Worship

Does it ever blow you away that we have the ability and opportunity to worship the one true God?

Do you ever sit back and actually think about the object of your worship; really sit down and meditate on His greatness?

When you sing of His greatness and glory, do you remember how He used His own lowliness and humility to show it to us?

When I really think about the words I’m singing, and whom I’m singing to, I loose it.  Tears, brokenness, humility.  It’s awe inspiring to me; really mind-blowing.  Jesus Christ, the Word, the great I Am is my God, my Savior.  WOW, what a glorious thing it is to be loved by Love itself.  This is joy, this is the abundant life, this is love overflowing; Jesus Christ lived, died and rose again for me, Ben Smith, to be redeemed and made righteous in God’s eyes.

I want to be a better man.  I want to be a better husband.  I want to be a better lover, father, worker, leader, shopper, worshiper, you name it.  Why can’t I make it?  Why do I keep failing?  How long will you tolerate my shortcomings God?

I’m still me, and it’s okay for now, but I must see my error, recognize it, confess it, and repent/turn from it.  Then I’m back on track again. How marvelous are Your ways.  We’ve been studying the book of James.  Our Bible study started; we had 12 adults and 15 kids this week.  We’ve made it through 11 verses so far, and already, God’s speaking to my heart.  I worked and studied and prepared to be able to help people through the book and I am being impacted more than I can even imagine the others are.  Basically, I need to get with the program, not for the program’s sake, but for mine, for it’s my time that I forfeit, time that I could be accomplishing great things.  Time that I could be drawing closer to my Lord.  Read through James and see if you don’t feel the same way…  wow

Lord, bring revival to my heart; a revival to serve and honor You with all I do, say and witness to this fallen world You gave so much for.

Ben

Leadership Insights Learned

I was able to attend the Catalyst 2009 conference in Atlanta, GA this week.  Gigantic thanks to Cornerstone Community Church for the invite, to Marissa for supporting me in it, and the 12,000+ christian leaders and supporters that attended.

I got to see Mac Powell, Chuck Swindoll, Tony Dungee, Steve Fee and a newer artist named Zach Williams!!! (He was awesome!!!) There were many serious moments of worship, it’s been so long for me, it was great.

This was the 10th annual catalyst conference; a conference created to target the “younger than 40″ pastors/leaders as a time to motivate, strengthen and revive those that give out so much every day.  This year was all about leadership, leadership training, and leadership development.

Here’s some things I picked up, not necessarily from someone’s teaching/talking session, but an insight non-the-less.

1. This is God’s movement/job/mission/ministry/purpose/congregation/churches and doesn’t really have anything to do with us outside of the fact that God has blessed us with an opportunity to be used by Him for His purpose.
   1. We get so caught up in all of the drama that we forget who it is we’re actually doing all this work for.  Jesus should be our inspiration, motivation and destination; the beginning and end; of everything we do.
2. The things we want to get accomplished that are not, are in this state because we’re not working to get them done.
   1. We’re either so spread out that we can’t focus on any actual effort and because of that we’re ineffective.
   2. We’re failing to trust someone else to do the work.  This is either coming out of our pride/judgement/unforgiveness or ignorance but regardless we’ve set ourselves as a choke point in what God could be doing in our communities and churches.
3. Leaders often fall prey to the foolish idea that they’re the ones in charge.  Andy Stanley said at one point “We’re supposed to be leaders under authority.”  How profound is this?  I know this is true, this is true in church and at work.
   1. There should be a time when leaders seek to follow the same instruction they’re giving their followers.  Humility, confession, repentance.
   2. We should not read our own clippings and let overconfidence blind us from the direction that God is giving to us.

It was an awesome conference.  We had tons of fun, especially on the car ride home.

My big “take-away”:

I want revival to come.

Chuck Swindoll talked about how leadership is tough, rewarding but tough, and all leaders should leave room in their plans for “The Crushing” that God brings us.  The times when we are killed.  “Though He slay me, yet I trust Him.”  He quoted a man, I can’t remember who, who spoke about the fact that all of the significant, memory making, moments in his life came through the affliction he had endured.

I’ve experienced this crushing in my life.  While it was hard, and painful, it is one of the most significant life marking experiences I’ve had.  I’m still really sensitive to my brokenness.  My brokenness brought me to my knees in front of a Holy, Merciful, Gracious and Loving God.  Woe to me!!  Thank You so much!!!

Anyway, this crushing has brought me revival, and I want that for everyone, especially the leaders out there, the ones in the front, leading people.  The re-commitment and revitalization of their souls!!!

What and awesome feeling, to be alive again, like a newborn, ready and excited for what’s to come!!!