I am redeemed”. This song is very powerful because it should stop and make us think about what we are doing currently as the body of Christ. Are we really “Saying So”, or do we just get excited about being at church and patting ourselves on the back for our good sense to come to Christ?

Another thing I have pondered on this topic is are we really salty? Are we really lit up for God, or are we just a 10 watt bulb on the verge of burning out? The Bible talks about salt that has lost its flavor. It is good for nothing. Also, a lamp that is burnt out or hidden produces no results.
Matt 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Could it be that many of us hide behind tradition and thinly veiled Christianity because our salt is not savory and our light is burnt out? Could we be so caught up in our so called separation from the world that we forgot to be IN the world? What good is a lamp that is not plugged in or salt that is not shaken?

Social networking sites like everyonesapostolic have somewhat turned me off. Why can’t we be on facebook and network with people that are not of our faith? Should we really group off into elite communities and leave behind those we attended school with, work with, and see at our local grocery stores? The only harm in sites like facebook and myspace is the user. If you don’t have the self control to avoid looking at and ingesting things that are sinful, then you quite possibly aren’t the salt that God called you to be. We should have the patience to venture out into the world and the perserverance to affect our world without it tainting our personal walk with God. We should have the fortitude to stand for what is right without alienating those that don’t share our current set of values and beliefs. Do we accomplish a lot for God by being dogmatic and judgemental, or is salt tastier when sprinkled on bits at a time? The same is true with light. Light is powerful and eye opening, however, light in too strong of a dose just leaves us tired and sunburnt.

I recently found an interesting product online that I had no prior knowledge of. I found a product called a salt crystal lamp. This product for me is the embodiment of what God has called Christians to be. The product is described like this: “Salt crystal lamps promote comfort, relaxation and a healthy environment. They act as air purifiers by neutralizing harmful pollutants and emitting health promoting ions through a process only possible with the mineral salt. It is well known that chemical salt is essential for bodily functions. The illuminated salt crystal lamps work as natural amplifiers for these good vibrations so necessary for our health and well being.”

We are to be a combination of salt and light spreading good will and the gospel to those that are lost. Be encouraged to “Say So” this week.

The sentiments of finding oneself are echoed in numerous modern, popular worship songs. “Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my pain, care to know my hurt……..”, ” I am a friend of God, he calls me friend………”, ” I know who I am, I know who I am, I know who I am, I am yours………..”, and ” I am not forgotten, God knows my name” are just a few that come to mind. We sing these songs with great fervor in our hearts and spirits and a sense of pride and belonging wells up from deep within us. We no longer have self-esteem issues and concerns of loneliness, but we have the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Why is it then that so many Christians are defeated, alone, depressed, discontented, and friendless? I began to ponder this issue and it dawned on me that it could possibly be because the church world has one mold. Many groups of spirit filled churches seem to attract the same type of person and you can identify them in public. While an identity in Christ and identification with a group of believers is a good thing, we need to strike a balance between the core of who we are as individual believers and who we are as a body. Far too often I have seen people not be interested in Christ, or leave the body because they have never found their place. Every individual has their own strengths, interests, and desires. Every individual has their own personality. God has not called us to fit a cookie cutter, but to be disciples of him.

We can all find our identities in Christ, and we should be identifiably separate from the world in our lifestyle, attitude, and choices. However, beyond that, God gets glory in our individuality. He created us all with a free will and with the ability to make different choices. Everyone has a different personality. Some are shy, some are outgoing, some are smart, some are not so smart, some are talented in music, some are talented in computers, and others still, are leaders and others are followers. God has no desire for us to all become the same shape of cookie in his kingdom. Too many people have chosen no identity in Christ because they are afraid of losing who they are. They don’t want to be someone that wears suits. It is ashamed that we have tried to “institutionalize” the body of Christ. The arm and the leg don’t look alike. They are identifiable as being from the same body, but they perform different functions and look differently. If you are white, your arm and leg are both white, if you are black, your limbs also match, however, beyond that, they are distinctly different. This same thing can be said for the body of Christ. We should all be identifiable as part of the same body. We should have some characteristics that immediately identify us as believers, but beyond that, we should be comfortable in our individuality and different function.

I guess I want to say, don’t let another soul be lost because they don’t want to wear a suit to church. Allow them to express their identity in themselves and be plugged into the body. Somethings that God asks us to do require us to lay aside our own desires and selfish will, however, more often than not, God gets delight in our creativity and differences. Remember, we serve a creative God. He designed and created the world we live in. He has a sense of humor. (This is very obvious when we look at some people. haha) He gets glory when we express who we are. We need to find our identity in Christ without sacrificing our interests and pursuits. Obviously, there are some human interests and pursuits that are contrary to the Word of God. These are called principals. We can teach people principals of the Word of God and use that as the guide that we live by. We get a new name and identity when we are born into the body of Christ, he transforms our thinking and choices, but he doesn’t take away your sense of humor, goals, and abilities. Celebrate your diversity within Christ!

God wants to change our sinful nature and have us die out to our sin man, he never asked us to lay aside our personality and creativity! We are the expressed image and likeness of God. God is creative, true, and just. God is friendly, kind, and loving. Let us fit our self within the principles of God and delight in his creative powers.

Rom 6:6
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
NASU
Eph 4:22-24
22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you A lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
NASU
Col 3:9-10
1 A Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him —
NASU

We are back in the Hoosier state once again after spending 6 days in North Carolina for General Conference. There were several amazing “God” moments at the conference that I wanted to share. Almost 400 people received the gift of the Holy Ghost, 2 women got up from their wheelchairs to walk, and a deaf ear was unstopped. God is still performing the miraculous in our generation. We need to stop looking to the past and experiences from yesteryear and keep our eyes focused on what God is doing now. The Bible says that the latter rain, or outpouring in the end times, will be greater than the former rain. Our faith should not be shaken by circumstance, but should hold strong in the truths that we know and demonstrations that we see. The Bible talks about not always seeking for a sign and not always basing things in signs and wonders, however, God encourages us to act on our faith and see the miraculous performed. The only thing that will bring the lost souls of the 21st century to their knees is an apostolic demonstration. Don’t fear holding to the truth in this day and age. The truth of the mighty God in Christ, the infilling of the holy ghost, apostolic giving, fellowship, and doctrine, and the miraculous will shake our cities and bring our generation to a knowledge of God. In an era where humanism and politics are our God, theories, ideas, and marketing will not make us stand out. The only thing that will make our truth relevant is its life changing abilities.

I decided today that I would post on my blog the statement that I had on our previous church’s website. I replaced the terminology New Life Church for the Bridge Church, but my theories and vision for a worship ministry remain the same. As the Worship Ministry Leader of our church plant, The Bridge Church, I wanted to begin thinking about, planning for, and striving towards excellence and the mind of God. Music will play an integral role in attracting new peole into our church. I may change some of my vision and tweak my statement when we are on location, but for now, I’ll post what I’ve done in the past. If it isn’t broke, why fix it?

Verse: “God’s Kingdom is like a perfect, flawless pearl. When a Jewel Merchant sees it, in his excitement and joy he sells all he owns to buy this one treasure” (Matthew 13:44 paraphrased)

Life can often feel like a busy, fast-moving journey. We have to keep running onwards, and get little time to look around and take in the scenery. But every now and then, we arrive at a bend in the road, or reach the top of a hill or mountain. In that place we have to pause, take in the view around us and decide which direction and path we will take next. We must also choose who and what governs our decisions and priorities in life.

Music is an important part of the ministry of the body. It creates a time for us to relax, breathe, think about the priorities of this life, and be ushered into the presence of the Lord. Through the ministry of music, we are given hope, washed in faith, and prepared with a spirit of expectancy.
Music is the end to the days spent searching for God and waiting for his next move. The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of his people. If you are struggling with the decisions of life and feel that God can not be found, engulf yourself into an atmosphere of worship and praise and be surprised, even delighted, when God shows up. He will answer your prayer, heal you, and give your life the meaning that you so desire.

Music, worship, and praise were the weapons that God used many times in the Old Testament to defeat the army of the enemy. Even now as the enemy of our souls preys on us and we are drawn by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, we can lift our hands in surrender and worship to the Lord and conqueror the enemy.

Here at The Bridge Church we strive for excellence in our music ministry. The book of Psalms states that we should play skillfully for the Lord. However, we always keep in mind that the meager talents we possess are a direct gift from above. Through lively, passionate worship and praise we endeavor to uplift the down, give salvation to the lost, and most of all glorify the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The Music Ministry, which sets the tone for worship services and provides music for special events, includes the Ensemble, Soloists, Small Groups, Sign Language Team, and the Worship Team.

Members of the music ministry meet each week to practice and to lead worship in the services. We also have a big practice once a month.

The music ministry is involved in a number of activities. These include:
Rehearsals (including teaching, training, and coaching)
Concerts for the community and church
Serving as worship leaders for all services
Social events for members
Come experience the talent and anointing of our Worship Ministry
Jessica L. Buckland, Worship Ministry Head