Can an Unbeliever be A part of Your Worship Program?

As a worship leader it will be significant that you simply contemplate the question of whether or not an unbeliever might be a part of your worship program. I'm typically asked this question when two situations happen in a church: there are few team members obtainable for the worship program, and the person who just isn't a Christian is a very proficient individual. You probably have a large church with many proficient musicians then the question could not have an effect on you as much, but if your team is small and a very gifted musician or singer is in the wings, are you able to willingly accept them into your worship program with a clear conscience?

What is the Worship Program Really About?

When considering your team, it's essential to cease for a second and ask your self what the worship program is all about. Is it about having an important sound, or being professional or rocking the congregation’s socks off? Or is it about leading your church family right into a deeper, more meaningful relationship with the Lord?

I might counsel to you that the worship program must be about leading people to God in worship. Certain, we want to be professional and to play and sing to a high and exquisite standard, but I might suggest that these are secondary concerns in your worship program. A worship program is a spiritual occasion, not a live performance, so the concept a non-believer can be part of your team is unquestionably out of phase with the goals of your worship program team.

Who Qualifies Somebody to Take Half in the Worship Program?

In groups that I've lead, one of many core requirements of crew members is that they know Jesus and have a relationship with Him. Non-believers can undoubtedly play effectively, sing well, and doubtless perform properly, however they haven't any idea of the very central concept of the worship program: nearer communion with the Lord. Yes, we wish it played and sung brilliantly, however we do not want to compromise the spirit of our worship program simply to sound a bit better.

One of the first main worship program teams I assembled featured an excellent drummer who was not a Christian, but who proved to be a demanding and slightly aggressive team member. We had a backup drummer who was relegated to percussion, and who was just happy to be a part of the worship program at all. When the unbelieving drummer didn’t trouble to show up to observe twice over because he mentioned he was ok, I appointed the Christian guy. He could not play as properly, however he had an amazing spirit and understood what humility and serving within the worship program was all about.

Can the Worship Program Be a Instrument To Reach Team Members?

In most fashionable churches, the pressure is on worship leaders to sound great and act professional (and this implies accepting talented people whose lives should not proper with the Lord) and I consider that worship leaders have to make a stand in their worship program. I have heard of non-believers becoming Christians due to their involvement within the worship band, but I don't really feel that that is the way we should be operating. Why not lead them to the Lord first (when there isn't any ego opportunity at stake), then introduce them to the entire idea of worship, both personal and corporate.

Using worship team involvement to win a proficient unbeliever to Christ is a bit like marrying an unbeliever to witness to them and lead them to Christ. It's across the wrong way! It's troublesome to seize a true spirit of worship when the workforce to your worship program is unequally yoked!

So, worship leaders and pastors, let us make a stand for what is right and ensure our worship crew is focused on the true activity of leading folks to Christ. We must worship in Spirit and in reality, not simply have skilled music and presentation. Don’t permit your worship program to be held to ransom by talented non-believers.

Life Is About Evolution

If you truly want to be a person of influence you first have to embrace evolution. Wisdom will always let you know that fighting change is definitely a losing battle so it is imperative that you move towards being a more evolved enlightened human being. One of the great principle of life is stated this way; "Freedom and happiness are found in the flexibility and ease with which we move through change." 

If you truly want to transition or transform from someone who moves through life unconsciously to a person who becomes the wealthy individual who's completely aware of and completely at ease with all things around him or her then you must embrace change. It doesn't matter at all where you are from or what you've done in the past, you're never trapped in any circumstance, relationship, cycle, or situation unless you say and/or believe you are. It's always better to take each and everyday and treat it just as it is; a new day with new opportunities to do what's right. 

If you're at a point in your life where you realize you're going in the wrong direction which means you're producing the wrong results then simply in most cases do the opposite of what you're doing right now. Trust me this will make a world of difference and you'll almost see small and/or big result quickly. I know this is easier said then done but when you add courage and persistent practice to your constant thought pattern that's saying "it's time to make the necessary changes" then I'm absolutely sure you'll make great progress in living a more happy and fulfilled life.

Bible Study On Revelations 18 - The Judgment Of Babylon

A study of the eighteenth chapter of the book of Revelations shows that the day is coming when Babylon will be punished for her misdeeds that brings calamity upon the world on account of the great apostasy into which its inhabitants will be led. 

As we seek to connect the dots in the book of Revelations concerning the succession of world events we need to get a better understanding of the role of Babylon in the fulfillment of end-time prophecies. The first hint of Babylon's involvement in last-day events is found in Revelation 14:8. In this particular verse it is said that Babylon has made all nations drunk with the wine of her fornication. 

In order for us to determine the meaning of the phrase 'wine of her fornication' we need to determine who this Babylon is. In my Bible study on Revelation 17 I see where Babylon is again mentioned under the symbol of a woman. 

The clear biblical interpretation of this 'woman' symbol is said to be "that great city that reigneth over the kings of the earth" (Rev. 17:18), and sits on seven mountains (Rev. 17;9). Furthermore, in the scriptures woman in symbolic form usually refers to a religious entity (a church, see Jer. 6:3; Eph. 5:21-27). 

The woman, Mystery Babylon the great, is obviously an impure religion since she is categorized as a whore. And this is what explains the fornication part. Since the woman is a symbol, her fornication cannot be seen as literal; it must also be accounted as symbolic. She commits fornication by departing from her Lord and went a whoring after other gods just as Israel did in days of old (Exod. 34:16; Ezek. 6:9). 

As we examine each description as well as the biblical solution to the symbol, we can only be led to one conclusion - this great city that sits on seven mountains is none other than the city of Rome and her religion. 

Like Jerusalem, Mystery Babylon was once a faithful city but she has now become a harlot (Isa. 1:21). As a harlot she will lead the world into the same kind of prostitution of which she is accused, and hence, the world will suffer the same punishment that will be meted out against her for such an offense. 

But she will not be punished just for her apostasy because she is not just a participant or a mere victim in this whole end-time saga. Even a peripheral Bible study on Revelations 14, 16, 17, and 18 will show clearly that this woman will be very much at the helm dictating world affairs. According to Revelation 17, she will reign over kings and will make the inhabitants of the earth drunk with the wine of her fornication. 

The eighteenth chapter of the book of Revelation outlines the details of her sins for which she will be rewarded and manner of her retribution. When we consider the extent of divine judgment upon this city of fornication it can only lead us to contemplate the magnitude of her offenses. Certainly, God does not impose punishment more than what the crime deserves. 

It is interesting to note the manner in which she will be punished. If we should only confine our Bible study about Mystery Babylon to Revelation 14 alone we may be lead to conclude that God will personally cause fire and brimstone to fall upon that seven-hill city for its iniquity. But based on what we read in Revelation 17, the destruction of Babylon will be the work of the ten kings. 

At some point these ten co-rulers with the beast (Rev. 17:12) will have reason to turn against her. A Bible study on Revelation 17 will bear out the fact, "these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire." Rev. 17:16. Indeed, God's judgment will be executed upon Babylon at the hands of her own allies (Rev. 17:17).

A Successful Passover Seder

Seder is a great time to reconnect with those people who live with you, whom you know, and your family! Chances are between work, school, social commitments, and other functions you guys don't get to spend much time together. Preparing a lavish meal and sitting down to enjoy it as a family is a great way to develop your familial relationships while having fun. 

Food is the best way to gather friends and family for a proper Seder. Nothing gets people to the table like Seder plates overflowing with tasty Jewish foods. Prepare food and ask others who dine with you to bring something too. Even a loaf of bread or a bottle of wine can add to your spread. When it comes to a Passover Seder the more the merrier, especially if they are bringing food. 

Make sure you have a family Haggadah for everyone who is coming. You can ask guests to bring their own but this creates confusion. Namely different Haggadahs have different page numbers, even though their contents are the same. You can purchase sets of family Haggadahs and use them for years to come. Last I checked, a sequel to the Haggadah is not underway, so you don't need to worry about your copy falling out of date. 

If food and Haggadah reading isn't enough to tempt your family to the table you can always rouse them with Jewish gifts. People love getting and giving gifts. It's a great way to express your love for someone while demonstrating how much you know about them. Jewish gifts are especially meaningful because they speak to your greater, shared heritage and traditions. Anything from a Kipa to a Judaic piece of jewelry is a good Jewish gift. 

To add a bit of drama to your Passover Seder, why not use a matza cover? People gather around the table, and at its center is a mysterious item draped in a festive cloth. Then when everyone is gathered and anticipation is running high, voila! Matza! The kids will go wild! You can use the matza cover again when hiding the matza. 

Make sure to stock up on Jewish wine before any Seder. Seder's require you to drink a lot of wine. Also most guest will probably want to do some extracurricular wine drinking beyond what the Seder calls for. 

So get your invites together, start prepping your food, and dust off that Seder plate. Passover Seder will be here soon. Are you ready?

Youth Ministry Resources - Stop Creating Resources For Your Ministry

I was sitting in my office the other day and had an interesting thought about youth ministry resources. If I never created another game or sermon for my students, would that make me a bad student pastor? Possibly, after all you do have to listen to God's leading of what He would have you to do every day. But I can say with great confidence that I believe it is very likely that the answer to that question is no. No you would not be a bad student pastor if you stopped creating materials. Here's why. 

It is very likely that your gifts in ministry are something besides creating games, sermons, studies, etc. for your students. However there are people out there who have been gifted in that exact area, creating youth ministry resources. There are creative people and incredible writers who are using their gifts and talents everyday. Since we are the body of Christ, we should fulfill our part of the body and let others use their gifts and talents to reach the body also. Stop trying to be a foot if you are a hand. Get the idea? 

Also, the real mark in your student's lives is going to be the relationships you build with them. Yes, the materials will help to guide and grow those relationships, but the biggest piece will be your time. Your listening ear and caring heart will go a lot farther than you could ever imagine. Those relationships will change one life at a time and in turn just might change the world. 

Let's rethink just exactly what is important in ministry. Let's reconsider what our role, as a student pastor should be. Yes our job descriptions is going to guide much of what you have to do, but where you can alleviate some of your load, do it. Free yourself up for your family and your students. Getting your youth ministry resources from somewhere else may be a great place to start.

Spiritual Books

Spiritual books are known to be our best friends for their unconditional love towards us. Reading, generally, has always been one of our favourite hobbies. As far as spiritual inspiration and knowledge is concerned, there is no substitute of acquiring it other than from spiritual books. These books are fuel for our thoughts and beliefs, they provide us the inspiration and courage to stand up for what we feel is right for our growth.

Spiritual books have begun to multiply in number in recent times. And it is true that once we go through the work of writers who have had spiritual inspiration, our lives get changed.

Tired of leading stressful and unhappy lives, people with a desire to lead peaceful lives are resorting to spirituality. Thus spirituality is on the rise. Walking on the path of spirituality not only helps us to realise our real Self, but it also inspires us and drives us to lead a joyous life. If we intend to relax and attain peace of mind we should read spiritual books.

A good way of selecting these inspiring books is to search online for them. We need to select a few good spiritual books available in the market and start reading it religiously. We should make a regular habit of reading them, set up a time of the day for the same, and put our whole mind on it. While reading spiritual books we should not be watching TV or eating or doing anything else.

We slowly begin to see the world around us in a different perspective. We begin to comprehend why a person is behaving the way he/she is. We learn to take things in stride and move on without getting much baffled from his/her behaviour.

Spiritual books help us clarify a lot of our doubts which otherwise seem difficult to resolve. We must believe that our time invested in spiritual reading will definitely change our lives. We become very positive. Our attitude and point of view for life also changes. Realizing our dreams and aspirations will become easy and we shall experience joys like never before.

This blissful experience is an important facet of spiritual inspiration coming through books. Nonetheless, mere reading won’t help us unless we learn to apply these principles in our day to day affairs. Spirituality is not about reading alone, it is about being and becoming. We need to understand the writer’s point of view and begin to follow it in our lives with determination. This is important because without doing this spiritual books will produce no good results.

For people like us who are moved by spiritual inspiration, it is necessary that we seek wholeheartedly until we reach our destination. And once we begin to find spiritual realisation, we must keep seeking until we are convinced, at the deepest level of our inner being, of the eternal reality that God, is our own real Self.

For some of us, this realisation might happen in an instant explosive revelation; for others, it will occur quietly and gradually. Whenever it happens, we will all know.

7 Ways We The People Can Restore Civility

We’re at a turning point. We claim we want civility. But let’s be honest; what we really want is for the other side to shut up. 

We can criticize the politicians, but how many of us truly want to collaborate or cooperate? 

Here’s the deal, people: Congress works for us. 

They’re not going to change until we do. They’re not going to start thinking bigger until we start thinking bigger. 

Polarizing politics is not a new problem. 

During the 2004 election, I watched my close suburban community divide. People who once shared friendly backyard barbecues began to question each other’s morals and values. 

At the time I was a member of two groups, one very conservative, and one very liberal. 

Because they both considered me a like-minded peer, they spoke freely about the other side. 

I got to hear their unfiltered assessment of “those people.” You know, “those people” who don’t share our values, who don’t care about our country, or families or schools or God the same way we do. 

Both sides were equally self-righteous and judgmental. 

It broke my heart, because I knew that their values were more alike than they were different. 

I also knew there had to be a better way. 

I spent the next five years studying the world’s greatest problem solvers, people like Albert Einstein, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. I dissected conflict after conflict to identify which behaviors enabled people to solve their problems and which behaviors kept them stuck. 

The result: The Triangle of Truth – a problem-solving model to rise above either/or thinking. 

Based on the best practices of the world’s greatest thinkers, The Triangle of Truth is rooted in 7 core principles: 

1. Embrace AND 

2. Make peace with ambiguity 

3. Hold space for other perspectives 

4. Seek higher ground 

5. Discern intent 

6. Elevate others 

7. Be the peace 

The “I’m right so you must be wrong” paradigm isn’t working. It never did, and it never will. 

There’s a critical turning point inside every conflict when the two parties either attack each other, or they attack the problem. These 7 best practices of The Triangle of Truth keep the focus on the problem. 

If we want things to change in Washington, we the people need to start the process. 

I used to sit on the sidelines criticizing politicians. Then I decided, this is my country; if I love it, I need to stop criticizing and start helping. 

So here’s my offer: 

I’ve spent the last 18 months training business leaders in these principles, and I literally wrote the book on conflict resolution – The Triangle of Truth. 

If you think your Congressperson or Senator could benefit from learning these techniques, email me - Lisa@TriangleofTruth.com - and I’ll send them a copy of the book, for free. I’ll also fly to Washington to work with them or any member of their staff, on my dime. 

This may cost me a bundle; in fact, I hope it does. I hope we have to give away 538 free copies and that I have to spend hours of pro bono time helping Congress reframe their thinking. 

Why am I doing this? 

Because I love my country. 

I’m a mother, I’m a business owner, and I’m an American citizen who is no longer going to sit on sidelines and watch her country implode. 

If we the people want a better government, then we the people need to help our leaders create one. 

I’m in. How about you?