What’s Next God?

  I was reading in Romans tonight and came across something that made go “Hmmm”.

There is a lot of debate out there about “What is worship?”. For most of us, our minds immediately go to some form of music, singing or other form of emotional expression.

  Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) says…

 ¹ And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. ² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

  This caught my attention because our church is getting ready to do a gathering called “The Art of Worship is in the heART”.  We’re trying to break this concept that worship can only happen behind the church doors with music and songs.

After reading (and re-reading) this passage I think we may have the title wrong. Don’t get me wrong, I believe worship comes from the heart BUT the mind typically sets the direction for the heart. I believe this is why Paul said, “but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think”. I think this is why so many of us have such a hard time being able to truly worship God, we can’t ever get to the heart because there’s a road block in our minds.

My Pastor, Dr. Tim Cox, has quoted a phrase for just about as long as I’ve known him. He says, “Every spiritual battle is won or lost at the threshold of our minds”. My own personal paraphrase…garbage in, garbage out. Our bodies can only be “a living and holy sacrifice” if we’re willing to monitor what goes into them.

One last thing on this passage of scripture, he says, “the kind He will find acceptable”. I guess I just really don’t want my worship to be rejected by God….do you??

Trying to change the way I think….

-c

Last week I took our youth group on a mission to trip to Dyersburg Tennessee.

So what’s in Dyersburg you ask…Some very cool people doing an amazing job of being Christ to people who need to see Him.

   Greg and Cammie Beam (and their 3 kids, Maria, Leanne and David) are the camp directors at New Life Youth Camp in Dyersburg TN. This camp puts on 6 weeks of camp for at risk kids ranging from first grade through twelfth grade. When it’s not camp season they spend their time working at the Dyersburg Mission. I can’t say enough good things about the work Greg and his team are doing down there and how much they have sacrificed to be obedient Gods calling.

Greg’s Blog

  I took a group of 9 senior high youth and 7 adults to Dyersburg last week to be junior councilors at NLYC. We were there for the 3^rd and 4^th grade kids week. Just let me say it was AMAZING! I saw God move in so many cool ways, not only in the lives of the kids at camp but in the lives of our youth and adults…and even in my life.

I’m still trying to process all that we experienced last week, I had so many “AhhHaa!” moments that I had to start writing them down. One thing I know for certain is that God started a work in each of our lives that we carried back to Ohio with us and I don’t want to let those things go un-attended to.

  So once again I find myself asking the question “What’s Next God?” Don’t know yet but I’m excited to see where we go from here…

More about our mission trip coming soon…and a HUGE thanks to the adults that took a week off work to help me out last week! Jeff and Robin Golden, Duane and Robin Patrick, Tony Koehl and my wife Angel.

Thank You!!

-c 

Hey all, I decided to start blogging not because I have anything all that important to say but rather I’m learning more and more how important it is to do life with people. I believe blogging is a great way to spur conversations, trade opinions and gain new perspectives.

The title “What’s Next God?” comes from the reflection on my own life, and the realization that the majority of my life has been spent either, wondering “Where do I go from here?” or preparing for the next step I feel like God is asking me to take.

My hope is this blog becomes a place where we can flush out those very kinds questions and situations.

One truth that I have learned in my spiritual journey is not to become complacent, life is a series of seasons…some leave and never return, others tend to cycle around again and again…each time with a little different color and flavor.

What I DON’T want to happen in any season or situation, rather familiar or all new, is to get so wrapped up in my existence that I quit asking the question….”What’s next God?”

We’d be selling “The God of all creation”  just a little short if we choose to  live in a place where we felt like what we have already experienced so far, is the best God has to offer….I don’t think so!

-c

Welcome to Whats Next God?