5 years ago, only Harvey and I were on staff and I tried to take care of anything that wasn’t preaching. It was messy.
When I think about where God has brought us now, I get a bit foggy eyed at the sheer amount of people pouring out their lives for something bigger, and mostly just grateful God has kept the wheels on this thing. It’s been a twisting road thus far, and certainly not a script that I am smart or brave enough to have written.
We’ve been receiving a lot of questions recently about all of the changes in the worship ministry of Living Stones. Some of those questions have come in from those curious and caring. Others have wielded them as weapons.
One thing I have gleaned from those wiser and more experienced is that effective ministry is built on an unchanging Gospel through constantly changing means. So the “why” we do ministry and the “who we do it for” is constant, while the “when”, “where”, and some of the “how” is always in a state of flux. Things like Jesus and the Scriptures stay in a closed hand while things like music style, ministry structure, and systems are in an open hand.
This past year, it became clear that in order to grow we were going to need to revamp some of the systems in the open hand. My role was shifting from leading a team every weekend at services, to overseeing six bands and developing band leaders. As the needs of the ministry grew, I knew we were going to eventually tear down what he had previously built in order to grow, progress, and serve the community.
Many have noticed that the faces on stage every weekend have changed, including my band ‘Zimmerman’. Actually, all 6 bands have been reworked and more changes are planned for the rest of the year. The “why” of ministry hasn’t changed; to worship Christ with our lives and to help the LS community articulate things of the faith in song. But as the ministry continues to grow, the needs and requirements of what I oversee have grown too.
New objectives have arisen, such as:
-providing a consistent worship experience for all of the services
-limiting new material presented to the community so they can learn and engage with current songs
-balancing out the bands in terms of maturity and talent
-setting a consistent schedule so that the community feesl more connected to their worship leaders
-providing opportunities for new musicians to prove faithfulness in using their gifts for the Kingdom
These are the moving targets we are striving for.
‘Zimmerman’ is changing too. Aaron is moving his family to Las Vegas and will be missed. He’s a good friend and has been a servant to the community for many years. Brennen is now singing with Ricky Turner’s band, ‘Outlet’ to help take that band to the next level and will be singing at Living Stones a lot more often really soon. What has been known as ‘Zimmerman’ in the past will look different in the future, with some musicians playing with me at Living Stones, and others playing outside events when they arise. I have been revitalized by some songwriting and recording these past few months with several different artists in the LS community.
I can honestly say that I have never been this excited or at peace about the worship ministry of LS. Things are still messy and I’m trying to learn as much as I can while applying the Gospel to how we grow and develop. I am desperately trying to make sure the right things stay unchanging, and the rest is held in a very open hand.
Prayers appreciated.
Shortly after moving into our current home five years ago, I began to recognize certain critters that would frequent our address. Of these creatures, my favorite was Mordecai.
Mordecai is a dove.
Mordecai had hard working parents that tried to provide for him a suitable life. They left several summers ago and left him to fend for himself. He struggled for a while, but presumably urged by the pangs of spring hunger, he finally flew the nest. I saw a few of his early attempts and they were not the icon of grace and triumph one would hope for.
These days, Mordecai has grown up a bit. He's seen stuff. He's learned things an upstanding dove needs to know in order to survive in the 89503.
Last year he found a mate and they built a nest in the exact same location as his parents did in years previously, my ornamental cherry tree. That seemed to work well for them. Sturdy branches. Protected from predators.
This year however, was different. Despite the experience of last year they landed on a new location, the young pine tree in my lawn.
I took the picture above 2 days ago. 2 snowy eggs lay nestled along side each other.
Then this one below was taken yesterday after the typical gale-force wind gusts that frequent Reno in the spring:
The wind knocked the nest clean out of the tree. Eggs. Gone. Doves. Gone.
I remember when I was a new Christian someone was speaking on why we aren't taken up to Heaven the moment we trust Jesus. The speaker phrased it as if this was a question that had plagued everyone, burning us alive, robbing us of peace, and wreaking havoc on our faith. He was going to solve the mystery so we could all sleep better.
The question had never crossed my mind.
What had crossed my mind, was that even though you trust Jesus once and that salvation has a starting point, learning to trust everyday was for more difficult; making tiny decisions that reflect that trust a much taller task. In fact, I saw in my friends and in my own heart the ability to completely forget what I had learned yesterday and choose self, choose me, choose sin.
Even though God had shown me the futility of my own plans, and the cracks in my own foundation, I was quick to return to those old tattered construction plans. I was and still am very capable and even willing at times to build my life on things that will not last. Some of those things are revealed by the slightest breeze, and others require a potent storm to be pried out of my heart. Sometimes things have to come crashing down for us to even realize what we are doing. It's in these moments of clarity that we can make incredible headway in our relationship with Jesus.
Learning what a firm foundation is can not alone save you from the storm. You actually have to build your life on it. Brick by brick, choice by choice, moment by moment. The good news is that Christ gives himself as strength and power to do just that.
I hope Mordecai comes back. I think he could make another run at life here and make it.
The past 3 months have been a blur.
When shooting photography, images can come out blurry if the subject or the camera are moving during the shot. It has felt like everything has been moving, and moving very quickly...camera, subject, me, you, and everything else.
I like to think that for most things in life, if I invest much time in thinking about them, eventually something comes to fruition. A song idea becomes at the very least an ugly recording on my laptop. A craving for cheap, spicy chicken leads to the local Wendy's drive-through. A home project eventually materializes, an old friend gets called at some point.
Passion and rest. That's one I have spent countless hours wrestling with, and I'm not sure that it has come to any kind of fruition...yet. I see a balance of these two areas in the Scripture and yet can not wrap my mind around what it is supposed to look like in my life.
The two are intertwined, and in fact spun together into a symbiotic relationship that I have not navigated well. They need each other. Without each other, a host of dangers become apparent. I have felt a strong urging for some time that God has wanted me to revisit the conversation of how passion and rest coexist. All that I do know is that I don't know much about the balance of passion and rest.
I know people who rest a lot and it makes me anxious about the lack of urgency in their life. Sloth seems contagious and I typically spend very little time with these kind of people because I feel like I might catch something. It makes me wonder about the stewardship of the hours and days God has given us, and the stories Jesus told about all of us being accountable for what we have, including our time.
I know people who rest very little and they choose a slow and poisonous death. 'Riding it till the wheels fall off' is romantic but completely impractical because the wheels do in fact come off and now you have a vehicle traveling at high speeds with passengers on board and pedestrians around and everyone's life is in danger.
I error with the latter group. I have in fact realized recently that I tend to run in circles of people who live 100mph most of the time. Athletes trying to make the pros. Professionals making the next deal. Musicians trying to make a career. Ministers trying to pour themselves out for the Gospel (a more noble cause, but a group that needs the balance even more because of what is at stake).
I have a really hard time resting. There are many reasons for this, some chemical and some deeply embedded in my heart. My A.D.D. doesn't help my efforts to slow down, but neither does a flesh pattern that seeks approval and worth in productivity. Medication could help my attention deficit, but will not change my heart condition. Yet, I still feel like God is asking for me to do the hard work of figuring this out. I guess He is not impressed or dissuaded by my excuses.
If we ignore God's leading in our life, He will often bring about circumstances that allow us to take Him seriously. This is important for Him to do, because we are not very good listeners and we often are not very good caretakers of ourselves and others. In the last few months I have seen mental, physical, and spiritual manifestations of the pace of life I keep. Sleep issues. Lack of mental retention. Chest pains. Tripping over my words. I even got out of the shower with shampoo still in my hair. This is not normal. I have felt out of balance, like the scales have been tipped for so long that the scale itself in rusting into a dangerous position.
As if all that wasn't enough: I was cleaning the American icon that is the kitchen junk-drawer and came across a small plastic tube that is found in a carpenter's level. Whatever casing it fell out of has been rendered useless for it's only purpose in the universe...showing what is level and what is not.
I took that as not a coincidence but a comical and poignant reminder from God that I too need rest. Pray for the leaders of Living Stones as I see a weariness in the mirror and through office windows that can only be remedied by our Rest.
"Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest..."
Hebrews 4:1-3
When you are a music pastor for a while, you start to wonder if God secretly slipped magnets into your pockets that attract very specific kinds of people.
I've been thinking recently about the commonalities that many of these folks share, and how Jesus conversed with these kinds of people. I'm not usually one for putting people into boxes or categories but the trends have been so strong I decided to pen them out as a reference for myself down the road.
I should preface this all by saying that I see these three people in my heart sometimes, and it freaks me out. It is a frequent and needed reminder that ministry has its pitfalls and snares that will leave you bleeding if you are not aware and cautious.
#1. THE INSPECTOR
Every church has at least a few of these. This guy will gladly chat with you after services about how the typo in the slides ruined his worship experience, or how his parking spot was taken when he arrived. The sermon was too long and the music was too loud. If three dead theologians are not referenced during the sermon you are labeled a seeker-church with a watered-down gospel.
He is critical to the core, and can find faults in others without even trying. The amount of critique will typically be inverse to the amount of courage; to help, to serve, to ever be a part of the solution (assuming he saw something that was indeed not right). They have no follow-through and if you challenge this guy enough times they usually leave in a huff, exasperated that no one is listening to their wisdom and guidance. If their ideas aren't honored, then the clock is ticking before they leave permanently.
This guy is a staple of any church, and my observation is that healthy churches challenge them and unhealthy ones fear them and in some cases appoint them as leaders.
COMES DRESSED IN: Collared shirt, tucked in, and a shiny watch.
DANGERS: giving them authority, fearing them, basing decisions off their opinions, and confusing them with godly folks that want to help and move the ministry forward.
#2. THE JAMMER
This next guy is really nice, and most people like him. He will have a MySpace page with some songs he recorded on his laptop using an internal microphone. He wants to help with the music but he has no formal training or experience of any kind, outside of his jam sessions with his dorm-mate. He has strong opinions about how the heart is the only thing that matters in ministry. If you approach the subject of calling or gifting then things will get ugly fast. He commonly questions the need for the use of technology in corporate worship and will invite you over to his house to jam if he likes you. If you politely decline those invites you can count on a CD finding its way to your desk/mailbox/guitar case within 1-2 weeks.
COMES DRESSED IN: Socks with sandals and Christian rip-off tee (ya know, like "A-bread-crumb and Fish," or "Get Outta Hell Free Card."
DANGERS: Putting them on stage before testing them, going over to their house to jam (this will end in hurt feelings 9 times out of 10).
#3 THE ARTIST
Music ministry is a natural landing pad for this last guy. You will often hear about this guy 2nd hand from his friends or a mutual acquaintance. He can fly through a guitar solo almost as fast as his allowance from his parents. Jobs don't appeal to him because it cuts into his online gaming schedule. He's 21, living at home and goes to a lot of concerts that his parents pay for.
Deeply talented and seldom timely, this guy is late to everything. If this guy had a pet fish, it died years ago and is likely still decaying in the bowl. He doesn't know the color of the carpet in his bedroom and the only budgeting skills he has is figuring how much food you can get at Taco Bell for $10.
Again, he is really good at guitar.
COMES DRESSED IN: Overpriced graphic tees, skinny jeans, and slip-on loafers.
DANGERS: Styling your hair like them. They can pull it off. You can not. Letting them slip through the cracks (challenge them to step up!)
And so there you have it. Three guys that I most certainly see at church and in my own heart.
In fact, it is most certainly the presence of these character issues in my heart that allowsme to spot them so readily in others. Isn't that how it usually works?
I want to never criticize the church if I am unwilling to be her champion. I want to make sure my heart is repentant and focused on the works of Christ before I lead others in worship. I want to be known for following through on my word and my service to others.
Jesus help me.
DZ
Giving has been a hot topic since people rubbed their first 2 pieces of silver together, and the conversation continues today. People pick churches based on whether or not they talk about money or take an offering. People leave churches when they do talk about money. If that person is you, I'll wait here while you go cut out all the places the Bible mentions money. See you in a couple of hours.
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the subject, however one thing is clear: Financial giving is a worship issue.
Calling yourself a Christian means you are identifying yourself as a worshipper of Christ. Many people qualify their Christianity by saying something like, “I like Jesus in theory,” “I was raised in a Christian home,” or “I’ve been to church a few times,” but none of these things makes a Christian. Faith and trust in the only Son of God makes a Christian. One of the best barometers for what someone really believes about Christ is whether or not they give financially. You can argue in circles, but monetary sacrifice is truly a great measuring stick for spiritual maturity and true obedience to God.
So, I’d like to cover some common questions on giving.
How much should I give? I’ve heard 10% thrown around before…
In the Old Testament, God specifically said that believers should give a tenth because it represented the most important portion of what they owned. The message was clear: God gets your best, not what’s left. The specifics of 10% have not carried on into the New Testament, but the principle certainly does.
For today, Paul tells us that we should give “in keeping with our income.”
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Cor 16:2
This makes sense. If you are a poor college student eating Ramen and ravaging your friends’ couches for laundry quarters, then giving will look different than for the lawyer sitting next to you in a church service. Also, notice in this verse that when the giving happens, it happens before any other expenses, it happens consistently, and it happens with everyone. If you are a poor college student and you are not giving, you’re sinning. If you are a doctor with a 6 figure income, and giving $20 a month to ease your conscience…you’re sinning. If that is you, you need to address the idol in your heart and turn from that idol to restore money’s rightful place in your life as a tool for the Kingdom.
Will God treat me differently if I give?
God blesses those that give. To be clear, you can never purchase favor from God, nor can you buy a miracle. You couldn’t pay God back if you robbed Oprah, Donald Trump, and that IKEA guy. God does not and will never owe you or I anything. However, as a loving Father that owns every atom in the universe, it’s understandable that He will entrust more to those that hold nothing back from His direction. He may bless the giver in a wide variety of ways; a deeper understanding of His love, an opportunity to bless someone in need, an unexpected check…but the reward will always be Kingdom-oriented.
... remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Acts 20:35
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38
I give because I have to. God’s happy, right?
God cares a lot more about the heart behind giving than the amount and so do good pastors. If you give financially because you feel obligated to do so, you’ve already missed the point. If you give because a sermon or church leader made you feel guilty, keep your cash. Then ask yourself if your bank statement looks any different than the atheist on the bus, in the next cubicle, or across the lecture hall. Giving because you want to bless others and be used by God is what God is after.
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. Proverbs 11:24
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor 9:7
I serve at church so I don’t have to give, right?
Wrong. That’s like telling your wife that she should calm down about you cheating because you only bought your mistress expensive gifts but went to the movies with your wife. Our time and our treasure belong to God, and the sooner we realize that all we have is His, the sooner we can use those things rather than be owned by them.
Hasn’t the universal church abused money? (i.e. Tele-evangelists?)
This question is popular. My response will not be.
In the book of Mark, we see Jesus watching the temple attendees throwing in their financial offerings. It is safe to assume that the temple was corrupt at some level and that those who were giving had no guarantee that it was being used in a godly fashion.
Here’s the problem. Jesus doesn’t address that. He points out an old lady giving out of her poverty and says that her fraction of a penny is worth more in the kingdom than the hundred dollar bills falling from the rich folks shiny bill clips.
Does God care how your money is spent when you give? Absolutely. I believe there will be terrifying consequences for church leaders that squander offerings. But your job as a church-goer is to trust that God will oversee that process. I am proud to serve on a staff where money is handled wisely, and with the Kingdom at the forefront of our monetary decisions. If you can’t trust your leaders with your cash, you certainly shouldn’t trust them with your soul. Ask questions. Find out how your church spends. But don’t let fear serve as an excuse to walk in sin against a God who gave you everything you’ve ever touched.
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." Mark 12:41-44
Final Thought: Financial giving reflects the rest of our Christian walk.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
Picture this: You buy your friend a Porsche (stay with me). You deliver it to him with the pink slip taped on the windshield. Your friend can’t believe it. The next day you go out together for a spin around the block. As he takes a corner at high speeds, you notice a pack of Trident in the console and ask for a piece of gum. Your friend replies, “Sorry man, things are tight.”
It’s hard to think about what Christ has done for us and not respond in gratitude. But many of us don’t consider it. We don’t consider the price paid for us. We don’t remember the death that gave us life. We don’t recall the memory of an innocent man beaten bloody for our mistakes. That same Jesus is asking His bride, the church, to cling to Him and abandon their empty trophies and trinkets. Jesus gave Himself as the ultimate model of giving, and we are to ask what God would have us give.
The simple fact is that Jesus has designed the local church to be a center of mission in their community, fueled and resourced by the people who call that church home. I often hear that people desperately want to make a difference. There is no more powerful force than a Spirit-led community of faith.
Christians are marked by their worship and giving is a worship issue. If you think you can hide behind your church attendance, low income, family history, selfishness, or other lame excuses, know that God sees past it. You look like a 3 year-old playing hide-and-seek behind your own hand. God is not fooled, and He passionately wants your heart.
He invites you to use what you have to play a part in His reconciliation of men and women to their Maker.
I have what's called an ornamental fruit tree in my front yard. That means, in layman's terms, that it pumps out fruit that can't be eaten, baked, or canned. The rabbits used to come in at night and try them but now they've moved on to fruit that is meant for consumption I'm sure. It's only purpose as best I can tell is to litter my yard with orange grenades of acidic dye. It's some kind of cherry variety although I'm not sure what kind specifically. The picture above was taken yesterday morning in my yard so if you are knowledgeable in the area of fruit trees or perhaps you were raised on a cherry farm, please let me know.
I have a weekly ritual of getting on my hands and knees and picking as many cherries as I can off of the ground and tossing them in the trash. Pounds and pounds of cherries are shed every fall. I think of all the water, sunlight, and nutrients required to grow this purposeless fruit, that rots in the landfills of northern Nevada.
It seems to me that one of the hardest evidences for the supremacy of Christ is that you can objectively see what happens to the enemies and friends of God. If we assume that God is indeed the source of life, and everything that is good, then it makes sense that the happiest, most content, and most loving people I know, are people who have surrendered to Christ. I can look at the results of their relationship with Jesus, and see evidence that they do actually love God, and that God is a keeper of His promises. They are bearing good fruit.
Because working at a church puts you in relationship with a wide variety of people, I also see an alarmingly large number of people that if taking a standardized test would check the Christian box, but it's near impossible to see the results of their faith. In fact their lives are full of what I would call bad fruit; envy, quarrels, jealousy, lust, pride etc...
What has recently shifted in my perspective is this: the absence of good fruit is not the same as bearing bad fruit. Avoiding sin and "bad things" isn't the same as being filled with the Spirit. A lot of religious people find comfort that they haven't robbed a bank or cheated on their spouse...but God says this isn't the point. The point is that we receive mercy and grace and so in turn give to, bless, serve, and love others and God.
No one is bearing no fruit...we are all bearing fruit of some kind. God has hard-wired us in His image to do so; to produce. Some will produce hope, love, selflessness, and kindness. Producing good things are only made possible by the saving work of Christ on the Cross. Therefore, a Christian bearing fruit is not "better" than someone who does not know God, but they are intended to be a better reflection of Christ's supreme love and hope, because they have received the power to do so.
Others will reject His offer and relationship, and bear fruit of loneliness, of insecurity. One thing is clear: we are not saved by our works, but saved for good works...good fruit. Those of us that call ourselves Christian and are unable to point to specific good fruit in our lives should not sleep in false confidence that God is as apathetic to their rebellion, laziness, or excuses as we are.
"The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
John the Baptist - The Gospel of Matthew
Something most people don't know about me is that I spend a fair amount of time in the yard. I take pride that I have the greenest lawn on my block, and that I do the work as homeowner. This has actually been a very progressive year for yard-work. I finally finished the back patio which was something on my honey-do list with a deadline of "pre-baby". I'm not really a 'flower guy', as much as a 'get your hands dirty and grow stuff' guy.
My pepper garden is doing well this year, especially after I dealt with the neighborhood pepper thief. He won't be coming back to say the least. I normally like to leave ecosystems intact and undisturbed. Last month I was washing my hands at the sink and saw this thief going at it on my peppers. My "normal" went out the window and my pellet gun went out the back door.
This has been a weird year of weather for Reno, and so the vegetation has responded accordingly. We have a lot more flowers in the back than we ever have had before. In the early summer however, we had a weird combination of heat and moisture that left some plants exposed to molds and diseases that would normally not be an issue. Seeing your once healthy flower-boxes ravaged by death and disease is disconcerting. It affects you as gardener because you paid for them, and they reflect you in a way.
For much of the summer I've been trying to nurse these affected plants back to health. Watering. Weeding. Spraying (organic, don't worry). Dead-heading. Typical plant care. Recently one of the flowers that had caught some rust, a pretty vicious fungus, started bouncing back and actually bloomed a single flower.
The phrase "bring glory to God" has troubled me for a long time. I feel like a clear and practical definition has long escaped me, even though I understand the basic concept. It's a phrase that is overused, diluted, and used rather carelessly most of the time.
As I stood there soaking the soil, hose in hand and listening to the backyard ambient noises, I felt something. Maybe a more accurate description would be, I "heard" something. A voice inside.
"It's gonna make it."
I felt for a brief second a sense of accomplishment...that the care I had offered had served a purpose. It felt like, for a fleeting moment, that I had played a role in the flower doing what it was supposed to do in the universe. It was blooming. It was being a flower. And not only that, but it was being restored from a broken picture of what it once was. The feeling of restoring something was subtle and potent.
That feeling has got to be, although imperfect and minuscule, a lot like what God feels when He redeems us. His redemption is far greater, far costlier, and far grander than my stupid yard. But I feel like I understand His glory a bit more.