multi-generational worship...

As a former youth pastor, and someone who has led children in worship as well, I have become increasingly concerned about the manipulation of our younger generation when it comes to worship. Manipulation to conform to a certain “cool” lifestyle that takes the focus off the Lord and puts it on the medium itself is always a big mistake. Why, you say? The very word focus says enough by itself. When the focus toward the Lord is blurred, the focus on the world, or the temporary, becomes very clear. That kind of clarity toward the ways of the world and misguided focus on earthly things is empty at best. It is well known that what your eyes are focused on will influence your mind over a period of time. If we continue to focus on a cutting edge medium that is not God-centered, the end result will be that we are manipulating on behalf of a non-spiritual agenda. That is not God-honoring and in fact, is a slam against the Word of God.

Our passion as worship leaders should always be to lift up the name of Jesus first. That means we will highlight the Word of God, and not think of it as antiquated and old. We will live vibrant lives that show an increasing desire for Godliness as we live in the righteousness provided through the blood of Jesus. We will not compromise in order to improvise to make the Word of God look better, as if it needs it. We will unapologetically lift up the name of Jesus and be Salt and Light in a time when those terms are called outdated and ineffective. In other words, we will be the church. We cannot allow ourselves to get on the slippery slope of apathy anymore and expect God to bless our efforts. It won’t happen. There is only one God, and it’s not us. Let’s worship in spirit and truth and actually let God be the one who is glorified as we lift up the Savior, not the secular.

I have enclosed a brief article below that is a good reminder for each of us as adults about our attitude when it comes to leading worship. Even though this is for those leading children in worship, it applies to us all. Thanks for all you do to lead others in worship. Please keep your hand to the plow and don’t look back. Luke 9:62…

Keep plowing from generation to generation,

Copied from Integrity Today

Worship: The Spiritual Dimension

This is an article that was written to help leaders realize the importance of leading children in spirit-led worship.

First, begin with spiritual warfare: Worship is a spiritual activity, one that will be met with spiritual opposition, every time.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness

of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”

--Ephesians 6:12

Next, welcome the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit comes to reveal Jesus in our midst. As we surrender to the Spirit’s leading, we create an entry-point for glory to permeate our praise.

Finally, see leaders as co-worshippers: Worship-leading is not like cheerleading. Cheerleaders stand apart from the game, cheering on the team. A worship-leader joins the worship, as another worshipper, modeling a heart for worship.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

--1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

The Pilgrimage continues..

David Warren

birth to new birth...

These past two weeks have been some of the most challenging and uplifting weeks of my life with the birth of Addison Grace Warren and Esther Ruth Askew, otherwise known as our grandchildren. I’m a grandfather! Wow…say that backwards -- wow! Their births were so much the same, but totally different. First of all, they are healthy, breathing and beautiful. Secondly, they had very different ways of getting here, but they are here. We got a call from our son, Ty saying, “I think you need to start the nine hour drive to get here in time for the birth.” Sure enough, the next morning Addison Grace Warren was born weighing 6lbs 14oz. Healthy and sometimes even smiling she lived up to her name by “gracing” our lives with her presence. Awesome! Simply awesome! Eight days later we get a call from our daughter Natalie saying they were going to go ahead and induce labor, and then deliver the baby. Sure enough, the next day Esther Ruth Askew was born weighing in at 10lbs 1oz. She was born per her namesake for “such a time as this!” Two -- not one -- two grandchildren. What an awesome blessing for all the family.

Even though both deliveries were totally different they both had the same result, new life…birth! The mothers and fathers are totally different. The babies themselves are totally different. They do have one major thing in common, though. They are alive and growing. All this brings to mind the new birth those who accept Christ experience. All are totally different people from different backgrounds who are brought to the point of new birth through different experiences. All are different, but share one common thing…birth. The first birth gives us life; the second birth gives us abundant life.

*Important note– If people are walking around, they have already experienced the first birth. Now they need to hear about the second one. We are the ones with the Message. From birth to new birth, we have the opportunity to lead others to transition from the first one to the second one by sharing one simple thing -- our experience.

I will never forget the birth of my children and my grandchildren. It keeps life in perspective. My new birth as a believer is my perspective, and it impacts me every moment of every day as I grow up in the grace and love of my Lord. It turns my crank and keeps my life purpose fresh and growing. Listen to Paul’s perspective on sharing the new birth he experienced...

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

--Colossians 4:2-6

From birth to birth, both of them are timely. We need “grace” and we need to shine like a “star”, which is what Esther’s name means. So, let your light shine and tell others of the grace that gives them new birth. I can’t wait for the new birth these girls will experience some day in the future. For now, I will help them grow in the first one. Thank you, girls -- Popsie’s proud.

David Warren
Worship Pastor

Welcome, Esther Ruth!

Please welcome little miss

Esther Ruth Askew

to the Askew family!

Born: September 15, 2009

Time: 7:47pm

Weight: 10 lbs, 1 oz

Length: 21 1/2 inches

Congratulations to the proud parents, 

David and Natalie Askew

and to the proud grandparents,

David and Andra Warren!

get back up, son...

When our youngest son, Seth, was a little boy we made a great discovery. He was very fast. I mean, extremely fast, and he could run forever, it seemed. He would line up in the track events for his elementary school and beat all the other kids by at least 10 yards in every race. I mean fast. I always wanted to encourage him, so I would say a prayer with him at the starting line and then run to the finish line to wait for him. When he would cross the tape he would continue sideways to the fence around the track and come up and hug me and I would say, “Great race! You are awesome!” He would smile and go back and get his blue ribbon, and then we would go out for Dairy Queen. I loved watching him run.

We went to one particular race in the third grade and there were kids there from other schools ready to beat one boy -- Seth. This race was for 2 miles and he took off and went over the hill ahead of everyone. We had done the prerace prayer and then went to the finish line to wait for Seth. As the kids came up over the other hill we noticed something strange…no Seth. The first ten runners came in and Seth was not with them. Just when we thought something was majorly wrong, here he came. He was running and passing kids like they were standing still and came in18th place. We ran to him and told him, “Great race!” and noticed he was crying. In the middle of the race, out of the sight of the judges and the parents, there was a place where the kids would double back and pass each other. At that point, two boys tripped Seth, sending him down the hillside, and as others ran by, Seth fell back to last. Injured and hurting he got back up and started running as hard as he could and went from 85^th to 18^th. The other boys who tripped him finished first and second -- we could only imagine what would have happened if he had not been tripped.

That was not the point. The point was, he raced. He competed for the prize and even though he had a pitfall or two, he finished as strong as he could. He didn’t give up. I learned a lot about my son, myself, and of course, my Lord that day. We may stumble and we may fall, but don’t give up! Keep on racing. Keep on running. Remember what 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says...

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others,I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Some day when we finish the race of this life we will all cross the finish line and run into the arms of our Father and He will say, “Great Race! You are Awesome!” Let’s get ready for that day by running the race He has set before us with all the passion we can. If you fall, God will say, “Get back up, son, get back up, daughter, and keep running.”
David Warren
Worship Pastor

Welcome, Addison Grace!

Please welcome little miss

Addison Grace Warren

to the Warren family!

Born: September 6, 2009

Time: 7:35 am

Weight: 6 lbs, 14 oz

Length: 19 inches

Congratulations to the proud parents,

Ty and Dana Warren

and to the proud grandparents,

David and Andra Warren!

What's a new song?

In leading worship at different places for different people I have noticed that certain worship songs are known by many and some songs are only known by a few. I will get before a group that is not used to my worship leading and I will start singing a song that is well known by our church, but the confused look and non-singing shows me those people haven’t heard that song. Of course, my heart’s desire is that all would lift up their voices to the Lord, but they do that easier if they are familiar with the song I am leading. Some songs are easy to learn and the chorus repeats and it makes the song one that everyone can sing. Some songs are very difficult to learn and they usually remain a solo piece or one that a small ensemble group can sing as special music. The main thing is that we lift up His name and focus on Him and not ourselves.

In so many ways, it’s not the song title, but the stirring of a heart drawn to God that causes a song to come alive as God’s people lift their thanks and worship to Him. The Holy Spirit makes that song an instrument of praise that God can use to exalt Him. The age of a song is only when it was written, not when and only when God can use it. Songs are timeless, much like God who stirred the hearts of men and women to write them. Psalm 98 says, “Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things, his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.” The songs of the saints are songs that are expressions of our great love for God, in light of His great love for us. The new song is the constant refreshed attitude that makes every moment something to be lived to the fullest. It doesn’t matter if it’s the latest greatest, or the goldest oldest. What does matter is who you are when you are singing it.

A life that God changes is a life that is in a process of growth. That growth is full of constant fresh responses to God and His wonderful grace and mercy. That generates something in us that makes every song we sing a new song. When we worship with hearts that are changed by Him, the end result is acceptable worship that goes well beyond song age and makes every song NEW! We will still have our likes and our dislikes, but a true worshipper doesn’t dwell on those things as much as he or she dwells on the Lord who gives the song.

Sing a new song this week as we sing songs you have sung before again and again. The songs will no longer be just familiar, they will be new.

Worship Him and Him alone,

David Warren

Worship Pastor