I had a conversation with someone the other day and we were talking about some of the "pitfalls" of contemporary worship. I just love having this conversation. How come those guys never talk about the "pitfalls" of traditional worship or even, gasp, blended worship? Oh, well.

Anyway, we're just talking along and I'm taking it like a man, when the other person says,

"You know, contemporary worship just really doesn't give enough weight to the offering."

I apologize, because I am paraphrasing and I can't remember it word for word. Regardless, I was a little perplexed, so I asked for some clarification and this is what I got (essentially)

"Contemporary worship talks about our offerings being a form of worship, when, you know, it's really the highest form of worship." (Italics mark where the other dude placed the emphasis...)

Ok, friends (and maybe enemies) what do we think of that?

Okay...I've decided to do a real post. (Haven't had much time to really discuss anything over the past month - I'm such a busy worship rock star.) Here's what's up:

We finished up unplugged a couple of weeks ago and we've done one Sunday without ANY background singers. Sweet. We'll probably move into a Todd/One BGV in the next couple of months which will be a change. In addition to killing the singers, I also fired my electric guitar player. Okay, not exactly "fired." In fact, I've moved Chris to a Technology Facilitator - he essentially floats around up in the tech room and helps out with everything. He's so good at technology and it's a comfort to know I've got somebody up there who can run down problems that, inevitably, come up. It's a little weird without electric, but I'm trusting God to bless worship whether we have it or not!

The kids are great - Finley's growing and Jonah is constantly cracking us up with his genius and his laugh. Just the other night, Jonah answered the phone, listened for a bit, then pulled the phone down and looked at it. He then yelled out... I DON'T KNOW YOU. And hung up.

My wife is awesome. And pretty. Lately, we've been spending a lot of time talking about our own beliefs about God and what we want to communicate to the kids. Even though it's all been prompted by a desire to have our kids walk in truth, it's caused us to re-evaluate and re-affirm some of the things we know about the Father.

I'm desperate to write some songs, but I've discovered that somehow, someone has shortened my days. I don't know who did this, or how, but I swear I don't have the same amount of hours I used to. I will write again, I just know it. Thought I might write something for refuel next month, but I decided against it. Speaking of refuel, there's a chance Romack may hook up all his digital gobbeldy gook and try to get some live stuff. It will mostly be covers, but hey, it's the TWB Live - ain't that good enough?

I've had a couple of interesting spiritual questions posed to me lately - I'll try to throw them out there in the next couple of days. Okay...that's what's up.

Jinks and Larry

Todd Rocking at Camp

This is this party that ensued at the Wednesday night Campstock. There are other pictures of the guys, but this is my blog and therefore, about me. Deal with it TWB.

I am loving the Ragamuffin Soulcast that Los is doing over at his blog. Check out Carlos Whittaker down at the links...

Okay...you gotta' check this site out. You're going to be shocked at first, and will probably instantly go looking for the X to close the site, but take a look at it. Thoughts on this?

Last night, while riding my bike home from excercising, somebody drove by and threw beer on me.

Yeah.

At camp, I was using Romack's laptop when he looked over at me and said . . .

"Hey, do you see a folder on the desktop called Beezulbub Junk?"

Identify Yourself:

This is Paul James

In addition to playing a right hand guitar upside-down, he also has a really neat blog. Paul's blog tells him all this cool stuff - like who's checking his blog and how they got there. For example, if you check my blog and then follow the link over to Paul, Paul will know it.

He'll know where you're from, longitude and latitude, partial IP address, etc. And something is driving him crazy.

Apparently, someone from Seattle has checked my blog five times in the last 3 days and it's killing him. He's dying to know who you are. Isn't that weird. The only thing is - now I'm curious.

Okay, Seattle, put Paul's mind at ease.

CAMP - DAY 3...The Hands of Babes

The true wisdom of children was brought home as I led them today. I'm leading worship for the 6th and 7th graders. To be honest, they are a young sixth and seventh grade, but I'm having fun and learning a lot - here's how:

If I sing a song that says "I lift my hands," they lift their hands. If a song says "shout" or "dance," they do it.

What if adults thought like this? But we don't, do we? We sit at our chair/pew/etc. and think,
"Oh, those people singing aren't really talking about dancing. They're being figurative. So I don't have to do this. I just have to acknowledge that God set me free."

But how free are you (am I) if we can't clap, sing or shout? Freedom's got to be something right? Freedom is just an idea is it? It's not figurative. It's real. You know, I love to watch Jonah dance. It's fantastic - it brings a smile to my face that I can't seem to turn off. So if I, an imperfect father, grow giddy at the sight of my son being his true authentic crazy self, how much more so will my Father in heaven, being perfect, find pleasure in the complete and unabashed exhibition of my confidence in His favor?

There's one of two ways to fix this:
1. Writers need to stop writing songs that give these sort of directions. If people (in general) aren't going to respond, why talk about doing it?

or

2. We've gotta' start dancing.

Me and my gang are going with #2.

CAMP - DAY 2

After the lunch session, I came back to the room for a nap, but it didn't take. I checked in w/ Jinkins and we talked a bit about the concert Wednesday night and what we wanted to play.

Threw on my exercise clothes and decided to take a walk around the camp. It's been quite a while since I was here last, I didn't really remember the layout very well. In the course of the walk, I found a Prayer Trail - I'm sure every camp has one, but it's still a pretty cool thing.

So, I turned off my music and decided to hike back into the woods. This trail was a little different, primarily because at different points along the walk, campers present and past had placed their camp necklaces and papers all along the walk. There was a large sheet from 2004 where students had painted their praise to God. There were ripped and worn notes written on construction paper saying things like:

Hope God is working in You! Jr. High Camp 2005 and God Rocks.

But then I started seeing crosses. Everywhere. And not just wooden slats nailed together, but locations along the trail where kids had organized sticks or twigs or pine cones into the shape of a cross. Initially, it bothered me because it echoed what is, in my opinion, one of Methodism's great flaws - symbolism over substance.

But I couldn't be upset for long, because it's as if God just opened my eyes to whole new perspective. Here I was seeing the product of a focused heart. These little pine-cone crosses were evidence of kids who, for at least this week, were seeing the cross everywhere. Remembering redemption in a celebration of some of God's best work - nature itself.

I don't think much about the cross when I'm in the woods. That bothers me. Every massive pine and oak stretching into the skies is a reminder that God is a redeemer. These trees that just seven months ago were thin and pale and stripped by the winter now bloom with abandon because the Artist-Redeemer has built it that way. And that's the God I serve - a God who is faithful to redeem me. Whenever I need it. I should think about the cross more - talk about it more - draw it - make it out of pine cones - whatever - because it represents the very thing I've chosen to live my life for.

CAMP - DAY 1

Left the house about 1:20. Stopped for a little petrol and fired up the iPod for some uninterrupted-listening-as-I-drove-alone time. It was awesome. Got through almost all of Ross' new record - really good stuff. Made the mistake of meeting Jinkins in Rusk instead of taking the turn in Alto. Jinkins wasn't even at his house when I arrived. I hate that man.

We loaded Jinkins (and all his shirts) and then I spent the next forty minutes driving like a stinkin' NASCAR competitor just to keep up with him. We got to the camp around 3:30 and started setting up. There was a lot of sound gear there - nothing major we could use, but lots of extra extension chords and speaker cables which gave us some flexibility. Romack had all sorts of setup problems - stage was poorly lit. We got out of the way for a 5:00pm counselor meeting then practiced at 6 instead of eating.

The set went great. Lots of whooping, wooping, shooby-doo-wopping and clapping of hands. Here's how it went down:

UNCHANGING (G)
NO ONE LIKE YOU (G)
SING LIKE THE SAVED (F)
LORD OF LIFE (F)
YOUR LOVE OH LORD (F)

Finished up the set. The band did great. The in-ear mix wasn't great, but they soldiered on. Listened to the sermon. Played them out and then headed for our rooms, which are very nice - very hotel-like. Showered and then headed to Palestine to eat with the gang.

Me and the boys head out tomorrow afternoon for a week of worship at District Camp. (6th and 7th graders.) It's been awhile since I did a camp, but I ain't gonna' lie - I'm excited. If I can find a Whataburger w/ wi-fi in Palestine, I'll try to blog while on location.

P.S. - worshipnotes.org got a mention in the liner notes of Ross King's new worship project.

For Your Consideration

Ladies and gentleman of the blog community, it is with a heavy heart and much concern that I speak to you today. As hard as it may be, I must now begin deliberations with regard to removing my link to Jimmy Williams' blog.

I'd like to stress the fact that I have always been, and still am, a fan of Jimmy Williams. This is not a vendetta. This is not a Methodist/Baptist thing. (Mainly because I'm a Baptist Methodist instead of Methodist Baptist.) And, truth be told, I'm not sure I'm ready to remove Jimmy from the list. If you'll allow me, I'd like to make a brief list to show the reasons for my confusion.

Reasons to Boot Jimmy
1. His last post was May 15th
2. His blog is hosted on typepad, which I believes he pays for. (Wasteful)
3. I can't, in good faith, continue to implicitly suggest that his blog is worth checking out via the link here on the site. (How many of you keep clicking it time after time to see if he's finally written anything down?)

Reasons to Keep Jimmy
1. A link on Todd Wright's blog is no small thing. Don't think I'm unaware of the fact that a presence here on Todd's blog is a instant boost of "street cred" or "blog cred" or whatever sort of "cred" the kid's talk about these days. Removing him might render him severely deficient of cool.
2. I fully understand that people get busy and are unable to blog. (But, doesn't he own like fourteen computers? You're telling me he can't sign in once a week at least?!)
3. He's a cool guy who lives in Lufkin. (A dying species to be sure.)

Therefore, I eagerly ask that you all help me in deciding whether or not to keep Jimmy's blog linked here. Please comment in the affirmative or negative WITH a reason why. PLEASE NOTE: I will acknowledge no vote if not given with good, strong, logical reasoning.

Come on, gang, Jimmy's fate rests in your hands.