The Surgeon General recommends Tuesday's Musical Notes as a part of a balanced weekly diet, fulfilling 100% of the requirement of music and rumination.......in short......Welcome to Tuesday!!!!!!.........time for the Notes!
In reality, the Surgeon General doesn't subscribe to Tuesday's Musical Notes, nor its companion blog, tuesdaysmusicalnotes.blogspot.
Southern Baptists decline in baptisms, membership, attendance
This shocking headline is from a Lifeway article from June 9, 2011. You can read the entire article here:
http://www.lifeway.com/
If you are from a differing denominational background, similar articles have more than likely been written about your faith system. It seems that there is a growing dislike of going to church. This causes one to ponder some of the reasons why. Maybe it is because the church in the United States has gotten so bogged down about arguing about music and worship formats, Calvinism, and what denomination really has it right, that as brothers and sisters in Christ we have forgotten the joy of our salvation and how Kool it is to just.....Celebrate!!!
Where can I get some white shoes? You have to love a band with horns.....Hit it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Hailing from Jersey City, New Jersey, the brothers' Bell started a band with 5 friends in 1964. The Jazziacs were the beginning of a team that would span musical genres and score #1 hits. While the lineup has changed over the years, Robert (Kool) Bell on bass and Ronald Bell on tenor saxophone, are still the foundation of a band that continues to tour, 43 years after their first record was made. To date, Kool and the Gang have recorded 44 albums. Their signature song, "Celebration" was from their highest charting album to date, Celebrate. "Celebration" hit #1 in February of 1980 and continues to achieve popularity 32 years after its release as it maintains a spot in radio playlists and is used in commercials and at sporting events. "Everyone around the world...come on!!"
Just like the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, the modern Church loses focus from time to time. God is slow to anger and patient as the church seemingly finds more and more ways to make the love of Jesus into a boring array of business meetings and discussions on the pre, post, or au millennial reigns of Jesus. (Let's face it......if you are saved, ultimately you get to go to heaven, does that discussion really matter?). Some worship services are more reflective of the laments of the oppressed in scripture than they are of the rejoicing that arises from the lips of the redeemed that are in heaven. Reality dictates that it is difficult to maintain a "happy, happy, joy, joy" atmosphere continually in a fallen world. The enemy will relentlessly battle against anything that causes true joy. The writer of Psalms 68 notes a difference between the wicked and righteous:
Psalm 68:2-4
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
As smoke is blown away,
so You blow them away.
As wax melts before the fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
But the righteous are glad;
they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy.
so You blow them away.
As wax melts before the fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
But the righteous are glad;
they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy.
Sing to God! Sing praises to His name.
Exalt Him who rides on the clouds —
His name is Yahweh —and rejoice before Him.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can maintain a sense of celebration as we go through our lives. How does that translate into a service where our preChristians friends are in attendance and they seem to be distracted or bored? This can be answered in 3 letters.....VBS.
If you were to ask people in and out of the church their perceptions about Vacation Bible School, chances are you would get a very positive response. As these notes are being written and read, countless churches are expending enormous amounts of energy and a good amount of resources to the largest outreach effort of the year. With its high-energy music and motions, its creatively enhanced curriculum and lessons, and its rotation structure, VBS usually doesn't allow time for distraction, or discontent. There are more salvations recorded in the Evangelical church during this week than at any other time of the year. This includes church camps, revivals, and local evangelistic crusades. God's people are usually energized, enthusiastic, and enormously joyful during the time they have Bible School. Why can't Sunday mornings be more like VBS? Whether we want to admit it or not, the Church is in competition with pure evil. An evil that will use anything possible to take us away from "assembling ourselves together" as the Bible says. This evil will use good things to keep us away from church, and thereby keep us away from being a benefit to organizations and activities in which God has used our life experiences to prepare us to take part. The joy that is amplified exponentially during the Vacation Bible School season demolishes evil. Thank you to all who sacrifice time and resources so that Vacation Bible School can be the wonderfully energizing experience that it is. How can you translate that energy level and excitement to Sunday mornings? Challenge your church leaders to incorporate the energy and enthusiasm of VBS within the structure and tradition of your church's Sunday morning format. Find that "sweet spot" where balance is achieved and joy is abounding. Let your church be described by the world as..... "There's a party goin' on right here.....a celebration to last throughout the years......so bring your good times and your laughter too...we gonna celebrate your party with you.....come on now......."
'Til Tuesday
Loving HIM by loving You,
randy
Exalt Him who rides on the clouds —
His name is Yahweh —and rejoice before Him.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can maintain a sense of celebration as we go through our lives. How does that translate into a service where our preChristians friends are in attendance and they seem to be distracted or bored? This can be answered in 3 letters.....VBS.
If you were to ask people in and out of the church their perceptions about Vacation Bible School, chances are you would get a very positive response. As these notes are being written and read, countless churches are expending enormous amounts of energy and a good amount of resources to the largest outreach effort of the year. With its high-energy music and motions, its creatively enhanced curriculum and lessons, and its rotation structure, VBS usually doesn't allow time for distraction, or discontent. There are more salvations recorded in the Evangelical church during this week than at any other time of the year. This includes church camps, revivals, and local evangelistic crusades. God's people are usually energized, enthusiastic, and enormously joyful during the time they have Bible School. Why can't Sunday mornings be more like VBS? Whether we want to admit it or not, the Church is in competition with pure evil. An evil that will use anything possible to take us away from "assembling ourselves together" as the Bible says. This evil will use good things to keep us away from church, and thereby keep us away from being a benefit to organizations and activities in which God has used our life experiences to prepare us to take part. The joy that is amplified exponentially during the Vacation Bible School season demolishes evil. Thank you to all who sacrifice time and resources so that Vacation Bible School can be the wonderfully energizing experience that it is. How can you translate that energy level and excitement to Sunday mornings? Challenge your church leaders to incorporate the energy and enthusiasm of VBS within the structure and tradition of your church's Sunday morning format. Find that "sweet spot" where balance is achieved and joy is abounding. Let your church be described by the world as..... "There's a party goin' on right here.....a celebration to last throughout the years......so bring your good times and your laughter too...we gonna celebrate your party with you.....come on now......."
'Til Tuesday
Loving HIM by loving You,
randy
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