Using secular songs in worship services

What is a worship service? Seriously? Who is it for? 

Dictionary.com defines worship as:
1. reverent honor and homage paid to God.
2. formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: 
       They attended worship this morning.
3. adoring reverence or regard.
4. the object of adoring reverence or regard.

So if that is what worship is, to give honour and praise to God, giving Him the worship that He is due, then I fail to see why churches use secular music in the service. The argument is to be seeker friendly, to appeal to those outside the church to bring them in. 

If that's the case, should we be serving beer at services too? What about using PG-13 clips with swearing in them to be acceptable to seekers? Where do we draw the line?

A worship service is something designed with God in mind, not a person off the street. It's FOR Him, not for us or anyone else. If we offer secular music in praise of our God, is He well pleased with what He hears? I don't think so.

To me using secular music to draw a crowd defeats the purpose. It's trying too hard in man's power to try and reach the lost. Christian music has so many styles to match what's out there that we don't need to cross the line and use secular music in our worship services to God. It takes the passage from 1 Corinthians 9:21 - 23 out of context: ²¹ To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. ²³ I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. The passage was not saying to use the world's music in worshiping God. You can't worship God with a song that has no message trying to do so. Two different mindsets. It can't bridge the gap, only the message of the Gospel can.

Then that's just me...

Is the Bible God's word?

This is a question that surprisingly has many answers. Some say it is God's word, without error, and that's that. Others say it contains God's word. Others say only parts are to be taken as God's truth because it was written by flawed men.

What do I say? I say without a doubt that the Bible is God's word given to men through the direction of the Holy Spirit to write using their own personalities without compromising the message. we can use it for all things for teaching, for correction, for rebuke... let's let God's word speak for itself...

^{2 Timothy 3:16 - 17, 16} All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

So there you have it, straight from God. What else does God say about His word? Revelation 22:18 - 19, ¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. ¹⁹ And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

So in other words, don't mess with it! :)

To Pick or Not to Pick... and Eat... that is the question!

To Pick or Not to Pick... and Eat... that is the question!

http://www.theloop.ca/opinion/article/-/a/2307686/Picking-your-nose-could-be-good-for-your-health

Well this is an odd one... apparently there is a science that says the idea of picking your nose and eating it may be healthy for you? supposedly nutrients and more are in those... treasures. 

So this raises the question, just because science says it's "okay" to do this habit, does it mean we should? This is one I don't really know how to respond to. Just please don't ask this for Ask The Pastor! 

My question to you is - would you do this just because science says it is probably better for us after all? I'd like to see you response!

My presonal response is, it's still disgusting and I wouldn't do this. I'd rather take a pill of medicine/vitamins. 

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Hard to think of this as a lovely or admirable activity!

Excited for God like our favourite team?

People who know me know I am a huge Leafs fan! 

I grew up in Toronto. Born and raised there until I was almost 30. To live in Toronto growing up meant a lot of Saturday nights watching hockey on TV. Cheering the Leafs on when they won, and slinking away when they lost - enduring the ridicule of anti-Leafs fans. As much as I like Toronto, I try to ensure my love for Christ is much more than that or anything else. 

Years ago I was part of a Christian DJ company in Toronto and the hype of the Blue Jays winning the World Series back-to-back was fresh. We were at an event and the overhead TV started to talk about the Jays and everyone burst into lour cheers. The guy I was with, Eric, decided to shout out, "Let's hear it for Jesus!" to try and see if people would react the same way. There was a cheer, but half as loud, he tried it again and the same thing. 

Why do we cheer so loud for a sports team and when it comes to Jesus we tend to shy away? We should be more excited for Jesus than for a sports team, a movie, a TV show, a comic book character, music star, or anything else. Is our love for God so ecstatic people wonder what's going on and want to know more? 

This is as much for me as for anyone else... we need to be so on fire people know who we belong to!

Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Follow me!

Follow me? Can we truly say the same about us as Paul said to the church at Philippi? "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me -- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." — Philippians 4:9 If people followed what we said and did, would they be better off spiritually than before... or worse? Some challenging words to think about as people watch our examples in life! It's one thing to teach it, it's another thing to live it and have people follow our example and be better for it!

Easter Presentation - please watch.

This is a special Easter Presentation I did based on the song "New Again" from Brad Paisley and Sarah Evans of the album "Songs Inspired by The Passion of the Christ." Video footage from The Passion of the Christ, The Nativity Story, and The Gospel of John. I did this same video a number of years back with image stills, but this year decided to upgrade the video to using clips.

This was a labour of love for our Lord Jesus Christ. It is designed to be a tool that can be used by churches - not for profit of any kind.

I put this together to really remind us visually about what Good Friday and Easter is really all about. The video speaks for itself. God bless and have a great Easter weekend. May your Good Friday service be inspiring as we remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus, and may your Easter Sunday service be filled with joy and celebration as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord! 

Palm Sunday - are we for Him?

So tomorrow is Palm Sunday...

John 12:13

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Hard to believe our human nature at times. One week, we're screaming out the praises of Jesus as the human race, the next we betray, arrest, beat, deny, whip, give a crown of thorns, and crucify Him. It'd be nice to say "We'd be different!" Really? Would we really be different in the circumstances? I would like to think we would. Sometimes I wonder if our actions on a day to day basis scream at one moment that we're followers of Jesus, and the next that we're against Him? That's a tough thought isn't it? 

Tomorrow as we celebrate Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem, remember one thing before He came to the city, He wept over it because He knew their real nature and what was coming. 

This week is holy week... Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter. Let's make sure we take time to evaluate ourselves and see if there is anything that needs to be purged - I'm sure we can all find something as no one is perfect.

Just some thoughts as we begin the holiest week of the calendar for us as believers in Jesus Christ. God bless and have a great week!