A Heart of Service

Check out this week's video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lyMs58lTC0&feature=youtube_gdata_player. 

Read John 13:1–17 and then think about these questions: 

• In what ways to we find ourselves entitled in worship arts? (What do we think we deserve?) 
• What should be my motive for serving each week? 
• How do I react when I am treated like a servant? 
• What kind of language or behavior indicates that I may need to work harder at being a servant? 
• How do you as a leader balance creating a serving environment, while still valuing the volunteers that serve with you? 
• Please be praying for this week’s new series, our search for a worship pastor, and for Pastor Brian as he prepares for the message.

Announcements: 

DREAM Conference 

• If you have not e-mailed me that you are available to serve, please do so ASAP. 
• Dream Conf is on March 7^th.  It is all day, but we will be leading in worship at 8:30 & 3:45.
• If you can just make one of the times, let me know.
• We will do a run through at 7:30 that morning. We will cover the 3:45 session at the THUR night practice. 

Time Change

• We will go to three different time clots on March 9^th: 9, 10:30, and 12.
• We will move our 7:15 run-through that week to start at 7:45 in the live venue.
• We will move our typical 8:15 run through in video venue to 8:45.
• Video Venue will only run the 10:30 service initially.

Being Authentic

This week's guest blogger is Kevin Les Callette.

I am a fan of a lot of different styles of music.  If you were to look in my iTunes library you would think I was a bit strange and confused.  In college I took Music Appreciation and that one class stuck!

Have you ever heard a song where the lyrics touched you deeply and you just had to own it, sing it at the top of your lungs and have it move you in a way no other song has?  I have had a few of those and one very recently did that.  It’s the song Let Them See You by the JJWeeks Band.  These are powerful lyrics.   

Here is a small portion:
Take away the melodies
Take away the songs I sing
Take away all the lights
And all the songs You let me write
Does the man I am today
Say the words You need to say?

Let them see You in me
Let them hear You when I speak
Let them feel You when I sing
Let them see You
Let them see You in me 

It comes down to this: being authentic before God and those around us is important in our Christian lives.  It’s also core in our work in Worship Arts.  We have to be seen “authentically” by those coming to worship.  The lost who come to ORBC are looking to see who we are and if we really believe what we sing and worship about. 

In the Book of John we find this passage:

“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” John 4:23-24 MSG 

I recently read this article and it speaks to us as worship arts ministry volunteers.  If you are aspiring to be a leader in worship arts you will want to read this article to go deeper: https://worshipleader.com/authenticity-in-worship/

This article talked more about performing and stepping outside our comfort zones to be who God wants us to be in the moment of worship for the benefit of those viewing us.  The visual gift that we provide can make all the difference to a worshiper. Your role, no matter where in Worship Arts is visible to someone else who attends ORBC.  

We are going to break out by teams (Vocalists, Musicians and Tech) and discuss the following this Thursday:

1. What song have you heard that spoke to you in a way that moved you?
2. How do you prepare in your specific role each week for our services that help you to be “authentic”?

Announcements:

• Worshipplanning 5.0
• Please let me know if you are having any problems with the new software. We are in a testing phase with it and would want to let the manufacturer know.
• DREAM Conference (March 7^th)
• If you were here last year you may remember the Church Conference we did. It is a time where we share with other churches what God is doing here at ORBC and we invest in their leadership and their church.
• If you would like to serve that day, please e-mail me and let me know (ldavis@orbc.net)   

God Sees

I awoke this morning overwhelmed with all that I need to accomplish! Ever been there? I definitely have and my instinct was to jump in and tackle the week right from the get-go…I wasn't sure how I could manage to set aside time to devote to prayer and my quite time this morning. But, thinking about it, I know that first instinct to "get things done" and not prioritize my time with God was wrong.

Check out this week's video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwSF7tCJl6E&feature=youtube_gdata_player 

After praying, meditating, and reading I was reminded of a beautiful word picture from the Old Testament that is made more even alive in the New Testament. I want to share it with you in case you may be feeling the same way now or may face this overwhelming feeling in the future.

Read Genesis 16: 1-15 & John 4: 1-26

Then notice in Genisis 16: 13-14 how the Lord sees. “Beer Lahai Roi means well of the Living One who sees me”

Think about these questions for our devotion this Thursday at practice:

1. What wells do I go to seek the Lord? (Where do I go consistently to hear God?)
2. How often do I open all that I am up to Him? (How real am I with God?)
3. When I imagine how the Lord sees me, how do I feel?
4. What area of my life do I desire the Lord to bring a refreshing cool drink into? (Where do I sense I am struggling the most?)

Can’t wait to hear how the Lord speaks to you this week, see you Thursday night!

Announcements:

• Worshipplanning 5.0
• Just a reminder that we will be activating the new version of our worshipplanning software.
• Guest Worship Leader this week in the Video Venue
• We will be hosting Daniel Hill as a visiting worship leader this week in the video venue. Daniel is coming up for North Carolina and is interesting is seeing if God is connecting his ministry with what is happening here at ORBC.
• DREAM Conference (March 7^th)
• If you were here last year you may remember the Church Conference we did. It is a time where we share with other churches what God is doing here at ORBC and we invest in their leadership and their church.
• If you would like to serve that day, please e-mail me and let me know (ldavis@orbc.net)
• ORBC Membership Covenant
• If you have not yet signed the annual covenant follow the links below.
• State of the Church Message: http://cpmassets.com/video.php?video=831&site=335.
• Sign the Covenant: https://orbc.ccbchurch.com/form_response.php?id=405