Catching up...again

Seems like whenever I get rolling on my blogging, some new life-changing event happens and I am compelled to take a respite.  I hope to post pretty regularly this semester.  The goal is 2-3 times a week.  Even this will be a challenge as I am planning a wedding, working twenty hours, and trying to be a (good) full time student.  I can't possibly put out all that I have been thinking in the last couple of months but here are some tidbits, music and books all thrown together:

I am engaged to be married on May 24, 2008 to the lovely Rebekah Banks.  Bekah is a constant reminder that God is gracious to undeserving sinners...even in giving them beautiful wives they don't deserve.

My music preferences have definitely shifted over to melody driven rock and indie music. Check out Aqualung, a british one-man-band that is really interesting.  He has an awesome voice and the music is just cool.  It is basically electronica with sparse piano bits and drum machines, but really rockin' guitars.  Also, for some reason, I have been drawn to Derek Webb's most recent album The Ringing Bell.  Although I wrote a pretty negative music review previously, the album has really grown on me. Check it out.

I am reading a couple of books.  Rachel Banks, my fiancee's sister, bought me Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley for Christmas.  It is basically a 500 pg history of the Christian church, starting with the teaching's of Jesus.  Its good so far...just  50 pages into it.  I'm also reading the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy.  It has a post apocalyptic setting and is pretty dark.  The author has been heralded as the "next Faulkner..."

I have also been flipping through a really sweet 1940 Episcopal Hymnal.  I bought it in an awesome used book store in St. Louis over Christmas break.  Its cool because it has all the words to the songs and a simple melody line written with each one.  All you have to do is plink out the simple melodies on the piano and you can sing some really obscure hymns.  

Additionally, I have been thinking tons about worship, both in theory and practically.  Hopefully more posts on that soon.

Publicly Joining Zion

I officially joined Zion Church PCA today. I am now a functioning, publicly recognized church member in Lincoln, Nebraska. Its a good feeling. As long as I am in Lincoln, I have a duty to serve this church to the best of my ability. It is a covenant I am making regardless of how much the church serves me. Even though serving this church (or any) will be difficult in some ways, I am rather pleased to be a part of Zion. There are several aspects of Zion church that I find particularly helpful:

1. Liturgy- Good ole' fashioned "lets confess together" liturgy. It is worshipful to the Father for us to confess what we know to be true about Him and about ourselves, and it is encouraging and nourishing for the body to speak truth.

2. Order of Worship- Zion has a unique order of worship that I find very helpful. There is a good mixture of hymns and spiritual songs with both contemporary and older instrumentation and melody. We prepare to confess our sins together, then kneel and confess our personal sins to God, then hear the assurance of pardon from the atoning work of Christ. We are instructed by the word. We celebrate communion together and are free to enjoy singing or listening to music while waiting for everyone to receive the bread and cup. Since we have already confessed our sins, we are free to joyfully take part in the sacrament with the community of the redeemed.

3. Weekly communion- Not a scriptural command, but it has been helpful to me and I think it is a good practice for any church.

4. Approachable leadership- It has been an honor to get to know some of the elders and pastors and Zion. They seem to be interested in getting to know me. This is a huge encouragement for someone who is thinking seriously about ministry work. I love to have relationships with people who can give godly, pastoral advice to an inexperienced youth such as myself.

5. Families- There are kids running everywhere. There are parents holding their children. It is a beautiful picture of the way that God has chosen to work in our community. People are fulfilling the cultural mandate.

And I am a part of that. I pledged to be. These are the the vows that I took:

1. Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving his displeasure, and without hope, except through his sovereign mercy?
2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and savior of sinners, and do you receive and trust him alone for salvation as he is offered in the gospel?
3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes a follower of Christ?
4. Do you promise to support the church in it's worship and work to the best of your ability?
5. Do you submit yourself to the government and discipline of the church, and promise to strive for its purity and peace?

I answered these in the affirmative. If you are not currently a member of a church, I challenge you to think seriously about it. It is a way for you to express your commitment to the growing Kingdom of Jesus. We are all called to serve.

joining the church

I will be publicly joining Zion church this Sunday morning. Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate my becoming part of the visible Church in Lincoln Nebraska. I'm actually transferring my membership from 2nd Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Yazoo City, Mississippi. This decision has been a long time coming, but I feel that it is the right one. It feels good to be part of the local body again. Hope to see you there.

More substantial posts are in the works. Stay tuned.

"Upon The Burning of Our House"

As many now know, my church Zion Church (PCA) burned down early this morning. In the fury of various emotions this afternoon, I remembered a poem that I had studied in high school by the 17th century puritan poet Anne Bradstreet. The poem is as follows:

Upon the Burning of Our House

In silent night when rest I took,
For sorrow neer I did not look,
I waken'd was with thundring nois
And Piteous shreiks of dreadfull voice.
That fearfull sound of fire and fire,
Let no man know is my Desire.
I, starting up, the light did spye,
And to my God my heart did cry
To strengthen me in my Distresse
And not to leave me succourlesse.
Then coming out beheld a space,
The flame consume my dwelling place.
And, when I could no longer look,
I blest his Name that gave and took,
That layd my goods now in the dust:
Yea so it was, and so 'twas just.
It was his own: it was not mine;
Far be it that I should repine.

He might of All justly bereft,
But yet sufficient for us left.
When by the Ruines oft I past,
My sorrowing eyes aside did cast,
And here and there the places spye
Where oft I sate, and long did lye.

Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest;
There lay that store I counted best:
My pleasant things in ashes lye,
And them behold no more shall I.
Under thy roof no guest shall sitt,
Nor at thy Table eat a bitt.

No pleasant tale shall 'ere be told,
Nor things recounted done of old.
No Candle 'ere shall shine in Thee,
Nor bridegroom's voice ere heard shall bee.
In silence ever shalt thou lye;
Adieu, Adeiu; All's vanity.

Then streight I gin my heart to chide,
And didst thy wealth on earth abide?
Didst fix thy hope on mouldring dust,
The arm of flesh didst make thy trust?
Raise up thy thoughts above the skye
That dunghill mists away may flie.

Thou hast an house on high erect
Fram'd by that mighty Architect,
With glory richly furnished,
Stands permanent tho' this bee fled.
It's purchased, and paid for too
By him who hath enough to doe.

A Prise so vast as is unknown,
Yet, by his Gift, is made thine own.
Ther's wealth enough, I need no more;
Farewell my Pelf, farewell my Store.
The world no longer let me Love,
My hope and Treasure lyes Above.

The last verses were particularly comforting for me. Many have already rightfully stated that the building that a church is in is less significant than the actual people of God represented. This is certainly true. But it is also right that God should have a dwelling place with His people. What I find very comforting is that God will establish his Kingdom eternally in the new heavens and the new earth. There, no fire can destroy his actual dwelling place.

Come quickly, Lord.

A Major Major Change

After nearly two weeks of prayer, talking with godly friends, and consulting my amazing parents, I have decided to change majors. Currently, I am a business management major and I have nothing against business as a whole, or the professors, or the department. However, I am under conviction that God would have me develop the particular gifts he has given me in the areas of Communication Studies and English.

Its totally crazy, in a sense, that I am switching (as a finishing sophomore) to a double major in two subjects that I am currently not in. But I am really excited about it. Ever since I came to college, I have been longing to develop my reading, writing, and communication skills. I started out in Engineering. I pretty much couldn't get any of these skills in that department (no offense to anyone). Then I switched to business and communication studies minor. This was good for a while. The communication classes became my favorites and I even got some communication skills from my business classes. However, it became clear this semester that I am never really going to be able to write in business classes.

So that brought me to this point. I will probably switch majors tomorrow. I am nervous and excited and happy. I must give a hats off to my parents here. I was able to talk with mom and dad this weekend and they were the most supportive and caring people that I could ever want as parents. They are godly and perfect models of depending on God's sovereingty.

Now all I have to worry about is finishing my business classes this semester...ugghh.