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

More Than New and Old

In the last seven years, I estimate I have worshipped (and on most occasions was leading worship) with over 300 groups. Some big, some small, some liturgical, some charismatic, a lot of college age groups, some groups where the majority age was over 60, sometimes playing my own songs, most of the time playing songs people wanted to hear. By the grace of God (and a little of my own fear) I have been able to be all things to all people as I offered my gifts and opened myself to these communities. It has given me a very unique perspective I think, as well as caused a lot of turmoil in my head and heart.

As I wrote in my previous entry, I believe the expression and message God has knit into the fabric of this generation is very purposeful and will help bring the Church into greater fullness of the Kingdom. Specifically, I believe the worship of this generation will connect and help restore the body as a single Church. I believe it is and will be a new work and will be seen through new ways of community and worship. And, when God does a new work, I believe it will be a new work and not just a new mixture of what we’ve already seen. Let me be more specific…

One of my teachers, Vivien Hibbert, pointed out to me that there was a time when our theology was woven into all of our worship songs. That’s why people find the poetry of hymns so rich and deep. In the past 40 years or so, there has been a tremendous movement to personalize and make more intimate our worship. If you look at what most evangelicals are singing in corporate worship gatherings it is very much an intimate and personal experience of God with lots of “I, me, you.” I believe what we are just starting to see, the new work, and what will become the forefront of worship in the future is art and expression that is deeply connected to other people. It will still be worship and an offering to God but we will not be able to approach God or be in God’s presence without seeing the body of believers around the world, every struggle and every triumph. Because of this, worship will become the frontline of community and social justice. It will help restore relationships in individual fellowships, communities and nations and unite the Body making way for the Kingdom!

To Kill or Let Live

Let’s zoom in from that big picture prophecy and into the local body. I do not mean to say that the movements of God are mutually exclusive. That is the way the world operates. The Kingdom, though, is ever being restored. I worship with hymns and CCLI songs, and continue to explore worship and current events. But I think one generation should pave way for and partner with another, imparting their wisdom and gifts and eagerly expecting and encouraging the younger generation to emerge unique and full of purpose. Sadly though, most of what I see and experience is a faithful generation who indeed cares, but instead of being eagerly expectant of the unique part of the Kingdom the younger generation is and nurturing, encouraging and looking for ways to partner, they try to make us look exactly like them. In other words, the older generation paves the way until they actually have to pass the baton at which point most of them will hold on until they die. Like winter trying to pass into spring, the transition and overlap is not always perfect. Occasionally after the warm air of spring arrives winter will give another storm and freeze the buds in the garden and on the trees.

I am working with a group right now struggling with just such a transition. Maybe people cannot see the fullness of the purposes of God in worship, but they definitely feel the warm air coming. Partly they are excited and they’ve heard stories of blossoms and new growth, but partly they are afraid it will mean death to so much they have invested in. There is kind of a constant back and forth, voices saying, “we want spring,” and then without warning, there will be an attempt to control and everything is frozen. Only we, human beings, would try to control the movements of God and spend energy and resources trying to figure it all out and stay on top instead of pursuing oneness with the Holy Spirit (like Jesus prayed for us in John 17).

Some Success Stories…Sort Of

A couple of weeks ago I spent some time with my dear friends, Ken and Deborah Loyd who pastor a community called The Bridge in Portland, OR. I was finally able to worship with the community and was so encouraged, not by the profound insight and intellect of the people, or their organization and program, but by the expression that was welcome and nurtured in the young people. The worship team started with an incredible set of all original music. There was an artist who drew a picture during worship and after the music we were encouraged to look at his offering. Then, for the message, three young women shared a bit of their journey, myself included. I shared music and some of my dreams. Another woman shared about a turning point in her life and how she saw God’s faithfulness in that. The third shared a heart wrenching and raw poem recounting her painful childhood. Through it she confessed her anger and pain and her decision to let go of people and the past. It was very moving and sad and didn’t have the resolve and instruction of “what to do next” you might expect in a tidy Sunday sermon.

I spoke with Deborah afterwards and she explained some of the unique struggles they have because they let the young people speak and lead the way. Scripture is mis-interpreted, people vent instead of encourage, but incredibly beautiful things happen too. To see a young person free to express his or her faith and worship is pretty incredible. I should mention that the Bridge is located in an impoverished area of the city and a large part of the community is young people without homes. Deborah (who is 52 years old with bleached dread locks) went on, “Despite the struggles, somehow it seemed most important that these young people be allowed their voice.”

I see Ken and Deborah as protectors of the young people in Portland. Even I have felt the refuge of my voice being valued in their community. More than loving and discipling young people, they are aggressively making room for their voices and gifts in the community and Kingdom.

Shalom

Where then will our wholeness come from? For me, I am passionate about imparting vision and purpose to young people and making known that they are unique and created for a reason. I am eagerly expectant of what God will do through them/us. Day to day it looks like encouraging the people around me and being myself as much as I have courage to be. And to my slightly older friends, even the ones who have unintentionally frozen me, I remind them too of their tremendous purpose and how badly we need parntership, protectors and Fathers and Mothers. Shalom is the family, far and wide, young and old and we need each other terribly.

Más Que Nuevo y Viejo

En los últimos siete años, yo estimo que he alabado (y en la mayoría de las ocasiones dirigía la adoración) con mas que 300 grupos. Algúnos grupos grandes, algúnos pequeños, algúnos litúrgicos, algún carismáticos, muchos grupos de jovenes, algunos donde la edad de mayoría estaba sobre 60 años, tocando a veces mis propias canciones, la mayor parte del tiempo tocando las canciones que personas quisieron oír. Por la gracia de Dios (y un pequeño de mi propio temor) he sido poder de ser todas cosas a todas personas en ofreciendo mis dones y me abrí a estas comunidades. Me ha dado una perspectiva muy especial. Tambien lo causé mucha confusión en mí mente y corazón.

Cuando escribí en una entrada antes, yo creo la expresión y el mensaje Dios ha tejido en la tela de esta generación es con mucho propósito y ayudará a llegar la Iglesia en la plenitud del Reino. Específicamente, creo que la adoración de esta generación conectará y ayudará a restaurar el cuerpo como una sola Iglesia. Creo que es y será una obra nueva y se verá por maneras nuevas de la comunidad y el adoración. Y, cuándo Dios hace una obra nuevo, no será un una mezcla nueva de lo que nosotros ya hemos visto, pero algo nuevo. Permítame ser más específico…

Uno de mis maestros indicó a mí que había un tiempo cuando nuestra teología se tejió en todas nuestras canciones de la adoración. Por eso personas encuentran la poesía de himnos tan rico y profundo. En los pasados 40 años por ahí, ha habido un movimiento tremendo de personalizar y hacer más íntimo nuestra adoración. Si se mira lo que la mayoría de los evangélicos cantan en las reuniones de la adoración, es tanto una experiencia íntima y personal de Dios con mucho “yo, mí, tu.”

Creo que acabamos de empezar a ver algo nuevo, y lo que llegarán a ser la parte delantera de la adoración en el futuro es el arte y la expresión que es conectada profundamente a otras personas. Todavía le será una ofrenda a Dios pero a nosotros no seremos capaz de acercarse a Dios ni estar en la presencia de Dios sin ver el cuerpo de creyentes alrededor del mundo, cada lucha y cada triunfo. A causa de esto, el adoración llegará a ser el de la primera línea de la formación de comunidades y la justicia social. ¡Ayudará a restaurar las relaciones de individuales, las comunidades y las naciones y unir el Cuerpo para avanzar el Reino!

Parar o Seguir

Hagamos un zoom in de esa profecía grande del retrato y en la iglesia local. Yo no íntento decir que los movemientos de Dios son exclusivos uno a otro. Eso es la manera los opera el mundo. El Reino, aunque, se restaura siempre. Alabo con himnos y canciones populares de adoración. Pero pienso que una generación debe juntar con la otra, impartiendo su sabiduría, los dones espirituales y esperando con expectación que la generación más joven surgir extraordinario y repleto de propósito. Tristemente aunque, la mayor parte de lo que veo y experimento es una generación fiel que cuida verdaderamente, pero en vez de tener expectación de ser una parte extraordinaria del Reino, nutriendo, animando, y buscando oportunidades para juntar, ellos tratan de hacernos exactamente iguales con ellos. Como el invierno llaegando en la primavera, la transición y la superposición no son siempre perfectas. Ocasionalmente después que el aire tibio de la primavera llega invierno dará otra tempestad y congelará los brotes en el jardín y en los árboles.

Trabajo con un grupo luchando en este momento con apenas tal transición. Quizá personas no pueden ver la plenitud de los propósitos de Dios en adoración, pero en ellos se sienten definitivamente la venida tibia de aire. En parte ellos son emocionados y ellos han oído los cuentos de flores y crecimiento nuevo, pero en parte ellos tienen miedo que significará la muerte a tanto ellos han invertido. Hay un movemiento constante de aquí para allá, las voces que dicen, “queremos la primavera,” y entonces sin advertencia, habrá una tentativa de controlar y todo se congela. Sólo nosotros, seres humanos, tratarían de controlar los movimientos de Dios y gastar energía y recursos que tratan de figurarlo para estar en la cima en vez de seguir unidad con el Espíritu Santo (como Jesús oró para nosotros en Juan 17).

Shalom

¿De donde entonces hace nuestra integridad viene? Para mí, yo soy apasionado acerca de impartir la visión y el propósito a jóvenes que ellos son extraordinarios y creados para una razón. Soy con ansia expectante de qué Dios hará por ellos/nosotros. El día al día lo se parece a animar a las personas alrededor de mí. Y a mis amigos mayores, aún los que involuntariamente me han congelado, yo los recuerdo también de su propósito tremendo. Necesitamos vida en común, protectores y padres y madres. El shalom es la familia, por todas partes, los jóvenes y viejos y nosotros necesitamos uno al otro urgentemente.

God's Creativity and Purpose

The Anonymous Worship Leader 2 Kings 3

Before I left for Costa Rica, I received an encouraging letter from a friend in Torrance, CA. He reminded me of the power and purpose of an anonymous worship leader.

My friend writes:
"You know worship is key. The anointing of Elisha to bring forth a prophetic word to save the bacon of Israel (errant), Judah (favored) and Edom (from Ishmael and therefore outcast, but with promise) was initiated by "bring me a musician" (2 Kings 3:1-21)."

Paraphrased, though the leadership of Israel was struggling at that time, Moab’s rebellion led them (Israel) to attack and take over. However, once the decision was made, fear caused the Israeli leaders to second-guess themselves. So they went to Elisha for a prophetic word. Elisha responded by calling a worship leader who was filled with the Spirit of God and played a prophetic song. The prophecy, given in worship, gave Israel the confidence to move forward in their original plan.

My friend writes:
"Had that word NOT have come forth, all three legs of the redemptive promise were in jeopardy of annihilation, and all the promised future plans of God would have been without recipient. Talk about critical mass! Thank God for that word! And thank God for the unnamed musician, whose ministry brought forth the spirit of prophesy, which Revelation tells us is the testimony of Jesus."

God’s Timing, Creativity and Purpose

I have reflected on the different purposes in worship before, but here we see it was through worship ministry that an entire nation was encouraged to move forward in the purposes of God. This is incredibly exciting and encouraging as a worship leader who often steps in for a brief moment to encourage a group. However, I also find myself contemplating God’s timing and his generational creativity. Let me explain.

I get caught up in a vocabulary and a perspective that describes the emerging church as postmodern believers, a generation responding to the change in our culture and society, technology and family. But I know the Living God has tremendous purpose in everything. God’s timing is more than perfect. His creativity spans more than geography and ethnicity, but it spans time as well. Should not my first instinct be, when I see an entire generation emerging, unique in 100 ways from the one before, that it is a display of God’s creativity and purpose! When I travel and I see time and time again that young people and leaders are artists and worshippers, is it not our Creator, who in His perfect timing and purpose, needs the Church to be ready, and needs the believers to be encouraged and empowered to step forward? Just as Elisha called a musician when the time called for it and indeed the Lord released in the musician the song the King needed to hear.

I completely agree and see, that in the natural, postmodern culture effects this generation and it is different than the one before (in the natural). But my mind is being renewed. In the spiritual, I believe God has injected the emerging generation with a DNA for worship and it is to fulfill his good purpose in restoring the Kingdom.

P.S. Revelation vs. Foundation

My friend Doug reminds me that I cannot stand on revelation, only foundation. Revelation is exciting and can help us grow, but unless we are standing on the foundation, which is God’s Love, it will not do anything. And so, I believe the foundation here is Father always fulfilling His purpose. He fulfills his promises and for this reason I have hope. I also know that God works all things for good in those who love him, so whether I get swept up in postmodern dialogue or not, I know God is using the believers in this generation to bring about His purpose. Isn’t it exciting to know, though, that our worship and coming into our unique creative expression has so much purpose in the Kingdom!

la Creatividad y el Propósito de Dios

El Líder Anónimo de Adoración 2 Reyes 3

Antes que yo salí para Costa Rica, yo recibí una carta de animo de un amigo en California. El me recordó del poder y propósito de un líder anónimo de adoración.

Mi amigo escribió: "se sabe que adoración es central. El ungir de Elías para dar a luz una palabra profética para salvar el tocino de Israel (errante), Judah (favorecido) y Edom (de Ishmael y por lo tanto paria, pero con la promesa) fue iniciado por "me trae un músico" (2 Reyes 3:1-21)."

Parafraseado, aunque el liderazgo de Israel luchaba en aquel momento, la rebelión de Moab los dirigió (Israel) atacar y tomar. Sin embargo, cuando la decisión se hizo, el temor causó el liderazgo de Israel a ir a Elías para una palabra profética. Elías respondió llamando a un líder de adoración que fue llenado del Espíritu de Dios y tocó una canción profética. La profecía, se rindió el adoración , dio Israel la confianza para adelantarse en su plan original y los propósitos de Dios.

Mi amigo escribió: "Si esa palabra no ha salido, las tres piernas de la promesa redentora estaban en el riesgo de la aniquilación, y de todos los planes futuros prometidos de Dios habrían estado sin recipiente. ¡Dé gracias a Dios para esa palabra! Y da gracias a Dios para el músico innominado, cuyo ministerio dio a luz el espíritu de profetiza, cuál Revelación nos dice es el testimonio de Jesús."

la Creatividad y el Propósito por Tiempo

He reflejado en los propósitos diferentes de adoración en el pasado, pero aquí vemos que había por el ministerio de la adoración que una nación entera se alentó a adelantarse en los propósitos de Dios. Esto me emociona increíblemente y alenta como un líder de adoración que a menudo da un paso por un momento breve animar un grupo. Sin embargo, yo me encuentro también contemplando el tiempo de Dios y su creatividad generacional. Permítame explicar.

Obtengo un vocabulario y una perspectiva que describe la iglesia como creyentes postmodernos, una generación que responde al cambio en nuestra cultura y la sociedad, la tecnología y la familia. Pero sé que el Dios Vivo tiene propósito tremendo en todo. El tiempo de Dios es más que perfecto. Su creatividad atraviesa más que la geografía y etnia, pero atraviesa tiempo también. ¡No deba ser mi primer instinto, cuando veo una generación entera que surge, extraordinario en 100 maneras de la que vinó antes, que es un despliegue de la creatividad de Dios y su propósito! ¿Cuándo yo viajo y veo repetidas veces que jóvenes y líderes son artistas y devotos, no es nuestro Creador, que en Su tiempo y propósito perfectos, necesita la Iglesia estar lista? Apenas como Elías llamó a un músico cuando el tiempo demandó y verdaderamente el Señor liberado en el músico la canción que el Rey necesitó oír.

Concuerdo completamente y veo que la cultura natural es postmoderna y effecta esta generación y es diferente de la que vinó antes. Pero mi mente se renueva. En el espiritual, yo creo que Dios ha inyectado la generación nacienta con la adoración para cumplir su propósito bueno a restaurar el Reino.

Worship and Current Events

Many of the songs I write have come out of my relationships with specific people and communities. I was labeled a folk musician because my music was about and for people. However, it was always my heart that I would do more than document the people and communities I had intersected (though I believe to remember is to honor as well). I desired always to set my songs against a backdrop of immense hope. This was my offering and worship.

As I grow and mature in my understanding and expressions of worship, I see that many of the Psalms do the same thing. They document specific people and communities and events, celebrate God’s faithfulness and declare his promises in the midst of oppression. My latest album is my first official worship album. I am excited to bring to the front of it God’s promises for restoration and the prophecies of Isaiah as it applies to the broken and suffering in today’s world. I wanted to share an example.

I have not visited Brazil, though I plan to this coming August. I have been learning Portuguese for over a year and learning about Brazil, preparing to meet the people. In the process I have learned about many hard things the Brazilian people struggle with. I learned of several horrible massacres where police were “dealing with” the homeless youth population in Rio. The Candelaria massacre occured in Rio de Janeiro on the night of July 23, 1993. Eight street children were killed as police gunmen shot at a group of about seventy street children as they slept beside the Candelaria Church. And so I wrote a worship song, declaring God’s love for these children. It is a love, I confess, that scares me as it is so woven with mercy and justice. Maybe that is why I have not written worship songs like this before, because it so deeply connects me to a love that connects me to these children and I cannot turn away from them.

When You Call
Copyright 2006 Tracy Howe

When you call, call to me
I am waiting to hide you in my arms
When you cry, cry to me
Oh child, I have not turned away

When you run, run to me
Fear cannot find you when I hide you in my arms
When they come with their guns
Oh child, I’ll be with you ‘till the end

Though the world does not see you
And men have their way with you
Sweet mercy flows from me
Sweet mercy flows

And I will rise
I will rise for you
I will rise
I will rise

Adoración y Los Corrientes

Muchas de las canciones que escribo han venido de las personas que yo he conocido y las comunidades que he sido una parte. Fui marcado a una música campesina porque mi música es acerca de y para la gente. Sin embargo, era siempre mi corazón que haría más que documenta a las personas y comunidades (aunque creo recordar deberá honorar también). Deseé de siempre poner mis canciones contra un fondo de una esperanza inmensa. Esto era mi ofrenda y la adoración.

Cuando crezco y maduro en mi comprensión y expresiones de la adoración, yo veo que muchos de los Salmos hacen la misma cosa. Ellos documentan a personas y comunidades específicas y acontecimientos, celebran la fidelidad de Dios y declaran sus promesas en el medio de la opresión. Mi último álbum es mi primer álbum oficial del adoración. Soy emocionada a traer a las promesas de ello anteriores de Dios para la restauración y las profecías de Isaiah como aplica al roto y el sufrimiento en el mundo actual. Quise compartir un ejemplo.

Yo no he visitado Brasil, aunque planeo a este agosto venidero. He estado aprendiendo portugués para sobre un año y aprender acerca de Brasil, preparando para conocer a la gente. En el proceso que he aprendido acerca de muchas cosas duras que las personas Brasileñas luchan con. Aprendí de varias masacres horribles donde custodian eran “tratando con” la población sin hogar de la juventud en Rio. La masacre de Candelaria ocurrió en Río de Janeiro en la noche de el 23 de julio de 1993. Ocho niños de la calle fueron matados como pistoleros de policía dispararon en un grupo de acerca de setenta niños de la calle como ellos durmieron al lado de la Iglesia de Candelaria. Y así que escribí una canción del adoración, declarando el amor de Dios para estos niños. Es un amor, yo confieso, eso me espanta como soy tan tejido con la misericordia y la justicia. Quizá por eso yo no he escrito canciones como estos antes, porque tan profundamente me conecta a un amor que les me conecta a estos niños y a yo no puedo girar lejos de ellos.

Cuándo Llamas, 2006 de Tracy Howe

Cuándo llamas, llamas a mí
Yo espero esconderle en mis brazos
Cuando lloras, lloras a mi
Ah niño, yo no giraré

Cuándo huyes, huyes a mí
Temor no te encontrará cuando te escondo en mis brazos
Cuando ellos vienen con sus fusiles
Ah niño, contigo quedaré hasta el fin

Aunque el mundo no te ve
Y los hombres te usan
Dulce es mi misericordia
De mi misericordia fluirá

Y levantaré
Levantaré parati

Worship Has Left the Building, Part I

Though I had a deep and intimate faith and it had been the foundation of all my music and relationship, going to a local fellowship to worship and even leading well known worship songs often seemed so shallow to me. I resolved it must be because of my own arrogance and immaturity and kind of forced myself to do it. It has only been in the last several years, coming into a family of Levite like, artist missionary, public worship leaders that my passion for worship has been ignited and vision for worship restoring the Kingdom of God has come alive. Notwithstanding my arrogance, or the sincerity and power of well known worship songs, I have found, and become part of, a tribe of worshippers celebrating the presence of God outside of Church buildings.

In hind sight, one of the reasons I seemed to rebel against worship (as I knew it) was the worship experience seemed to be divisive in it’s containment to a building and the narrow demographic of people it held. Worship is an eternal act and one of the few things we do on earth and in heaven. And if, in heaven, when the Kingdom is restored, we are all together, why on earth, when it is our work to restore the Kingdom, do we move backwards by dividing ourselves in buildings either to keep people in or out?

Here is an excerpt from “The Question For Worship Leaders,” an article by my friend Ben Pasley (www.bluerenaissance.com).

Here are a few insights, however, that may help us in our discovery. A quick study of the design of the Temple in Jerusalem reveals that the mass choirs and music of the Levites could be easily heard all over the Temple platform. The music performance area was open to the court of the Gentiles via the open roof and the large open entryways. People from every nation, gathering on the huge Temple platform for trade or tourism, could hear the awesome songs of worship to God! This is an amazing picture. It reveals that the Psalmists were well aware that all of there songs would be heard by the nations of the world. The crying, the repenting, the thanksgiving, and the wild praise would all be on display on the most public platform in the eastern world. Jerusalem was a primary trade route between Persia and the Mediterranean and between Egypt and Assyria. This public worship would be the modern equivalent of doing outdoor worship ministry in Times Square or the lawns of Parliament buildings of the world’s greatest nations...every day and for all the world to see!

A Recent Example…

I work with an amazing group in Minneapolis called Source. Source is a believing community in the heart of Minneapolis serving at risk youth. They interact with people primarily through an art gallery, a music venue, and transitional housing. Every summer they hold an art festival, and as they have genuine relationship with many artists in the city, believing or not, they fill the street with stages and booths for people to display their work and present their music and poetry. They are also passionate about giving a voice to the people they serve and so there were community murals, open mics and much opportunity to express yourself.

This past summer myself, a few other Blue Renaissance artists and the Psalters were there as artists and worship leaders. After a long day of art festival type activity, we all took the stage and started leading worship. The result was several hundred people worshiping in the street, painting, dancing, (we even had one fire dancer) declaring the promises and hope of the Living God in a broken, violent, and impoverished area of the city. I believe the worship that was offered that evening impacted the entire city.

The bottom line is God moved and the Holy Spirit who has the power to draw and unite people moved. But I also think the success lay in the journey together as opposed to the presentation of a few to the masses. We sang about a God who loved the people right in front of us. We sang about hope for the people who lived one block away and we welcomed their voices too. There was live feed journaling on the video screens and painters on stage with us. As a worship leader that night, I prayed for God to do exactly what he did for Gomer the prostitute (Hosea’s wife). He called her into the wilderness and spoke words of comfort to her; he showed her hope, and her song was restored.

14 "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. 15 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.

His beauty enraptured me that night in all the people. And I longed for their songs to be heard. I needed them to help me understand the fullness of God’s character and love.

Fear of Love

I am in the midst of writing for a worship album. It may not be recognized as such, but that is my heart. I struggle over and over with worship music that never quite get's to the the core of God's love...His people. That is, the exact people He loves and how he loves them. The Psalms are full of testimony concerning God's faithfulness to individuals and communities, the oppressed and the desperate. It is all worship though because it is the response to His love. I see God's hope and faithfulness in the midst of an AIDS epidemic, and so I wrote a single line, "He loves those with AIDS and His pain is their healing."

As I've been singing the song and working it out, I have been forced to confront something I did not expect. I am absolutely terrified of God's love. I am afraid of who He loves and how He loves them. God, no doubt, loves people I am afraid of, and that kind of love I don't understand. It's as if I've gotten very comfortable with my one perspective of Him, and stretching myself in worship, with just this one line, that touches people in the world right now, is shattering something inside me. It has left me thinking deeply about reasons I approach God with shallow words and actions all of the time. I think I am genuinely afraid of love that would really transform me. Surely their will be great pain and dying involved, and there will definitely be no turning back.

An Advent Message

Tracy's notes forr the December 18th message given at Cornerstone:


Isaiah 61
1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.

8 “ For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery for burnt offering;
I will direct their work in truth,
And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
9 Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles,
And their offspring among the people.
All who see them shall acknowledge them,
That they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed.”
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Advent is remembering that Jesus came and preparing for Jesus to come. When Jesus walked on earth, He fulfilled these scriptures and said the Kingdom of Heaven had arrived because the purpose of God was fulfilled; Jesus fulfilled the scriptures and we see that clearly in this passage in Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

Later in the passage, we see a different pronoun though,

“And THEY shall rebuild the old ruins,
THEY shall raise up the former desolations,
And THEY shall repair the ruined cities…
I will direct THEIR work…”

These passages are directed at us, the believers. Just as Jesus fulfilled the scriptures and proclaimed the Kingdom arrived, I believe also, that when we fulfill these scriptures, it is the Kingdom come. I specifically want to explore verse 11 in chapter 61 and be encouraged that the Lord is fulfilling his good purpose when we worship…

For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

A LESSON FROM NARNIA

I recently saw the movie, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” I had read the book just a few weeks before to refresh my memory. The movie made me think about some things I hadn’t before. For example, I noticed in the movie that as soon as Lucy passed through the wardrobe into Narnia, she was immediately recognized in all her authority and purpose, even though she was only six years old.

I believe that is how it is with us too. When Father knits us together, he pours into us all his purpose and authority and our unique gifts and graces are there. When we enter into the Kingdom (passing into Narnia) all will be present in its intended fullness. Coming into our full identity in Christ, our purpose and authority while we’re on earth seems to be the tricky part. Worship then, holds part of the key to understanding our Kingdom identities, because worship is something we do on earth and in heaven!

IGNITING WORSHIP AND PROPHECY

We read in the New Testament, when people were healed or forgiven by Jesus, they often would start worshiping God and prophesying. It was all they could do to respond to Him. There is a very close relationship between worship and prophecy. Revelation 19:10 gives us a little more insight. Remember, John had been taken up into heaven and was a bit distraught. An angel spoke to him and so he bowed down before it.

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Worship is a stream that ignites in the presence of God.

EXPRESSION

It’s not my intent to rank different expressions of worship. I love liturgy because it allows us to remember the season’s of Christ’s life and enter into a journey together focusing on the Eucharist. I love Taize and how it emphasizes contemplation and intercession. I love crazy worship with electric guitars and no time limits or boundaries. What is most important is offering our unique expressions both as individuals and as communities.

As I have studied the Psalms, I see repeatedly that one of the reasons we worship is to bless God. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around that. How can anything I have to offer bless God? The biggest revelation I have is that, as God made us uniquely and gave us unique grace and purpose and perspective, our worship and expression must also be unique. So when we worship in that uniqueness, I believe God is blessed.

So then, as we explore who we are as a community, our first steps should not be to find out what the biggest church is doing and mirror their programming. Our first steps should be discovering our unique purposes, perspectives and people. After all, our success will not be measured in numbers, but in our obedience to what God has called us to be.

I am a worship leader. This is part of my journey and experience. I’m not trying to arrive anywhere or offer a 5 step process to more intimate worship, but I do hope that we can be encouraged by God’s good and eternal purpose and that we might find more meaning and always long for greater intimacy whatever our expression is.

Finding More Purpose in Worship

1 Chronicles 25

1 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.

Does anyone see anything strange about this verse? How about, “David, together with the commanders of the army”? Here and in otherscriptures, we see the worship leaders on the front line of the armies. The worshippers, you see, would declare who God was, and often prophesy who would win the battle.

2 Chronicles 18:11

All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. "Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious," they said, "for the LORD will give it into the king's hand."

So as we remember and prepare, let’s not loose sight of God’s eternal purpose. I’m excited to be a part of the Kingdom being established as we fulfill the scriptures:

11 For as the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

a vision

Tonight I saw that your mercy, Father, is like a robe, that everyone you have ever created has sown into with the skill of a royal seamstress. It drapes from your shoulders like an ocean of velvet and gold and flows so you cannot see it’s beginning or end and if you handed it to anyone it would most certainly crush them by it's weight.

Tonight I remembered that your thoughts are higher than my thoughts and my ways are not your ways. I asked you to show me. I saw you weeping but I saw that your sorrow does not release sorrow upon the earth, but rather peace. I saw that your pain does not release pain upon the earth, rather mercy. I saw that your joy releases freedom on the earth, and that your justice releases your glory on the earth.

Mercy and goodness flow from you, it is all I have ever known.

Mercy and goodness flow from you, it is all I have ever known.

And your mercy will flow over the earth and fill the borders between nations where we have claimed our own kingdoms, like fresh porcelain poured over a cracked plate, and all nations will flow to your mountain, a restoration of your creation, and we will not be able to resist going to you.