SPECIAL CONCERT & Something else pretty cool!!
Hey just wanted to make everyone aware of a couple of cool things.
First my Buddy Jason Roy, lead singer of Building 429, and I will be doing a special acoustic concert together at the Internet Connection Cafe here in Wilmington, NC on August 8th @ 8pm. So we would love to have as many of you that can come hang out with us as we worship and sing songs about our Great God. The Connection only holds about 100 people so come early.
The other cool opportunity is on Tuesday August 12th @ 7pm @ Overflow, Port City Community Church’s College and 20 somethings ministry, I will be recording 3 live tracks for the new album. So come out to Studio 3 in the new church building for Overflow and be a part of the live recording.
Thanks for all you support and look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events.
Unknown Impact…
As a worship leader I try to study the scriptures and be very well thought out in what I say from the stage. What I have learned in the last few weeks after having conversations with a bunch of random people who have been in the room when I have led worship is, they have been impacted by the random, raw and spirit led things I have said. One of the things I try to do is be as transparent as possible from the stage and let people know, “look I don’t have it all together and I wrestle with my faith and have crappy days just like the rest of you.” What I am learning is that is what people desire. They want to hear someone say, “I understand what you are going through, because I am there too.”
At Overflow the other night I began to weep during my prayer. I tell you that because it shocked me. I have never felt the spirit of God hit me like that and break me in front of a group of people before. Sure I have gotten emotional on stage before but this was different. I had tried to put up a front of everything is okay and at the moment as I began to pray the spirit of God broke me down. My first reaction was to say amen and get off the stage. What happened was God said, “no one is here but you and me and I already know your pain and burdens, so just tell me.” After Overflow a young guy came up to me and asked me if we could pray, and he just laid his hands on me and said, “God I don’t know what to say, I just feel you moving and I ask you to mend Matt’s heart.” After his prayer he said, thanks for being real and open with us. Another guy told me the same thing and at that moment I said God if it takes me being broken to draw other people to brokenness then break me over and over again.
One of those guys sent me an email and told me how he remembered something I said from the stage over a year a half ago and how the scripture I spoke about in Exodus 14 had really helped him in his walk with God. Can I confess something? I had NO IDEA what he was talking about. I had to re-read the scripture. As I read it I remembered how I had written a song called Behind Me and that scripture was where I wrote it from. That passage tell how the Egyptians were chasing the Israelites and how the cloud that had been leading the Israelites in front of them went behind them and blinded the Egyptians from finding them and turned into a pillar of fire to light the Israelite camp and guide them. I don’t even remember what I said about that verse a year and a half ago but whatever it was spoke to this young man.
Then it hit me, as believers our words and actions carry a lot of weight and impact. That is why it is so important to memorize scripture and be rooted and grounded in God. If not you may fly off the handle with bad advice or ungodly wisdom. But when you are rooted in the word and in communion with God and His spirit your words will become a spring of life to a weary soul. They will become strength to someone who is weary and they can bring hope to the one who has none.
You never know how your words may impact someone, I sure didn’t. But I am glad they were Godly words that encouraged and not fleshly words that tore down and turned someone away. Just my random thoughts for the day.
Communion…
So last night we were a part of the first service at our new church building for volunteers. We are a part of Port City Community Church in Wilmington, NC and for the last 8 years our church has been mobile. In the last year or year and a half the church has been building a building to house the ministries of the church. Next Sunday is the first public services in that building, but last night was like a dress rehearsal for the volunteers. It was AMAZING!!! We worshiped through song, Mike, our pastor, shared an amazing talk about the 10 commandments and applied them to volunteers and not losing focus just because we are now in a building. The most amazing part of the night was at the end we took communion as a church. I got to take that time to pray with my wife and then take of the bread and juice that represents the body and blood of Christ. It was an awesome time with God and with my wife as we shared in that act of worship together.
So today I have been thinking a lot about communion. Not just the taking of the bread and juice, but the word communion and how it applies in my life. If you look in Meriam-Webster’s dictionary the third definition of the word communion reads, “intimate fellowship or rapport”. I love this definition. Intimate fellowship, something I think that has really been lacking from my life the last year. Not only intimate fellowship with God, but also with other believers. I admit there have been a lot of times this past year that I have been distant from God, not truly walking with Him or growing in Him. I have not been full out in love with God or His word. So this definition really hit home, but also intimate fellowship with other believers. When we were in Clarksville I didn’t lock in with believers who knew me and would spur me on. Partly because we were gone on the road so much, but also because I didn’t reach out and didn’t feel reached out to as much. Now that we are back in Wilmington around the community of faith that knows us so well and around men of God who know me and all my junk, I see just how much I have needed and have missed intimate fellowship with believers. Thank You God for bringing those men who will challenge me and push me and not let me live in my junk or let me coast in my walk with God. So I am seeing just how important Communion really is.
The 4th definition in Webster’s speaks more to the need for community because that definition says, “a body of Christians having a common faith and discipline”. So good, it is amazing when you are surrounded by a group of people who share a common faith and discipline. Last night as I looked around at all the volunteers and their families, and I saw the staff and this new building, it was amazing to know that everyone there totally believed in what God is doing in their lives and the life of our church. They whole heartedly support the mission to reach people and help them walk with God.
The last thing that has been ringing in my heart since last night is the idea of constant communion with God. It is something Mike has talked about so much, but the idea that we are in constant fellowship and relationship with God. I am so guilty of spending time with God and then forgetting about Him during the day until something comes up were I need him, i.e. the house needs to sell, a bill is due, my daughter is driving me crazy, etc. I need to stay in a constant place of fellowship with God, so when those times come that life seems overwhelming I am locked into the source of peace and strength that helps me overcome and persevere.
So communion so much more than just taking of the bread and juice for me, but how amazing it is to always remember the body that was broken and the blood that was spilled out for all of us. Those are just my thoughts…..
