The Still, Small Voice...

Ah...peace, stillness...the quiet!

Last night I went to bed listening to the masterful music of Mendelssohn's oratorio, Elijah, Op. 70. And even though I have performed this piece, and heard it countless additional times, something sticks out new each time I listen to it...Last night, it was the section of music representing the "still, small voice of God," coming to Elijah in the wake of the earthquake and fire. Amazing how such might and power can come in that "still, small voice." I went to sleep thinking about that, with that portion of music re-playing over and over in my head...It was with a purpose, I found out this morning.
Our church building talks, speaks, creaks, moves...all of the above. And just a few minutes ago, slightly before 6am, as I was walking from the A/V booth back to my office in the large, dark, worship center, I was reminded of just the power God speaks to us with in that still small voice. May we all remember that God's voice doesn't come in the loud roars always...we need to often just stop and listen for the "still, small voice" of God.

"When the oceans rise and thunders roar...
I will soar with you above the storm.
Father, You are king over the flood.
I will be still, and know you are God..."

Church...People.

Early in life i was addicted to a vocal group called AVB. They sang a song called "You Cant Go to Church..." The song lyrics went like this:

You can't go "to church," as some people say...
The common terminology they use every day.
You can go to a chapel, you can sit on a pew...
But You can't go "to church," becuase the church is you!

I know now what that looks like! Our Church, our community of faith, here has been unbelievably awesome the last few days. We minister-types often in moments of frustration (that do come often in some cases) tend to say that church would be great if it weren't for the people! Well, I am proud to say that the North Davis Church is an exception. If it weren't for the people being the clay lamps of God, the beautiful hands and feet of Jesus, this church just wouldn't amoung to very much at all...God is breathing breaths of fresh life into these guests, and into our people, but moreso, our church! God is Good all the time!

Finally Doing Church

I know it has been a long while since I have posted...
But I have to brag!
The North Davis Church found out some time friday afternoon that we had been selected and approved by the Red Cross to house hurricane victims...Well, less than 30 hours after that call came, so came 131 displaced New Orleans Citizens. Words are not enough to say what began to happen from Abilene, to Tyler, and from people across Arlington, people, to the tune of about 500 volunteers in addition to our church family, began to come out of the woodwork. From Doctors, to an unemployed Chef (You Go Eddie!), to social workers to paramedics to countless others...you have been Jesus! You have answered the call of God! You have all said "Here am I, Send me!"
Finally, so many of us feel like we are actually doing church! Lives have changed, and by that I mean not just those who are now members of our quite large North Davis Famiily, I mean mine, ours those of us who have been touched by people like Melvin Taylor, and Chef Eddie, Rashard (who i just got demolished by on Playstation2), Allen and Allen, Lettie, and many many others whose attitudes have been unbelievable! My life will never be the same! I will try to update daily!

In the meantime, we are in need! We need towels, sheets, washcloths, clothes for extra large (3 4 5 and 5x and 6x) for Large men and women...Socks!!! Toiletries, you name it--and we need it! Pray for us that we would be the missional church God is using us to be right now and that it would change the hearts of our church family forever!
The North Davis Church are beinx exactly what God calls the church on earth, the kingdom on earth to be! The Hands and Feet of Jesus...Reaching people from Jerusalem, from Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth!