David Richardson on his blog has really nailed it on the topic of mad church members and the threats they bring to pastors…check his posts by clicking here

Jessica, Elizabeth, and I are in Miami, Fl. right now as is custom for Thanksgiving and it started out as just another ordinary trip until halfway across “Alligator Alley”, that’s when my stomach started doing something funny (I’ll leave the details out). We spent the first night in Sunrise, Fl. at Jessica’s brother John and his wife Cindy’s house and after supper, I started feeling woosey, and I was freezing with chills. I went to bed and fell right asleep, yet had the most awful dreams. My dreams weren’t scary,just intense and fast-paced that I woke up in a beading sweat and that’s when I realized that I had just broke a fever. I woke up around 1:30am and could not go back to sleep that night. At dawn’s first light I went to Dunkin Donuts to kill time before leaving to Miami.

Upon arrival, Grammy and Granddad were delighted to see Elizabeth and had a play area already set up for her which she immediately took to. Thanksgiving is always a holiday I enjoy because I love turkey and all the associated goodness. An hour before lunch was to be ready it hit me…I was in the bedroom and started losing my color and strength and the next thing I remember I was calling for Jessica as I passed out (luckily on the bed) I came to pretty quickly and as soon as I did I rushed to the bathroom for a round of…well, just imagine…actually it is probably best you don’t.

Sick and weak, I was upset that I may not get to enjoy the feast this year. Turkey must have healing properties in it because when lunch was set, my body got real hungry!

It’s now 3:15 am on “Black Friday” and I am up writing because I can’t sleep again and Jessica and I are going to Target in an hour to join the crazy mobs trying to save a few bucks on some things…we also are very low on formula too, and even that is on sale.

I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving…mine was eventful to say the least.

Came across this rather interesting blog post with video interview. It deals with the Relevance -vs- Reverance issue. If you’ve got about an hour to listen and read…then click here.

It seemed dumb in my opinion for the last 2.5 years I have been complacent with walking through the office lounge to get to the choir room and music library. For the past few days I have been turning the office lounge into my new office which leads to both rooms I use regularly. My old office I offered to our new discipleship coordinator and Senior Adult Director. I am happy now, but man it’s a lot of work moving books and furniture and then rearranging them because of where the phone jack is…stupid phones! Whenever I move anywhere I realize how many more books I accumulate by being in the ministry. I also realize that I have yet to open some of the ones I promised myself I’d read.

I read this today from Morning and Evening Devotions by C.H. Spurgeon and it’s right on the money. It states:

Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith. If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test. It is poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lord’s faithfulness when friends are gone, when the bosy is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our Father’s countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, “The He slay me, yet will I trust in Him,” is heaven-born faith. The Lord afflicts His servants to glorify himself, for He is greatly glorified in the graces of His people, which are His own handiwork. When tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience; and experience, hope, the Lord is honoured by these growing virtues. We should never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched; nor enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the wine-press; nor discover the sweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten; nor feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed. The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by the trials through which His vessels of mercy are permitted to pass. Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. There must be shades in the picture to bring out the beauty of lights. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven, if we had not known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth? Will not peace be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome after toil? Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance the bliss of the glorified? There are many other comfortable answers to the question with which we opened our brief meditation, let us muse upon it all day long.

So…you think you are weaker than your competition? Think you can’t win? Be encouraged by clicking here.

Every Thursday (my day off from church) Elizabeth and I have “Daddy Daughter Day” some days we do absolutely nothing but stay home and watch t.v but most days we end up doing something special. Even though Elizabeth is only three and a half months old and probably doesn’t know what exacatly is going on…it’s fun and will be wonderful when she gets even older and we actually do stuff she wants to do instead of the fun things that I want. Today we got a bowl of soup for lunch and then checked out a brand new coffee shop in town…it’s awesome. It’s called Lov-A-Da-Coffee and Smoothies. Are you a dad? Got a daughter? Make sure to have a daddy daughter day once a week!

I just want to announce to the world that I have an addiction to Three Musketeers Candy Bars! There’s just something about that fluffy, gooey, sweet center wrapped around wonderful milk chocolate that makes me indulge in one every time I check out my groceries at Publix.

I Have been ordering the Vertical Music Worship Tools for the past two years now and I thought I’d like to share what I think about the tool kit for any worship leaders out there thinking about it. Recent issues (which come quarterly) have been Hillsong’s “This Is Our God”, Parachute Band’s “Technicolor”, Brian Doerksen’s “It’s Time”, and Hillsong’s “Worship Edition” Integrity is good about getting different styles from very edgy to moderate level styles. Each Kit comes mailed in a box and contains one songbook which has lead sheets with notes, lead sheets with only chords, and just words for singers (all can be copied legally for your size band), A Listening CD (Stereo), Instructional DVDs for instruments, and Accompaniment CD for performer without a praise band which has been helpful for me lately. Each kit cost $32.95 and is well worth the money for all you get. For more information on Integrity Music click here.

The battle over worship style preference creates nightmares for some worship leaders, but I look at the problem with a challenge that can work together. For example, today at Bayshore Baptist was amazing! The morning service was primarily contemporary style with the hymn “O Worship The King” in the middle of the set. The evening service was an evening of strictly southern gospel style music led by the adult praise choir. I had so many compliments from all ages on the various music of the day. It was even funny to observe the elderly members clapping their hands and singing out on the new stuff!

How do you properly structure a worship service?

When I plan a service I try as much to stick with a general theme (Holy Spirit, Names of God, Repentance\Salvation) that ties in best with the sermons series or message for the day. The most important part of the structure in my opinion is what I call the “transition set” this is a part in the service where the music might turn from fast to more worshipful\emotional feeling. It is best to pick a transition song first and plan the other songs around that central theme song. I also like to repeat the chorus or tag section at the very end of the whole set. The video below shows my opener song “Let the Praises Ring” and transistion songs “Famous One” and “Your Name”