I'm Still Blogging

Hello friends,

I intend to do another series of articles starting up in 2008 while I'm on tour with Brian McLaren (deepshift.org). In the mean time, I continue to keep the latest information and creative news up to date at RestorationVillage.com!

Restoration and Unique Expression

I've used the phrase "unique expression" a couple of different times in this blog. I want to clarify though, I don't believe unique expression means coming up with a music genre no one else fits in...or a style of guitar playing that no one else has(though it might be part). I think rather, about the songs leaders like Moses, David and Deborah sang after and during their encounters with the Lord. Take the song of Deborah for example (Judges 5). We can all stand on her shoulders and sing those words and be encouraged and bless the Lord because those things happened and the song carries truth about Him, "The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel..." but the song came from Deborah, after she witnessed God at work, and after she stood the battle ground. No one esle could have written that song. That is unique expression.

It makes me remember all of the years I spent standing on the shoulders of worship leaders...singing the songs and hymns, being moved, and genuinely crying out to God...but not singing songs that uniquely came from me. And I think of the difference between then and now...when I can sing to the Lord for hours without the guidance of hymns and well known worship songs. The difference is that over the years, my identity in the Kingdom has been restored...as a daughter.

Once again, let's read these words from Hosea, "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. " The Valley of Achor becoming a door of hope is a huge work of restoration. The Valley of Achor was a place of death and deception that no one would want to look at, remember, or talk about...so to say God made that a door of hope is incredibly profound. And then look what happened, the prostitute sang as in the days of her youth. The days of her youth, were days before the prostitution...day's of just being a daughter.

I am learning and discovering that our unique expression is directly proportional to our restoration. And as I wrote in earlier posts, I believe we have unique expression as individuals, communities and nations...and so the unique expression of a nation springing forth in worship, I believe will be the fruit of restoration in the Kingdom.

Jesus Recognizing Worship

Worship requires God to be present. It sounds simple, but it is possible to miss this very simple thing. Watching and listening to Jesus gives us some important things to consider.

“Some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!’ Jesus replied, ‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?’”

“You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men’” Matthew 15:1-3, 7-9 NIV

“Worship in vain.” How sad that this is even possible…that well meaning people might gather and present different songs or actions or emotions without God even showing up! Most tradition in the Church, I believe, was birthed from a place of fire and relationship. But when people become disconnected from a God that loves and connects to individuals and they choose tradition over people and over God, they create traditionalism and God help us.

Later on in Matthew 15 though, we read: “The woman came and knelt before him. ‘Lord, help me!’ she said.” Other versions say, “She worshipped him and said, ‘Lord, help me!’” A very honest plea, a desperate phrase, “Lord, help me.” Jesus recognizes and responds to.

Moving in and out of Tradition

Recently I visited a fellowship in Utah, a community I have been visiting for several years now. It might be described as "conservative and traditional" but they invite me year after year and welcome me as I am. On this trip, the Pastor taught out of Matthew 15 and he confronted the group. "How may of you were offended that Tracy didn't recognize our traditions in worship?...To be honest, that's one of the reasons I keep inviting her back!" The point is not to offend, but the fact is Jesus told us to preach the Kingdom and he never taught religion. I recognized and was responding to the Kingdom aspects of the community and as a visitor, I simply am not aware of much of the groups tradition. It was refreshing that the pastor recognized it as an opportunity to grow and not somethign that needed to be fixed!

Artículo de Pueblo y Nación

Santiago, Chile, 21 de Octubre (Pueblo y Nación es una revista de musica)

Después de viajando mas que seis años por tiempo completo como una música independiente y tocando sobre 600 conciertos a través de los Estados Unidos (con pocas visitas a América Latina y Europa), soy interesada menos en lo que puedo alcanzar sola y más interesada en lo que puede suceder con otras personas. Soy interesada específicamente en explorando la amistad por medio de la colaboración internacional porque yo mi misma he sido transformada encontrando la esperanza en lugares y personas diferentes. En esta vez de división y guerra, donde personas llegan agarradas en el fuego cruzado de la política, nuestra conexión uno al otro puede ser un catalizador para la restauración y la comunidad. Entiendo que algunas personas ven a la música solomente como otro pedazo de un mundo formado alrededor de compras y venta. Pero donde las corrientes de pensamiento social y la política nos dividen rápido y duro, la música es uno de los pocos vehículos del compromiso donde tendemos a escuchar un rato, incluso si nosotros no convengamos.

El 12 de octubre, yo tocé mi primer concierto en Chile al Café del Teatro en Santiago. Estaba nerviosa como si este encuentro me diga si el país entero me recibira como una artista, o no. Tocoleé para Feliciano, un grupo Chileno increíblemente talentoso con los líricos políticos y las melodías conmovedoras que mueven a veces como un baile hermoso y en otros tiempos como el marzo perseverando de una gente herrida. El tocador del bajo que toca con Feliciano esa noche me explico que Feliciano es del sur de Chile donde las luchas de las personas indígenas son una parte de la cultura y los cuentos fluyen fuera de sus canciones.

Escribo también acerca de las luchas de personas en comunidades marginadas, pero espero comprometer a personas por los cuentos de personas que nosotros quizás encontremos la esperanza suficiente fuerte para levantarnos fuera de lugares desesperados. Mi perspectiva y el motivo son quizás diferente de Feliciano pero donde categorías como Chileno y Norteamericano nos podría haber dividido en las corrientes de la política y la cultura, yo fui dado la bienvenida y fui abrazado fluyendo por la corriente de la música y la creatividad. Verdaderamente, fui tocada profundamente también por el voz de mi amigo nuevo y la profundidad que él pareció cuidar de las personas que él había vivido al costado de su vida entera.

Viajé por Bolivia en 2000 y 2003 y encontré que el idioma de los jóvenes era la música y el arte mucho como en la Norteamérica. Sin embargo, la expresión era completamente diferente; los sonidos eran diferentes; la perspectiva era diferente. En mis visitas yo aprendí acerca de las luchas contra de la pobreza y las vidas de ninos en los orfanatos y las carceles donde yo toque. Llegué a ser muy enferma con la fiebre tifoidea en la selva donde miles viven sin agua limpia diaria. Las personas yo encontré y nuestra experiencia compartida llegó a ser parte de mi propia expresión mientras yo escribí mis canciones. Además de palabras y cuentos, yo empecé integrando un zamponia en las presentaciones y para personas que no tuvieron la oportunidad de primera mano para viajar y conocer a mis amigos Bolivianos, la música llegó a ser un puente en un lugar previamente desconocido. Cosas desconocidas pueden producir fácilmente el temor entre personas quebrantadas pero nuestra conexión es un mueve contra las huelgas devastadoras del juicio. Integrar un zamponia y escribiendo unas pocas canciones son distante de la colaboración repleta, pero me hizo sueño un poco más profundo. Las corrientes de la política y la religión son rápidas y volátiles, pero en la música que encuentra algo diferente. La colaboración es posible y el desacuerdo puede crear una nueva dirección en vez del conflicto. Más que eso, quizas el proceso de colaboración pueden formar las amistades, y esa amistad llega a ser la tierra para otras conversaciones. La música es un vehículo maravilloso para la comunidad.

Mi banda se llama El Proyecto de la Restauración. Creo que fuimos hechos por un Creador amoroso que podemos saber en la persona de Jesús. Y si fuimos cosidos con propósito y dones extraordinarios y perspectives unicas, yo debo creer que todos tenemos las expresiones extraordinarias, individualmente y como comunidades, culturas y naciones. Sigo a Jesús y parte de la manera que le conozco es por medio de las personas que él adora. He encontrado que Jesús me une en la tristeza de la violencia de las favelas en Brasil, la pobreza de Filadelfia Urbana, y en la celebración de la familia humana cuando personas se reúnen. Es verdaderamente su persecución de personas que me ha dirigido en todos estos lugares y mi confianza que su esperanza está viva y siendo comunicado en las personas que él adora que me hace escuchar los cuentos de personas por todo el mundo. ¿Qué sera si tenemos una comprensión más grande de este amor que restaura cuando cantamos juntos?

Impartation Through Worship

I have had a lot of conversations lately with leaders who long for a break through of worship in their communities. Most of these communities are full of artists and musicians, but there is still a need for worship to break forth. Worship is part of the fullness of the Kingdom. In the context of worship (the response to the presence of God), the fullness of the presence of God can manifest. Teaching can happen, prophecy can happen, healing, deliverance…I believe these leaders are actually longing for the fullness of the kingdom to come into their people, and they sense worship might be a key.

Robert, a young man living outside of Dublin, Ireland, wants to see a worship school established. My friends Brad and Julie Riley have been facilitating teams to do worship camps with this community for a number of years. From what I hear, it is amazing and God is touching the young people and the artists in powerful ways. But there was a tiredness in Robert’s voice as he recounted frustrating conversations and experiences with people. Robert has had people try to convince him of their philosophy and ministry models and he has tried to communicate what God has placed in his heart about leaders and worship, but people, “just don’t get it.” I finally said to him, “Robert, education has its place, but the ministry of the Holy Spirit is impartation.”

Defining Impartation

“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong” Romans 1:11, NKJ. Impart, metadidomi {met-ad-id'-o-mee} in the greek, means to give or to share the substance of yourself. Unlike the world which requires you to earn your way up, growing in God only depends on us receiving what He has for us. We receive Jesus, his love and forgiveness and that is salvation. We receive the Holy Spirit and that is our power. We receive the “dispensation of grace” (Eph 3:2) in order to do the ministry God has called us to. None of those things have anything to do with earning, just receiving. Understanding impartation might free us from the bondage of having to do something, into the reality of being who God created us to be, no matter what we do.

What we have to offer others is what we have received from God and this ministry of God giving us gifts and grace and then the Holy Spirit using us to bring it out in someone else is impartation. Pretty much all of the wise people I find myself with tell me to get around people who have a fullness of authority in the gift I am either longing for, or showing signs of having. My friend David says it’s like burning coal. You might have coal in you, but it might not be ignited yet, so you get around someone who is burning and the fire is kindled when you are together.

I have been traveling with a prophet for about two years now. I am not a prophet, but I can move in the prophetic, especially when I am with Doug. I never considered myself a worship leader before I met Ben and Robin Pasley. They recognized in me a grace I didn’t even see. After spending a bit of time and worshipping with them, I began to step out as a worship leader in the unique sphere of influence God had given me and it was amazing. Now I would describe myself as a worship leader before I would a musician (They are completely different although often related).

Impartation is not limited to gifts. Imparting the Kingdom might be synonymous with restoring the Kingdom when we are talking about the work of believers. “For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law” Gal 3:21. A couple of years ago I was confronted with the fact that I had a real difficulty receiving love. I had a broken family growing up and my natural identity as a daughter had been broken and perverted so I was having a very hard time being a daughter in the spiritual (which is the foundation of everything because it involves receiving the love of the Father). I couldn’t read a book that would tell me how to be a daughter. I couldn’t just figure it out. I had to pray for a restoration of my Kingdom identity and I spent time around people who had a grace to Father and Mother because they seemed to help call it out of me. Being around people living in the truth of their kingdom identity helped restore it in me.

What About Worship?

I am constantly dumfounded by the letters of Paul, who has such clear wisdom concerning the Kingdom and he only spent a few moments with Jesus. He didn’t sit through the Sermon on the Mount. While Jesus talked in parables to people who would not receive him, he poured the fullness of himself “his substance” into Paul in a single moment. I know a good number of people who have had heavenly visitations and were different afterwards. But the ever present fullness of Christ in this world is the Church. Together we are the body. So in corporate worship, Christ is present, we invite the presence of the Father and we can allow the Holy Spirit to flow and manifest. It is a posture of submission, of giving as we bless him, and receiving as we respond to his presence.

We can also be intentional about imparting the Kingdom, physically, to the area we are worshiping in…just as one believer might lay her hands on another, we can worship on the concrete of an impoverished city and call out life. For the past two years I have helped my friends at Source in Minneapolis facilitate public worship in the street during Artfest. They block off a section of street and view the whole day as an act of worship…beautiful murals, music, serving food, dance. It is amazing because the believers are actually responding to the presence of God, and the people and families who are coming for other reasons, like food, or because they know their kids will be safe, are touched by the same Spirit flowing through the Church!

Collaboration

There is also room for us to be individuals in worship (like the trinity, three separate but one). That’s why it is so powerful to come together with others. We are not all the same though we receive the same love. When we all bring our unique grace and perspective and songs, there is a fullness that does not exist when we are alone. In worship, I offer all I am to God, but I impart the unique gift I am to the people around me.

I am preparing for a trip to Brazil. I am going with a team focusing on worship and impartational ministry. What we have to offer with our minds becomes less powerful when we are not fluent in a language and culture. But what we have to offer in the Spirit is eternal. We worship together and impart to each other what we have received from God. And if coming together as a family helps us understand our infinitely creative God more, how much more so when we step across boundaries the world has manifest in language and nations?

A Lasting Hope

“But the hour is coming, and now is when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such worship to Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23.24). Worship is our eternal spiritual reality. Living in truth and worshiping in truth allows the gift we are to spread spirit to spirit.

Impartir Por la Adoración

He tenido muchas conversaciones recientemente con líderes que anhelan para un movemiento poderoso de la adoración en sus comunidades. La mayor parte de estas comunidades están repletas de artistas y músicos, pero hay todavía una necesidad para la adoración romper adelante. La adoración forma parte de la plenitud del Reino. En el contexto de adoración (responder a la presencia de Dios), la plenitud de la presencia de Dios puede manifestar. La enseñanza puede suceder, la profecía puede suceder, la sanidad, la liberación…creo que estos líderes son realmente anhelos de la plenitud del reino llegar en sus personas, y ellos presienten que la adoración quizás sea clave.

Robert, un joven que vive fuera de Dublín, Irlanda, quiere ver una escuela de adoración establecida. Mis amigos Brad y Julie Riley han estado facilitando los equipos para hacer los campos de adoración con esta comunidad durante varios años. De lo que oigo, Dios toca a los jóvenes y a los artistas en maneras poderosas. Pero había un cansancio en la voz de Robert como él hizo el recuento de conversaciones y experiencias frustradas con personas. Robert ha tenido personas tratan de convencerlo de sus modelos de ministerio y él ha tratado de comunicar lo que Dios ha puesto en su corazón acerca de líderes y adoración, pero todavia las personas, "apenas no lo obtiene." Yo finalmente dije a él, "Robert, la educación tiene su lugar, pero el ministerio del Espíritu Santo es impartir."

Una Definición

" Tengo muchos deseos de verlos para impartirles algún don espiritual que los fortalezca " romanos 1:11. Imparta, metadidomi {met-ad-id'-o-mee} en el griego, significa dar o compartir la sustancia de su mismo. La diferencia del mundo es que requiere una persona ganar su manera arriba pero crecer en Dios sólo depende en recibiendo lo que El tiene para nosotros. Recibimos a Jesús, su amor y el perdón y eso es la salvación. Recibimos el Espíritu Santo y eso es nuestro poder. Recibimos "la distribución de la gracia" (Efe 3:2) hacer el ministerio que Dios nos ha llamado. Ninguna de esas cosas requiere ganar, soloment recibir. Comprender la impartación quizás librarános de la esclavitud de tener que hacer algo, hasta la realidad de ser quién Dios nos creó, ningún asunto lo que hacemos.

Lo qué nosotros tenemos para ofrecer es lo que hemos recibido de Dios y este ministerio del Espíritu Santo para usarnos sacarlo en otras personas es impartación. Todas las personas sabias que yo me acercan me dicen viajar a personas que tienen una plenitud de la autoridad en el don espiritual que yo deseo, o en lo que yo estoy creciendo. Mi amigo David dice que está como carbón abrasador. Usted quizás tenga carbón en usted, pero quizás no se encienda todavía, así que usted viaja alguien que quema el fuego se enciende cuando ustedes son juntos.

He estado viajando con un profeta para acerca de dos años. Yo no soy un profeta, pero pueden mover en el profético, especialmente cuando estoy con Doug. Yo nunca me consideria una líder de la adoración antes que yo conocí a Ben y Robin Pasley. Ellos reconocieron en mí una gracia que yo no conocía ni veía. Después de pasar un poco de tiempo con ellos, adorando, yo comencé a dar un paso fuera ser una líder de adoración en la esfera unica de la influencia Dios me había dado y era asombrada. Ahora yo me describiría como una líder de adoración antes que una música (Ellos son completamente diferentes aunque a menudo relacionados).

Impartación no es limitado a dones. Impartir el Reino quizás sea sinónimo con restaurar el Reino cuando hablamos acerca del trabajo de creyentes. "Para si una ley se había dado que podría impartir la vida, la rectitud ciertamente habría venido por la ley" Gal 3:21. Un par de años hace yo confronté que tuve una dificultad verdadera de recibir el amor. Tuve una familia rota cuando yo era nina y mi identidad natural de una hija había sido rota y había sido pervertida tan tenía un tiempo muy duro ser una hija en el espiritual (que es la base de todo porque implica recibiendo el amor del Padre). Yo no podría leer un libro que me diría cómo ser una hija. Yo no lo podría averiguarlo. Tuve que orar para una restauración de mi identidad del Reino y yo pasé tiempo alrededor de personas que tuvieron una gracia al Padre y la Madre porque ellos ayudaban llamar la identidad fuera de mí. Está alrededor de personas que viven en la verdad de su identidad del reino ayudó a restaurarlo en mí.

¿Qué de la Adoración?

Esoy constantemente asombrada por las cartas de Paulo, que tienen tanta sabiduría con respecto al Reino y con respecto a él sólo pasó unos pocos momentos con Jesús. El no se sentó por el Sermón del Monte. Mientras Jesús habló en parábolas a personas que no lo recibirían, él pusó la plenitud de él mismo "su sustancia" en Paulo en un solo momento. Conozco algunas personas que han tenido visitas celestiales y eran diferentes después. Pero la plenitud siempre presente de Cristo en este mundo es la Iglesia. Juntos somos el cuerpo. Así que en la adoración, Cristo es presente, invitamos la presencia del Padre y nosotros podemos permitir el Espíritu Santo fluir y manifestar. Es una postura de sumisión, de dar como nosotros lo bendecimos, y recibiendo mientras respondemos a su presencia.

Podemos ser también intencionales acerca de impartir el Reino, físicamente, al área que adoremos…así como una creyente quizás coloque las manos en otro, podemos adorar en el cemento de una ciudad empobrecida y llamar la vida. Para los pasados dos años yo he ayudado a mis amigos en Minneapolis facilitando adoración pública en la calle durante Artfest. Ellos bloquean una sección de la calle y pasan el día entero como un acto de adoración…los frescos hermosos, la música, sirviendo alimento, danza. ¡Asombra porque los creyentes responden realmente a la presencia de Dios, y de las personas y las familias que vienen para otras razones, como alimento, o porque ellos saben que sus niños serán seguras, son tocados por el mismo Espíritu que fluye por la Iglesia!

Colaboración

Hay también espacio para nosotros somos individuos en la adoración (como la trinidad, tres separado pero uno). Por eso es tan poderoso reunirse con otros. Nosotros no somos todo lo mismo aunque recibimos el mismo amor. Cuándo todos nosotros traemos nuestra gracia y la perspectiva extraordinaria y las canciones, hay una plenitud que no existe cuando estamos solas. En adoración, yo ofrezco todo que soy a Dios, pero imparto el don extraordinario que estoy a las personas alrededor de mí.

Preparo para un viaje a Brasil. Voy con un equipo que enfoca en el ministerio de adoración y impartación. Lo qué nosotros tenemos ofrecer con nuestras mentes llega a ser menos poderoso cuando nosotros no tenemos fluencia en un idioma y una cultura. Pero lo que tenemos ofrecer en el Espíritu es eterno. Adoramos junto e impartimos uno al otro lo que hemos recibido de Dios. ¿Y si reuniéndose como una familia nos ayuda entender más nuestro Dios infinito y creativo, cuánto más tan cuando damos un paso a través de las fronteras que el mundo manifiesto por idioma y naciones?

Una Esperanza que Dura

" Pero se acerca la hora, y ha llegado ya, en que los verdaderos adoradores rendirán culto al Padre en espíritu y en verdad,* porque así quiere el Padre que sean los que le adoren. Dios es espíritu, y quienes lo adoran deben hacerlo en espíritu y en verdad.." (Juan 4:23,24). La adoración es nuestra eterna realidad espiritual. Vivir en la verdad y adorar en la verdad permite los dones que nosotros somos esparcir espíritu al espíritu.

Waiting and Broken Dreams

I’ve been here in Minneapolis teaching and leading worship at Source's Urban Ministry Training. I have been speaking on and continue to meditate on expecting new things from God because he is the Creator. In the Psalms, the word “expect” appears many times but most translations of the Bible give us the word “wait.”

Psalm 37 gives us some insight:

Verse 7:
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…

Verse 9:
…those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land…

Verse 11:
…the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace…

Verse 22:
…those the LORD blesses will inherit the land…

Verse 29:
…the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever…

Verse 34:
Wait for the LORD and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land…

Our inheritance is eternal life and the Kingdom of God. My work and what I long for is the restoration of the Kingdom, the restored family of God. And here, I see my work is utterly dependent on waiting. This is so counter-cultural to how the world operates. In the world, if our dreams have financial holes, we get a loan from the bank. If there is a lack of people, we are applauded for doing the work of three. I know both of those scenarios all to well. I am encouraged though, as I reconsider my own dreams and visions through this Kingdom lens. “Those the Lord blesses” are the ones who wait.

Broken Dreams…

Because I am a broken person in such great need of God, my dreams are probably broken too. But, just as God uses us and loves us in our brokenness, he can use our pieces of dreams too. I think the key though, is waiting and expecting God to bring the wholeness and not our own skill or administration (again, raising my own hand as the guilty one)...

In my last entry, I wrote about what I see God doing and my expectation of a new work in this generation restoring relationships and the family of God. It is a dream and vision. I also realize though, that it is dependent on generational partnership. It makes sense since we need each other and we are a family.

Here in Minneapolis there is a large community of young artistic people and many impassioned believers. It really is incredible. The unique expression I wrote about before, I see very clearly here. Many young people are moving from rural areas to be here with peers and their dreams are synergized together. Young people often attract more young people. Many my age gather with peers and try to do community. At first I come into these circles and am so excited about all of the love and energy that genuinely exists. But then I notice the residue of of being misunderstood and a deeper longing for family.

We know many of the reasons. Many of us have been hurt and deeply misunderstood and a relationship with an older generation do not feel safe. Some of us really long for mentors and spiritual mother’s and father’s but don’t know how that works. And, there is a lack of mothers and fathers both in the world and in the Church. Our intergenerational connectedness at this particular time is pretty broken all around.

So what do we do? Do we push forward anyway being our own mothers and fathers? Do we force people different from us to be like us so that we feel comfortable relating? Or do we wait? And what are we waiting for? I would say, perhaps we are waiting for the power of God to restore His family. Waiting is an act of faith; we must believe that God can change entire generations and reconcile them. We expect. Waiting does not diminish our dreams; waiting is how they manifest.

Worship is Key…

We don’t have to have all of the answers, but waiting together is probably good. Praying together is probably good. Worshiping together is a necessity. Worshiping together, becomes an act of reconciliation. I think about all of the times I have worshipped in different cultures. Sometimes the music was amazing and sometimes it, well, wasn’t my favorite…but that says nothing of the power of the worship. The opportunity to come together and be in the presence of God together is a fulfillment of the scriptures that we are, “a Holy Nation” (2 Peter). Why can we go to Mexico, not understand the words, clap on different beats, and still leave feeling like we’ve had a powerful worship experience? I think it’s because being connected is incredibly powerful. Why is it not the same in people’s hearts when it comes to different expressions that come out of different communities and generations in this country?

Wait
Expect
Hope
Pray
Wait