"Almost Like Being There..."

Check out the incredible resources and video clips from the Willow Creek Arts Conference. It's like being right there (without thruway fast food, four tanks of gas, Chicago rush hour or the endless state of Ohio). Enjoy!

http://2007artsconferenceblog.blogspot.com

“What’s Right With Willow Creek…”

Tonight marks the finish line of an intense six day marathon, yet I feel more energized now than before the race began. Doesn’t sound quite right, does it? But it’s true -

…After driving 1470 miles for 25+ hours in a van packed with 6 people who now know each other WAYYY too well…
…After three days at the Willow Creek Arts Conference being drenched with wave after wave of provocative teaching, inspiring worship, practical, idea-packed seminars, and breathtakingly creative music, media and drama…
…After returning home just in time to gear up for an unforgettable weekend of Father’s Day worship services…

Here I am on the other side of the finish line – full, refreshed, re-invigorated. And I believe the same is true for each leader on our team who made the trip to the arts conference. Our spiritual, emotional, relational, and ministry cups are full. The long-term kind of “full” that will impact our lives and ministries for months to come.

“Hallelujah – What’s Right With the World” was the conference theme this year, and the best part about being there to fuel up, and coming home to get back to work, is the thought that kept running through my mind throughout this marathon. It was this: “Hallelujah – What’s Right With CROSSWINDS.” I got to be reminded one more time of who we are as a church and worship arts ministry, how far we have come, and how hopeful our future looks. I am enormously grateful to serve alongside our incredible volunteers and worship arts staff – each one a key member of my own personal Dream Team. It was great to get away. It is even better to be back home.

"Our Stories"

Our fantastic volunteers work hard to plan, prepare and lead the Crosswinds family in worship each weekend - all of them with joy, laughter, energy and enthusiasm. But as much fun as it is seeing our teams hard at work together, it's even more inspiring (and humbling) to hear first hand about the work that God is up to in the lives of his people. Take a minute or two and you'll see what I mean. Here are some more "Our Stories" as told by the people living life in the thick of God's love...

"God has always been in my life in ways I didn’t even know he was working. He brought me to Crosswinds to be able to share his faith and mine with others."

"God has come into my life so very recently He has helped heal a empty heart and given me hope and a future with Him and me. This church has been an incredible journey bringing me to God."

"My story revolves around how blessed I am because of the great family God has given me. All 5 of us have warts and are damaged units, but God loves us right where we are! Thanks God for my beautiful wife and my wonderful sons."

"My story is God has blessed me with daughters who have just turned 13 years old and I can’t wait to watch what God has planned for them!"

"What God has done in my life is helping me get through tough times and helped me in getting through death in my family and letting me know they are ok. Life goes on. Family is a very important part of my life and coming to Crosswinds has helped me in loving life and respecting life as it is, and not overlooking the little things but living and not mourning anything – not taking things for granted and just living."

"Finding Crosswinds or Crosswinds finding us has brought our family closer to Him and each other."

"God answered my prayers for my husband, he was an alcoholic – he has been sober for 15 years – thankfully – God helped me to love him and our marriage survived… and now I pray that he will be saved – I know God is working toward that end. Praise Him."

"What God is doing in my life is strengthening my faith to depend only on Him and Him alone."

"I’m thankful for my wonderful family. My two sons have provided me much much happiness. I need to tell them more often how much they make me happy. I’ve been searching for a community to worship and have found this community – CROSSWINDS! I’m so thankful my life is so much more fulfilled now."

So... what's your story?

"When I Grow Up..."

Fresh air is always such a welcome surprise. That first delicious gulp reminds you of how long it's been since you have really breathed. Being led by our students - our family - our kids in authentic, inspiring, life-changing worship was a breath of fresh air to me this weekend. I don't know whether i enjoyed being a worshiper, or a parent, or a pastor more - probably all three at the same time with equal joy.

We've loved having student led worships for years now... and every year HAS been truly wonderful, but there has been to some degree a sense of "herding cats" through the process. There was always a little bit of coaching, some encouraging and preparing, even some ring leading needed to guide everyone through the experience. But not so this year. Actually, I LEARNED more than i "helped." This group of students and each INDIVIDUAL student, without exception, embodied an amazing and refreshing blend of maturity, passion, excellence, godliness and FUN.

So this weekend i decided, when i grow up, i wanna be just like them...

“Does Jesus Love Bare Feet?”

File this under the heading of “questions-I-never-dreamed-I’d-have-to-answer.” Here’s yet another one we didn’t cover in ordination classes.

It’s the happy outcome of working with passionate, diverse, multigenerational musicians and actors. The whole debate started innocently enough. When the warm weather came back, so did the baggy shorts, tiny tank tops, I-can-see-your-belly shirts, tube tops, bikinis, tankinis, and sandals… So we did what we do every year in Worship Arts – pull together the troops and review the official Crosswinds list of “What Not to Wear” while leading worship in the summer months. The POINT was to save worshipers the dicey distractions that come with flashing a whole lotta skin at eye level on a well lit stage…

What I wasn’t ready for was the pushback that came next. Who KNEW that the skin people most wanted to show was on their feet? “Why do I have to wear shoes when I’m on the stage? What do shoes have to do with worshiping God? Will Jesus love me more if I cover up my bare feet?”

Smile if you want to, but I’m still savoring the rush of freedom I felt when we figured out (not that long ago) that it was actually possible to worship God and wear JEANS at the same time. Forget the jeans – I remember when women who really loved Jesus only wore DRESSES to church. And real men of God wore suits and ties and short hair. (Wow. Flashback. I can actually smell the Aqua Velva and hairspray.)

So back to the bare feet question… where’s the line? What’s “appropriate?” How do we decide what honors God and what is not really all that important? As far as I can figure, yesterday’s jeans are today’s piercings, hats, tats, and flip flops… And I would imagine that grace, acceptance, and open-mindedness are as important to our up and coming leaders as there were to me the first day I wore jeans to church.

But here’s what I’m also sure of – I serve along side volunteers of all ages, and we love God and love His church more than we love jeans… or bare feet. And we will do whatever it takes to point people to Him with every word and gesture, and even every item of clothing… So next time we stand in front of the open closet door, scratching our heads and wondering, “What am I gonna wear to lead worship today?” … the answer will be obvious. “I’m going to wear… do… and be what will call the least attention to me, and give the most attention to God.”

Yeah – Jesus loves me when I have bare feet. And I get to love Him best when I love His people first.