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The 3G’s of commitment - Ready!? 

1. Church is where you GIVE - Money: Who can show love to a date and not spend money? How could we say we love the church and not give the WHOLE tithe? my tithe, your tithe. God does more with our 10% than we could do with our 100%.

              Talents and gift: Find out what it is and give it to the church! 

2. Church is where you GATHER - Lets GATHER people to the CHURCH, not to ourselves. Its not about us, because we FAIL, but if we teach people to connect to the CROSS, people will stay PLANTED, even if someone fails. 

3. Church is where you GO. - We show up when we fight, when its good, it doesn’t matter. Its about a heart, not an attendance. If we’re not there in person, we’re there in spirit. We bring our EVERYDAY life and allow God to use it. 

This is how a church is healthy: 

Let’s not grow a church with NUMBERS, but instead let’s grow a church serving people and often, numbers will come with it. 

(Stolen from Carl Lentz: Loved his message at City Church)

Been asked this a lot this weekend. I thought I’d share so far where I’m at on the journey…

•Music is a gift from God that in it’s purest form is used giving that gift back to God by giving honor and praise to Him through that gift.
•Of all the musical instruments used in praising God, the human voice is the priority because it our most natural way of expression.
•music is a ministry that serves and belongs to all the people of God
•of all the forms of art employed in worship, singing is the most accessible corporately.
•the church’s ministry of song is for the glory of God
•the church’s ministry through music is giving God’s people faith and hope, to build up the body of believers.
•the emotional power of music when rightly employed is a vital and moving aid in our expression of worship.
•Our songs should say or imply of all of who we understand God to be in our lives, songs about who He is- His life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.
•We need to sing songs that include praise, thanksgiving, confession, lament, dedication, and intercession. If we neglect one side, we may have a restricted understanding of prayer.
•MUSIC serves the text. The text via music serves the body. We must be all about serving the body with songs that are fresh, that lift our God up, making Him accessible through word and lyric.
•worship is a living sacrifice and therefore our gift to God should represent some cost to us. Learning more difficult music and stretching our understanding and appreciation of richer theology can be difficult work, but serves a source of spiritual renewal and growth.