Category Archives: praise and worship

New Years’ Eve Ponderings

It is New Years’ Eve of 2011.  The New Year, 2012, is arriving tonight. I find myself this morning, yearning for the fire of God, for a great spiritual awakening, for a mighty move of God right here in Nashville, … Continue reading

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian history, church history, conversion, disciple making, East Nashville, fire, glory, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, movement, mysticism, New Year, New Years' Eve, non-material reality, Oh my God, pentecostals, praise and worship, prayer, Quotations, Quotes, recovery, religion, repent, revelation, soul, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My Top 12 Blogs For 2011

Here are links to my Top 12 Blogs For 2o11: #1)  Did Oprah Read My Book #2)  Who’s My #1 Greatest American?  William Lloyd Garrison #3)  Talk About Expensive Gas #4)  Where Did Sojourner Truth Get Her Name? #5)  Church … Continue reading

Posted in American, Americans, Bible, black history, champions, Christ, Christianity, Christmas, church, church history, church structure, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, Lord, morality, motivation, movement, mystery, mysticism, Occupy Wall Street, Oh my God, Oprah, organic church, popular culture, praise and worship, prayer, race, racism, religion, repent, self-help, sex, sex in marriage, simple church, sin, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, thinking, thoughts, Uncategorized, values, What is church?, words, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bringing In The New Year — Party Or Pray?

The most popular way to bring in the New Year is to party — to celebrate the mere passing of time  (a New Year is coming, the old one is passing away)  yahoo!  However, many people will admit that New … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, church, courage, East Nashville, God, house church, hung over, Music City, New Year, New Years' Eve, organic church, party, popular culture, praise and worship, prayer, prayer walking, religion, simple church, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, support group, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, values, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

News Flash: Planet Earth invaded by its Creator, not with the force of justice and judgment; but with mercy, love, humility. The Creator comes in human flesh, not in a royal palace, but in an animal stable — not with a demonstration of His power and authority, but subject to the circumstances of a Babe born under questionable conditions to a poor mother. Yet 20 centuries later, the world slows down, work stops, families gather on the day set aside to remember that God invasion. One Babe began a movement that continues to our time — a movement that has made millions of men and women better than they would have been without beholding the Christ. Transformed by Jesus, by God in the flesh — made new, set free, personally invaded by the Spirit, now rejoicing, not in stuff, and tinsel, and traditions both religious and secular; but rejoicing in relationship with the Babe, now the Lord, Savior, Master!

Posted in awe, blessings, change, Christ, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas carols, Christmas Eve, church history, Creator, glory, God, gratitude, history, holiday, holidays, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, joy, lifestyles, Lord, meaning, miracles, movement, mystery, mysticism, non-material reality, Oh my God, organic church, praise and worship, proof of God, Reason For The Season, religion, revelation, salvation, saved, Savior, self-image, simple church, soul, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, stuff, supernatural, thanksgiving, thinking, thoughts, tradition, Uncategorized, values, virgin birth, Why be a Christian?, words, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blind Belief? Or Spiritual Conversion

In some Arab countries it is against the law for a person to convert to another religion than the religion of her/his birth and upbringing. However, having been raised in a particular religion is no indication of its truth or … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American, change, change management, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, conscience, conversion, disciple making, English, evangelicals, fire, forgiveness, freedom, glory, God, grace, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Jesus Take The Wheel, John Wesley, joy, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, miracles, movement, mystery, mysticism, non-material reality, Oh my God, praise and worship, prayer, proof of God, recovery, religion, repent, revelation, salvation, saved, self-image, soul, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, supernatural, trust, Uncategorized, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Are Sermons Effective?

Have you ever tested the effectiveness of sermons? I did. I was a brand new pastor in my first church — Mayfield Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Mayfield, Kentucky. After finishing three years of seminary, I had been preaching for about … Continue reading

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christianity, church, Cumberland Presybterian Church, East Nashville, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, kingdom of God, lifestyles, movement, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, organic church, praise and worship, religion, sermons, simple church, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, values, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Christmas Chatter

Christmas chatter: ‘Tis the season to celebrate Jesus.  Happy Christ Day!  Merry Jesusmas!  “When Christ entered our world, He didn’t come to brighten our Decembers, but to transform our lives.” –Rich Miller Have yourself a Holy Spirit Christmas.  What we … Continue reading

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christ, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas carols, Christmas Eve, East Nashville, feelings, God, holidays, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lifestyles, Lord, meaning, miracles, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, popular culture, praise and worship, prayer, Quotations, Quotes, Reason For The Season, self-esteem, shopping, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, values, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why Is Christmas The Most Celebrated Day Of The Year?

Why all the fuss and effort to celebrate the Christmas season? You know. The most celebrated day of the year is about the arrival of Jesus Christ on planet Earth. Isn’t it amazing all the time, effort, and money that … Continue reading

Posted in Americans, awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas carols, Christmas Eve, East Nashville, freedom, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, meaning, miracles, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, Oh my God, popular culture, praise and worship, Reason For The Season, religion, revelation, Savior, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Creatively Changing Christmas Songs To Celebrate Christ More

Have you ever noticed that a great many Christmas songs have little or nothing to do with Jesus Christ.  Since Christmas is when we celebrate His birthday, I thought it might be good to tweak some Christmas songs and Christmas … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, awe, challenges, Christ, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas carols, church, country music, feelings, freedom, glory, God, gratitude, holidays, humor, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lifestyles, Lord, miracles, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, Oh my God, poem, popular culture, praise and worship, religion, revelation, salvation, saved, Savior, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, thanksgiving, values, virgin birth, Why be a Christian?, words, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Christmas Claim — Who Was/Is Mary’s Son?

A classic Christmas carol asks the question: What Child Is This?  And that is a not just a nice song, but a very important question to ask at Christmas time. Who was/is Mary’s Baby Boy? The New Testament gives some … Continue reading

Posted in ancient history, angels, awe, Bible, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas carols, Christmas Eve, Creator, glory, God, history, holidays, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, Lord, movement, mysticism, New Testament, non-material reality, praise and worship, religion, salvation, saved, Savior, soul, Uncategorized, virgin birth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments