This was week two of our series on creating a revolutionary heart of service in each attender of Grace.  Leading up to our addition of a third service beginning Dec. 21, we're "advertising" opportunities to serve within ministries that will be impacted by this additional service time.  This was my day to promote the Weekend Service Team at Grace.  Our WST consists of our lighting, video, audio, stage and worship team.  If you would like to check out one of these teams, visit our volunteer page here.

Music
We had a stripped down time of worship this week.  With the absence of Thunderfoot (away on a much deserved vacation), we decided to jump on this chance to "explore the space" with an acoustic set.  Great job to Sam, Gary and Jimmy-Luv for flexing their musical muscle.  It can be quite a challenge to change it up and rethink tunes that you're used to playing a certain way.  Great job to Meredith and Brian who led with me on vocals...they truly helped give the music some much needed definition and depth.

This week we "rolled out" the song True Love by Phil Wickham.  I closed out the service with this tune solo on the acoustic.  I followed Phil's instructions and lowered my tuning...only I lowered it even more than he did.  I was worried a string was going to pop off the old Breedlove.  Seriously one of the best songs right now. Powerful lyrics and a fantastic melody.  Love it.

Here's our worship set list. Don't forget you can purchase on iTunes by clicking the title:

• Awesome is the Lord Most High (A) by Chris Tomlin
• Made to Worship (B) by Chris Tomlin
• Everything Glorious (A) by David Crowder
• You Never Let Go (B) by Matt Redman
• Amazing Grace (My Chains r Gone) (E) by Chris tomlin
• True Love (tuned my guitar down so low I don't even know the key) by Phil Wickham

Week two of our stripped down worship will happen again next week.  Be sure to check out other worship recaps on Fred McKinnon's site here.

This week on the Grace microcast, Tim talks about the first week of our "Servolution" series which kicked off our "G3" campaign leading up to the additional service at Grace on December 21.  It's been awhile since Tim has been a part of the microcast and he was on FIRE! :)

Listen
Subscribe in a podcast reader or listen here.
Or give it a listen here

Links
www.Harvesters.org - Help supply food for pantries around KC. Drop off food at Grace.
Local Outreach - Volunteer for the Community of the Good Shepherd Homes painting on Nov 22 here.
www.SamaritansPurse.org -Operation Christmas Child wraps up (pun intended) this Sunday.

www.TimHowey.com - Visit Sr. Pastor Tim's blog for more about Sunday's message.

Contact
Email the Grace Podcast at podcast@graceks.org or give us a call and leave a voicemail at 206.426.5394. We might even play it on the cast!  Feel free to leave us a comment here as well. We'd love some feedback and topic suggestions.

This was my first official week co-hosting with Wisdom Moon on the All About Worship Podcast.  I had a great time and feel officially like I'm a part of the team at AllAboutWorship.com.

Here are the links discussed on the show:

• www.Transposr.com - Check out this nifty tool for transposing mp3 files. Crazy!
• www.AllAboutWorship.com - The hub for the show.
• Mike Kim - Visit Mike's MySpace page. Wisdom had a great interview with Mike. Great guy!
• AllAboutWorship Facebook Group - Join the worship community on Facebook here.
• Wisdom Moon - Visit Wisdom's show notes here.
• AllAboutWorship on Mogulus - Catch our new video channel here.

Give a listen to the podcast online here. Or go subscribe here.

To all you worship leaders out there, be sure and email us your tool ideas for the "Worship Leader Toolbox" segment of the show.  Anything from an inspiring book, a nifty music tool, a website or a song.  We're looking for you to be a part of this podcast created for you and your worship teams.  You can also call and leave a voicemail at (206)984-2441

What you heard Sunday at Grace was the sound of about 800 guts being checked.  Tim brought "it" this week with a strong challenge to the church to get up and participate in the revolution of serving others.  Some "controversial" things were said which gave us all an opportunity to check our guts and explore whether or not we're living out our faith.  The grumblings began rolling in a day later from a few folks and Tim posted a clarifying statement on his blog which hopefully provided some reassurance and comfort to those he was referring to.  Check out his first follow up to Sunday here...then his clarification post here.  Looking for a good challenge to your faith?  You have GOT to listen to the message here.  Seriously...Tim is fired up lately about seeing people get up off their cans to serve Christ.  There's nothing more rewarding than this and the pastoral team at Grace want every person to taste the joy and excitement that is serving others for the Lord.

Music
As we kicked off our current series on serving and our desire to see a revolution of service form within the hearts of our people, what better way to kick off the series than with a song with the theme?  That's right...Revolution by The Beatles.  We cranked it out before the message.  Yes...you CAN do that at church.  By the way...that's two Beatles songs in one year played at Grace Church. I never thought that'd ever happen.

We had a great time of worship this weekend.  Here's the worship setlist:

• God with Us (B) by MercyMe - We played this as our call to worship 5 mins before service started.
• Let God Arise (B) by Chris Tomlin
• How Can I Keep From Singing? (B) by Chris Tomlin
• Reign in Us (C) by Starfield
• The Glory of it All (B) by David Crowder - Played at the close of service during offering. 

We also had our communion time this week during services.  I've had folks ask me what I'm playing on the guitar during this quiet reflective time.  I wish I could say it's something planned...but I'm usually making up tunes on the guitar as I go along.  I slapped on a regular Kyser on the 3rd fret then slapped on the Kyser Cut Capo with it to create some nifty sounding chord structures.  Give it a shot if you've never done it you acoustic playing folks. 

Check out other worship leader recaps on Fred's site here.

This past year I've discovered something in my life.  I need friendship. I know...crazy right?  It's something I've known...as a matter of fact, it's something I've told others...including myself.  But in reality, how many truly deep friendships, apart from my wife, do I have?  I can say I have a few friends who are men that I trust, men that I can open up to without feeling inadequate or judged for my weaknesses.  I have those friendships because I chose at some point in my life to get out of my chair and interact with other men.  Finding a place where I can just hang with other fellas was the beginning.  For many men like myself, it takes a great deal of courage to just attend something and surround ourselves with people who will actually speak to us.  The Journey at Grace is one of these great opportunities.

On Monday night, 7-8:30 p.m., the Men's Ministry wraps up The Journey sessions for 2008.  Jeff Walton will be speaking this week.  Jeff is a good friend, excellent teacher (he does it professionally in the Blue Valley School district...seriously...he's the teacher every High Schooler wants to have), fantastic father and an incredible man of God.  If you come, you will be challenged, encouraged and "filled up".  If you're in the Overland Park, KS area, consider yourself invited.

What: The Journey
When: 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Grace Church, Overland Park, KS
How: Your choice

I arrived at 8:20a.m. to vote and I was in and out in 5 minutes.  Not sure where your polling station is? Check out Google's handy little polling station locater here.

 Message

This was the official announcement rolled out to the church body that we are adding a third service to our weekends at Grace Church.  With the lower level of the church getting extremely packed in the children's ministry area, we're needing to bring some sweet relief to the kids.  That sweet relief will arrive December 21 with three services at 8:30, 10 and 11:30 a.m.

Tim announced that over the next three months we will be focusing on three important aspects of our Christian walk in prepping for this opportunity.  We're hoping to see many folks take that next step in their walk with Christ by getting up out of the seats and participating in loving others thru serving in one of our weekend ministries.  We're also looking at our church folks and praying for them to take the opportunity to prayerfully invite people in their lives who need to hear about God's love for each of them and how their lives truly matter to Jesus Christ.  Then we're praying for our people and the new people we're expecting to join our local body to be transformed by Jesus Christ.  We're extremely excited about the upcoming three months and look forward to seeing what God does in the hearts and lives of our people.

For a rundown on the vision of Grace Church and what's coming down the pike, listen here.

Music
We rolled out a new tune this week by Starfield called "Reign in Us".  We left Thursday rehearsal not feeling 100% confident in the tune (at least me anyway).  After some shuffling on Sunday morning, then reshuffling...we ended up playing it at the close of service as our offertory tune. I love the lyrics of this song.  "O great and mighty One, with one desire we come...that You would reign, that You would reign in us".  Fitting for the end of our message about asking people to seriously consider their role in our upcoming compaign to pray that God would work in our hearts.

Quick note to the first service folks...Yes...you heard correctly. On God of this City our keyboardist kicked the song off in the wrong key. It happens every once in awhile.  I've begun songs in the wrong key by putting my capo in the wrong spot. Thankfully she realized it right before I started singing.  When she stopped playing...I picked up where she left off on the guitar. An unintentional/unplanned key change before the lyrics were sung. Good job to the team for rolling with it. I felt bad for Chris on keys...she did well picking up.

Anyone notice that new bass player onstage?  Chris Jones is doing FABULOUS filling in for Jimmy-Luv.   You see...JimmyLuv is an avid hunter.   Not just any hunter...but a bow hunter.  He was off somewhere getting in touch with his man side trapsing around in the woods somewhere with paint on his face and quiver of arrows. Have a look at his catch.  Great job Chris Jones!

Here's our setlist. Don't forget to click the title to purchase the song on iTunes:

• Jesus Messiah (B) Chris Tomlin
• Point of Difference (B) Hillsong United
• Glorious (D) Chris Tomlin
• How Marvelous (G)
• God of this City (Db)
• Reign in Us (C) by Starfield

Don't forget to check out other worship leader recaps on Fred McKinnon's site here.

Thanks to my fellow worship/blogging buddy Jeff Miller for reading my Dad's book and posting a  fantastic review today.  He pretty much sums up in a nutshell what I'm hearing from many people who grab me at the church or in my various circles.  What I hear a lot of is "I had no idea". Seriously...if you've not read the book...if you've not considered reading the book...you need to.  It has the possibility of giving you a completely different perspective on scripture, the middle east and the Islamic people.  Here's a snippet of his review below.  Be sure to go read it in it's entirety here.

Once an Arafat Man’s sub-title couldn’t be a better synopsis of the book in general, “The true story of how a PLO sniper found a new life.” The opening sequence of the book reads like some of the best action oriented fiction out there, but you have to keep in mind that not only are the related events actual parts of our world history, but they are also a first-hand account of the man writing the book.

I don’t want to give away a ton of what goes on in the book and steal that pleasure from you, but the book is a real eye-opener for someone like me who has always been a firm (sometimes zealous) supporter of Israel. When you peek into the life of a Palestinian born in a tent near the beginnings of the last century’s conflict between Jews and Arabs, you cannot help but have your worldview shifted somewhat—maybe not so much a shift in thought but an increased clarity because of learning about the other side of the issue.

Read the full review here.

The Caldwell family won the coveted parking spot of the year at Grace Church's 2008 Trunk or Treat. The Christensen family put up a great trunk to keep the spot they've held for two years...but this was the year of McCain/Palin. Congrats Caldwell fam!

Tim wrapped up our brief 2 weeks series on "Who is God?". I can say this message was one of the best, clearly stated messages on the need for Jesus Christ as a savior that I've ever heard. For those who struggle with why bad things happen to you...be sure to check it out here. Awesome stuff.  We also had several salvations in the services. Check out Tim's post here.

This was the week of sickness for our worship team.  With myself having to call rehearsal Thursday due to illness, we were forced to rehearse early Sunday morning.  Thunderfoot Jon (drummer) was struggling Sunday morning...I think he probably had a fever (nothing a cowbell could help) and Brian King was just getting over some cold issues as well.  Thankfully God used us in spite of all the illness.

Did anyone else in the services melt upon hearing Brian sing "Holy, Holy, Holy"? When I heard him sing it during the audio check I was blown away. That dude has some of the purest pipes I've ever heard. He nailed that tune acapella.  He had me play a "D" note on the guitar backstage then he walked out there during the service and nailed it. Awesome job!  As a matter of fact, we had two vocalists singing who are pros at what they do. Seriously...they went to school for music.  I had several folks comment on how spot on the harmonies were.  Great job to both Brian and Lisa!

I also had a few notes from folks expressing how much they enjoyed the set list Sunday.  Something about these tunes really connected with people.  Feel free to click the title to purchase on iTunes for your listening pleasure:

• How Can I Keep from Singing? (Bb) as recorded by Chris Tomlin
• Mighty to Save (A) by Hillsong
• God with Us (B) by MercyMe
• Jesus Paid it All (B) as recorded by Kristian Stanfill
• Amazing Grace (MY Chains are Gone) (E) as recorded by Chris Tomlin

Check out other worship leader recaps on Fred McKinnon's site here.

Thanks for the tag Jeff and Joel. Here are 16 random things about me:

1. Star Wars. Fave movie. Before Christ...it was a religion...now it's just a hobby.
2. I used to believe "the force" might be real. I tried hard to make remote controls and other inanimate objects jump from across the room into my hand...when nobody was looking of course.
3. I was a part of Amnesty International in high school. I only showed up for 4 meetings...but man I could write some crafty letters to third world dictators holding political prisoners.
4. The first song I learned on guitar was "Pop Song '89" by R.E.M. 
5. I bought the Michael Jackson CD "Number Ones" earlier this year. Felt nostalgic...but I've only listened to it once...I promise.
6. I get nervous leading worship in front of other people apart from my Grace family.
7. Growing up I always assumed I'd have a boy.  I NEVER thought I'd have 3 girls...can't imagine not having girls.
8. In 2004 I seriously considered quitting worship leading so I could get a second job.
9. I worked at Hardee's for 9 hours...that was my first job.
10. I worked for an 800 answering service taking phone calls for TV infomercials when I was in high school.
11. Proverbs 3:5-6 Life verses. Same as my Dad's.
12. I hate flying.
13. I would love to own a Taylor T5.
14. If I were to ever save up enough money for an electric guitar, I'd like to get this one.
15. Cheese. Don't like it much. The real cheese. Like the stuff people put on burgers. Nasty.
16. I will be voting against a presidential candidate rather than for a candidate in 2008 for the first time.

So I'm passing along to anyone reading this post that has a blog. Just put a comment here with a link.

As the army of one million Ethiopian men and three hundred chariots came to war against Judah, Asa prayed to God:

I think this might be a prayer that should be on a plaque somewhere in my office. In Asa's plea, there is a sense of humility and understanding that when the odds seem impossible, God can prevail on our behalf. 

Are you resting on God to conquer your "enemies"?