This next year, who knows what God is going to do spiritually in people’s hearts, but we already are seeing His work in ladies’ wombs: my wife is pregnant with our first (yay!) and our close friends, Brad and Hope, are expecting as well (our due dates are a week apart – that’s a tight Home Group)!

Our worship director (Pablo) texted me over Thanksgiving and asked what was up with the simultaneous and sudden pregnancies. I sent him back this verse:

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 1:28

and told him we were just obeying Scripture.

1 Timothy 3:1-7

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

These are, in short, the Biblical qualifications for an overseer/elder/pastor (interchangeable terms). There are others as well, including Titus 1, but for our purposes, these work. The main reasons why a pastor is a pastor is not because he is a great teacher, a great shepherd, an incredible preacher, or an awesome leader. The main reason why a pastor becomes a pastor is because he is a great follower of Christ.

As an example, let me examine my own life. Now, do I, as pastor of Harmony Church, fit all of the above qualifications at all times in my life? Bluntly and plainly, no. Ask my wife how often I’m quarrelsome, gentle, or sober-minded. But then ask her how much I, since becoming a Christ-follower, have grown in all of the areas. My life is visibly and radically conforming to the life of Jesus over time. This is sanctification, which is a sure sign of salvation. In addition to this, Christ has gifted me by His Spirit in leadership & teaching in order to lead others to do the same. In short, those two qualifications (visible conformity to the life of Christ and leadership/teaching abilities), are what qualifies a pastor. If either is lacking in a man, whether it’s leadership/teaching ability or visible conformity to the life of Christ, then that man is not to be a pastor.

In the case of the fallen pastor, there’s a major “dip” in the trajectory of his life with regards to the qualifications listed in Scripture. This major dip (whether it’s an affair, stealing money, etc.) calls into question at least 2 qualifications: the qualification broken and the “above reproach” qualification. Depending on the sin, there may be other qualifications severely hampered as well (outsider reputation, etc.) The reputation of the person with regards to others is huge in any ministerial role (see Acts 6:3 for deacons being men of “good repute”). Once a pastor has been a pastor, and has publicly sinned to the point of disqualification from the pastoral role, his reputation is blemished for the rest of his life. That blemish on the reputation, in my interpretation of Scripture’s high view of ministry leaders, is enough to disqualify him from leadership for the rest of his life.

Now for the objections:

What about Matthew 18:15-20? Shouldn’t he be restored?

A pastor who has fallen should absolutely be restored, if possible, to right relationship with Christ and His Church, in accordance with Matthew 18 (and other texts [Galatians 6, eg]).  This passage of Scripture does not refer to leadership within the Church. Leadership in the church is privilege/honor even after one accepts Christ. Fellowship with the church is a right because one has accepted Christ. This section of Scripture is the basis of church discipline for restoring individuals (regardless of role) back into relationship with the Church community. It does not refer to leadership roles. Don’t take it (or any other ‘restoration’ verses) out of context.

What about all sins being equal? Derek, if you struggle with pride or stumble with being gentle, doesn’t that disqualify you the same way that an affair does?

Well, I certainly hope not. When we talk about sins being equal, we talk about in respect to their rebellion with regards to God’s character. All sins offend Him equally. But not all sins have equal consequences. For instance, premarital sex resulting in a child has a larger consequence than lying to your mother. They are both sins with respect to God, but one has a lifelong consequence whereas the other is easily forgiven and forgotten. Sins that publicly and blatantly break the qualifications to be an elder have more severe consequences than “stumbling” sins do. And rightfully so. But I definitely affirm that they are equally as revolting to the character of God.

What about St. Pete? Didn’t he sin against Christ and then was restored to leadership?

Sort of. I honestly don’t think Peter was a Christian when he denied Christ 3 times. After all, the Cross and Resurrection hadn’t even happened yet. And Peter definitely still had questions about the identity of Christ with regards to redemptive history. In addition to all that, would you really be willing to say that Peter was the leader/pastor of the disciples when he denied Christ…considering Christ was walking on earth? If so, what do you think about the “digs” at Peter by John in his Gospel? But that’s another topic…heh.

Any other questions/comments I will address below.

And although moving to Tipsy is an amazing prospect, it sadly means that we have to leave Unk’s, our beloved home for over a year now. And we have an awesome situation at Unk’s: we meet there for free, use their equipment, enjoy the staff, and it’s central to the campus neighborhood. So why are we moving? Here are some reasons:

• Removing a Stumbling Block: Even though we are not concerned with the ‘bar-taurant’ atmosphere of Unk’s, some people are. Some people looking for Jesus are. And that’s an issue. We want to remove any obstacles that could be hindering religious people, families, underage searchers, and anyone else from hearing the Gospel about Jesus. Sadly, this means leaving Unk’s for a more ‘general’ and politically correct meeting place (though Tipsy serves alcoholic beverages as well, the atmosphere is not bar-ish).

• More Space: On one hand, we in essence have more space. We will eventually be using one half of Tipsy (it’s divided by double doors) for our gathering, and the other half for children’s ministry. We’re not sure of the details yet, but we do know that the children will spend a large portion of time with the adults in gathering. The space that Tipsy provides will be beneficial in teaching kids the Gospel on a level that they can understand, in the midst of a community that they both love and are loved by. This is vitally important to the inter-generational vision of Harmony.

• Less Space: The seating capacity for Unk’s is one of the largest for a restaurant in the city (295). On Sunday mornings, one can feel really distant from others, simply because of the cavernous open room of Unk’s. Tipsy is setup narrow and long (think storefront) instead of Unk’s wide and shallow (think full music venue).  This does two things: it draws the church closer together at least physically, and fills the room with more energy, which will hopefully bring a constant energetic ‘vibe’ at Harmony.

• Location, Location, Location: Tipsy, as I said earlier, is grand central for Uptown culture. There is no other music venue like it. All the others are bars that happen to host bands. The creatives of Greenville gather regularly at Tipsy. They work there. There are people from different backgrounds/religions/lifestyle calling Tipsy their ‘third place’. So we’re going to incarnate there and hopefully tell them the Gospel. It is the “Union Station” for Uptown Greenville. And we’re calling it home base for the missio dei.

• We Have to Grow Up a Bit: The thing about meeting somewhere for free is this: you can get spoiled very quickly. It’s like living with your parents for the first 17 years of your life. It’s time for Harmony to get an apartment. We’re not buying a house. Or moving to a loft in Manhattan. We’re just getting to know what the real world is like, so to speak. We’re becoming a responsible church. Which is healthy, and will bring us together as a community, with one mission and one focus: using our resources in order to further the Gospel.

These are just a few of the very, very many reasons that we’re moving. Would you commit to pray with us about this endeavor? I’ve challenged the church that whenever the Spirit leads you to pray more, to in that instant pray for the move to Tipsy. Would you do the same? Also, do you want to give your time/resources to the move and ‘relaunch’ of Harmony? E-mail me at derek-at-harmonydc.com or give online at HarmonyGreenville.com

Matthew 16:18c

“the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (the Church that God builds)”

Here’s the question that immediately arose in my head: are gates offensive weapons? No. Do they promote advancing? By no means. They are stagnant, stationary objects. Gates are immobile, defensive measures taken to protect from an invading & advancing force. For so long, I’ve thought of this verse as saying that as hell attacks the church, the church will not be overcome. In fact, that’s how some Bible translations approach this text. But I like the ESV’s translation better. And here’s why: The gates in this text are of hell…which means that the invading/advancing force is the Church of God. The Church is on offense in this text from the lips of Jesus.

The problem is, so often we confuse the two sides…which drastically affects the way we play the game. Let us remember that the Church is on the offense! We, not the enemy, are the advancing movement to be reckoned with!

What if we were the Church like Adrian Peterson is a running back? Relentless, letting no one hold him back from the goal. Watch this play from Week One of the 2009 NFL season and then think about what would happen if the Church ran like AP: eyes on the Goal and letting no enemy get in the way.

Here’s the music set from this past Sunday (of course, each song is done ‘Harmony style’, a little bit different than how the videos present them):

Psalm 13 by Shane and Shane (link)

In Christ Alone by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend (link)

Come Thou Fount by Robert Robinson (link)

Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United (link)

Mystery by Charlie Hall (link)

Also, Pablo Mazariegos, Harmony’s worship leader, is organizing a cookout/hangout for anyone interested in influencing/establishing the music culture at Harmony. This includes the following:

• Musicians
  
• Live Sound Engineers
  
• Powerpoint Techs
• Songwriters
• Recording Engineers

If you’re interested, the details are on the big orange picture above. E-mail worship@harmonydc.com for questions or directions to the Proctor residence.

]]> http://www.desertfather.com/2009/07/20/sunday-recap-and-music-monday/feed/ 0 http://www.desertfather.com/2009/07/14/planting-bands/ http://www.desertfather.com/2009/07/14/planting-bands/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:45:30 +0000 Derek http://www.desertfather.com/?p=882

At Harmony, everything is pregnant. Our church is pregnant with a new baby church that will come out soon. Each Home Group is pregnant with another baby Home Group that will come out soon. Every believer at Harmony is pregnant with reproducing themselves. And we see bands as no different.

Our God is in the business of growth by multiplication, not just swelling. The way this applies to worship is the way we approach the band. Many times, when musicians come into the church, we incorporate them on a rotation. While this is inclusive of everyone, we feel that there may be another way to do this that will result in a better environment of worship during our gatherings. We see multiple bands leading us in worship; this is different than a “worship team”.

The primary difference is that in a worship team, the thing in rotation is the individual musician. One Sunday, the leader will have one set of musicians, and the next Sunday there may be a couple different musicians. In a multiple band scenario, the thing in rotation is the community of musicians. The same 4/5/6/7 musicians are playing together every single time they play, including the worship leader.  This leads to greater band cohesion, and therefore, greater musical quality. It also allows for a varying of styles, which allows for an appeal to a larger audience over time.  I believe that there should be one “pastor”/elder over the many different bands to ensure theological, ecclesiological, and missiological continuity. Every band should be worshiping the same God, focusing on the same mission, and together on church issues. But style and liturgy are open-handed issues.

We’re still trying to work out the details, but the end goal is somewhat less blurry: we want to see multiple bands, each with a different style and same mission, playing in a rotation that lead the Harmony community in worship of a Holy God.

Thoughts? Questions?

Help me wrestle this out.

Last night I had the odd experience of being in two different environments. The first was Day Seven, an event put on by 6:22 Ministries here in Greenville. It was a rally of Christians to worship Jesus, pray for our city, and to unite people from all different churches. On that front, it was a great success. 

The second environment was something completely different. It was a concert at the Backdoor Skate Park in Greenville. Our friends, Ironsides and the Gospel Years, invited us out (they really just needed our equipment) to run sound for them. We got in free, and helped switch bands on and off stage. In between, we enjoyed some awesome music, and got to meet different people. 

Why I am writing this post? For one reason only: Harmony, I do not want us to  preach, discuss, and sing about redeeming our city and reaching the lost….and then never do it. We are called to be missionaries to our culture. And that means that sometimes we have to leave the rallies and hang out with the lost. There’s a time and place for both. And both are vitally important. Unification in the church is instrumental to redeeming a city.

But here’s the thing: it’s so easy to get really excited about Jesus saving our city that we neglect the footwork Jesus requires us to do in order to accomplish His act of redemption. Right after Day Seven on Friday night, I’m sure many turned their eyes/hearts/minds to church on Sunday, or even the next big 6:22 Ministries’ event in the fall, Worshipfest. We immediately focus our attention to the next Christian rally instead of the lost and dying city at our doorstep.

And here’s what’s happening as we do that: our mouths are singing for the walls to come down as our hands begin to lay bricks. 

Harmony Church, I want us to realize that when we talk about redeeming our city or seeking the lost, that it’s not just empty words. I really mean what I preach: Jesus will redeem our city. And it will happen in our lifetime, I’m praying. A city that loves Jesus is not a pipe dream or unattainable vision. I want us to rally around the Cross, and then go forth into the city and culture with the Gospel of Christ’s atoning death and conquering resurrection. When I talk about saving the city, I’m not kidding. I’m for real. Let’s pray like it depaends on God, and work like it depends on us. Read your Bibles. Meet your neighbors. Say hey to strangers. Hit your knees in prayer. Sing praise in the shower. But above all, keep the Cross central, and realize that we are here to do business. We are not playing around.

This is not a game.

This weekend at Harmony, we are taking a break from John (again…we’re in no rush), and addressing something that is vitally important in a church plant: the idea of missional living. We’ve yet to address it directly from stage, and I think it’s past time to do so. I’m pretty excited about this series, to say the least. Here’s the four topics we will be covering:

1. The Mixed Multitude (This Weekend!): Who is around you, and why?
2. Gospel-Centered Hospitality (May 3rd):  Justin Boulmay will be teaching this week on welcoming strangers in the name of Jesus without being overly ‘preachy’ or seeing people as projects. 
3. A Sent People (May 17th): Why are we supposed to live missionally? Who said? I’ll give you a hint: He’s the man-in-charge. We will start to address what it looks like to be a community on mission this week.
4. Seek the Welfare of the City (May 24th): This is taking the community on mission past just the theological area (which is important), but it starts to address practical areas; like social justice issues, like being in the city for the good of the city, etc.

Sidenote: You’ll notice that May 10th is missing. That’s because last year, we started a tradition that I personally enjoyed. We will not have church on Mother’s Day. Husbands/sons, do something wonderful for your wife/mom this year. My wife and I are headed out of town somewhere. By the way, fathers, you are expected to bring your family to church on Father’s Day. Man up and stop whining. Ladies are precious…but men, you’re called to be a strong leader, like an ox (1 Timothy 5:18).

I’m so excited! You need to be here if you’re involved in Harmony. If you want, you can go ahead and take a sneak peek at the Sermon Guide I’m able to provide for the series:

Download Sent Sermon Guide here.

You’re welcome.

Since mainly Christians read my blog, I’ll start out with this challenging question:

How many non-Christians do you regularly hang out with?

Think about it. If we are to call ourselves missionaries, we are to be actively engaged with non-believers. With people who are adverse or agnostic towards Christ and His bride. Harmony Church will not grow because of events and newspaper articles. People will enter the Kingdom of God because of one-on-one relationship building and interactions.

I will be teaching on missional living this coming Sunday, as we have just wrapped up a 2-chapter stint through John 5/6. What does it look like for the “normal” worshipper of God to be in the world, not of it, and shining the light of Jesus? Your everyday, mundane lifestyle becomes not-so-everyday and not-so-mundane after accepting Jesus. You now believe that, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, you should do everything to the glory of God: including your coffee breaks, grocery-store trips, gym visits, and springtime cookouts.

The weather is perfect outside. Invite neighbors and friends over for a cookout on the weekend. And not just the same ol’ 5/6 friends. Invite some new ones. Make some new friends in your neighborhood and in your everyday path. The gentleman I’m sitting next to in the picture above is a band member of the Ethnographers (link). I’ve known Ian for quite some time. I used to visit a coffeehouse (Port City Java) every single day, and spend time there getting to know the baristas, and he was one of them. And I could tell the influence after we talked prior to and during the Block Party. He was intrigued by Harmony…and therefore at least open to Christ and His Bride. Whether receptive or not is up to Jesus. But we are in the business of tearing down cultural barriers between Jesus and people. Everything else is up to Him.

More on Sunday.