The Big Diehl

Okay so in the last post I talked about how the prayer furnace at new hope was doing a corporate 40 day fast. we are fasting from different things as the Lord directed.

In fasting the idea is to replace food with God. When your stomach growls, take it as a reminder to worship.

I’m doing the Daniel Fast which is only fruits vegetables and water. I occasionally have cravings for all the other stuff. That’s my “growl.” Some of us have given up other non food things … But the urge to do whatever can still be your “growl.” We must embrace the growl and let it remind us what we are doing.

But why don’t we?

Maybe its just me, but I’m tending to find other ways to occupy my time besides spend it with God. I even went as far as unplugging my TV for these 40 days to ensure I have more time set apart for God. But somehow I find other ways to fill that time. How silly. This is just a diet without embracing more time with God.

I’m gonna embrace the growl more.

Tonight I’m challenging the Prayer Furnace at New Hope to join in a corporate 40 Day Fast in preparation for the DeKalb County “24/1 Prayer Furnace.” The TYPE of fast is totally up to each individual, but I do not recommend ANYTHING less than a juice fast for that long. The “Daniel Fast” is also common (fruits, vegetables, and water). I know there are also some of us who will be fasting something smaller, such as “Carbonated Beverages” or “Video Games.” In some ways that becomes a little more like Lent, but whatever its still cool. We’re fasting to humble ourselves before God and ask God to move in DeKalb County.  I welcome anyone to join us in this corporate fasting.

Here is a great website about fasting.

There’s a saying … It might have come from someplace else first but it is at least a song lyric from the album Lakewood Live. It goes ‘every day with You Lord is sweeter than the day before.”

Every day with God is sweeter than the previous day?

Bull.

The concept of this lie is strengthening legalistic religion but is absolutely KILLIING genuine faith. Maybe that’s too harsh but my point isn’t.

A faith filled relationship with God has ups and downs. What about the times I do the thing I promised God I wasn’t going to do? What about the day I totally ignore Gods direction? Is that day sweeter? No, in fact I’d say that day is downright bitter.

But the faith filled relationship with God doesn’t stay there. Its filled with restoration and renewal. That is biblical; think of all the times the psalms asks God for restoration. That requires that something went wrong at some point if it is to be restored.

Here’s the big Diehl, we Christians all too often think that our spirituality is supposed to be a nice and shiny thing. The truth is if your relationship with God is not filled with bitter days then maybe your relationship with God isn’t as alive as you think it is.

Sin in your life is a GIVEN. If you’re not struggling and needing restored once again then that means you’re LIVING with it. Whew why don’t we think of things in this way?

Funny… When you realize the RICHNESS of a faith filled relationship with God it even makes conviction a pleasurable thing. Now THAT’S sweet.

There’s a song written by Bruce Hornsby (who does a better version of it) and made famous by Tupac. Hornsby calls it “the way it is” and Tupac called it “Changes.” The song is all about racial tension claiming in the chorus, “That’s just the way it is. Some things are never gonna change.”

Yea. Obama ruined this song.

If you haven’t read the post immediately before this, “Why Music?,” go read that first. Let me also add that I’m writing some of this TO other worship leaders, but obviously I want others to hear my thoughts.

Does the style of music we use in a church worship service matter? Yes – I DO think it matters. Absolutely, no doubt about it. Don’t misquote my motives though – read my explanation.

Firstly, I think we need to consider what matters to God since its for Him anyhow. Does our style matter to God? Nope. I don’t think he gives a hoot. I don’t think so. God will hear our hearts (and specifically our attitude of excellence, for those of us with the specific Call to play skillfully (Ps. 33:3)).

So if it doesn’t matter to God, why should it matter to a worship leader? That’s a great question. Let’s consider what does matter. Emotions towards God matter. Devoted lives to Him matter. Our expression of worship to God matters (worship cannot exist without an expression of some sort, otherwise its just music). An assembly worshiping together matters to God (Unity), which is a great reason we use music in the first place. So if those things matter to God, how can our music meet that goal? Wouldn’t the style choices help us meet these goals?

Consider this lyric: “No hay nadie como dios.” For most of you, it will be impossible for this lyric to help you encounter God. But when I translate it into English, “There is no one like our God,” that changes everything. With this lyric you understand the meaning and actually stand a chance at joining me in magnifying God. It works this way because I’m speaking your language.

Can you imagine a church in inner city Los Angeles hee-hawing in a worship set with a banjo, mandolin, jug, and spoons? Can you imagine a church in the back hills of Kentucky connecting to God with an Urban-Jazz Black Gospel style like Yolanda Adams? Can you imagine any church in the Western World doing a worship service using the Asian “Gamelon” style of music; which has absolutely no regard for the 12 tone system (throw your “scales” out the window). Is it possible for people to connect with God with a musical style they’re not used to? OF COURSE IT IS! And the spiritually mature should be able to handle it. But as a worship leader I’m trying to HELP PEOPLE experience God, not make it more difficult for them because “they should be able to handle it.” In a large assembly I have to consider that people are at different spiritual levels; I’d be irresponible if I constantly throw artistic styles that don’t connect with my group. Can you imagine a missionary being so dense as to go to a foreign country and require their church to sing all worship songs in English?

So at this point, I think its pretty obvious that style does matter. It is something to consider. Now comes the messy part.

Musical styles are subjective. People come and go to church every weekend. Only SOME of them have a specific opinion of the carpet, chairs, paint, lighting, or even the sermon. But EVERYONE has a different opinon of the musical style. Which one is the right one? Which opinion is the one the worship leader needs to listen to?

See why its messy? There’s no good answer for this. The worship leader must consider the direction of their local church, the needs and demographic of their congregation, and the voice of the Holy Spirit. I’ve learned that the voice of the Holy Spirit is ALWAYS right and is ALWAYS going to work (isn’t it sad that I had to learn that? lol).

Does our music style matter? Yea, I think it does. It doesn’t matter to God, but our styles can help us accomplish the things that DO matter to God.

We all know (or you’re at least learning right now) that worship is not “music.” There’s a lot more to it. Worship is your entire life as a sacrifice to God. This is ultimate worship (Romans 12:1-2). Worship is doing the right thing when nobody is looking. Worship is connecting with God. Worship is carrying out God’s will on the earth.

If that’s the case, then why do we use music (mostly) in church “worship” services? I think that’s a good question.

Let me answer with another question: what else would we do?

Can you imagine a large group of people getting together in one assembly, and having a “non-music” worship service? What would it look like? Maybe hundreds of people raking a lawn — one leaf per person! Or we can all go down to the soup kitchen and serve food to the needy — the line to serve the food would be longer than the line to receive. Or maybe we can all assemble together and have a worship service by choosing NOT to look at bad stuff on the internet simultaneously. Now all these things are good – and all these things are worship. But we can’t do things things corporately very easily – you may have even laughed at my sarcastic examples.

What could the church do to worship God corporately in an assembly?

Music. THAT’S something we can do all together to worship.

Church history supports this, even back into the Jewish roots. There was a period of Church Music where all worship music was written for professional singers, and the choir sang with lots of polyphony (every part singing a totally different line, often with different lyrics). It was beautiful, but totally NOT intended for everyone to join in singing, it was meant for the general people to worship in their heart while listening. Bach wrote lots of that busy junk, and of music he said something like, “Music has no other purpose than to glorify God and for the enlightenment of the human spirit.” I don’t want to bother looking for exact references (and you probably don’t care), but there was one dude who started changing that trend and began writing music so people could sing along together. It was “congregational.” (There have always been congregational songs in Church history – I’m referring to the MAIN movement of music history.

This isn’t exclusive to the church either. In fact, MUSIC as a means of DOING SOMETHING TOGETHER transcends religion and culture. Take Indians for example – we have all heard of a rain dance, where they danced/prayed for rain. But the Indians also had songs and dance for no purpose except to build community – to be doing something TOGETHER.

Music needs to bring the church together to help the Body experience God together. Let’s worship God with our entire lives, including our thoughts and actions. Let’s worship God together in smaller groups with community building and accountability. Let’s worship God together in a large assembly with music.

Okay so Bill Johnson (Bethel Church in Redding California) got a phone call from a rather upset lady who said, “Ugh, I’m down here at the mall and nobody’s prayed for me yet. A friend told me that if i just went to the mall someone would be here to pray for me and I’d be healed. I’m here- nobody’s prayed for me yet.”

Bill Johnson had to give her directions to the church (his church prays for people to get healed A LOT… they literally are the healthiest county in the nation – nobody is sick – for real). lol.

another group came to Bill Johnson and said, “We want to be a part of your mall outreach ministry.” Bill replied, “Mall outreach? What are you talking about?” They said, “You know … all those stories you’ve told about people getting healed at the mall…”

Bill Johnson replied, “oh, our church doesn’t have a mall ministry. We just have people who shop.”

Welcome to NORMAL Christianity!

I dream of the day when someone asks if they can be a part of New Hope’s Evangelism team and I’d just have to say, “Sorry, we don’t have an evangelism team, we just have Christians.”

I dream of the day when someone asks about our student ministry healing program or our school outreach program that initiates evangelism activities in schools … and I can only say, “Sorry, we don’t have those. We just have Christian teenagers. They just do all of that on their own.”

I dream of the day when a Christian can pray for someone to be healed, or pray for them to receive Christ, and when the other person asks “Are you a Pastor,” they Christian can just respond, “Nope. I’m just the run-of-the-mill Christian.”

I’m not just dreaming. I’m praying. And I believe that day is coming very soon.

“You’re not a failure if someone else drops the ball. You’re a failure if you never pass it to them.” -Ralph Diehl

Times like this convince me that my dad is a genius.

I just finished reading the Book of Matthew again, and I had two “Whoa” thoughts just now…

The first is in Matthew 28:18 Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

That’s a huge statement. Then following verses relate to the fact that He has all authority:

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

I don’t know – it just struck me as totally awesome that Jesus basically said, “I have all authority in heaven and earth – and I’m giving YOU the authority to make disciples.” That was a “whoa cool” moment and I wanted to share it.

The second this is more of a question. Check this out. In Matthew 27 Jesus was cruicfied. Listen to what happened as He died (starting in verse 50, emphasis mine): “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. AT THAT MOMENT the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. THEY CAME OUT OF THE TOMBS, AND AFTER JESUS’ RESURRECTION THEY WENT INTO THE HOLY CITY AND APPEARED TO MANY PEOPLE.”

Okay so firstly I just want to point out that I think its interesting how Jesus’ resurrection had SO MUCH POWER that these holy dead people were also raised to life. That’s just cool. I also think its interesting that these people were resurrected with enough strength to push the stone away from their tomb while on the inside (either that or the stone was miraculously moved – which is totally reasonable but we don’t know for sure. I like to imagine them pushing that rock away themselves).

But where are their stories? Didn’t one of them do a 5 city book tour on their new book, “Coming Out of the Tomb” or something? Seriously – didn’t their stories get written down someplace? I’m talking about Extrabiblical resources. If anyone knows of anything please let me know, because I want to read it!

What would those stories be like? How long had they been dead? Did they experience a heavenly realm before being resurrected? Were they actually and literally present to watch Jesus remove Satan from authority over the gates of hell? I just don’t know.

Or perhaps the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the only thing the Early Church was even worried about. Perhaps those holy men who were resurrected weren’t concerned about recording their stories, but about being a witness for THE Resurrection that actually saved them.

Maybe those with a resurrected spirit (the Church) ought to do the same thing. Afterall, The One with all authority has given us the authority to do it.

Okay so there’s the parable of the 10 Talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. If you don’t know what I’m talking about … go read it.

I was taught this Bible Story when I was a little guy in Sunday School. I always believed this parable was about investing and utilizing whatever gifts God gave us for His purposes. If God blessed you with money, give. If God blessed you with musical ability, play and minister. If God blessed you with ability to fix cars, fix them for the needy. Etc. Etc.

Dude, that’s not at all what this story is about! I think my Sunday School teacher was a bit off…

The parable of the talents is SURROUNDED with teaching and parables about the END TIMES and the Judgment of God, starting in Chapter 24. This parable must be read within the context of eschatology (the study of the end times). We can’t overlook how this parable ends, speaking of the servant who did nothing, “And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Whoa. Dude. Like, serious. Am I the only one who has missed the true meaning of this parable until now?

I’m quoting my NIV Study Bible because it says it best, “Being ready for Christ’s [second] coming involves more than playing it safe and doing little or nothing. It demands the kind of service that produces results.”

Christians, don’t just play it safe and do little. Only those who live whole-hearted for Christ are worthy to be called disciples (Luke 14:27). From what I can tell of the scriptures, everyone else will spend eternity in hell. “We are saved by faith alone, but faith that saves is never alone.”