NEXT 2010

What is NEXT?

"The vision of Next is to gather worshipers of Jesus Christ who burn with a passion to see the gospel transferred to the next generation. Next is about faithfully receiving the gospel—the message of Christ and him crucified–from those who have gone before us, holding fast to the gospel personally, and passing the gospel on to those coming after us.

The idea behind Next was born when Joshua Harris, still in his twenties, wanted to expose other young men and women to older pastors and theologians who had profoundly affected his life. Josh started the New Attitude conference as a way to bring thousands of younger people and dozens of faithful pastors together to transfer the gospel faithfully from one generation to the next. In 2008 New Attitude ended and now Next is born—an even more focused way of helping see the gospel transferred and received faithfully.

The focus of the conference is the younger generation: college students, singles, and young married couples. But if you are above the 18-29 year old range and have a passion to see gospel truth passed on, we welcome you as well."

Follow the link in the title for information including speakers, registration, & travel/lodging for the 2010 Conference during Memorial Day weekend (note: the days have changed from past years now starting on Friday & running until Monday). Registration starts tomorrow...Hope to see you there.

Pheels Like A Phil Wickham Phriday

Whether or not this will be a regular occurrence remains to be seen. But, I am greatly encouraged by the music/lyrics of one Phil Wickham ever since I saw him open for DC*B in 2007. A conversation that I had recently went over reasons why a friend and I had mutual respect/enjoyment over Phil's music.

1.) Lyrics: Theologically sound words that weave together a picture of grace as it sways and breathes. I envision the majesty of the throne room of heaven as angels encircle the Father in his re-rendition of the classic hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy". My heart dances as I hear the Groom (Jesus) & the Bride (church)lavishing praises on each other in Divine Romance. The grace of the Father is brought to life in the words of Grace (2006):

"Grace I call Your name
Oh won't Your smile fall over me
I'm cracked and dry on hands and knees
Oh sweet grace rain down on me I need You grace"

2.) Leads to the Father: A good "worship" leader creates an atmosphere conducive to worshiping the Father (not that you can only worship by a "certain style"). But leaders like Phil are not a distraction or try to be bigger than the song as shown by the Singalong album available last year (according to the website won't be available again until Jan. 2010).

That's enough for fear I'll start focusing more on the person than the Father the person is exalting. So after listening to his new album "Heaven&Earth" (which just came out this past Tuesday (shameless plug)) twice every day (b/c if you pre-ordered, it came w/an acoustic version), I've grown to love it more and more in turn worshiping the Father more and more. Which brings us to the end through a humorous albeit disconcerting event today. After my morning in "Heaven", Jim Belcher's "Deep Church" made up my afternoon until I dropped my ipod which forced me to reset it leaving the last 3hrs of my day media-less, but this next song kept resonating throughout my head the rest of the day. I love it so I'm sharing it.

I'm leaving you with a song first featured on "Singalong" and the studio version is currently on "Heaven&Earth". Feel free to learn the chords or just sing-a-long with Phil (dont' worry this is a safe place...we won't judge your singing ability or the fact that you still use a hairbrush as a microphone).



Because of Your Love

Jesus you endured my pain
Savior you bore all my shame
All because of your love
All because of your love

Maker of the universe
Broken for the sins of the earth
All because of your love
All because of your love

Because of your cross my debt is paid
Because of you blood my sins are washed away
Now all of my life, I freely give
Because of your love, Because of your love I live

Innocent and Holy king
You died to set the captive free
All because of your love
Lord you gave your life for me
So I will give my life for you
All because of your love
All because of your love

Because of your cross my debt is paid
Because of your blood my sins are washed away
Now all of my life I freely give
Because of your love, because your love I live

You did it for me, you did it for love
It's your victory, Jesus you are enough x3

Hath been nine fortnights

Hath been nine fortnights last I bloggeth with earnest anticipation to return with undeniable fervor and stalwart determination.
So in an effort to display my newly found tenacity, I commit (as often has been done before) to make this digital diary meaningful by posting consistently. The difference will be in the motivation. In past years, I've blogged for self-serving reasons such as padding my ego, keeping others updated on my life (however uninteresting), boosting my view #s, or guilt over months of not blogging.
I know I'm quoting myself, but I have a point if my about is true:

"My life is not my own, but meant to resonate the God who through His sovereignty created me, by His ardent love sent the Living Word to rescue heathens like me from deserving wrath, and with His indelible mercy restores in me what sin destroyed to refract the glory of the Almighty by the power of His Spirit."

then i have a lot of work to do. If God's grace is evident, He must be made much of in my life. So as I brood over the benevolence (hence the new title) of my great God and Savior and Spirit, those evidences of His grace must be made much of and this happens to be one of the possible ways I've chosen to do such brooding.
As I was contemplating a new title/direction, the word "brood" came up in my thesaurus with such pulchritudinous descriptions: "chafe inwardly", "consider", "daydream", "dwell upon", "muse", "ponder", "ruminate", "stew over", "sweat over", "languish", "anguish over", and my favorite "eat one's heart out". As these words sum up my current rediscovery and inspection of Scripture and God, I hope and pray for grace to illumine my eyes and guide my fingertips as they chronicle evidences of benevolence (common & special) in and around my life.

I leave you with a verse & a hymn that I've been stewing over recently. In an institute course at my church, we've been studying John Piper's "Whey We Believe The Bible" and he offered the following verse to appeal the father when reading & meditating on Scripture:

"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." - Ps. 119:18

and a hymn,

Only You

Take my heart, I Lay it down
At the feet of you whose crowned
Take my life, I’m letting go
I lift it upto You who’s throned

And I will worship You, Lord
Only You, Lord
And I will bow down before You
Only You Lord

Take my fret, take my fear
All I have, I’m leaving here
Be all my hopes, be all my dreams
Be all my delights, be my everything

And It’s just you and me here now
Only you and me here now

You should see the view
When it’s only You

*David Crowder