Wednesday Memo

Hi Five Oakers, I've got a couple of things to share with you today:

 Burne-Jones Stained Glass

Here are the comments and questions from the Communication Cards last weekend:

  • Acoustic guitar on “Love, Love, Love” was beautiful. Vocals today were great and mix was wonderful.
  • Loved seeing so many people take part in communion.
  • Great reminders of how we can and should engage.
  • Fun to see Erik up front doing announcements! Thank you for the thoughtful and God inspired message for us Henry!
  • I truly worshipped today.
  • Henry, Worship-engage-wonder. You made a case today for the cross to have a permanent place in our worships space, wow! Our focus not to be on the music, the space, but on the God of the gospel. Keeping our eyes on what God did for us. He did more than communion, he gave His earthly life on the cross in agony, for me. Where should our eyes be? [Plans are in the works for two permanent crosses.]

Here's the sermon in 10 Tweets: "Worship Service" (Joshua 24:15; Exodus 3:18; 8:1)

1// Worship without service is worthless.

2// If there’s no service in your worship, you’re doing yourself a great disservice.

3// Corporate worship isn’t a passive experience…more than a shot in the arm or some inspiration…not about coming and enjoying a performance.

4// Genuine worship requires personal engagement. Personal engagement requires effort. It can’t be done for you.

5// Turning your attention to God is a way of serving God in worship. It's his time. Keep it as his time.

6// Serve in worship by expressing your praise and adoration.

7// Love isn't passive. Love does.

8// Wonder follows from focusing on the Gospel. Let the gospel of God’s grace capture your attention and your heart.

9// It’s easy to equate an emotional response with worship. Just because you felt something doesn’t mean you worshiped.

10// The reality is that the quality of the experience can get in the way of worship if we don't see through it to God.

10 Tweets

choices Here's my sermon from last weekend in 10 tweets: “The Choice” (Joshua 24:15; Genesis 1-3)

1// Worship has to do with what you value most, how you think about life itself & how you perceive who you are

2// Choosing whom or what you will worship is your most important choice. It shapes all other small & big choices.

3// There is no none of the above option. You can’t not worship.

4// “You weren’t created to worship. You weren’t created for worship. You were created worshiping.

5// Cosper: ...when he made Adam and Eve, he made them creatures whose lives…exalted God—they…worshiped him—with every moment of their lives.

6// There is no all of the above options. Be glad.

7// If any way is good as long as sincere, you’ve made it about performance. Grace is eliminated. Gone from done to do.

8// There is only one good choice. All other gods (your idols) will "eat you alive." (David Foster Wallace)

9// Most people live by default on the choice & default flows away from a personal God who loves you & went to the cross for you.

10// Choose today. Choose now. As for me and my house, I will serve/worship the Lord.