Polished Perfection or Not?

So here is something I am wrestling with. We often talk about how "excellence" is the currency of our culture. People expect it and demand it. If a person is faced with a choice between two churches and all things are equal with regard to facilities, programing, opportunities, etc. I am told that they will choose the church that is more polished. Really??????? Is that all there is to it?

What about with music, (which is my area)? I was told that I need to strive to be as close to what people hear on the radio with regard to musicality and quality. Really? Is that what people want? Is that what my job is about? Bringing us to the same level of professionalism that is played on the radio?

We lament that people are too me-oriented and too consumeristic but aren't we feeding the beast with the level of perfection we demand from our volunteers? Are we sending a mixed message of we want you to be real but we also want you to be pretty polished people?

I love my church family. The past three years have been one of the best experiences my family and I have had in a church. We feel loved and we love the people here. It really feels like a family to us. So don't misunderstand this post and think that I am saying that we have got it all wrong. Also, please don't think that I am saying we should not seek to improve and get better or just show up and "see what happens". I'm not, but I do think that we need to re-examine some things.

I have never been one who tries to put on a "church-smile". If you ask me how I am doing you're going to get the real answer. If I ask you how you are doing I want the real answer. When I am leading worship from the stage I don't want to perform, I want to worship God in that moment. Sometimes I'm tired, sometimes I'm grumpy, sometimes I am struggling with a area of sin, sometimes I do it because I want to, sometimes I do it because I have too, sometimes I do it because I don't know what else to do. I'm not perfect and I have never claimed to be. I am not a pretty person (I'm not talking about physically prettiness although I probably wouldn't fall into that category either) and I don't want to be part of a church that is made up of pretty people. I want to be a part of a church that is made up of real people. People that know that they are broken and sinful yet also know that they are continually being made more and more into the likeness of Christ. People who don't claim to know all the answers but know the One who does have all the answers.

So I guess what I am trying to ask is this: When is good enough...good enough? My answer? It is good enough when you are giving everything you can at that moment for God.

What do you think?

Life Unplugged

Have you ever gone on vacation only to take your laptop, cellphone or other electronic tether? Try doing it without it sometime. I just recently returned from a family vacation to Colorado and during the entire 9-day trip I kept my cell phone off and had actually left my laptop at home. My thought at the beginning of the trip was, "How will I check e-mail or get important phone calls? What if the people filling in for me need something or have a question? What if something major happens and they can't get a hold of me? What if...?" Well, guess what? The earth didn't stop spinning and my church didn't fold. Everything was fine. Actually, it was better than fine. It was the most relaxing, peaceful vacation I have had in years and I realized something. "It's ok to unplug!"

Laptops, cell-phones, and other electronic devices are great tools to help us be more efficient and effective but we must always remember, they are tools. They should remain as such. Don't let them control you! Don't let them dictate your life.

For those of you who are old enough to remember life before cell phones and wi-fi, remember that we did just fine then and you can do fine now.

Nothing overly profound about this post just a reminder to don't be afraid to live life uplugged.

Peace

What's my Motive

This Sunday we have a guest speaker. He is pastor from Ireland and will be sharing about what God is doing in and through the church in Ireland and Europe. I am looking forward to it but I have a struggle. I am working on the worship set for that particular service and I find myself more concerned with impressing him than with honoring God. Thoughts such as, "maybe if we sound really awesome he will ask us to come to lead worship there." How stupid, I know and believe with all my heart that my first and number one priority as a worship leader is to honor God yet I am thinking more about man. God help me to get my focus back on you. No matter how good it sounds and looks it is a pile of manure unless it is for your glory.

For all of us, if we stop and think about our lives, how many times are we more concerned with the accolades of man than honoring God? At work do we focus more on getting the attention and praises of our boss or coworkers more than doing it as worship to God? In our communities are we more concerned with looking like we have it all together than we are being real with our neighbors in good and bad and pointing them to God? For many of us I believe the answer is a resounding yes.

Let's take some time to stop and humbly stand before God ask forgiveness. Then recalibrate our priorities on Him and Him alone.