Finding God in Today’s Secular Music
Many times I think we leaders who help with childrens ministry, youth ministry or campus ministry only allow our groups to listen to Christian music. Christian music has a place in such a ministry, however there is room for wordly music as the music finds a way into the lives of the people you are trying to reach. So lets help them to reflect and descern on the music that comes into their lives.
Many secular songs are spiritual, so if you turn on the radio today and really listen to song lyrics you may hear people singing about God. You may hear anger, suspicion or confusion in the songs, but you may also hear a positive or authentically searching message. Either way, they are song themes that often mirror the feelings and thoughts of youth. Listening to these songs and helping kids process the lyrics may help them define what they believe about God and life. This is an important step in developing discernment.
Are Alter Calls Only For ‘Church Services?’
Why Give and alter every time believers meet? Some would say that alter calls only need to be given on Sunday mornings in a ‘church service.’ I am against that! Why? Joe Smith might not come to a ‘church service’ but might come to another ministry evern, so if an alter call is not given at such events, would Joe be given a chance to let others know publicly that he wants to come to know Jesus Christ? He might not!
I also think that we need to start having alter calls at children’s events. Yes, I know some would say that little Jimmy is to young to know if he wants a relationship with Jesus, but then why can I go to Non-Denominational Churches (Who I think have this alter call thing down better then ‘main line’ churches do) and see kids going down for the alter call? Yes, sometimes it would be because of mom or dad, but that’s not what I am getting at in this blog post.
Ministry Leaders and Pastors, my challenge to you is to try to give an alter call each time you have ‘church’ or ministry events even if the event is even a bible study, you might be suprized to find out that Sandy has never given her life to Christ!
Fising For People
Jesus told us in Mathew 4:19 “Come be my disciples, and I will show you have to fish for people!” How do was as churches and ministries living in a world of Technology fish for people? In today’s world I can get just about anything off of a PDA. However, will my PDA tell me or show me what Godly is? I would say it could. However, the bigger question is are we as churches and ministries willing to use things such as a PDA to fish for people? See something has been bothering me about churches and ministries today, I feel that some are living in the past. So one question I have is, if Jesus had a PDA would he have used it to fish for people? If he had the internet would he have used it to fish for people? What about if he had a video camera or PowerPoint, would have used them? Ok I am not Jesus so I can’t answer for him. However, I personally feel that Jesus would have used Technology to fish for people if it would have be available to him. I also think that sometimes Jesus might say something like “Will churches and ministries ever ‘wake up’ and use the tools I have given them?” See churches and ministries it is time we use the Technology that God has give us. I am reminded that being in ministry we are called to go out to the ends of the earth and share the good news of Jesus with our ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters.’ So I ask you are you willing as a church or ministry to make in impact on the world we live in and use the Technology that God has given us?
Do we put God on a “time limit?”
I often wonder if we put God on a time limit? You see we all keep time which for the most part is a good thing. However folks maybe we need to stop and realize sometimes keeping time might hinder Gods will.
So you might be asking how could keeping time hinder Gods will? First of all you and know we have all seen the person who is always looking at time whwn the pastor or minister is speaking. This can hinder Gods will because the person is thinking about is this pastor or minister ever going to stop talking? But by folks doing this it can also hinder Gods will because all the person is thinking about is themselves: this they could miss out on something God is trying to say to them thru the minister or pastor.
Let’s look at something else: Folks I don’t think time is bad as I do understand folks need to work and infact I have had jobs where I have had to work on a church or ministry night. But sometimes even us that do have jobs on a church or ministry night are piting God on a time limit because many time I feel we feel like we are to bussy when we miss church or ministry night to take time the day we miss to honor God by reading the Bible or enen praying: which yes I know many word say your supposed to be working; but you can use your lunch or break time.
In writing this tonight I even got to thinking that our 24 hour days could even help to lead to the answer to tbr question I posted. How you ask? See there is 24 hours in a day but if we don’t give God time in the day we see “outting God on a ‘time limit’.”
Even when we have what I call ‘programs’ or a set way of doing things in a church service or ministry event we are putting God on a time limit and saying God you only have this amount of time as we are in church for an hour or we are having ministry event for an hour.
Maybe if we stopped and looked at how we do at times put God on a “time limit” then we might understand God better and this strive to be betters Christians!
Maybe pentocostals understanding of what I am talking about might help all of us: for they I think have understanding that you need not put God on a “time limit.” For they have been know to worship or have ministry events for as long as they think God and the Holy Ghost leed them to!
Maybe we all can learn something from the Pentecostals!