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Gungor - When Death Dies

This is one of my favorite songs from Gungor's new CD "Ghosts Upon the Earth". It's got a cool sound and I feel like the meaning of the message is open to interpretation. I'd love to hear yours...

Johnny Cash - Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

One of time's greatest voices singing an old classic. Gotta love it.

David Crowder Band - SMS (Shine)

Some of us have heard this song in Hilltop or the 11:00 service, but it's one that sticks with you. The David Crowder Band nailed it with this song and the video is just as good. Check out the video here: 

Jamie Grace (feat. tobyMac) - Hold Me

This is a new song that's getting some play on K-Love. I really like Jamie's style and this song is a fun one to sing to the Lord.

Jenny & Tyler - Love's Going to Last

God's love is eternal. What a great thing to put into song! When bricks break, bridges fall and buildings come down... God's love will last forever. Another great song from Jenny and Tyler - if you don't know them, look them up!

People Group of the Week: An Introduction

By: Laura Leigh Robson

Genesis 12:1-2 shows us that Abraham was blessed to be a blessing to the whole world.   Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:14 that “ this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come”. Revelation paints a picture that people will stand before God. People from every nation, tribe, people and language will praise God. Why? Because God is a God who longs to see all people come to Him, find satisfaction in Him and praise Him. 

Revelation 7:9 is not a reality yet. There are people in the world who do not know Christ, and those who do not have any access to the gospel or the name Jesus. Most of these people live in the “10/40 window”. This is a general region that is 10 and 40 degrees above the equator and spans from Africa to Japan. The people living in this region believe 5 main religions: Tribal/ Animalistic, Hinduism, Chinese/ Ancestor worship, Islam, and Buddhism. Of the 7 billion people in the world, about 88% of the unreached people live in this area.

This week's PGOW:

Bengali of Burma (Myanmar)

These are Muslim and Hindi people who live in Bangladesh and Burma.  They are a hard working people who strive for excellence. Most of the homes are within villages and are raised so that when monsoon rains come, they are stable. The main crop grown there is rice. Most marriages are arranged and there are separate roles of men and women in the culture. The Bengali culture also is marked by a similar caste system like India. Mostly Muslim, the people hold to Islamic values. 

Prayer Points

• Pray for an opening of spiritual understanding among all Bengalis. 
• Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to go to the Bengal region and share Christ with the Bengalis. 
• Pray that the small number of Bengali Christians will be a light for the Gospel in this area. 
• Ask God to raise up Christian medical teams, businessmen, and teachers to take the Gospel into this region. 
• Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of these Hindus and Muslims towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel. 
• Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches in the Bengal region

http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=10790&rog3=BM

More Information:

http://www.operationworld.org/

http://www.thetravelingteam.org/team_resources

Making (New) Disciples

Did you know that as churches age, they become far less able to make new disciples?  According to statistics provided by Dr. F. Belton Joyner, it takes 72 people (on average) to make 1 new disciple in congregations that are 10 years old or older.  72:1!  For congregations between 5-10 years old, the number jumps up to 17 people per new disciple; And for 1-2 year old congregations, the ratio is 2 people for one new disciple!  It seems that George Hunter was on to something when he said that the most efficient way to make new disciples is to plant new congregations!

Combine this with the reality that there are fewer churches per people in the United States than 100 years ago and we have a problem.  According to Hunter,  there were approximately 27 churches for  every 10,000 people in 1900 compared with 12 churches for every 10,000 people today.  The number is even less in our cities, where currently 85% of the population resides.

So the church today seems to be at a crossroads.  I don’t think the answer is to sit around and lick our wounds, reminiscing about the glory days.  Instead, we should be focusing our efforts on proactive measures to build bridges to those who are living far from God.  As Mike Slaughter suggests, “…if we are not giving birth to new churches, we will become irrelevant to the next generations.”

What I sense in the church today is that there is a grass-roots effort to return to this missional mindset.  It seems that God is raising up new leaders with a passion for reaching the unchurched by starting new movements and planting new churches.  Jesus told us that His church would prevail, and we know that it will, so my prayer is that God will continue to fan the flames of passion to see the church thrive into the next generations!  Will you join me?

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Baptize My Mind - Jon Foreman

You may know Jon Foreman as the lead singer from Switchfoot, but he also makes some great music on his own. The use of so many different instruments in this song gives depth that draws you in and the words are a great reminder of how we should clear our minds of worldly things and fill them with Christ's teachings.

There Is a Way - NewWorldSon

This is a fun song that will definitely make you nod your head. It's an uplifting song with a powerful message... and the beatboxing in the background is a huge plus.

Love Is Gonna Break Through - Chris Rice

Chris Rice is such a staple artist in the Christian music industry with an amazing voice. In this song he reminds us that love conquers all. 

When God Dips His Pen of Love In My Heart - Alison Krauss

I love how this song gives the feel of sitting on The Porch (plug) listing to relatives playing some good ole bluegrass music... maybe that's just my West Virginia roots showing. While Krauss is not necessarily known as a Christian artist, she paints a beautiful picture of how God communicates with us.

Bottom of the 9th - B.Reith (feat. Knine)

I had to include this song in honor of the Greensboro Grasshoppers making the playoffs. It's a catchy song with lots of good baseball references. And even if you don't get the references you can still shake that booty that Jesus gave you.

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Divine Romance - Phil Wickham

One of my favorite songs ever... hands down. The simplicity of this song and Phil's voice combine for a touching song that can reach anyone. I've heard people say, "I don't really like Christian music, but I love this song."

I'm Not Who I Was - Brandon Heath

This was one of the first songs I ever heard on K-LOVE that really spoke to me after accepting Christ. Jen and I got the chance to hear Brandon perform this song in a private concert. Great song about leaving your old self behind by a really great guy.

Carry Me Through - Dave Barnes

This song really brings out the gospel-loving side of me. He's got a fantastic soulful voice and this is a fun song to turn up and sing your heart out!

This Is Just So Beautiful - Jenny & Tyler

You'll probably hear me talk about this husband and wife duo if you haven't already. This track is from their newest CD called "Faint Not" and it's a beautiful song about how great a Christ-filled life can be.

The One Thing - Paul Colman

I really like this song... not only because of the catchy guitar riff and the beat, but the words are undeniable.

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Unnatural Choices by Sabrina Isenhour

Last week as I reflected on Ben’s sermon regarding the issue of forgiveness, I thought not only of my own experiences in this area, but also of several clients I have had the privilege to counsel.  I thought about Samuel who walked into the counseling office to obtain help for depression that was negatively affecting all areas of his life, including his relationship with God and his wife.  Jamie sought help to find relief from depression and anxiety that she felt were caused by the chronic pain she lives with daily due to a botched surgery in her teen years.  As we explored what was going on in their lives and reached deeper into the issues of their hearts, both were surprised when they realized that the pain and darkness they had been experiencing for years was rooted in their choice to not forgive, either self or others. 

Continuing to live with an unforgiving heart hurts the one who is wounded more than the one who did the wounding.  It creates a barrier in our relationship with God.  Jesus told us to forgive others that we too might be forgiven (Luke 6:37), to settle matters with a brother we are at odds with before we come to the altar to worship (Matthew 5:23-24) and if you go to pray and realize you are holding a grudge against someone, forgive him (Mark 11:25).  God knows that a heart unable to offer forgiveness to others is a heart separated from him.  Physical, emotional and mental symptoms may also manifest themselves in a person who does not seek forgiveness, which was the case for both Samuel and Jamie.  Our attitudes and perspectives on life change due to the bitterness we are carrying around.  It even causes us to erect walls in other relationships because we tend to be wary of being vulnerable again for fear of being hurt.  Therefore, we settle for superficial relationships where others are not allowed to know us authentically.

Most people choose not to forgive because they have misconceptions about what that means.  For example, some feel that offering forgiveness means that what the other person did or said is okay, that you are condoning the behavior.  Some feel offering forgiveness means you then have to let that person back into your life and go on as if nothing ever happened.  Still others feel that forgiving makes them a doormat and opens them up to being used over and over again.  However, my understanding and experience of forgiveness is that it says I recognize that we are all sinners living in a broken world where we all make mistakes (intentional or not).  I recognize that I have hurt others just as often and as deeply as I have been hurt, and therefore am in need of being forgiven.  Most importantly, offering forgiveness says that I choose to offer the grace of Christ to others as it has been offered to me and trust Him to dole out any necessary justice or consequences.

Did you notice the word “choose” in the previous sentence?  That is one important truth about forgiveness--it is a choice.  Forgiveness is an unnatural act for us because of our sinful nature, but if we choose to walk into it, we will find that we are being made more and more into the image of Jesus Christ because our choices are aligning with his character.  (1998, Parrott, “Relationships”)  In Ben’s sermon last week, he talked about Jesus making the choice as he hung on the Cross to forgive those around him--those who were mocking him, casting lots for his clothing, and even those who put the nails in his hands and feet.  He made a conscious, deliberate choice to forgive them when He could just as easily have turned them back into dust.  What is unnatural for us is natural for the One who created us and gave his life so that we might know forgiveness and reconciliation. 

A second truth regarding forgiveness is that it is a journey; it doesn’t happen overnight.  In fact it may mean thousands of little and big choices made daily to offer forgiveness to another or to oneself.  In the beginning, you may not “feel” like you have forgiven, but as you continue to make these choices over time, surrendering to the One who has completely forgiven you, you will notice your heart following your mind.  At some point along this journey, you will realize just as Samuel and Jamie did, that you have released yourself and the other person from the bondage of an unforgiving spirit and that you are once again free.  For that is why Jesus came, to offer us freedom (Galatians 5:1) and abundant life (John 10:10).  

“Forgiveness is love practiced among people who love poorly.”  Henri Nouwen