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For our worship to be truly Christian, it needs to be Trinitarian. We worship the Father who is revealed by the Son, and made known to us by the Spirit. We worship the Son who has paid the way for us to access the Father. We worship the Spirit who inspires us and leads us into all truth regarding the Father and the Son. We worship the one God who is mysteriously three persons at the same time, unconcerned by the mathematics of 1 + 1 + 1 = 1, but instead drawn into the eternal relationship of perfect love that exists within the Godhead.
God is so smart. He made the perfect decision when He told me to make New Song my home church on November 18, 2007, and again when He told me to quit ballet & devote myself to ministry on October 24, 2008.
I just got out of a youth ministry meeting where we were mapping out how we’re going to get students to go from “Come & see” to “Come & die” (John 1:46 and Matthew 16:24-25, respectively). It was a very eye-opening meeting as we saw where we are currently successful and where we need work. As we were going over our plan to write down specific areas in which to take action, I realized something awesome.
About 8 months ago, I decided to begin giving up my life to do ministry. I began giving of my time and energy to further the kingdom of God through the Church. All I had to go on was that God wanted me working with music and young women, so I took that knowledge and ran with it.
Now, on the other side of a very quick yet lengthy-feeling 8 months, I am ridiculously equipped. I have learned more than I thought I would, surely. God has transformed me into someone who isn’t really me; all these good qualities, all this leadership flowing from me, is actually Him. I would say that I amaze myself, but it’s not me anyway- so really, He amazes me. I have 15 more minutes to write before I have to go lead a high school girls’ small group that I took the initiative of forming. Courtney 8 months ago would never have done that. But that’s God for ya.
Ultimately, I technically still don’t know “what I’ll be doing with my life.” I’m totally okay with that. I have a feeling God will never just settle me into one easily definable job description anyway. My ministry started November 8, 2008, at Catalina Island, when I realized that God was ready for me to start pouring into others instead of always being the one poured into. That means I’m already doing “what I’ll be doing with my life.”
So where am I in terms of my two ministry focuses? I’m so glad you asked :)
At this moment, I am well on my way to becoming a fully hireable worship leader. I can’t even say how much that statement excites me. Developments in the last couple of weeks have propelled me further in desire and progress toward my goal. In a couple months, I will probably have my own service to lead. (Picture a ridiculously huge smile on my face right about now.)
On the young women front, I am continuing in leading my 11th grade girls small group both on Tuesday nights and our additional time on Wednesday nights. When the fall starts, I’ll be stepping up one level to become the entire junior class coach, which basically means I’ll be the youth pastor for all the 11th graders/the boss of all their small group leaders. I’ll be getting an even closer look at how we do youth ministry, which is essentially what we talked about in the meeting today.
New Song is an excellent training ground for ministry. I am so glad we are devoted to raising up new leaders and future pastoral staff members. No matter where God calls me next, I know I will be well equipped to tackle the ministry issues I face.
I have a short story that explains why I decided to look up a bio of Keith Green tonight, which led me to the following essay, which led me to some interesting contemplations, but upon realizing the difficulty I would have putting it into words for you, I decided to simply cut to the chase. Thus, in the spirit of chase-cutting, please just read this:
So You Wanna Be a Rock Star by Keith Green
Today, so many people ask me if I can tell them how they can start or enter into a music ministry. At concerts I get countless questions about this, and I also get lots of letters and even some long-distance phone calls from many people who feel they are only“called” into the music “ministry.” One day I began to ask myself why so few have ever asked me how to become a missionary, or even a local street preacher, or how to disciple a new believer. It seems everyone would prefer the “bright lights” of what they think a music ministry would be, rather than the mud and obscurity of the mission field, or the streets of the ghetto, or even the true spiritual sweetness of just being a nobody whom the Lord uses mightily in small “everyday” ways.
Are You Willing?
My answer to their question is almost always the same. “Are you willing to never play music again? Are you willing to be a nothing? Are you willing to go anywhere and do anything for Christ? Are you willing to stay right where you are and let the Lord do great things through you, though no one may seem to notice at all?” They all seem to answer each of these questions with a quick “yes!” But I really doubt if they know what their answer entails.
Star Struck
My dearest family in Jesus…why are we so star struck? Why do we idolize Christian singers and speakers? We go from glorifying musicians in the world, to glorifying Christian musicians. It’s all idolatry! Can’t you see that? It’s true that there are many men and women of God who are greatly anointed to call down the Spirit of God on His people and the unsaved. But Satan is getting a great victory as we seem to worship these ministers on tapes and records, and clamor to get their autographs in churches and concert halls from coast to coast.
Can’t you see that you are hurting these ministers? They try desperately to tell you that they don’t deserve to be praised, and because of this you squeal with delight and praise them all the more. You’re smothering them, making it almost impossible for them to see that it’s really Jesus. They keep telling themselves that, but you keep telling them it’s really them, crushing their humility and grieving the Spirit that is trying to keep their eyes on Jesus.
Ultimately, what we idolize we ourselves desire to become, sometimes with our whole heart. So a lot of people who want to become just like their favorite Gospel singer or minister, seek after it with the same fervor that the Lord demands we seek after Him! And again, we insult the Spirit of Grace and try to make a place for ourselves, rather than a place for Jesus.
A Thankless Job
How come no one idolizes or praises the missionaries who give up everything and live in poverty, endangering their lives and families with every danger that the “American dream” has almost completely eliminated? How come no one lifts up and exalts the ghetto and prison ministers who can never take up an offering, because if they did they would either laugh or cry at what they’d receive?
How come?
Because (1) we’re taught from very early on that comfort is our goal and security… and (2) that we should always seek for a lot of people to like us. Who lives less comfortably and has had less friends and supporters than the selfless missionaries who have suffered untimely, premature deaths trying to conquer souls and nations for the whole glory of God? Do you really believe we’re living in the very last times? Then why do you spend more money on Gospel records and concerts than you give to organizations that feed the poor, or to missionaries out in the field?
There are ministries all over the world where “penniless” people are being saved and transformed. They are broken people who have promise and qualities, but just need someone to bring them God’s light during the times when their lives seem so completely hopeless.
I repent of ever having recorded one single song, and ever having performed one concert, if my music, and more importantly, my life has not provoked you into Godly jealousy (Romans 11:11) or to sell out more completely to Jesus!
Quit trying to make “gods” out of music ministers, and quit desiring to become like them. The Lord commands you, “Deny yourself take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). My piano is not my cross, it is my tool. I’d never play it again if God would show me a more effective tool in my life for proclaiming His Gospel.[God gives us each our own unique tools. But we may never use them if we become more interested in someone else's. Seek God, ask Him for His plan for ministry (true, God glorifying ministry) in your life.]
Conclusion
To finish, let me say that the only music minister to whom the Lord will say, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant,” is the one whose life proves what their lyrics are saying, and to whom music is the least important part of their life. Glorifying the only worthy One has to be a minister’s most important goal!
Let’s all repent of the idolatry in our hearts and our desires for a comfortable, rewarding life when, really, the Bible tells us we are just passing through as strangers and pilgrims in this world (Hebrews 11:13), for our reward is in heaven. Let’s not forget that our due service to the Lord is “… not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake”(Phil. 1:29).
Amen. Let us die graciously together and endure to the end like brave soldiers who give their lives, without hesitation, for our noble and glorious King of Light.
