Light vs. Darkness

...and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them.~Eph. 5:11 (CEB)

 

 

     This is the season where we are seeing preparations for what has become one of the biggest celebrations of the year...Halloween. The store aisles are filled with all kinds of decorations in orange, black, purple and green, where houses, jobs and even some churches can transform their entire worlds into haunted works of architechture designed to shock and frighten those who dare to enter. Over time, Halloween costumes have become increasingly violent and bizarre, from simple cartoon characters to mass murderers.
 

     Where did the tradition of Halloween come from? Is is just a harmless celebration with plenty of candy and treats, or there a more sinister origin? As worshipers, can we participate in these activities and still lead others to Christ?

     Do your own research and learn about the real origins of anything you do before getting involved with it, even if it goes on in a church building. We are living in a time when it's important to know, discern, and understand that everything we do impacts our lives...and the lives of those around us.

 

     Selah...

Speak Easy! Pt. 2 - Styles of Poetry

Poetry...A medium for telling the truth with utmost precision in the use of words incorporating distilled language and high speech with minimal word use and maximum impact.

~Anansi Workshop

 

     In continuing our discussion in learning about different types and styles of poetry, let's begin by stating that there are over 50 classifications of poems with new ones always being created! Some of the most popular types include:

· Acrostic poetry -poetry in which certain letters, usually the first in each line form a word or message when read in a sequence. Many of the Psalms and Proverbs are acrostic Hebrew poems.

· Haiku - Japanese poetry composed of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables, usually containing a season word. Americanized Haiku can be about any subject, but still has the same structure as Japanese Haiku.

· Lyric Poetry - Poetry that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet. Many songs are written using this type of writing.

· Rhyme Poetry - Poetry that has the repetition of the same or similar sounds of two or more words, often at the end of the line.

· Narrative Poetry - Poetry that tells a story.

· Free Verse Poetry – Poetry that does not rhyme, but flows freely. Spoken Word Poetry is usually done in Lyrical, Narrative, or Free Verse styles.

     Of all the above styles, Lyric, Rhyme, Narrative and Free Verse poems are the types that are most often written, read or spoken in poetry venues and churches because they are the among easiest to understand. Also, within these styles of poetry, there are several variations among them all!

     So, what if you feel that God is leading you to write poetry? How do you get started? One way to start writing poetry is to keep a journal and "free write" for five minutes about whatever you are feeling at that moment. Even if it doesn't make sense, you may get the beginnings of a poem from what you have written. Another way of getting started is to write what is called an "I Am" poem, which is a series of statements and declarations about yourself to get in touch with what inspires or motivates you to write. Remember to write out complete thoughts, and remember not to judge anything that you write, especially while you are in the midst of writing! It's best to write and put your journal away, and read it later from an objective standpoint. Never discard anything that you write, because several weeks, months or years from the time you wrote, you may find something of value that you didn't see at first!

     Now that you know how to get started, what are you waiting for? Set aside a time when you can concentrate, and write from your heart. In our next blog, we will learn more about how and where to present your poems.

   Please enjoy this narrative poem by Jackie Hill of P4CM Poets...

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References:    1.http://www.poemofquotes.com/articles/poetry_forms.php

               
                       2 http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/iampoem.htm
               
             

Speak Easy! Pt. 1 - Poetry

 

 

 

Poetry and Spoken Word are gaining increased popularity in churches, as did the resugence of dance in the 80's and 90's. But, what exactly, is poetry, and why is it being done in church?

Poetry is:

·           An art form that uses words in rhythm and verse to show emotions or tell a story

·        Poetry is a way of telling about life through words

·        Poetry can be about any subject

·        Poetry does not have to rhyme

·        Poetry puts things into words that are hard to say

·        Poetry expresses thoughts, feelings, opinions and dreams

·        Poetry can come from anywhere

·        Poetry is something everyone can create

·        Poetry makes the reader or hearer visualize something or feel a certain way

Poetry is a wonderful way of conveying thoughts and observations about life, using minimal words. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't have to rhyme. In fact, some of the most interesting poems are written in free verse, meaning that the words just flow naturally, without rhyming. Poetry can explore opinions and alternative views of subjects that may be controversial, because the poetic form allows the writer to creatively express his or her message with a variety of words and dynamics that couldn't be accomplished in a regular speech or editorial. One of the reasons that Poetry and Spoken Word are becoming more popular in churches, is that it allows the Good News to be shared in a way that grabs the attention of those who might not otherwise hear what is being said in a traditional sermon, but that same content expressed poetically will probably not be hard to forget. 

 

 In our next blog, we will talk about some of the different styles of poetry, and share some tips on how to get started with writing and presenting your poems. In the meantime, please enjoy this poem by Poetri the Poet:

 

 

 



What if God is Speaking?

The Lord is in his holy temple;
let all the earth be silent before him. ~ Habakkuk 2:20

 



     I went to a church service recently and the minister in charge was seated in front of the altar singing and praying to the Lord during the sound check, and I was immediately drawn into the worship.  Meanwhile, people were in and around the sanctuary, talking and socializing with one another. It was as if two worlds were in one place, but the more they talked, the more he continued to sing and pray in the spirit as if it were just he and the Lord. I wondered if anyone really understood what was going on, that they were being invited by God Himself to put aside their mundane conversations and join in the worship, or if they were just there, waiting for the program to start, so that they could 'get their praise on'! I wondered if they realized that worship begins long before a church service starts, that we are to come into the sanctuary with a heart of worship. No matter what is going on, our focus is to be on God, to give thanks and praise, to pray, cry out, and do whatever we need to do, to get into His presence. It's not up to the worship leaders to bring us into God's presence. Their role is to lead and inspire the way into worship, and then we then decide to follow them, as they follow Christ.

 

     When we come into the sancturary, it's not the time to have long conversations or greetings during praise and worship. There is nothing more important than the communication that we have with The Most High. Cell phones should be turned off and not answered, bluetooths need to be put away. It is a shame for us to be texting and posting to Facebook and Twitter when worship is going on. How focused are we on God, if we have time to check-in and let everyone know that we are basking in His presence? Do we understand that if we have an divine encounter with God, sending a text or a post would be the last thing we would be doing, or have we become so familiar with Christian jargon and the need to impress others that we need to say something that sounds spiritual but is devoid of  meaning?

 

     We take so much for granted when it comes to the presence of God. But, there are so many things going on around us that we can't afford to take the worship of God lightly. People are suffering with all kinds of illnesses, tragedies, finacial lack, family challenges, spiritual and emotional distress and discouragement. One of the benefits of worship is hearing The Holy Spirit speak to our hearts so that we can receive guidance and help from God, to be a blessing to those around us. We don't come into the sancturary for own benefit and blessings alone, or to  entertained or amused,   God wants to speak to us... about our lives, about other's lives, and to give us revelation about who He is. Are we listening?



~~~
God is speaking... 

so come into the sanctuary

and quiet yourself

remove your spirit from the cares and busyness

will you be still and listen for God’s voice in the secret place of reverence and respect

separate from the inner and outer noise of constant chaos

or continue to block out the sound of His words

speaking life to your soul?

you are invited

to come from the weariness and receive peace

and receive water from the well

that will never run dry

come and drink

and be filled

and take the waters of  life to the world
God is speaking...
 

 

Cross references:

1. Habakkuk 2:19 : 1Ki 18:27
2. Habakkuk 2:19 : S Jer 10:4
3. Habakkuk 2:19 : S Da 5:4, 23; S Hos 4:12
4. Habakkuk 2:20 : S Ps 11:4
5. Habakkuk 2:20 : S Isa 41:1

These Things...Ought Not to Be!

...Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ~ James 3:10 (NKJV)

     Liturgical arts have come a long way in the past few years. Ministries and groups are becoming more well-versed in technique and becoming more innovative, even edgy with their presentations. Multi-media platforms and creative risk-taking are all commonplace in church services, conferences, and concert settings. But...some of us are forgetting that our focus is still communicating The Good News of Christ, which is that Christ was born, was crucified, died, was buried, and is now alive so that we can be free, if we turn away from our sins, believe with all of our hearts, and personally confess that this is true, and start living for God and not ourselves. This means that whatever we do has to: (1) Be inspired of God; (2) Be based on His Word, the Bible, and (3) Reveal God to people. It is not to entertain, amuse, or placate the audience, and although there is a performance aspect involved, in the context of worship, that is not our purpose. We are simply there in front of the audience to offer out of our relationship with God, a visual representation of His Word, ways, and nature, possibly in a way that hasn't been revealed to them before.

There were some Greeks in town who had come up to worship at the Feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee: "Sir, we want to see Jesus. Can you help us?"

~ John 12:21 (MSG)

     Having studied Theatre and Dance for many years, I am always interested in seeing different types of presentations in church, but this latest video should concern most of us. In a church service, Thriller, yes that one...was danced to after a message about Ezekiel 37, the story of The Valley of Dry Bones in which God asked the prophet: "Son of Man, can these bones live?" Please let me say that as an artist, I have no problem with the artform of Thriller as a music video, and I have enjoyed Michael Jackson's music as much as anyone else, BUT, Thriller is a song and video about Halloween, zombies, and fear. The dancers in the original video were second to none, and the dancers in this new video did a good job with their modified version of Michael Jackson's and Michael Peters' choreography. However, they should have found different music and let God inspire them to do completely different choreography for their ministry, simply because people will automatically hear that song, see the dance and will either compare it with the original, miss the entire point completely because they are totally caught up what they have already seen and heard before , or simply be entertained by an exciting performance. In other words, it's inappropriate for a house of worship! Why? because, what aspect of God's Word are they presenting with a music track that was composed for a song about the powers of darkness? And, other than the fact that their performance was well done, what aspect of God was revealed to the people, some of whom may never hear The Good News again? There are many others, but these are the first ones that come to mind.

But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord,
And of justice and might,
To declare to Jacob his transgression
And to Israel his sin.

~ Micah 3:8 (NKJV)

...And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
~ Acts 2: 16-18 (NKJV)

    I rarely post about ministry presentations that are controversial, and certainly am not writing about this for the sake of controversy; but we need to have intelligent, non-judgemental dialogue about what is going on around us, as well being sure that we keep the worship arts focused on Christ, and not become a second-rate copy of what the secular arena has already done. Truly there is a problem here, and the solutions are not in condemning those who are promoting these activities, but in directing them towards God's Word.  All of the creativity and style that we need, come from Him, the original Creator.  Most importantly, we must have a real, born-again relationship with God, and not just blindly follow the latest trend that comes around. There are so many up-and-coming artists in the church with phenomenal talent, but they must always remain true to their own voice, and not simply become a copy of someone else's past glory. Watch...and be prayerful.

                                             

Checkpoint!

If you wanted to build a building, you would first sit down and decide how much it would cost. You must see if you have enough money to finish the job. If you don’t do that, you might begin the work, but you would not be able to finish. And if you could not finish it, everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘This man began to build, but he was not able to finish'. ~ Luke 14:28-30 (ERV)

     It's July...and we're now at a checkpoint in the year. So, it's time to ask ourselves some questions about the things we are doing, what we have done well, and what we can improve upon. So, get a pen and a piece of paper, and divide it into three sections; then take some time to think about how your worship ministry has changed in the past year:

• what is different, and why?
• what are your personal ministry goals for the next 6 months?
• how will you make this happen?

     Write those things down, and pray over them. Ask God for guidance on how to carry out those goals to fulfill His plan for your life and service to Him. It may mean letting go of some projects, moving in another direction, taking on new responsibilities or even saying no to others. But, whatever answer you receive, it will always point to what is best!

      Carry on...

House on Fire...

I know what you have done, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. But since you are lukewarm and not hot or cold, I’m going to spit you out of my mouth.  You say, ‘I’m rich. I’m wealthy. I don’t need anything.’ Yet, you do not realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.  I advise you: Buy gold purified in fire from me so that you may be rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them so that you may keep your shameful, naked body from showing. Buy ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see.  I correct and discipline everyone I love. Take this seriously, and change the way you think and act.  Look, I’m standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I’ll come in and we’ll eat together. ~ Rev. 3:15-20 (GW)

 a house is on fire
and its foundation is burning to the ground
its frame engulfed by flames...
like Ichabod the glory has departed from its inner chambers
and its honor is long gone
respect has been destroyed
its faith has fallen out of context with reality
souls are dying inside of well -dressed bodies on display
with camera ready smiles on cue
but who is watching TV when the TV is really watching you?
people are tired of the games, the show and fakery
money changing hands like dozens at the bakery
going through the routine with nothing ever changing
except for the scenery
God is judging his people
from the pulpit to the walls
His spirit is grieved for us
because we fail to recognize and follow His way
we make mockery of His words and use them for unjust gain
mega ministers backslidden and living in sin behind closed doors
trying to decide which side of the fence to play on
being blindly followed by those who only shout and say "Amen"
with no real respect for holy things or love for others
titles have taken the place for real power
the hungry are expected to feed themselves
and blamed for their own demise
spirituality is just a game we play to get by
while the children are lost and forgotten
you have been commanded to care for the sheep
and devour them instead
a house is on fire
it’s just a social institution
a meeting place
a breakfast with no prayer at a table with no meal
a gathering with no oil
no real word
and a place to wander in and out of freely with no purpose
but remember that time is running out and this world will pass away
eternity waits at the end…
and where will you be then?

selah