Friday, December 15, 2006

Thoughts from a worship leader...

So as many of you know I act as, among other things, "worship leader" for our church community here in Raleigh. (mind you i have always thought the word is wierd based on my views of worship - prolly a different post) Well last night my home group and I (Visio Dei consists of a number of homegroups. These groups are where we live life together with a communtiy of people on mission to become who God has made us to be, find authentic community, and to live out the Way of Jesus) cooked dinner for a friend of ours Linette and her children Smith, Joylett, Jaylin, Jodie, Jessica, and Jennifer. We met Linette through another friend of ours that is apart of our church. Afterwards some of the women in our home group took her out shopping for her children while the rest of us stayed back and played with the youngins'. (I had very little to do with any of this happening from a logistical stand point)

Now here's the deal... I started thinking last night that as chruch planter and a pastor I couldn't ask for a more beautiful thing to be happening in that moment. We cooked dinner and were watching the children at our church building and we were also hosting an AA meeting in the "main gaterhing room". Then I started thinking of how we met this family and it had to do with someone else from our church stepping out to meet some folks that may need a bit of encouragement and love... then we got to meet this family... then i started thinking of the amazing stories I have just been hearing about how people in our community are reaching to meet needs of people around them.. and I was honestly a bit overwhelmed... overwhelmed by people who are realizing they have been blessed to be a blessing... and their blessing is overflowing into the lives of those around them... this to me is more important than having a church of 100 people.. 1,000 people... or even 10,000 people... (although 10,000 people living this way would be something to celebrate...)

SO from a worship leader who desires to create environments for people to encounter, experience, celebrate, and worship their God... last night I was led in a way, by our community, like never before to a place of worship... worshipping a God who moves... who opens the hearts of people like us.. to care about things bigger than ourselves... who opens our eyes to a better way of living... a life of love, compassion, and beauty...

God I thankyou for showing us how to live.. i thankyou for allowing us, as a community of people, to point each other towards your Kingdom... May we constantly realize your blessings in our life... may we be a blessing to those around us... May we live lives of worship...

Thanks to all who are apart of this journey... Thanks for leading me and those around you in worship... i couldnt ask for a better place to be in life...

Much love,

-J

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sweet! Traci and I had lunch yesterday and she told me about what your group was doing with this family and about the AA meeting going on at the church... it sounds as though the evening was a success!

Our community is incredible... much love to all...

Alyssa said...

Last night was definently an awesome thing to see and be a part of! I've been so encouraged by the hearts of people here! And, I'm excited to see how things develop down the road with this family! Those kids are a blast even though we were all beat at 9pm! What a great way to live out a life of worship to the Lord...you think if singing is one way of expressing your love for God in word. Last night must be what it looks like in deed...man...God is so amazing!

I agree with Kim...our community IS incredible, and I'm so blessed to be a part of it!

Chad K Miller said...

Jason,

I really enjoyed visiting your church community today, it was inspiring and thought provoking. Thanks for following Christ...

Shannon Smith said...

Saw your offer on del.icio.us. I would like to go. I'll talk to the wife.