Archive for January, 2009

Modern hymn of the week. . .

“Jesus Is Lord” by Stuart Townend & Keith Getty

“Jesus is Lord!”—the cry that echoes through creation:
Resplendent pow’r, eternal Word, our rock.
The Son of God, the King whose glory fills the heavens,
Yet bids us come to taste this living bread.

Jesus is Lord—Whose voice sustains the stars and planets,
Yet in His wisdom laid aside His crown.
Jesus the Man, who washed our feet, who bore our suffering,
Became a curse to bring salvation’s plan.

Jesus is Lord—the tomb is gloriously empty!
Not even death could crush this King of love!
The price is paid, the chains are loosed, and we’re forgiven,
And we can run into the arms of God.

“Jesus is Lord!”—a shout of joy, a cry of anguish,
As He returns, and ev’ry knee bows low.
Then ev’ry eye and ev’ry heart will see His glory,
The Judge of all will take His children home.

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What do you want me to say next?. . .

I’d love to gather some ideas from you guys. If there’s something you’d like me to write about, let me know! You can send me an email or leave a comment on this post.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

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Modern hymn of the week. . .

“The Stand” by Joel Houston

You stood before creation
Eternity in Your hands
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what could I say
What could I do
But offer this heart, O God
Completely to You

So I’ll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what could I say
What could I do
But offer this heart, O God
Completely to You

So I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I’ll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

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Out of the mouths of babes. . .

In my post “Trust. . .,” I mentioned the special kind of love that God has for children. Evidence of that love is a unique gift God has given them—the ability to love unconditionally.

I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to teach children about God’s love, but there are times that I fail in living out that love. There are times I mess up, and there are times I have to be stern with them. It can’t be fun being the kid who gets called out for goofing off during a lesson.

And even though I’m supposed to teach them, more often they can teach me. I learned a lesson from them on Sunday. My campus pastor’s kids aren’t always the most well behaved in the bunch, but they know something about love. Whether instinctively or thoughtfully, they understand love better than grownups do.

In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote that “love. . . keeps no record of wrongs,” and it “always trusts.”

Mike’s kids tore after me on Sunday after lunch. “Nate!” they yelled, as they wrapped their arms around my waist. “Where are you going?”

“I’ve gotta go back to Morristown now,” I said.

“Do you have to?” they asked.

I melted.

They didn’t remember the times I got fed up with their antics and took away their snack time. They’d forgotten the moments I put them on the spot for speaking out of turn. They kept no record of the incidents I brushed them off to take care of some administrative work that could have waited till much later on.

“Love keeps no record of wrongs.”

And they trusted that, even in my less-than-happy moods, I still had their best interests in mind.

“Love always trusts.”

It’s how God loves. Kids can teach us something about that in a very powerful, unique way. Do you want to learn?

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Giving away $6100. . .

I thought I’d make you aware of a little raffle going on at Anne Jackson’s blog. If you’re into Bible study software, this raffle is for you. Just head over to flowerdust for instructions on how to enter.

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Taking church to the people. . .

It wasn’t until recently that I got to experience a God-sized spiritual tsunami. I can’t help but feel completely humbled by those few experiences. And they’re all directly related to my church. I’ve written about witnessing God touch the lives of villagers in sub-Saharan Africa through the love and sacrifice of His people here in New Jersey. I’ve also told you about the smiles I saw on the hundreds of people seeking relief from last summer’s soaring gas prices as they received an unprecedented discount from the pockets of His followers in Morristown.

But this past weekend, I was part of something so overwhelming, it can only be described as a God thing. No amount of man’s effort could have moved so powerfully or stirred the Church in such an incredible way. History was made. Not just in the life of Liquid Church, but in the life of the Church as a whole.

On January 11, over 2000 people experienced the gospel of Christ in a whole new way. And not just in Morristown, NJ, but also in New Brunswick and across the world via Liquid’s brand new iCampus.

Church can be a frightening thing for someone who’s never been to one or hasn’t set foot in one for many years. Why? What reason do people have to be afraid?

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself that question? Have you ever wondered why your friends, family, and co-workers are so apprehensive about visiting church?

May I submit that they’re afraid because they’ve seen how church-goers act? They’ve seen the bigotry, the hatred, the infighting, and the backbiting. They know that Christians are more judgmental and condemning than almost any other group of people.

Who, in his/her right mind, would willingly go to a place filled with people like that? Besides, “I can’t go to church dressed like this. And I have to get my life cleaned up before I go anyway.”

One Sunday several years ago, a girl was getting ready to go to church. As she was stressing about what to wear, her younger brother, who was not a believer at the time, asked her, “Does God care about what you wear to church?”

She replied, “No, but they do.”

I’ve seen the faces, and I’ve heard the stories. And it makes me sick to think that churches are so self-absorbed that they miss out on the people who really need them to show love.

But in New Brunswick, NJ, over 450 people experienced church for the first time, and they walked away with smiles on their faces. They experienced God’s love because almost 200 people who knew about church decided that it was time to show them what true love is like. The love was so overwhelming that 10 of the 2100 people who experienced Liquid this week decided it was time to take the first big step in their journeys of faith: believing Jesus’ words, death, and new life.

So, thanks to a family of Christ followers in Morristown, New Brunswick, and Melbourne, the love of Jesus is entering places it might never have reached were it not for the BHAG of Liquid Church—”Take Church to the People.”

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Modern hymn of the week. . .

“Nothing but the blood” by Matt Redman


Your blood speaks a better word
Than all the empty claims
I’ve heard upon this earth,
Speaks righteousness for me
And stands in my defense,
Jesus, it’s Your blood

What can wash away our sins?
What can make us whole again?
Nothing but the blood,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

What can wash us pure as snow,
Welcomed as the friends of God?
Nothing but Your blood,
Nothing but Your blood, King Jesus

Your cross testifies in grace,
Tells of the Father’s heart
To make a way for us
Now boldly we approach,
Not by earthly confidence
It’s only by Your blood

What can wash away our sins?
What can make us whole again?
Nothing but the blood,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

What can wash us pure as snow,
Welcomed as the friends of God?
Nothing but Your blood,
Nothing but Your blood, King Jesus

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Announcements. . .

Hey friends! I just want to take a moment to share with you a big moment in the life of my church. This Sunday, January 11, we will be launching our newest campus in the heart of Central Jersey. Liquid Church New Brunswick officially marks the beginning of our adoption of the multisite church model as we continue to follow our vision of taking church to the people. So, on 1.11.2009, we will begin hosting six live services: 9 & 11am, and 4 & 6pm at the Hyatt Morristown; and 9 & 11am at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick.

But that’s not all, folks. For those of you who don’t live anywhere near Morristown or New Brunswick, you can still celebrate the momentous occasion with us. . . because on 1.11.2009 we’re also launching the Liquid Church Internet Campus (or iCampus, for short)! If you’d like to participate in a live online worship session with Liquid Church, just swing by Liquid’s iCampus website on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 11am EST. (Unfortunately, if you’re in Melbourne, Australia, live online worship takes place on Monday, Jan. 12, at 3am. But then again, if you’re in Melbourne, Australia, why not just join up with our Liquid Church Melbourne peeps? To find out more about Liquid Melbourne, check out their page on Facebook.)

To make way for all the changes taking place at Liquid, we posted a new website. Check it out at LiquidChurch.com.

So mark your calendars, everybody. January 11, 2009, is going to be a huge day!

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Injury and blog break. . .

Well, I’m sorry to say that my blog will be relatively silent for a while. I broke my hand on New Year’s Eve, so typing is actually quite difficult. Thanks for reading, everyone! I may post every now and then (especially something like song lyrics that require nothing more than copy/paste and a little editing). In the meantime, blogreaders, would you be so kind as to keep me in prayer? Not being able to use my dominant hand can make life very difficult.

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Modern hymn of the week. . .

“Devotion” by Marty Sampson

I’ve been running, trying to be one who sees
I’ve been working salvation out on my knees
There is nothing better than knowing
That we are redeemed
I’m believing, trusting in creative hands
I am praying for our world to bow to Your plan
And this one thought is unmistakable:
I take up my cross and follow You, Lord

When You stand the tall trees and mountains bow
When You speak the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinners seek devotion,
The lost become chosen,
And I fall to my knees

I’m forgiven by a Saviour who did not deserve death
He was blameless, and I was lost in shamefulness
I’m delivered, but it doesn’t seem right
Unless I keep my eyes focused on the Saviour who gave His life
In the middle of a world that denies it believes,
It is breaking apart at the very seams
There is one thing to be alive for,
And it’s to take up my cross and follow You, Lord

When You stand the tall trees and mountains bow
When You speak the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinners seek devotion,
The lost become chosen,
And I fall to my knees

I will take up my cross and follow, Lord, where You lead me
I will take up my cross and follow wherever You go

When You stand the tall trees and mountains bow
When You speak the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinners seek devotion,
The lost become chosen,
And I fall to my knees

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