I Have Decided- The Story Behind the Song

This Sunday we will finish the series “More Than Just A Song.” I wanted to spend a moment looking at the story behind the song “I Have Decided To Follow Jesus.”

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In the late 1800’s, revival swept England and many missionaries flocked to India to spread the Gospel.

A husband, wife, and two children were converted thanks to the efforts of one of these missionaries.  The village decided to make an example out of this newly converted family and arrested them, demanding them to renounce Christianity. The deal was for the father to renounce Jesus, or see have his family murdered in front of him.

He responded and said, “I have decided to follow Jesus, and there is no turning back.”  He then watched his children executed.  He then declared, “The world can be behind me, for the cross is before me!”  The man’s wife was then murdered.  The man was then executed while saying, “Though no one is here to go with me, still I will follow Jesus.” 

News spread through India and it was heard by Sadhu Singh, and Indian Evangelist.  Sadhu was told that since the execution of the first converts, those who had killed the family had since come to faith in Jesus and revival had spread through the village.  Sadhu took the last words of the martyr and put them to music of traditional Indian melodies.

Some time later American missionaries brought the song home with them, and George Beverley Shea reworked it as an English hymn that was used in many Billy Graham revivals.

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We need to remember it as more than a pretty melody, more than a fond memory- but as a declaration that despite what this world may throw at us, we will follow Jesus.  No turning back.

Come join us Sunday as we look at what true obedience looks like. #morethanjustasong

Worship as a Guitarist.

Hi Velocity, my name is Collin! Some of you may already know me, some of you may not, but you may have noticed  a big guy playing guitar  on stage for the past couple of months, thats me! I haven't been there in a while (health stuff no biggy!) but I'll be back soon! Here is a little bit about myself, Im 20 years old. I've helped with many churches and worship teams in the past serving on various ministry teams. I am from Anderson SC born and raised! I have a lovely girlfriend named Tyler, she is awesome and supports me in my music endeavors and more importantly my walk with Christ. I am going to school to be a history teacher, my grammar and typing may be terrible but I love history! Enough about me!

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So there has been many times when I have been asked “why does worship music need guitars” or “why do you need to be playing your guitar so loud” or “why do you do “solos” on sunday mornings“? To answer this I pretty much need to start with the basics of what I believe it means to worship.

Worship to me is more than a song, its more than meeting on a sunday morning, it is a life style. So when I think of my worship put into music, I always think of Psalm 86: 9-10

All the nations you made are on their way, ready to give honor to you, O Lord, Ready to put your beauty on display,  parading your greatness, And the great things you do – God, you’re the one, there’s no one but you!”

I get so excited reading that. When playing my guitar all I want to do is exalt him, I want to be able to give my all musically and spiritually and with saying that I  have to be aware that on sunday mornings I am leading others in worship and not just myself. This calls for a readjustment.

When In public worship people can feel pretty out of place and reserved. To break that barrier an atmosphere needs to be set, a “mood” if you will. I would say that our worship pastor Josh does an awesome job at picking songs that set an atmosphere and exalt God. As a servant to God under Josh’s leadership I feel that I should do everything I can to make this “mood” or atmosphere be enriched. I use the guitar as a tool to push that atmosphere. Much time, effort, and prayer goes into finding out what will set that atmosphere and for lack of better words what will tug on your heart strings. We want the music to be something that will soften hearts and help welcome the Holy Spirit and help you take in the words being sung and the message being given. As a guitarist I want to be an atmosphere setter, a door opener for those who may feel uncomfortable in that setting and I also want to help set the atmosphere of joy when singing to God!

Its an honor and blessing to spend so much time worshiping with you Velocity! I look forward to being back with you soon!

Worshipping The Worship

In churches all across America (and the world), there are worship leaders getting people to sing along as one voice.  Some churches have great production value, some don’t.  Some have huge choirs and organs, some don’t.  Some churches teach the idea that singing the songs is just a part, and that it is all a part of giving God the glory.  And some don’t.

Praising God in the Storms

We all go through the downs of life.  Those moments when the sun seems to not cast any light our way.  We know we are supposed to praise God in the good and the bad, but when we find ourselves in the valley, it can be difficult to remember how. 

Some people tell you to look at the good in the bad, that there is a silver lining.  Some people tell you to just praise out of obedience.  Some people, like Job’s friends, tell you that the bad is your fault and you should repent.

Three years ago, my cousin Brian was killed. It was and is the darkest thing the Holmes family has known. We all miss Brian each and every day- from the drumming sounds he would make with his mouth, to signing his name on cards as Brian E Holmes, to that time he ate a gigantic candy bar at Christmas because he was so hungry he couldn’t wait.  I am so excited for the day I get to see him again.

It is hard to see the good there, I will be perfectly honest.  But I am not sure that praising God has anything to do with the circumstances. Maybe, just maybe, praising God in the bad times is more of a “God, you are still on the throne.  I don’t understand what is happening, or why it happened. If I had my way it wouldn’t have happened like this, but I know that You are God and I am not.”

I’m not going to tell you to try to see the good in the situation you are in because sometimes you can’t see it.  Sometimes the good isn’t there yet.  The only reason I am back home in Greenville is because of a job not working out.  It was hard to see the good then, but now- I know that God had a plan all along.

 Don’t look for the good.  Look for God. 

Worship As Community

We have talked mostly about worship in song or lifestyle. But let’s chat about community.

This past week I saw this idea lived out.  The group of missionaries I spent time with- about 100-150 people, worshipped not simply by singing, but by being a community.

What Is Worship As Community

People need community.  Having people surrounding you to help lift you up when you need lifting, make you laugh when you want to cry, to cry with you when you do cry, to help take care of each other.  Being Jesus to one another.

When we view the people around us and look at their needs and how we can meet them, we form a community.  When we do that with Jesus as our center- we worship Him by doing what He asked.

In Acts we see the church being more than just a building, more than just a group of people- but a community focused on telling others about Jesus and meeting the needs of those around them.

At the conference this past week, I got the chance to sit down and talk with people.  People who just needed an ear to listen to some of their problems, and to encourage them to keep trusting.  There was one group I want to talk about specifically though.  The Journeymen.

The Journeyman program is a two year program for young adults with a college degree to serve overseas.  They are spread all over the world.  But this group of people had such a tight knit relationship.  It was honestly a little hard for me to “break in” with them, but when I did I think they blessed me more than I blessed them!

These guys prayed for each other constantly, many of them only saw each other every two years at the conference (like a lot of the missionaries).  So when they did get together, they held tight.  Every time you saw one- you saw four. They did life together, even if that life was thousands of miles away (there is one team in Paris) from one another.

When you worship by being part of a Jesus focused community- you have people who have your back.  Who will listen when you call, who will help you when you fall. Because you are more than just people- you are family. I love that every missionary kid called me “Uncle Josh” this week.  Because to these kids- we are all family!

Worship as community is not going to church.  It is not “checking off the attendance box”.  It is getting your hands dirty, being involved, helping to raise up future leaders while being poured into by the leaders of yesterday.

 Community is not about you or me, but it is about us.

Being a part of a community is not so that you can get your needs met or so I can get mine met.  It is so we aren’t alone.  Don’t think of it as “what can I get from them” but more of “what can I do for them”.  if we all have that mentality then every need will get met selflessly and whole heartedly.

At Velocity– we want to build a community, not a roster.  If you are interested in being part of our community, or if you need someone to talk to- please email us.  We have small groups that you can plug yourself into, volunteer positions to help get plugged in, and people that want to do life along side of you.

Are you worshipping by being a part of a community?

 

Why Do We Sing In Our Worship Services?

This post is written by Meagan Kestner, one of the members of Velocity Worship, as well as the Brown Family Ministries.  She is married to Caleb, and they have a dog named Lexi.

I like the way Gary Panell answers this question:

A person who is filled with the Holy Spirit can’t help but sing, this is what Ephesians 5:18-19 says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Why do we sing in our services?

Singing is one of the most common responses people had when they became filled with the Holy Spirit.

Why is it so emotional?

Over the years musical worship has taken many trends. Today a person—not supporting the Christian faith would look at a group of Christians worshipping and think,

​Are they drunk?

A similar situation happened back when the people first encountered the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:13 “Others joked, “They’re drunk on cheap wine”

That’s when Peter stood up, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency . . . they haven’t had time to get drunk – it’s only nine o clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen.:
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In the Last Days, God says,
​I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people.

When you become filled with the Holy Spirit our thoughts and actions all become completely centered on bringing praise to God. It can be very emotional at times, and other times not. The danger we face now is trying to chase down an experience with the Holy Spirit rather than worshipping to bring God glory.

Just some thoughts.

The Myths of Freedom

Do you feel the freedom of Christ? Or do you feel a set of rules you have to follow in order to find favor?

I want to discuss a few myths i have seen when it comes to freedom in Christ.

Myth Number One: You Can Earn God’s Favor/ Love

There is a myth out there that believes that you have to follow the rules and laws of God to earn His favor. Let me just put this out there- you cannot earn God’s favor.  Nothing you do can make God love you any less or any more.

When you love God and understand God’s love for you- you want to obey His laws.  Not because it will help you find favor, but because just like in a relationship- you care.  I buy my wife flowers- not because it will buy me points with her, but because it will make her happy. I clean around the house to make her happy.  Knowing that nothing our love is not tied to what we do for each other, but what we do for each other is an outpour of our love.

Simply being a good person doesn’t mean anything to God.  He doesn’t want you to be a good person- He wants you to love Him and let Him transform your heart by realizing the sacrifice Jesus made for you and letting the Holy Spirit work in and lead your life

You can’t earn God’s love.  Because He loves you regardless.

Myth Number Two: The Laws Don’t Matter Anymore

This many times because a knee-jerk reaction to Myth Number one- the idea that if you can’t earn God’s favor, why bother with the laws at all.  But that’s not what we are taught by Jesus.  Matthew 5:17 says:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Jesus came to pay the penalty for our sin.  That doesn’t give us a free pass to do whatever we want- but it means that (going to my previous myth) we obey the law because we love God, not so that we love God.

Myth Number Three: Christian Freedom Means Not Having Fun

This is held by many non-Christians. Somehow this belief has come around that if a Christian is going to be a “good Christian”- they can’t have fun.  Let me say this plainly- Christian Freedom does not mean leaving fun. God created everything.  Including laughter.  God enjoys a good joke, and wants His children to enjoy life.  But– He doesn’t want us to enjoy life so much that we forget that this world is not our home- or to find our fun in worldly things that go against the laws that God has laid out for us.

Christian Freedom means having a good time in life, while keeping our priority on our first, True love- Jesus.  When Jesus is our priority, we can have fun.  We will find joy in the things He finds joy in. Humor in the things He finds humor in. We have fun in what He has fun in. This world is not our home, but God does not want us to go through life on earth, the life He created on the earth He created- with our heads down and ignoring every blessing He created.

God created the sunrise for our enjoyment.  He created the laughter of a baby in order to bring a smile to our faces.  He created laughter! Why would He not want us to laugh?  He created fun! So why would He not want us to have fun?

 

Freedom in Christ means so much more than obeying rules, or only holding to the fact that God loves us regardless.  Finding Freedom in Christ means learning what God created us for, what He wants for us, and that while His love never diminishes, if we love Him we will want to please Him.

 

The Danger of Worship (Part Two)

Yesterday we talked about the danger of giving your worship away to someone not deserving of it.  Today, I want to discuss the danger of what happens we we truly give everything we have in reckless abandonment to the One who created us.

Because when you give your all to something, you don’t stay the same.  It consumes you.  We have talked before about how worship is an all encompassing lifestyle, but it doesn’t start that way right away.

If you are wanting to stay the same, then you don’t want anything to do with Jesus or worshipping Him.  Because everything Jesus touches changes. Look at Saul, a man who was killing and inprisoning Christians met Jesus on a road, received a new name and became someone who wrote much of the New Testament! Saul/Paul made a radical transformation.

Jesus isn’t for the content.  He isn’t for the comfortable.  Because if you meet Him, you won’t stay there for long.

When I (Josh) was growing up, I had no musical ability other than a natural ability to sing somewhat.  Not enough to do anything with it, I could just carry a tune. I was shy and quiet. I gave my life to ministry, and things began to change.  I learned how to play guitar with no lessons and within a year I was writing at least a song a day.  I have become very outgoing- actually switching from fairly introverted to fairly extroverted on personality tests!  Jesus changed me.  Nothing about this is because of me.

Worship, telling Jesus that all we have is His, is dangerous. We are essentially giving Jesus a key to our heart and a sledgehammer and saying “Go to town.”  He might just knock down a wall or two, or He may rip down everything so that something that reflects His glory will be built back up.

I heard somewhere that if a person can be talked out of following Jesus, then they should be.

Because what Jesus requires is not a half-hearted effort, but an all-in, everything you got, leaving it all on the table effort.

You wouldn’t buy a car if the dealer said “well there is a 50/50 chance that the car will turn on.”  You wouldn’t eat a chicken that you only half cooked.  The same way- Jesus doesn’t want a Christian who only gives 50%.  

Worship is dangerous, because Jesus wants everything you have. But those who give him everything- never look back. Worship is dangerous, but a danger worth accepting.

The Danger of Worship (Part One)

wor·ship

 noun \ˈwər-shəp also ˈwȯr-\

: the act of showing respect and love for a god especially by praying with other people who believe in the same god : the act of worshipping God or a god

: excessive admiration for someone

Two definitions.  One word.  One definition shows the act of giving glory to God.  One definition takes the glory due to God and gives it to someone else.  We say that we only worship the true God, but then reality shows about people with no discernible reason for being famous other than because they are famous receive huge ratings.

This post is not a “stop watching TV and movies” type of post.  What it is, however, is a warning of the dangers of getting this word “worship” confused.   

Worship Beyond Song

When I, as a minister, say the word “Worship”- our minds trigger a vision of singing praises.  We know in our mind that worship is more than songs sung on Sunday. Many worship leaders, such as myself, even like to use the term “lifestyle worshipers”. When asked to define this term- we say “it is when someone worships God with more than song, but with their life”.

But what does this entail?  How does someone become a “lifestyle worshiper”?  What exactly is worship?

Matt Chandler says,

The root of Christian worship, then, is acknowledging, submittting to, and enjoying the supremecy of God’s glory.  In all things.

Worship is enjoying something at a high respect, at its essence.  We have a choice- we can worship really whatever we like.  From sports teams, to superheros, to celebrities, to “celebrities” that we aren’t sure how they became celebrities, to technology, to social media, to food, to music and bands, to anything where enjoyment can be had.

And so, as Christians, we have an opportunity to worship, to enjoy and submit to, the glory of God.  This can be done in song, yes.  But in our daily life- how do we apply this?

By enjoying the life that God gave us.  And in that enjoyment- acknowledge the fact that this was not given to us so that we would fill a void in God’s heart.  Acknowledge God’s grace in every day occurances. Even to the seemingly mundane like the fact that color exists- give God glory!

When we take our worship beyond songs sung on Sunday morning, beyond a genre of music, we will truly begin to experience what it means to worship God.