Enjoy this little fun for a Wednesday.  If you love music, you will enjoy this!

Welcome to the New Year – 2012! This is a year of new opportunities. What really are “opportunities” for the Christian? If our theology is right, opportunities are God’s unique demonstration of His sovereign, wise, and good ways in our lives. Or, in other words, God at work! This should be the highlight of our lives this year.  It should be what we talk about most. It should be what is at the forefront of our thinking the moment we awake. In every circumstance of life opportunities become the answer to the question, “What is God doing, and how can I be a part of it?”

Part of what a Christian (or “little Christ) should demonstrate is someone who lives to do the will of the Father. The Father is always about His will and His glory. We too should be people who live for His glory (1Cor 10:31). Seeing God, all that He is and all that He is doing should be the passion of our living this year. Many believers when asked about what God is doing in their lives cannot answer the question with a definitive example of some way God has revealed Himself and worked in a circumstance. They give details of what they have done and try to add a little God to that, but cannot talk about the work of God in their life. We are often very man-centered in our thinking.

Make this year a year of opportunity. Live everyday with the sole purpose of seeing God at work and glorify Him by jumping on board with what He is doing. The result will be a life that remarkably imitates Christ–which is what life is really all about!

I know this may be a bit late, but I thought since good choral music is sometimes hard to find, it may be beneficial to list some of my favorites.  So, if you are looking for some good choral music for Christmas–next year, here’s a great place to begin:

1. Love Divine, Illumine Our Darkness: Christmas at St. Olaf – very good!  I like “Keep Your Lamps” St. Olaf Records
2. Christmas – Los Angeles Master Chorale and Sinfonia Orchestra, Paul Salamunovich, conductor – Unbelievable choral sound – gotta hear Magnum Mysterium –  growing all-time favorite – RCM – see it here
3. A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert: Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade, Wynton Marsalis, and Andre Previn – Wonderful singing and good variety – Sony – see it here
4. Christmas Star: Carols for The Christmas Season – The Cambridge Singers – Just good! – Collegium – see it here
5. A Christmas Festival: John Rutter and The Cambridge Singers – Collegium – see it here
6. Carols From The Old and New Worlds: Paul Hillier – director – many traditional English, Bavarian, Austrian, and American Carols – delightful – HMU – see it here
7. A Festival of Carols: Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra – of course, anything by RS is solid.  RCA – see it here
8. Christmas with the Academy: Sir Neville Marriner – all of the good ones on one CD – RCA – see it here
9. Songs of Angels: Christmas Hymns & Carols – Robert Shaw Chamber Singers – Very refreshing – Telarc – see it here
10. King of Glory – A Men’s Choral Christmas Celebration – I add this in because of a couple of pieces: The King of Glory, and In the Bleak Midwinter – SMS –

Here are a couple just for fun:

1. Mel Torme Christmas Songs – really, much better than Sinatra or Buble – Telarc – see it here
2. When My Heart Finds Christmas – Harry Connick, Jr. – Columbia – see it here
3. James Galaway’s Christmas Carol – wonderful pieces with flute (duh) choir and orchestra – RCA – see it here
4. Carpenter Christmas Portrait – really, that has to be in your stash somewhere. – A&M – see it here

 

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.  I trust that you will find this New Year to be one that is blessed by God’s great grace that flows fresh everyday!

Grace to you!

Back in the late summer I got a phone call from an elder at a church who was asking about a particular young man who might be a good candidate for their pastoral search.  I listened intently so I could possibly help them in their search.  In the middle of the conversation, he stopped and asked me, “What about you?  Would you be interested in possibly becoming a candidate?” My quick response was, “No, thank you!  I am fine where I am and what I am doing.”

I really was fine, I wasn’t just trying to be nice.  But God began an interesting work in my heart.  It was a little before that time when I had several doctors tell me that I needed to slow down a bit and possibly even change jobs from what I was doing.  God was beginning to steer Cindy and me a new direction.

This elder went on to say, “Would you pray about it and consider tossing your name in the search?”  I said I would, and didn’t think too much about it further, accept to actually pray about it.  The elder mentioned that he would be in Greenville in a couple of days and wondered if he could sit down and talk with me.  I said, “Of course, I’d love to talk with you.”  Two days later, after a long day at work, Cindy and I thought we would rendezvous at a local restaurant and grab a bite to eat.  We chose to sit outside and was finished with our meal when we spotted two children with their mom looking expectantly at every car that pulled into the parking lot.  The mother mentioned they were looking for their cousins who were to arrive any minute.  Not long after that, a van pulled into the parking lot and out jumped this family.  There were hugs and kisses for everyone.  It was quite a reunion.

A few minutes later, a man tapped me on the shoulder and asked me, “Are you Eric Sipe?” I said, “Yes, I am…” He introduced himself as the elder of the church who had called me two days earlier.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.  God was at work.

After many phone calls, texts, emails, video calls, face-to-face meetings and a candidacy, by God’s design, I have accepted the call to become the pastor of Calvary Bible Church in Columbus, Ohio.  Yes, “Go Buckeyes!”

We are still working out the details as all transitions will have it–there are plenty of details.  But overall, the people of Heritage Bible Church have been very supportive and so many people have written, emailed, sent texts, FB, and Twitter messages stating they have prayed for some time for the good people of Calvary Bible Church.  This has been truly remarkable. God has shown special care to us, to the people of Heritage and to the people of Calvary Bible Church.

Transitions are never easy.  There is no book written to cover all the needs of a transition and so many people get confused, hurt, or fearful during these times.  God has already shown such kindness and we are not expecting anything less during this transition.  Our hope and trust is in our Savior, who has led us all the way.

Pray for:

1.  The people of Heritage Bible Church.  They are some of my dearest friends.  I will miss them greatly.  At the same time they heard my announcement, Matthew Hoskinson announced that he will be candidating at the First Baptist Church of New York City.  It literally is the first baptist church of NYC.  So, quite possibly, Heritage will be facing two pastors who will be leaving.

2.  The people of Calvary Bible Church.  They too are in transition.  Anytime a new pastor comes in, changes are made.  Personalities change things automatically.  Things just won’t be the same–for any of us.  These times are often unsettling and can stir up fear.  We always fear the unknown and any new guy bears that reality not only of himself, but for the people he ministers to.

3.  Cindy and Me – yes, we need your prayers.  Moves are never fun.  Things get broken and damaged.  Packing and unpacking can be tedious and tiring.  Going from the south to the north…no more sweet tea, (which I never drink anyway…); and leaving long-time friends who are very, very dear–will all be very real in the next few weeks.  However, to see God at work in three different strategic cities, in three different strategic churches, and in three different groups of His people is an absolute thrill.  That is not anything I want to ever get tired of or ever take for granted.  Life is all about God, who He is and what He is doing in His world.  It’s all about Him!

So, a transition is what we all face in the next several weeks.   Like everything else, we need God’s great grace daily to persevere.  May His name be praised!

Grace to you!

Recently, a church planter dear friend asked me to comment on his preaching. As I wrote him, it was a good reminder to myself about my own preaching. So, I thought it may help others as well. I don’t think of myself as a pro at this, and often have Sunday night thoughts like, “Who in the world do I think I am preaching to anyone? I need to just sit down and be quiet.” Do you ever feel that way–especially after you feel pretty sure you just bombed it royally? Well, join the club. Maybe this will remind you or encourage you–hopefully it won’t discourage you.
1. Continue to hone your points to make them short and understandable. You had three good points and they flowed out of the text well. Part of making them short and understandable comes from how you tie them into each other. This is where it seemed to me a little dis-jointed perhaps. This will come with more experience and a consistent tweaking of your transition sentences. Learning how to “flow” your messages is one of the hardest things to do. I still struggle with this, but as you put the message together, keep reading and re-reading your text to make sure that the transition sentences are clear and to the point and then connecting. You are improving in so many ways, but I think this is one area that you can specifically work on that will help in your communication.
2. Illustrate – This is another area that I struggle with. When you illustrate, use illustrations that many will be able to connect with and then even state the connection clearly. I enjoyed the illustrations that you used but it took a little of my own thoughts to connect with what you were saying. Stating the connection will more clearly give precision to your words.
3. Application – perhaps the most difficult. Everyone struggles with this. How does this apply to real life? Some of this will come more and more clear to you as you get older and more experience. I already see a growth in your preaching here. Getting down to where the rubber meets the road is very important. I think the message of the gospel could have been even more clearly stated in your application. You talked about the gospel, but it is important that you not think that your audience knows automatically what you are saying when you use that term. It is really used loosely today and I think it needs to be very clear in the application especially. State the good news and the reason for the need of good news clearly and make precise application for each hearer as you can.
4. Make good eye contact. Let your mind and heart land on the individual. You have a tendency to look “quickly” over the audience and then back to your notes. Work hard at taking time to make good eye contact with many of your people so they sense your love for them as individuals. Do what you can do to draw them into your preaching. Let the love of Christ for you shine out of you and into them through your preaching. This will happen as you ask God to energize your heart to love them–each of them. Speak God’s truth into their lives while you preach–this will help you look at them with care in your eyes.

Hope this helps some. I know I struggle with each of these things and often feel like I don’t do it well myself. So, I preach these things to myself often.
Let me know if you need any clarification and at the same time, don’t beat yourself up with these words. They are meant to encourage your heart.
Grace to you!

I don’t know if you have seen this. I hadn’t, until a friend told me about this. It is the great Pastor C. H. Spurgeon speaking on the topic of music and in particular their reason for having their own hymnal.

Spurgeon‘s congregation produced a hymnbook called “Our Own Hymnbook.”  In his autobiography, he writes:
“None of the collections already published are exactly what our congregation needs, or we would have cheerfully adopted one of them. They are good in their way, but we need something more. Our congregation has distinctive features which are not suited by every compilation—not, indeed, by any known to us. We thought it best to issue a selection which would contain the cream of the books already in use among us, together with the best of all others extant [existing] up to the hour of going to press; and having sought a blessing upon the project, we set about it with all our might, and at last we have brought it to conclusion. Our best diligence has been given to the work, and we have spared no expense. May God‘s richest benediction rest upon the results of our arduous labors! Unto His glory we dedicate Our Own Hymnbook.
The area of our researches has been as wide as the bounds of existing religious literature – American and British, protestant and Romish, ancient and modern. Whatever may be thought of our taste, we have exercised it without prejudice; a good hymn has not been rejected because of the character of its author, or the heresies of the church in whose hymnal it first appeared; so long as the language and the spirit of it commended the hymn to our heart, we included it, and we believe that we have thereby enriched our collection. The range of subjects is very extensive, comprising not only direct praise, but doctrine, experience, and exhortation, thus enabling the saints according to the apostolical command, to edify one another in the spiritual songs.” (C. H. Spurgeon Autobiography, Volume 2: The Full Harvest 1860-1892. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1973; rpt. 2006, pp. 154-55.)

Interesting…

Much has been said for years about music that is used in the church for the purposes of worship.  I have always thought it good and even wise for a church to select music that is not based on one hymnal because many hymnals are very incomplete.  I frequently had trouble choosing a hymnal and often supplemented the hymnal so that many other Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs could be sung.  Seems like this has been a difficulty in churches for many years.  I also like the breadth of the range of subjects that he lists that were appropriate for his people.  Good shepherding demands a care for the soul, and choosing music for the church is an integral part of that soul watching.  I am always amazed at how many pastors refuse to take this kind of care with the music of the church.  Most will say things like, “I don’t know music…” and thus intimate that their ignorance gives them a reason not to deal with soul watching in regard to music.  That same pastor would not tolerate ignorance in other areas of church health or theological study, yet will continue in ignorance in this key area of soul watch.  I am glad for this example set by Spurgeon.  Let’s take good care of the souls of our people and of each other.