A Day to Look Forward

Today was a serious day at The Brook, a day to examine our hearts and a day to look forward to what God has for us in the future. Today our Interim Pastor, Richard Buckley, expounded on an announcement he had made back in December. On that Sunday he announced that he would taking his name out of the hat for consideration as our future senior pastor because of some things God was speaking to his heart. This morning he shared that he had long struggled with being a workaholic and that he had a word from God while we were fasting and praying in the fall to step away from ministry for a while and to pursue his family and not vocational ministry for this season of his life.

While we at The Brook will miss Richard - after all, he was great to work with and we enjoyed his leadership, we rejoice with him at this word from God for his life. We recognize that any word to HIM is also a word to US and we are grateful for that word. We know that any word from God is loving and for our best, even if it's a directive we may not desire. We know that God had great things for us and for the Buckley family.

So pray for us at The Brook, for us to know God's will as we step forward another step towards God's future for us.

Here's the set list for today, done in conjunction with FredMcKinnon.Com's Sunday Setlists.

Scripture Reading from Psalm 34.....

1. Bless His Name (Vineyard)

2. Mighty to Save (Hillsong United)

3. Blessed Be Your Name (Matt Redman)

4. Made Me Glad (Miriam Webster/Hillsong)

Richard shared

Josh gave a word of encouragement to our congregation

I closed up this time and prayed

5. I Give You Everything (Dell Wilson/Jan Owen)

6. You Are My King (Billy James Foote) - we used this is the first service but not the second. We ran out of time.

After the announcements and offering, Christie Ross, one of our Pastor Search Team members came up and shared some great things about Richard and also about where we are presently at in the process.

I will be the first to admit that today, for some reason, just felt very heavy. I came in excited to worship but the congregation just seemed so quiet all morning. It was a very difficult morning to lead. I don't feel like I connected with our congregation well today at all, but I'm not sure what the problem was so I don't know what to correct.

You can pray for me as well as for the Buckleys and our church this week.

How was your Sunday?

Comments

[matt embry]

hey there:) just saw your post on fred's blog...i can totally relate with you about having those days where you just want to throw in the towel...in hindsight, it seems to always be a feeble attempt by the deceiver to take my eyes off of what God has designed and called me to do...i'll be praying for you, The Brook, Pastor Buckley and all those involved during this difficult time...trust that when God closes a door, He always seems to open the door to something great!

[Hickeroar (From TWC)]

I absolutely know what you mean about the congregation just seeming "quiet" or subdued some sundays. It's really hard to be up in front and just dying for people to get excited about your gathering and celebration, but having very few "respond."

The thing to remember is that at the end of the day we, as individuals, are all responsible for how we worship, in or out of the church building. You can not "force" anyone to do anything in there. We have to get up and give God our very best, and that is literally all we can do. Really the only thing I can say is that you should bathe the whole topic in prayer.

There is obviously a whole swarm of things weighing on the minds of the church these days and it sounds like some discouragement was possibly setting in. God can, and will, give you words to say to speak into peoples lives.

Something God really hit me with lately is that as he tells us in 2 Tim 3:1, difficult times will come. It's a guarantee. We will land smack-dab in the middle of the desert sometimes. We can either wallow in self pity and become discouraged or we sing a desert song to God and trust that He's there and will be that water in the dry and thirsty land. As the song says, "In EVERY season, you are still God."

As far as YOU go, don't get discouraged yourself. As Romans 5 says, you should take this trial/tribulation at face value and exult in it. This is none other than a perfect opportunity for God to use you to bless the lives if the church members in your church. Count it as a joy.

Sorry to preach here! I'm just fired up about this lately!

By the way, we sang Mighty To Save as well today. I love that song. It's just a personally meaningful song to me. God can save us out of ANYTHING. Made Me Glad is also one of my favorites.

E-Mail me if ya want!

[Louise]

I hear you on the quiet congregation, but look back over the words of the songs that you chose. God was speaking to them in that quietness. As long as we are obedient, He always uses what we give to Him.

[justin Kirkendall]

I saw your post on Fred's blog- and I really just started praying for you- I have had those rough sundays where you just don't feel like you were the best that you could have been- or that people are just tired of hearing your voice or seeing you on the stage- and you just want to run. and hide.

I struggled with this for years- almost to the point of an obsession.

Something that has helped me tremendously is realizing that no matter what happens on a Sunday morning- I sing the wrong verse- Cough into the microphone- miss my cue- no matter what- i got into worship leading because of one thing and one thing only: I loved to worship my Jesus. and as long as that heart is still saying "I love to worship my Jesus" and not "I love to worship and this and that and this that" then He's happy with what I did that morning. Jesus truly is our reward- not connected-ness with our congregations (although that would be lovely- lol). So i have a sticky note on my keyboard- that says "Jesus is my Reward"

when we have those flat days and those days where i just want to cut worship off and sit down- i look at that sticky note on my keyboard-and it reminds me.

I will be praying for you and your church though. Sounds like some rough times. and it's always kind of tough when there is an interim pastor and a search for a new pastor going on- people lose focus and become distracted.

[Johnny]

Sometimes there may be stuff going on that you can't see or hear or "feel" from the stage. It almost always has nothing to do with you or the service and you could say all the right words and sing all the right songs and still may not get the response you anticipated. There are things going on that you are not a part of and may never be. We all know that beatific expressions, loud voices, and raised hands may signify absolutely nothing apart from people having a good time. Blank looks and quietness may be expressions of honesty about emotional flatness or of deep reflection. We may never know. But God does and he'll work it all out.

[steffanie oltmans]

Jan,
We had one of those days also when everyone seemed disconnected, tired or just not into it too. When this happens I always feel somewhat responsible even though I know I can't force the people to connect. I have to remind myself that you never know what is going on inside their hearts but I must be honest it so much better when there is an outward expression of their love for God displayed :)