Friberg's Friday Favorite

Owl City hit this nation by storm a couple of months ago. The album is not a worship project; however, check out Meteor Shower. I think it could be a great worship song.

All Because Of Jesus

There are a number of "good" reasons why people have a difficult time worshiping God (family, jobs, friends, money, etc.). What is the answer? Freedom in worship can only happen when a person is justified by God through the sanctification of Jesus Christ.

Here is a quick nugget on how we are sanctified:

Adam and Eve were created perfect. They were spotless and holy before God. However, when they chose to disobey Him, they (and the rest of us) were separated from God (Romans 5:19). We needed a Savior, or as Sally Lloyd-Jones puts it, a Rescuer (The Jesus Storybook Bible).

Jesus came to the earth and lived the perfect life. He knew that He was "our Rescuer" and our path to God. He endured the cross and paid the final price for all of us to come to Him (Isaiah 53:7). Because Jesus did not sin, He only needed to offer Himself once for all the sins of mankind (Hebrews 10:10).

When God looks at us, He sees His Son. That is sanctification. There is no need for guilt or condemnation. God does not see our humanity. Again, He sees Jesus. Because of what Jesus did, we can come to the throne of God and confidently worship Him (Hebrews 4:16).

Wednesday's Brian Teaser

How many common words of four letters or more can you make from the letters in the following word? (You may use each letter only once for each word you use)

CACTUS

In your answer, include the words (don't just guess a number). You may include CACTUS as one of your answers. Prize to the winner!

180 in 40

This Sunday will be an important service for our church. Pastor Steve is going to challenge the church to make some big decisions. These choices will be implemented throughout the season of Lent.

Many people typically choose to give something up for Lent. It might be a favorite food, television, the movie theater, or something technology related. At Westwood, individuals will use this season to make a positive move - a 180 degree change in 40 days.

What can a person do? This last month, Pastor Steve gave presented some ideas:
1. A person can show love to people outside their circle.
2. A person can release some type of resource to a worthy cause.
3. One can invest in the spiritual development of his or her family.
4. An individual can make deeper connections with God.
5. A person can mentor other Christ-followers.
6. Someone could share their faith with a neighbor, co-worker, or family member.

We've been praying for weeks that God will prepare the hearts of everyone attending Sunday's services, and that the Holy Spirit will guide us all to make the changes that He desires for each of us. Ultimately, God will be honored and many people will make choices that bring Him glory!

Sweet Drums

Steve G. is the son-in-law of one of Westwood's Overseers (Ron H.). He is pretty amazing! Check him out!



(HT: Bryan McWhite)

A Future Leader

Yesterday, I had another opportunity to work in the tech booth. I enjoyed the interaction with Charlie, Jim, and Peter. I also had a tremendous time with the light board. I am constantly amazed at the different light scenes and moods that can be created.

As for the worship team, I thought Mitchell did a great job leading the church in worship. To those of you who do not know Mitchell, he leads the youth worship band every week. He plays guitar (and sings) with me about once a month. He also recently graduated from Le Cordon Bleu. If you need something catered, Mitchell is a fabulous cook!

Mitchell displayed some traits that make up a great leader. Here some of his highlights from yesterday:
1. He ran a solid rehearsal. He did not go over time. He made sure everyone on the team was comfortable with each song.
2. He welcomed feedback from me. It can be difficult for young leaders to receive instruction from an "older" person. A sign of a great leader is the ability to continue learning and receiving instruction.
3. He had a solid set list. He welcomed the church with an appropriate hymn (great harmonies by the vocals - Angela, Brian, Emily, and Kate), was nicely supported by the rest of the band (Ken, Joe, Maureen, Josh, Juilie, and Matt), and allowed for a blend of praise, meditation, and worship songs.
4. I believe Mitchell broke a string in the second service. Once he heard that his guitar was out of tune, he immediately stopped playing his guitar, yet continued to lead the church in worship as if nothing happened.
5. Finally, his passion for Christ was evident throughout the worship service. A leader can have all the natural gifts in the world; however, if they do not love God, it means nothing.

Mitchell's heart for Christ is outstanding and I look forward to more amazing services with him leading!