Why do we sing when we get together on Sundays?

We have to be careful, or we will default to just doing what we always do without knowing why.  You are supposed to have 4-6 songs that everyone sings or else it is not a true worship service, right?

I remember back when I was a college pastor.  I thought about what would happen if we didn’t have a band one week.  I was pretty sure most people would be upset and some probably would never return.  They could get a better show down the street.

We don’t play music for entertainment purposes.
We don’t play music because that is what makes a church service.
We don’t even play music simply because it is beautiful.

We sing together because we are the church who gathers to teach and encourage each other.  Music is a unique gift from God to the Church.  Beautiful music can at the same time teach our minds profound theology and rivet our emotions.

TCC folks from a generation of hymns often are surprised by how “into the hymns” some of the twenty-somethings are.  I tell them it has nothing to do with whether it is a hymn or not.  It has to do with a longing for profound gospel truth in our music.

“O praise the one who paid my debt, and raised this life up from the dead!”

In that one line you sing of the substitutionary atonement in the cross, and the victory we are united with in the resurrection.  But not only am I reminded of this core gospel theology, I can’t even type that line without tears welling up .  Mind and emotions come together and our hearts are riveted together by music!

What songs are most riveting to your heart, and why?

 

What’s the Story, Morning Glory?

Don’t forget your homework this week is to tell/teach/recount/educate/gospel someone the True Story.

You will be held accountable on Sunday night.

Any comments about your experience telling the story or experiencing the story?

This Sunday night we are going to talk about “Living the True Story”.

See you then.  Go Cards!

 

Sunday Review

Here are some resources I wanted to throw out to you after last night.

True Story: Restoration
The Excellencies of Christ, Jonathan Edwards
Really Helpful PDF Articles on the True Story
Heaven, by Randy Alcorn
Surprised by Hope, by N.T. Wright

We got a bit sidetracked on the nature of Christ and didn’t hit Restoration as much as I had hoped.  Kevin and I are going to talk and pray today about the best way to go next week in equipping our community for the mission.  Post a comment here if you have thoughts on what would be helpful.  The 3 options I am thinking right now are Restoration, Living the True Story, or back into 1 Peter.

 

Praying as One Body

Feel free to post your prayer requests in the comments below.

Last Sunday night we began by praying over Erik and Tina Henrikson.  Tina’s dad Doug has non-Hodgkin’s mantle cell lymphoma and goes in for a second bone marrow transplant this coming week.

Tina’s mom created THIS WEBSITE to keep people updated.  Check out the site.  More importantly, keep praying!

 

Friday Randomness

I’m starting a new tradition today.  Each Friday I will post something of randomness on the blog.  Enjoy the first installment…

I pray for us as TCC that we will be more like these guys than the guy driving five over buckled up on surface streets.

 

Two Opportunities to Serve in Tempe

1.  International Student Furniture Sale

On Saturday, January 17th, from 12 noon to  5 p.m. ISI (International Students Inc.) will be hosting a Furniture Fair for International Students who will be studying at ASU.  We are looking for people who are mission minded, willing to build relationships and possibly have some cross cultural experience who can assist these students with making their furniture purchase.  You can pick one of three time frames to work: 12 noon – 2:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. A one hour training will be provided prior to the Fair.  We also need cashiers to help take money – no training necessary, individuals with trucks/trailers to help deliver furniture as well as furniture handlers. The Fair will take place at Gracie’s Family Thrift Store located at 1520 E Apache Blvd., Tempe, AZ (between Rural and McClintock) not far from ASU.  If you can assist please call Ruth Herbrandson 480.460.0096 or email us at isifurniturefair@gmail.com. Leave your name, email and phone number and we’ll get in touch with you.

2.  Tempe Project Homeless Connect

Project Homeless Connect is a one-day event that brings homeless people from the Tempe area together with service providers under one roof to get immediate help.  Service providers will be onsite to help with shelters, medical checks, legal assistance, government benefits, behavioral health, veteran’s assistance, haircuts, showers, clothing and much more.

Download this PDF for more details.

 

The TCC Model

Last Sunday we spent some time talking about how TCC is trying to play out our role in the fifth act of the Divine Drama.  Among other things, it is essential that we are all on the same page with regards to three aspects:  Pastors, Missional Communities, Sunday gatherings.  The roles of all three are different than we might expect or what we are used to.

(1) Pastors
Kevin and I are to equip and send the TCC Family to live as faithful followers of Jesus Christ.  We are not to be the paid professionals, vendors of religious goods and services, or performers.

(2) Missional Communities
We need to ask the question, “Am I in missional community, or  just in a Missional Community?” If you just have your name on the list and show up once a week, you will miss out on what we are doing and you will get burned.

(3) Sunday Gathering
The Sunday Gathering is not the “main deal”.  It is not “Church”.  It is an environment for (a) Equipping, (b) Missional Communities learning together, and (c) the whole TCC family to be together.

 

Sunday Convo Part 1

This past Sunday we got to the fifth act of the Story of God: The Church. (you can download it here: True Story Church.)  We also spent  time working through  the vision for this next year.  Chris will be blogging some comments on that a little later in the week so I won’t say too much about it here.

With the Story of the church we didn’t have a great deal of time to dialogue on what we were learning from it, or how it was hitting us.  I’d love for you to put some of your thoughts down on here as you process through the week on the True Story – especially in light of the one we told last night. Please realize  this is another way  we can be involved in teaching each other and being learners.

Some of the questions I am processing through were:

1.  What do we learn about the God of mission through this story?

2.  What do we learn about our mission as the church from this story?

3.  What are some of the implications of this story for my life?

 

So this is the New Year

So this is the new year and I have no resolutions. At least not yet.  One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Socrates.  In it he says: “An unexamined life is unworthy living.”  I have found that before I’m ready to make any resolutions it’s absolutely crucial that I take an honest and evaluative look back over the past year(s) to do a gospel informed examination of how I’m livin’.  Because I can’t force anyone to do this kind of introspection, I’ll just VERY STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT (that’s right in all caps) you spend some time with God and some other friends asking the following:

1.  What are the relationships that I can look back on that God used to to influence / grow me this year?  How have they driven me to realize my need for Christ?
2.  How has my understanding / appreciation of the gospel deepened over the last year.
3.  Where did I come face to face with brokenness this year? How did I / Did I confront it with the gospel?
4. Do I sense the gospel compelling me to act in new ways this coming year?

Then, if you are into them- make some resolutions that are seasoned with “gospel intentionality.” What are some of your thoughts??  Any other good questions you are thinking about as you examine your life?

 

Play Ball!

Hey we are going to try to get some friends together to play in the Tempe City Co-Ed Softball league. If you wanna play we are going to have to know pretty soon (As in by Sunday) so please shoot me an e-mail (kevin @ tempecitychurch.com) a text, or leave a comment to let me know if you want to play. There are seven games starting in Feb. The schedule would come out after we have a roster and fee submitted.

The 411:

Cost: $25 per player

Game Day: We are shooting for friday nights but they may end up on Sat.

Roster: We need 15 people (guys and gals thus the co-ed)

Age: You gotta be 18.