The Christmas Reading

Our friends at Ridge Church put together this video montage of the reading of the Christmas story. Check it out. It's pretty cool. Thanks, Ridge, for letting us be a part of it. Merry Christmas to all! The King is born!

...And All Through the House...

It's Christmas Eve and Tasha and I are sitting on the couch finishing our monthly newsletter. Actually, starting our newsletter. (Fun) At least we get to do it together. The kids are actually sleeping. I think we wore them out. We just rolled in from a great night of leading worship and looking at Christmas lights with the kids. Great combo ... consecutively. (Probably not a great combo simultaneously though.)

The weekend was awesome. On Sunday, we ministered at Hampstead Baptist Church in Hampstead, Maryland where my good friend Chris Brammer is pastor. Chris and my Dad were best friends in seminary. And now, 28 years later, I'm leading worship in Chris' church having been best friends with Chris' oldest son, Ben, all my life. Pretty cool. Sunday night, Chris generously gave us the whole service to lead in worship, share from the Word and share a little bit about our ministry efforts in Uganda, Africa with Rick Via Ministries. We ended up leading a small worship concert of 8 tunes with my beautiful wife (of course) and our friend Micah Brown from Roanoke, VA on keys and drums. Thanks again, Chris.

Tonight, we led worship for Southbrook Church Monroe campus at 3:30 and 5:30. We had a stellar band: Zack Griffin on lead guitar, Brett Banks on upright bass, Andy Bradberry on drums and Tasha on piccolo. (hehe... you know better than that!)

It was a great night. This was the grand opening of their new facility in Monroe just off of Skyway drive in the Monroe Plaza. The band of volunteers have been working tirelessly to get the building open in time and get all of the permits that are necessary. And they did more than just pull it off. They knocked it out of the park. It was awesome. Geoffrey Janes brought the Word and did a fantastic job. Check out the pics.






















We played:
1. The First Noel - instrumental J & T version
2. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Mercy Me version
3. Hallelujah(Light Has Come) - Barlow Girl
4. Immanuel - J & T
5. O Come, O Come Emmanuel - J & T (with input from the rest of the band) version
6. Joy to the World - J & T version

Flashback Friday: Questron

Anyone remember this? The Questron electronic pen and workbooks--one of my all-time favorite Christmas presents as a kid. You would simply depress the pen's tip on the multiple choice questions to see if you answered correctly. An incorrect answer led to the red-light of death followed by the beeping noise of doom. A correct answer employed the green light of glee and the more pleasant affirming beep of glory. Many of my life's limited hours on this earth were spent enthralled with these workbooks. Most of the books began with "My First ..." My favorite was, "My First Exhaustive Systematic Theology for Second-Graders."

"Crazy Love" Review

Just finished Crazy Love by Francis Chan. This book kicked me in the gut from the outset and wouldn't stop--convicting to the core. In the same vain as Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution and the whole idea of seeing God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven--only I place Chan's on another level from any of those other guys. He's the real deal. And that's not saying anything against Claiborne or any of the other young, evangelical, Bible-believing prophetic voices out there, I just think there's something uniquely special about Chan. The anointing of God is obvious on his life. He's well-balanced in his theology as well as his methodology. The guy puts his money where his mouth is, to be sure. All the way from building an amphitheater in Simi Valley, California rather than a traditional church building so that they can give the extra untold millions they're saving to mission work, ... to his own family of 6 downsizing to a 1000-square foot home so that they could give the rest to mission work ... all of this speaks for itself. And he preaches the Word ... hardcore. I've been listening to his podcast recently, and it's rocking my world just as much as the book has. Anyway, this is a must-read for anyone, in ministry, or not. Read it.

Some takeaways:

• In response to Colossians 1:16 that says, "... all things were created by him and for him," he says, "Don't we live instead as though God is created for us, to do our bidding, to bless us, and to take care of our loved ones?" (p. 33)
  
• "Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control ... Both worry and stress reek of arrogance." (p. 42) Ouch!!
  
• "The point of your life is to point to Him." (p. 44) Good stuff!!
  
• In response to a student who once asked him, "Why does God threaten me with hell and punishment if I don't begin a relationship with Him? Why would a loving God force me to love Him?" Chan replies, "If God is truly the greatest good on the earth, would He be loving us if He didn't draw us toward what is best for us (even if that happens to be Himself)? Doesn't His courting, luring, pushing, calling, and even 'threatening' demonstrate His love? If He didn't do all of that, wouldn't we accuse Him of being unloving in the end, when all things are revealed?" (p. 62)
• "We are consumed by safety. Obsessed with it, actually. Now, I'm not saying it is wrong to pray for God's protection, but I am questioning how we've made safety our highest priority." (p. 133)

There's so much more I could add, but I won't give the whole book away. Grab this one for Christmas for yourself and someone else.

Always Read the Instructions First

Sad news: Tasha is sick with a severe sinus infection. She says it's the worse pain of her life. Ugh. I'm playing the Mr. Mom role right now...canceling meetings, cooking, cleaning, spanking the children, etc. Have I told you lately that I love my wife and have a renewed appreciation for all she does? Tasha, have I told you that lately? Well, I do. Husbands, let's not forget to tell our wives that today.

On another note: In a desperate attempt to keep myself healthy in a home ravaged and invaded by germs, I have been taking Airborne, Vitamin C, and Sudafed PE like candy. But just one word of caution. This is the first time I've ever taken Airborne ... and I failed to read the instructions first. Big Mistake. As soon as I broke open the bottle I popped a tablet straight into my mouth and began chewing, figuring that was the proper method. I was wrong. They are meant to be dissolved in water first, much like alka-seltzer. That was debatably one of the worst mistakes of my life. I can't even begin to describe the horrific sensations that jolted through my entire body, beginning with my mouth that felt like Cherry bombs exploding, continuing down my esophogus that felt like it was being attacked by cheese graters, and concluding in the pit of my stomach where the experience was much like what I would imagine a prized deer might feel where he to tragically still be alive during the gutting and stuffing process by the local taxidermist.

So, just a word of caution: Always read the instructions first.

The Healing - Chord Charts

For all of you musicians out there, or anyone who cares, I just uploaded all of the chord charts from The Healing. You can get 'em here. Play 'em. Share 'em. Send 'em. Use 'em.

Proboscidea Elephantidae

Thanksgiving weekend in Virginia. Is this a normal family activity?

(To the tune of "Peculiar People" by MuteMath)

12-14-08

Today at Ridge Church:
It was a really good day. Nolan Verner, Logan Fincher, and Skylar McNabb rocked the house. Great job guys.

We played:
1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Mercy Me version)
2. O Come All Ye Faithful (Third Day version)
3. God is With Us (Michael Olson)
4. The First Noel (instrumental, J & T arrangement)

Tasha's parents are in from Colorado Springs for a couple of days on business. But we're hanging out right now. Tasha's baking cookies. Larry's about to show us some pics from their recent mission trip to Chad. The kids are down. Panthers won. What a great night!

What It's About

I've got to give a shout-out to my good friend Scott Spruill and Crosspoint Church in south Charlotte. Scott is the worship pastor at Crosspoint and has become a dear friend. He played keys on our latest record and did a phenomenal job. He's been pushing our CD like crazy to his church community there in the Balantyne area and he informed me the other day of what their church was able to accomplish through CD sales*. Just through CD sales alone they raised enough money to feed 5 needy families during the Thanksgiving holiday! And that doesn't include all of the other insane outreach their church is doing to reach the down and out. Scott, thanks so much for your heart for the Lord and for the fringe of society! That's why our ministry exists. I'm blessed to partner with you.

*When you purchase Josh & Tasha's merch, just know that none of it goes into our pockets. It all goes back into ministry efforts to reach the lost and to bless Christ's bride. And a large part of it goes directly overseas to help plant churches, provide for widows and orphans and to train local pastors in Uganda, Africa through our partnership with Arise Africa International. Thanks.

A Princely Privilege

"To wash feet may be servile, but to wash his feet is royal work. To unloose the shoe-latchet is poor employ, but to unloose the great Master’s shoe is a princely privilege. The shop, the barn, the scullery, and the smithy become temples when men and women do all to the glory of God! Then 'divine service' is not a thing of a few hours and a few places, but all life becomes holiness unto the Lord, and every place and thing, as consecrated as the tabernacle and its golden candlestick."

-Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, December 11

Pay Attention

Sometimes events or circumstances happen in our lives that make us question certain things. They make us question our loyalty. Our calling. Our mission. Our purpose. Our motivation. Our sense of direction. And sometimes it's good, I think, to allow those events or circumstances to drive us to reevaluate where we are. To reevaluate everything we know to be true about who we are. For Christ-followers committed to Jesus, we know that the core of who we are and the foundation upon which our lives are built can never be shaken. And that's reassuring, to be sure, especially in light of the world in which we live--with its craziness, insecurities, madness and endless pursuit of happiness, purpose and fulfillment.

But for Christ-followers, a different type of challenge or questioning can occur. Challenges that cause us not to reevaluate what we believe to be true about God necessarily, but challenges that cause us to examine who we are in light of Christ--in light of who He is--in light of His character--the things we know, with certainty based on His Word, to be true of Him.

For example, I know that God is good. I normally wouldn't doubt that. But let's suppose that due to the economic crisis I lose everything. My house. My car. My savings. My kids' college fund (what little there is--sorry guys!). Certainly, things have changed in my life. But I can be sure that God hasn't changed. I know intuitively, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit, and cognitively, from the testimony of Scripture, that God is good. He's still good. He hasn't change. My circumstances have changed, but He remains the same. The challenge comes, however, in my ability to process what has happened. Though I know that God is good, my experience might tell me otherwise. But let's say my experience loses the battle, and I walk away still saying, "God is good." A challenge still remains. The challenge then looks more like these questions: "What have I done wrong? What is there in my life that might be causing this misfortune? What's wrong with me? What am I missing? When did I miss God's will? When did I misunderstand Him?"

To be fair, sometimes these questions are legitimate. Sometimes it really is us who have walked away from the Lord, or who have dropped the ball somewhere along the way and the consequences for our actions have caught up with us. But let's suppose that's not the case. Then where are we left? We are left in the same position we've always been left in. The position that cries out from deep within us, "God is good. He's still on His throne. And He still loves me, no matter what my circumstances tell me." If we can be resolved to say that God hasn't moved, and to the best of our knowledge, in good conscience, neither have we, we can rest fully assured in God's sovereign providential plan that He will complete the good work He started in You (Phil. 1:6). That His plans for us are to prosper us and give us a hope and a future (Jer. 29:11).

I'll tell you where the challenge has been for me lately. Ready? The issue of calling. Things have happened lately that have caused me, well ... not to doubt necessarily my calling, but to question certain things. Issues concerning God's timing. Issues concerning His perfect plan for me--for my family. Not a nagging thing, like a toothache or a PMSing bank clerk--but more like a constant awareness, like the beeping of a pedestrian crosswalk sign making you aware that your time to cross is almost up. Sort of like that. Not annoying. Just there. And not completely sure why.

But then this morning I read a verse that seemed to be straight from the Lord. I've been working slowly through Colossians--finished it up this morning. It's an obscure verse found at the very end of the book. If you're not careful you can miss it. I have before until today.

It says, "And tell Archippus, 'Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.'" (Colossians 4:17)

Who's Archippus? No one knows. An obscure Pauline reference. But it doesn't matter. The point? Pay attention to your ministry! The ministry you have received from the Lord. Why? So you can accomplish it. So you can finish strong. So you can receive the reward. So you can rest assured that God hasn't forgotten you or forsaken you. That He is the One who equipped you and has given this ministry to you. So go for it! Pay attention to it! Do it! I needed that today. Maybe you need it to.

12-7-08

Yesterday at Southbrook we played:

1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - (Mercy Me version - I never thought I'd actually lead a Mercy Me song in church other than "I Can Only Imagine" at funerals. However, when I heard this version I was sold on it. Having Tasha on the violin definitely makes this tune. When it's all said and done, it has a trans-siberian orchestra type sound. It worked well as an opener.)

2. Salvation Rising - (J & T - we did several originals this weekend, which is always awesome. Thanks, Dan, for pushing our CD!)

3. Immanuel - (J & T)

4. Grace Greater Than Our Sin - (J & T version)

Prayer, Death, and Marinades

Colossians 4:2-6 - 2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah—for which I am in prison— 4 so that I may reveal it as I am required to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it...

There's so much truth in these five verses. So much convicting truth. I know I'm not devoted to prayer like I ought to be. I'm not alert like Jesus told the three on the night he was betrayed, "Watch and pray, so that you will not fall into temptation." (Matt. 26:41, Mark 14:38) There's a devotion to prayer that also requires a watchful alertness - so that we're not easily led astray by every wind of doctrine or tactic of the enemy.

...with thanksgiving.

Prayer must also be done with thanksgiving. Too often I'm simply bringing my list of needs to God, not truly thankful for who He is or what He's done, and the things He's answered already.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders...

In relationships, we must walk in wisdom - to have Christ's attitude - in every relationship to maintain the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. (Prov. 1:7) Paul calls them outsiders - those not a part of the family of God. They are watching how we live our lives.

... making the most of the time.

Our time is short. The Lord is coming back, and death is a certainty. In Crazy Love, Francis Chan tells a powerful story to illustrate the frailty of life.

"As a pastor I'm often called upon when life 'vanishes like a mist.' One of the most powerful examples I've seen of this was Stan Gerlach, a successful businessman who was well known in the community. Stan was giving a eulogy at a memorial service when he decided to share the gospel. At the end of his message, Stan told the mourners, 'You never know when God is going to take your life. At that moment, there's nothing you can do about it. Are you ready?' Then Stan sat down, fell over, and died. His wife and sons tried to resuscitate him, but there was nothing they could do - just as Stan had said a few minutes earlier.

I'll never forget receiving that phone call and heading over to the Gerlach house. Stan's wife, Suzy, was just arriving home. She hugged me and cried. One of her sons, John, stepped out of the car weeping. He asked me, 'Did you hear the story? Did you hear? I'm so proud of him. My dad died doing what he loved doing most. He was telling people about Jesus.'" (p. 46)

Our time is short. We can't forget that.

...to speak the mystery of the Messiah...Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt...

So we must communicate our words and actions with grace - graciously - seasoned with salt. Not blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. To season a steak takes time - marinading takes time to get the right flavor. So also our words should be marinaded - seasoned - thinking before we speak - devoted to prayer before we speak - careful to say what God wants us to say, but not compromising the Gospel. Paul never did that.

And here's where I think there are two real dangers that we often fall into:

1. Thinking that seasoning equals compromise. It certainly does not, nor does it equal fear or lack of boldness. It's all about wisdom - the fear of the Lord.

2. On the other hand, there's a temptation to convince ourselves that we're seasoning or marinading our words, when we're actually doing nothing, using seasoning as an excuse for remaining silent. I think that's a real temptation in our evangelical culture that has silently and perhaps unknowingly adopted the principles of tolerance, though we often excuse it as and confuse it for seasoning.

Lord, help us be devoted to prayer, to stay alert and give You thanks in all things. May we be constantly aware of our own frailty and the shortness of life. Help us in our interactions and relations with those who don't know You. Give us speech and actions that are seasoned with salt. That we might proclaim boldly the mystery of the Gospel with outsiders. And in our effort to maintain seasoned speech, guard us against apathy, silence and fruitlessness.

#3 in the Oven

Tasha and I just found out that we are expecting our third child!!! :) We're so stoked we can hardly stand it. We've always said that we want to have four kids, and we were beginning to wonder there for a while if we would even have three. But the Lord is gracious and forever faithful, and we're grateful to Him for the blessing of new life and the opportunity to raise another youngster in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Next to being a husband, fatherhood is the greatest calling of my life. I love it and am grateful to God and humbled that He would see fit to entrust these little souls into our care. What a huge responsibility! But what a rewarding calling!! Thank You, Jesus!

Sudan: Blanket and a Bible

As a Christ-follower wanting to be a part of local and foreign mission efforts but sometimes not quite sure what to do, I sometimes feel stuck. Stuck because there are so many valid ministries out there that are doing great things for the kingdom of God and not knowing which ones I should partner with. So I wanted to share one such opportunity that our family has decided to invest in, especially during this Christmas season. It's a very simple opportunity, but one that is making a tremendous difference. It's an effort called "Sudan: Blanket and a Bible" by The Voice of the Martyrs. If you're not familiar with this ministry, you need to set aside some time to spend on their website, persecution.com. It will rock your world. VOM is committed to the suffering, persecuted church all across the globe--not only through making others aware of the need, but also through practical efforts to help the persecuted church as well as innovative ways to get the gospel into closed countries.

Here's a little excerpt from the flyer I received in the mail recently that will help you understand what Sudan: Blanket and a Bible is all about.

"Sudanese Christians have faced horrific persecutions at the hands of a radical Islamic regime. An estimated two million Sudanese have been killed during two decades of civil war, including many Christians. A glimmer of hope exists with the peace accords, and we can help our Sudanese brothers and sisters rebuild their lives and Christian witness. Sudanese Christians live a simple lifestyle, owning few or no material possessions. However, some items are essential to their survival. One blanket can make a difference.

Now with VOM's Sudan: Blanket and a Bible ministry outreach, everyone can have a part. Along with each blanket sent, VOM will provide a copy of He Lived Among Us, an illustrated Bible storybook. This program sends a strong message to our Sudanese family that they are not forgotten, and we stand with them in rebuilding their communities with the love of Christ."

So here's all you do:
1. Collect good quality, new or used blanket(s).

2. Add $2 per blanket for handling, shipping into Sudan.

3. VOM will add a He Lived Among Us illustrated Bible storybook.

4. Send blankets and collected funds to:
"Sudan: Blanket and a Bible"
The Voice of the Martyrs
510 W Adeline
Bartlesville, OK 74003

If you and your family have been looking for a mission effort to give to this Christmas season, I definitely recommend this one.

The Deity Formerly Known as God

I'm just about to finish The Deity Formerly Known as God by Jarrett Stevens. Jarrett was gracious enough to give me a copy of his book at CharlotteONE last month, and I've been soaking it up.

The book tackles six destructive images and misconceptions about God, and then offers six biblical, constructive images of God based on Scripture. Jarrett writes with a good bit of humor as well as a compelling and convicting condor that cuts straight to the heart of the matter. He refers to his book as the remix of J. B. Phillips' classic Your God is Too Small.

Here are a few takeaways I've gleaned thus far:

• "This may be one of the greatest tragedies of what we have come to call Christianity: that we are all too afraid to ask a good and loving God for what He already longs to give us." (p. 99)
• "Perhaps a better framework for God is not "old" but "timeless." If God were limited to our understanding of time, then, like all things in this universe, He would be aging." (p. 38)
• "Our job couldn't be any simpler: All we have to do is stay (John 15:5). (p. 125)

Help support Jarrett by ordering this book. It will definitely be an encouragement and a challenge to you.

Oblivious Thanks

We're in Roanoke, Virginia this week celebrating Thanksgiving and having family togetherness here with my incredibly large and awesome family. Last night before our very large Thanksgiving meal, we began with a family tradition that has been growing over the past few years. We began with a short worship service. I usually lead in a few worship songs and then someone will bring a word from the Lord. My brother, Jacob, challenged us all to remember that despite the circumstances of life and when it may seem like we don't have a lot to be grateful for, God is constant. Nothing takes Him by surprise. And we need to be reminded that all we need is Him. He is the source of our hope. The source of our peace. The source of all true joy. No matter what curve balls life throws at us, we can rest in the knowledge that God is good, that He loves us with the deepest, truest love known to man, and that He is forever faithful. He is the source of true thanksgiving.

As I was writing this blog, my Mom made we aware of something that happened to Areyna earlier today when I was not around. And as I processed the scenario, I realized how perfect it fit with this concept of God being the source of our thanksgiving.

She was running through the living room today playing with her cousins when she tripped two feet from the stone fireplace causing her head to go careening into the sharp stone. Under normal circumstances, this accident would have sent us straight to the emergency room. Blood should have been everywhere. A massive scar should be on her forehead right now. But none of these results came to pass. Why? Because a few months ago, my parents took the time to install a custom-fit pad to cover all of the sharp corners of the stone fireplace. This padded covering saved us incredible heartache and saved Areyna incredible pain, both now and in the future. Though she was stunned for a few moments, she was back to playing with her cousins, completely oblivious to the bullet she had just dodged.

And isn't this the way God interacts with us much of the time? He sets up barriers. He places safeguards around us. Hedges. Blockades to protect from danger, both physical and spiritual. Yet, much of the time we're completely unaware of these layers of protection. Completely unaware of how many times He is acting as a loving Father as we continue with our routine, oblivious to His hand of protection and provision. Maybe we feel the initial brunt of the blow like Areyna did on the fireplace. And maybe we complain a little bit about how it hurts. But we're soon back to our routine, unaware that the pain we do feel should actually be elevated 1000 times what we actually feel should He have removed His hand of protection.

If the economy has affected you this year, give thanks. Because it could be worse. If you have suffered emotionally, give thanks. If you have lost something or someone you love, give thanks--as hard as it may be. We can't see behind the scenes. And we can rest assured that God, our loving Father, always knows what's best for us. So give thanks for Him, in Him and to Him. Let Him be the source of your thanksgiving.

Squirrel Madness

Last Saturday at Freedom Park in Charlotte

11-23-08

Today at WCC.

1. Forever (Tomlin - An oldie but a goodie. Probably one of the best worship songs he ever wrote. Simple melody. Great lyrics. Strong, biblical truth. Perfect for congregational worship. Just a great tune all around.)

2. Here is Our King (Crowder - this was off of his A Collision CD back in '05 I think it was. I've led it quite a bit over the last few years, but it's one that rarely gets old for me. Several of the lines cause the reader to step back inquisitively and look closer, like alot of Crowder's stuff, [i.e. "and what was said to the rose to make it unfold, was said to me here in my chest so be quiet now and rest."] At first glance I go hmm.... but it's pretty cool when you think about it. Like a rose coming into bloom the Lord speaks into our hearts and love for Him unfolds - a love for the King of Kings to whom we declare praise - of whom we are welcoming in - heralding in with the angels.)

3. Grace Greater Than Our Sin - (J & T version - This one is off of our new record. It's one of those hymns that I sang all growing up and always thought that it could be done well in a real modern way. The lyrics are just powerful. V.3 - Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe. You that are longing to see His face, will you this moment His grace receive?" We did this song as an altar call. Perfect.)

4. Mighty to Save - (Hillsong - One of the best tunes Hillsong has written. Love it. The bridge is a great anthem and fits perfectly for congregational worship, especially when missions is the theme! "Shine your light and let the whole world see. We're singing for the glory of the risen King!"

5. God of This City - (BlueTree - Made popular by Chris Tomlin - This is one we sang many times in Hungary with the missionaries there. You can read the explanation of the song on a post I wrote while we were there. Nonetheless, I will say this. This is a great tune, and one that is drenched in God's heartbeat for the cities of the world and the people in those cities. I always love leading this one because it's so easy to grab onto the melody right away and easy to buy into the message.)

Tozer on Experiencing God's Presence

I came across this statement today while re-reading Tozer's Knowledge of the Holy. It's amazing how this book speaks directly into the heartbeat of contemporary mainstream Christianity, though it is six decades old. Check this out: Concerning the omnipresence of God and its connection to how we as believers experience the living God, Tozer says,

"The practice of the presence of God consists not of projecting an imaginary object from within (your) own mind and then seeking to realize its presence; it is rather to recognize the real presence of the One whom all sound theology declares to be already there, an objective entity, existing apart from any apprehension of Him on the part of His creatures. The resultant experience is not visionary but real." (p. 82)

That's it! To experience the real presence of God, we don't use our tainted, distorted, fallen imaginations to try to conjure up what we think God looks like, and then invite our made-up image to commune with us. That's all wrong. But that's what we do all the time. That's the way we're bent. That's what we gravitate toward! No thanks to mainstream media, we go into our prayer closet addressing Jim Caviezel rather than our infinite God. No thanks to tradition, we enter His presence addressing the image we've seen hanging in our church fellowship hall for 80 years. No thanks to additional influences that will remain unnamed, we address our prayers to a God who looks like a cross between a bad acid trip and the psychedelic effect found in programs like Windows Media Player. No thanks to hit radio tunes and Hallmark movies, we address our prayers to a God who looks like our Grandpa Felix withering away with arthritis in the rocking chair on the front porch. All of these images are at best, improper, and at worst, destructive and unbiblical. Instead, Tozer reminds us that we must simply realize and acknowledge His very real presence that is already there with us, apart from the imaginary portrait we've conjured up. What we need is God Himself. The God revealed to us in Scripture. Not the God of our imagination! Not an image we've made in our own likeness.

Wickham's Freebies

One of my favorite artists right now is Phil Wickham. The other day I came across this entire album that he is giving away free for download on his website. It's in my iPod now. It's called "Singalong" and it's killer--a live worship experience with Phil and about 3000 people worshipping together with nothing but an acoustic guitar and voices. It's pretty stellar! Go get it now. He only asks that you sign up for his mailing list in order to download the tracks. It's worth it!

CharlotteONE Season Finale

Last night was the season finale of CharlotteONE and it went extremely well. Dave Hickman brought the house down. He preached the Word with authority, passion and power--describing the truths of justification:

1. God's FIERCE anger toward sin has been FULLY satisfied.
2. We are FOREVER and always FOUND righteous before God.
3. We are now FRIENDS of our FATHER God.

Dave also shared his incredible story of how he delivered his own baby last week in the CMC hospital parking lot. I wouldn't have believed it had I not heard it from him or seen it on the news. You can check it out here. It's unbelievable!

The band was rockin'. Sara Scott, Andrew Cherry and myself all co-lead. (Tim Morrison on drums, Nate Proczak on bass, Scott Spruill on keys and Tasha on violin) There were a couple of amazing moments where God's Spirit was really evident--some spontaneous moments where we just all sat in God's presence unscripted and unrehearsed. It's in those moments that my deepest prayer and cry is that I won't get in the way, but that God will take center stage, receive the spotlight, receive the glory and make us all aware of His greatness.

The set:
1. O, Worship the King (Passion hymns)
2. Sing to the King (Billy & Cindy Foote)
3. The Wonder of This Sight (Josh & Tasha Via)
4. Lead Me to the Cross (Hillsong)
5. Mystery (Charlie Hall)
6. Happy Day (Tim Hughes)

Thoughts on the Election

This is a little late coming, but better late than never. I frequently visit J.D. Greear's blog, a pastor in the RDU area. He doesn't know me, but we have many mutual friends, went to the same school, etc. So, I value his opinion. He's a man of God and preaches the truth of God's Word without apology. His thoughts on the election are exactly mine and he can say it way more eloquently than I. Check it out here. Then check out John Piper's thoughts as well in this video. A plethora of great thoughts comin' atchya.

11-16-08

Besides being sick over the weekend (and still getting over it), things went really well back at Ridge Church. The staff let Tasha and I do a couple of original tunes from the new album, which was fun. Nathanael Bryan, Brett Banks and Matt Nethery all did a phenomenal job.

The set:
1. Salvation Rising (J & T)
2. Salvation's Chorus (noticing a little theme?) (Todd Fields)
3. Sweetly Broken (Jeremy Riddle)
4. The Wonder of This Sight (J & T)

On another note, after church we stopped off and took a few family photos so that we could go ahead and place an order for our annual Christmas picture for our newsletter. My sister, Joy, was in town and did a wonderful job with them. The kids cooperated quite nicely after the promise of a sucker from their dad when they got home. Do whatchya gotta do!

Hey, The Healing is finally on iTunes! Go check 'em out!

Return Worship Live Recording

Yesterday was an amazing day at Southbrook Church. We had our first ever live recording. And it went better than any of us could have imagined. The presence of the Lord
was thick in the room. And people were engaged with God. Tasha and I feel privileged every time we get to share the stage with this amazing team of worship leaders, musicians and lovers of God. Word on the street is that it will be available by Christmas. We'll see how it goes. Our good friend Jake Hunter did the recording and will be doing all the post-production work, so if he has his way, I'm sure it will be done by Christmas. Thanks to all of you who served alongside us yesterday and/or prayed for us and supported us. Blessings to you all.

Here's the Set:
1. Breakthrough (led by Andy Cherry)
2. Revival's Fire (led by Andy Cherry)






3. Immanuel (led by Josh & Tasha Via)














4. Fade Away (led by Dan Rutty and LaDonna Mole)
5. Pour (led by Dan Rutty)




















6. You Do All Things Well (led by Josh Via)












7. Everything You Do (led by Sara Scott)








8. God of Me (led by Gal Friday)
9. Glory of Your Name (led by Gal Friday)
10. King Above All Gods (led by Andy, Dan, Josh and Sara)
11. Your Love Does No Wrong (led by Sara Scott)

Billy Turns 90

Billy Graham turns 90 today! It is almost unfathomable the legacy that he has left and the impact he has had in Christendom. Check out this video tribute the Charlotte Observer paid to Billy. It's pretty good.

Feet

This morning I read these verses and these verses, and was overwhelmed by the humility that Christ exemplified to save a lost sinner such as I. So, I thought I'd share my journal entry today:

11.6.08

Thank You, my Lord, for emptying Yourself to assume the form of a slave. You, the God who made the heavens stooped so low as to become one of us - a foot-washing slave.
Thank You for washing my guilty feet.
Feet that have gone to wicked places.
Feet that have carried news other than the glorious news of the Gospel.
Feet that are worn and dirty.
Nasty from the filth of the world.
And You stoop down and clean them off, knowing they'll get dirty again. Yet You are patient with my dirty feet. You patiently wash my feet over and over.

Do You ever tire or grow weary from stooping to bathe my scum?
I don't think You do.
You always have that look of love and tenderness in Your eyes, even though I constantly come back to that place of restoration, forgiveness and cleansing.
Continuously tearing my eyes away from Your tender gaze with which You stare as if to say,
"I forgive you!"
Yet You needn't even say the words. Your eyes and Your touch speak it all!
And I sit here guilty, condemned.

But then You remind me that I am in You.
So, I am not condemned.
I am free from the law of sin and death.
Free to walk out of the upstairs room of restoration with clean feet.
Feet ready to once again bear my cross for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.
Feet prepared and ready with the shoes of the Gospel of peace.
Feet that have been cleaned by the spotless Lamb of God.
Washed by the humblest of slaves and mightiest of Kings.
Cleansed by the God of the heavens whose footstool is the earth, and yet He would care about my feet?

O what love!
O what humility!
O what an unfair transaction!
Where is the justice in this act? Why do I allow myself to remain in that seated position with my God bowing to wash my feet? What do I have to offer in return? Nothing.
Yet, I can't move.
I'm frozen.
Knowing I can't repay.
My pockets are empty. But my heart is full.
Overflowing with joy - gratitude - feelings that no words can communicate adequately.

How could anyone refuse this man's touch?
His tenderness?
This love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. That I'll gladly give! Lord, I gladly give it.
Freely You gave.
Freely I have received.
These feet that You have washed and dried are Yours.
Use them as You will.
As You please.
As is fitting for the service of the King!

Oh, How I Love Jesus - Medley

Here's another clip from last Tuesday night.

The Release

My sister, Joy, took some footage last night of the CD release. So here ya go. This song is called "Send Us Out" - track 14 on the CD. The night went really well. I felt really good about the whole thing. Following up Jarrett Steven's awesome challenge about maintaining a biblical perspective on reaching out to the poor, the widow and the orphan, we played "The Wonder of This Sight" which vamps the chorus "You're the hope of every nation. Perfecter of salvation." It was a great moment where application of the message happened and worship followed as a natural impulse. People were shouting the chorus with every bit of passion they could muster. It was pretty incredible. Thanks for all of you who came out to support us, and thanks for not making it a "stare-fest", but for genuinely engaging with God and worshiping your hearts out. Dave Hickman, thanks for allowing us the privilege of using C1 as an avenue for this worship project. We love all of you. If you get a chance, read the comment under my last post from my brother-in-law, Andrew Litke, about God's latter rain on our ministry. It's pretty phenomenal. Thanks for the kind words, Andrew. Love ya.

By the way, the CD is available for download on Digstation, and will soon be available on iTunes. Stay posted.

Also, in other news, (and I'm not all about numbers, but this is amazing) last night while we were having our CD release in Charlotte, my Dad was preaching the Gospel at a youth event in Chesapeake, Virginia. Out of the 150 in attendance, 25 students came to faith in Christ! Hallelujah! Those kids were serious about bringing their lost friends to hear the Gospel. Thank you, Lord! And thanks Dad, for being obedient to the Lord and His calling on your life. I believe in you!

Last night we played:
1. Send Us Out
2. Immanuel
3. O, How I Love Jesus/He Loves Me
4. How He Loves (John Mark McMillan)
5. The Wonder of This Sight
6. Be Thou My Vision/Now and Forever

Skills

This verse really spoke to me this morning. "...Sing praises with a skillful psalm." (Psalm 47:7) And I was reminded of the duty that we have as Christian musicians, worship leaders, etc. to sing skillful psalms to the Lord--to give Him our best--not give Him our leftovers--but give Him the firstfruits of our talents, of our songs, of our worship. It should be our duty, our joy, our desire and the expectation of the body of Christ to sing with skillful songs. Certainly and primarily they must come from the overflow of our hearts and be Spirit-driven, Scripture-saturated, and Gospel-centered; but they must also be done skillfully. They must be crafted in such a way as to reflect and express quality, passion, beauty, and excellence, all of which flow from God Himself.

The obvious question becomes: "What is the standard for something being 'skillful?'" I love what Paul Baloche and Mia Fieldes said during the Integrity Conference last week that applies to this. They said that there is nothing wrong with anyone being a learner or a novice or a beginner when it comes to leading worship. The problem comes when you're not moving forward. The problem comes if you're staying there. If you're not moving on. If you're not giving yourself to study, training and practice, seeking to become better. And really, that applies to anything we do in life. If we ever get to the point where we think we have arrived in song-writing or preaching or teaching or Biblical understanding or whatever the case may be ... then we have a problem. But let's make it our goal to bring glory to God in whatever we set our hands to do and to do so with the skill that God has given us while being careful to foster and grow that skill as good stewards.

The Healing is Here

What a great week!  Tasha and I just finished out a 3-day worship conference with Integrity Worship - (we didn't lead it!  just a part of it!)  But it was awesome to just sit back and soak up the wisdom from great men and women of God, songwriters and worship leaders such as Paul Baloche, Mia Fieldes, Glenn Packiam and the New Life Worship team, Dr. Pete Sanchez, and many others.  I learned a ton, and I'm fired up to lead worship this weekend.  Conferences like these reignite me and help to stir up the fire that the Lord put there a long time ago - a passion for Him, for His Word, and to see His church become passionate for Him.

And some big news for the week:  Our CD "The Healing" is finally here! I'm pumped.  I'm really happy with the way it turned out and thankful to God for the opportunity to do something like this that will hopefully help to advance His Kingdom, not ours.  (May it be so, Lord.) It should be available online in just a couple of days through CD Baby, and then available on iTunes in about a month.  ITunes is a bit slow when it comes to new albums, but understandably so with the demand the way it is.  

Pray for us this weekend as we lead worship at Carmel Baptist on Sunday and then at CharlotteONE on Tuesday night.  

At Least 5 Reasons

Today was a great day for several reasons:

1. I just got back from a planning meeting for the live recording at our home church, Southbrook Church, with Return Worship that will take place on Sunday, Nov. 9th. It's gonna be great. It's gonna have a Hillsong feel with about 5 different worship leaders who are also writers. Mark your calendar to be there if you can make it! It's gonna be sweet!

2. Got a call from Disc Makers. Our CD is on the way via UPS! Hallelujah! I was starting to wonder if they'd be here in time for the release next Tuesday. I can breathe a little easier now.

3. Tasha is just pulling back in the driveway from the grocery store. No doubt she saved us like $300 thanks to her frugality bordering insanity!

4. It finally feels like Fall!

5. I built a fire in the fireplace this morning.

10.19.08

Yesterday at Weddington Community Church:

1. Sing, Sing, Sing (Tomlin)
2. Glorious One (Steve Fee)
3. Freedom Song (Charlie Hall)
4. He Loves Us (John Mark McMillan)
5. How Great is Our God
6. Hope Now (Addison Road)

Will You Be Busy?

Last Friday I spent the morning at Rainy's preschool enjoying "Donuts with Dad." I'm amazed at how fast my little princess is growing up. And I'm reminded almost daily at how quickly our time on this earth passes--that I am just a vapor. My prayer lately has echoed the Psalmist, "Lord, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how frail I am." (Psalm 39:4). I want every moment of my life to count for His kingdom. I want to redeem the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). I want to spend quality time with my kids and I want them to know that I love them and care about them. And when I'm spending time with them, I want them to know that I am all theirs during that time. That mentally I am not somewhere else thinking about the list of things I need to get done.

Yesterday I had lunch with a Pastor friend whom I greatly respect. He told me that he took his family of 6 camping a few weeks ago. When they arrived at the campsite, his oldest son asked him, "Dad, are you going to be busy this weekend?" In other words, "Are you bringing work with you, or will you be here both physically and mentally?" He told me that in that moment he turned his phone off and never turned it back on the entire weekend.

And why shouldn't we live that way? Because our time is short. Our families are our number one priority--not ministry. And they need us. They need us dads to be there for them both physically and mentally. So, dads, are you with me?

The Medicine

Here's what's in my ipod right now: John Mark McMillan's "The Medicine." Wow! One blogger I found described John Mark's music as, "The Counting Crows meets Bruce Springsteen, Rich Mullins, Mark Heard, Mark Knopler, Derek Webb and Keith Green at a bar out west in the desert. And after a long night, they end up singing worship songs together." I couldn't agree more. The depth and honesty of McMillan's lyrics speak to the fact that he's a typical guy living out the Christian life the best way he knows how, following Christ every step of the way, unafraid to ruffle feathers and present the Gospel through his ever-increasing creative juices. This is a great album. Check it out.

By the way, in case you're wondering "The Healing" is in no way a spin-off or subtle plaguerism of "The Medicine." It was purely coincidental. Since "The Medicine" was just released, hopefully the timing in relation to "The Healing" will speak for itself. That's the truth!

Camp Tekoa, etc.

The Weekend Update:

In one word: Fulfilling and God-honoring! We had a great weekend as we traversed from one side of the state of NC to the other in just 3 short days. Friday we loaded up our Trooper and headed for Hendersonville, NC just shy of Ashville where we led worship for Parkwood Baptist Church's high school fall retreat. Andy Cherry and Skylar Mcnabb came along with us and did an amazing job as usual. Parkwood students are a rare and dying breed. These kids know the Word of God. They love the Word of God. They are passionate for Jesus. And they worship from their hearts unlike any student ministry I've ever been a part of. No doubt their maturity level in regard to spiritual things is due wholly or at least in part to the incredible leadership and biblical teaching they sit under every week.

Brian Lowe, the youth pastor there for the last 8 years taught them God's Word expositorally and unapologetically. He resigned this summer feeling the call of God on his life to plant Exodus Church in Belmont, NC which will be launching a few short months from now. All of that to say, these kids have been fed deeply from the Word, and continue to do so on their own as they grow in maturity in the Gospel.


Saturday night, following the last session, Tasha and I packed up our things and our kids and headed across the state to Henderson, NC, 45 minutes northeast of Raleigh/Durham. I was asked to preach for the Homecoming service Sunday morning at New Sandy Creek Baptist Church where I served on staff for 4 years from '02 - '06. It was awesome to be back there and see the awesome things that God is doing there. There is a definite sense of God's presence in that place, and a sense of the Spirit of God moving and working in the hearts of people.

I preached 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, Paul's prayer for the church of Thessalonica. I made it my prayer for New Sandy Creek and encouraged them to:

1. Let Christ increase your love for one another (v. 12),
2. Let Christ establish you blameless (v. 13), and
3. Let Christ establish you in holiness (v. 13).

Thank you for your prayers for us over the weekend.

Weekend Update 10.3-5.08

This past weekend was awesome. We were in Wake Forest, NC Friday through Saturday night leading a Discipleship Now Weekend Event for Richland Creek Community Church. We had an awesome time with their students. You never know what to expect with D-Now weekends, and this was the first one we've done with Richland Creek; but if there was ever a church to do one right, it was Richland. They nailed it. They had plenty of adult volunteers and small group leaders. They made the atmosphere exciting and inviting for the
students (and the band), and they went out of their way to make us feel totally at home. We had a blast. Student Pastor Dave Miller preached each session out of Psalm 119 and did a fantastic job communicating God's Word. We brought the entire band this time, Andy Cherry on lead guitar, Skylar Mcnabb on drums, Scott Spruill on keys, Nate Proczak on bass, and of course Tasha and myself. Chad Lister ran sound and helped with loops and programming. My brother, Baikes, took care of all of the video and lighting.
The Saturday night session went really well. There was a really sweet sense of the Lord's presence in the room, and there were kids praying and weeping at the altar for quite a while. It was a cool time and awesome for us to be a part of it.

We pulled back into Charlotte really late Saturday night, and then had to be up bright and early for Ridge Church Sunday morning. But it all turned out well. Tasha and I were able to grab a really long nap on Saturday afternoon in Wake Forest, so that helped.

Our sets for the weekend included:
Friday night:
1. Happy Day (Tim Hughes)
2. All Because of Jesus (Steve Fee)
3. Immanuel (J & T Via)
4. Jesus Paid It All (Passion version)
5. Jesus Messiah (Tomlin)




Sat. AM:
1. Let God Arise (Tomlin)
2. Tell the World (Hillsong)
3. Sweetly Broken (Jeremy Riddle)
4. Be Thou My Vision/Now and Forever (J & T version)
5. How Great is Our God (Tomlin)




Sat. PM:
1. Salvation is Here (Hillsong)
2. Everything Glorious (Crowder)
3. Immanuel (J & T)
4. Jesus Messiah (Tomlin)
5. Be Thou My Vision (J & T version)
6. Oh, How I Love Jesus (J & T version)




Ridge Church:
1. Let God Arise (Tomlin)
2. Oh, Praise Him (Crowder)
3. He Is Exalted (Shane and Shane)

D-Now Video

Check out this highlight video my brother made from this weekend.

Prayers and Sardines

If you think about it, pray for us this weekend. Starting tonight we'll be leading a Disciple Now Weekend Retreat for Richland Creek Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC. We're taking the whole band (Andy Cherry, Skylar McNabb, Scott Spruill, and Nate Proczak) and our kids. It should be a great weekend. We're all riding together in a 15-passenger van with our gear and luggage. Good times will definitely be had. And especially pray for the hundred or so students that we'll be ministering to, that the Lord will work in their lives in a great way this weekend. Thanks.

Free MP3 Download

Here's a chance for you to grab a free MP3 called "Immanuel" from our new CD. Right click the image over on the left of the screen and "save link as." And then let us know what you think!

Today in Via History

Today is my Dad's birthday. He and my Mom and my sister, Joy, came in for the weekend and we celebrated he and Joy's birthdays together. Good times.

My Dad is my hero. He lives what he preaches in the pulpit. He's real. He's sincere. He's contagiously in love with Jesus. Everyone he meets sees that there's something different about him. As a college student, he was radically saved by Jesus and has not stopped sharing with people the incredible gospel of Christ that saved him, changed him and made him a totally new person.

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be a follower of Christ today if it were not for the influence of my Dad. I saw that his relationship with Jesus was real and thriving, and I wanted the same in my life. I remember countless mornings when I would creep downstairs earlier than anyone else in the house and find him on his knees in prayer praising his Savior with old-school Hosanna worship cassette tapes playing in the background. Seeing him in those holy moments before God made such a huge impact on me. Thanks, Dad, for being the realest Christian I've ever met!

Magic Motion Monday: The Coat Technique

Rainy figures out a way to put her coat on by herself ... albeit, it takes some patience on the part of Mom & Dad to wait it out!

9.28.08

Had a great day today back at Weddington Community Church.
We played:
1. Everything Glorious (Crowder)
2. Jesus Messiah (Tomlin)
3. God is Great (Hillsong) - we performed this one with the children's choir, and it was awesome.
4. Amazing Grace/Chains Gone (Tomlin, Todd Fields version)
5. Happy Day (Tim Hughes)

I'm pumped about this week. Right now my parents and my sister Joy are all in town for us to celebrate Joy's and my Dad's birthdays together. We'll gobble down some cake and spend some quality time together. Also, I just got a call from Jake Hunter at the studio and he is finishing the mastering as I write this. So, I should be able to send it off early in the week. Almost at the same time, I got an e-mail from my brother Baikes with the almost finished artwork. It looks amazing! Then we get to finish the week out leading a Disciple Now Weekend retreat in Raleigh. I'm stoked!

Dedication of The Healing

Last night we dedicated our new CD The Healing to the Lord with our church family at Southbrook Church. Pastor Geoffrey, my friend and accountability partner, allowed me the privilege to share briefly the concept behind the CD and what I expect and hope God to do with it and through it as a tool to bring people into the kingdom of God as well as to act as a clarion call to beckon wayward followers back to Christ. It was a cool time of prayer as we asked God to have His way with it as He sees fit.

Save the Date: Tuesday, October 28th is the official release date for the CD. We'll have a release party at CharlotteONE in uptown Charlotte that night at First United Methodist Church. My friend Dave Hickman has graciously allowed us to use the platform of C1 that night to perform some of the songs off of the CD and to lift high the name of Jesus with these new worship songs that He's given us. If you're in the Charlotte area that night, please come and worship with us as we seek to make the name of Jesus famous in this city, the only name that can bring spiritual healing to our nation.

Keep checking back here in the next few weeks for several free downloads of some of the new songs from The Healing.

Last night at Southbrook we played:
1. Let God Arise (Tomlin)
2. Just Fall (J & T)
3. Be Thou My Vision (J & T)

Busy Weekend/Called to Travel

What a great weekend! Thursday and Friday morning we led worship for a small mission conference of about 30 missionaries from all around the world who are currently on furlough. We gathered at Parkwood Baptist Church in Gastonia. It was awesome to hear their stories and to share in some prayer time and fellowship together. Our friends Scott and Stefanie Spruill came with us to help lead. Scott is the worship pastor at Crosspoint Church, and is becoming a great friend and mentor. We always have a blast with them.


Sunday we led worship for the first time at Forest Pointe Church in Belmont, NC. Pastor Ray Hardee and I met just about three weeks ago for lunch, and I immediately knew that there was something special about him and that God had indeed allowed our paths to cross for a reason. Forest Point is a fairly new church in the Belmont/Mt. Holly area of NC and they currently meet at the YMCA in Belmont where they go through the rigorous routine of setting up and tearing down every week. They transform the gym of the YMCA into a worship center in about 1 hour on Saturday night with the help of several dozen volunteers. They've got a great thing going on. People are being saved, baptized and discipled. Tasha and I had a great time with them yesterday. They made us feel right at home, they took great care of our kids with a first-class children's ministry and they graciously entrusted me with their people, allowing me the freedom to lead as God so directed me. Thanks so much, Forest Pointe.

We played:
1. Revolutionary Love (David Crowder)
2. Filled With Your Glory (Starfield)
3. Inside My Praises (Jason Waller/Jason Hoard/Chrystina Fincher)
4. All Because of Jesus (Steve Fee)

More than once I was asked if I was interviewing for the worship pastor position at Forest Pointe, (and more than once in any given week I am asked if I would consider a position at fill-in-the-blank church) and I was pleased to be able to say with confidence that at this point in our lives, God has called us to intinerant ministry. I am convinced of that, and I'm proud of that. The Lord has been so good to us during this phase of life. The kids travel well and they seem to love it. My wife loves it. She believes in it. And the Lord has given us a passion for His church, as a whole -- to see His body unified in America and all over the world. So, I'm encouraged when I visit churches like Forest Pointe, and Ridge, and Southbrook, and New Sandy Creek, and Weddington Community, and Journey, and ... the list goes on. I'm excited because I see God doing a mighty work all across this nation. As dark and as oppressive as it can be at times, there are remnants of His people and examples of His grace all around us.