tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-138489362024-03-23T14:18:15.279-04:00Walking in GraceDan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.comBlogger358125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-45466021931610934852011-11-21T10:09:00.001-05:002011-11-21T10:45:19.537-05:00Stealing God's Glory<br />
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Worship leaders are, by the nature of the their role, up front people. There is great joy, and to some degree, great satisfaction, to be experienced as we help people engage with God. However, while there is a wonderfully fulfilling side to this experience, there is also a looming <b>dark side</b> (cue Vader voice). The temptation is to actually get in the way, and <b>STEAL GOD'S GLORY</b>. When we do this, we take away what it rightfully God's and there can be consequences for this. We see this in the lives of Moses and Aaron.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. The LORD said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”</i></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.</span> But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”</i> - Numbers 20:6-12</div>
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The Israelites had no water and they were upset and once again bemoaning the fact that they were in the desert, with no grain, figs or pomegranates. (I've always wanted to use pomegranates in a blog...) In response to this grumbling, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before God in intercession. God responds with the command for them to speak to a rock, and that water would come from it to provide for Israel. INSTEAD, in disobedience, they took the staff that had been a conduit for God to work so many wonders before and struck the rock with it. </div>
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God says to them "you did not trust in me". For some reason, they felt that that had to work up a show, produce a dramatic moment, and even more by the words that were spoken, "must <b>WE</b> bring you water out of this rock?" </div>
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In effect, <b>THEY STOLE GOD'S GLORY</b>.</div>
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Worship leaders have this very same temptation. Especially if we're ever frustrated by the response of people to God in worship. I've often said to myself "if our people only remembered that they are worshipping the God of the entire universe, and that He is present in their midst, would they then respond with greater passion?" It is in these moments that I consider doing more that I should to "get the crowd going" or "hype things up". This is dangerous territory. I may be treading on holy ground. I never want to preempt the Holy Spirit. Only He can cause people to sense His presence. Only He can reveal Himself to us. I can only point people in the direction of God. If I take on more responsibility that I should, I become like Moses and Aaron saying "must WE bring you water". My prayer is for myself and all worship leaders to be truly discerning as to what our role is and what is God's role. Though it may look differently in various settings, if we seek His will in this, we'll find ourselves more free to worship in the joy and lead our congregations with as <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+66:2&version=NIV">Isaiah 66:2</a> says, humility and contrite hearts. </div>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-27012743122837538292011-09-26T09:46:00.002-04:002011-09-26T09:46:55.094-04:00The VoiceWorship leaders often have a lot of responsibility. Depending on the size of a church, a leader may have to:<br />
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<ul>
<li>lead programming meetings</li>
<li>implement programming decisions</li>
<li>create stage designs </li>
<li>design stage lighting - for multiple songs</li>
<li>facilitate projection of lyrics for all songs</li>
<li>chart & distribute music for band/vocals</li>
<li>schedule and rehearse music team</li>
<li>practice his/her instrument</li>
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With all of these responsibilities (and more!), there is a tendency to neglect what can be the most impactful part of their contribution to a service, THE VOICE! Vocals will often be the last thing to be rehearsed because they seem easiest. We rationalize that as long as we listen to the song enough times in the car that we'll have it for the weekend. <br />
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Three thoughts:<br />
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1. <b>Work Out Your Voice</b> - Practice your vocal outside of what you are preparing for a given weekend. This means exercises that you can do regularly to keep your voice in shape, particularly connecting your breath to the tone you are producing. So many worship leaders have vocal problems because of too little breath support. I highly recommend <a href="http://www.vocalartistry.com/">Vocal Artistry</a> for CDs with exercises you can do daily to grow your voice.<br />
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2. <b>Record Yourself </b>- So critical to listen yourself self sing, not just with the recording of a weekend, but to isolate your voice and listen for tone, pitch, style, etc. Use a camera phone or a memo app to do this. Find a karaoke version of a song and sing along. Critique yourself as any judge would on "The Voice" or American Idol. <br />
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3. <b>Practice Singing WITH Your Instrument</b> - If you lead from an instrument there is a whole different set of brain functions happening that need to be practiced so that you can feel free to worship while you're up there. Especially if you're trying to break bad vocal habits you'll need to do this because your instrument takes your mind away from the vocal. You can also record this to critique as well.<br />
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Hope this is helpful. Next, we'll take a look at the importance of song choices.Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-39612623324624873902011-09-16T08:33:00.000-04:002011-09-16T08:34:47.854-04:00Teach Me Your Way<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Going through some soul searching. Asking God to "see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:24) Wanting to be the man that Christ wants me to be. To be the husband my wife needs. The father my kids hope for. The pastor my church/team longs for.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This requires some shedding of past frameworks of leadership. Looking to release old impulses of what I think a situation needs and embrace a new way of interacting with those I lead. I don't know where or how this will work itself out. I am open. I am listening.</span>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-27138707089074383532011-09-14T11:19:00.001-04:002011-09-14T11:19:47.694-04:00Singing is Not FillerThis is a teaching that I did for a <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1125320840"></span>Worship in the Sticks<span id="goog_1125320841"></span></a> conference in March. We've got another event coming on November 5th in Greenwood, IN (south of Indy). Hoping to equip teams and leaders of smaller churches to lead with confidence.<br />
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<br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-54621468047907167862011-09-13T11:37:00.001-04:002011-09-13T11:37:56.080-04:00The Right Song at the Right Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lately, we've been in some discussion about choosing worship songs for our weekend services. We've been using an online music library called <a href="http://www.spotify.com/">Spotify</a> which allows us to make collaborative playlists. As we find new songs that we like, we add them to the list. This has been an amazing tool for us to find new songs that we all agree will work for our setting. <br />
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With any good thing, there can be a down side and it is this, now that we have a TON of new songs, several questions arise:<br />
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<li>How do we discern which songs to actually use? </li>
<li>How often do we introduce new songs?</li>
<li>Is there such a thing as a right song at the wrong time?</li>
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We're wrestling a bit with this now. I have a few filtering questions to consider when thinking about introducing a new song:<br />
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<li>Is it theologically sound? </li>
<li>Is it singable? (range, rhythm)</li>
<li>Is it an expression of where we are as a church RIGHT NOW?</li>
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<li>This particular point is important for discernment. A great song at the wrong time can really lessen its impact. If a church sings a song about being fully surrendered to Christ, when the base level of commitment is showing up on a weekend service 1-2 times per month, there is a disconnect between words and heart.</li>
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<li>How many new songs have we introduced lately?</li>
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<li>If we introduce a new song every week for 5 weeks straight, we're going to leave our congregation in the dust. <b>Most worship leaders assume that their people know songs better than they actually do. </b>Part of this can be the fact that the worship leaders and teams play through songs many times over a set of weekend services, when, in fact, the congregation only gets to hear the song once. So, <b>songs feel tired to a music team WAY EARLIER than they do to a congregation</b>. Don't be afraid to mix up the arrangement in order to keep the song fresh for your team. </li>
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<li>Do we have a system of introducing new songs?</li>
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<li>Our system of introducing a new song is 2 weeks in a row, then a break week, then on again. After that, it's free reign to program whenever it is best needed. We always evaluate the song after that rotation to make sure it's worth keeping in the pool of songs. Sometimes a song stays, sometimes it just stays for a month or so. That's okay.</li>
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Love to hear how others are introducing new songs to the mix.Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-60300392179424315942011-08-16T18:02:00.000-04:002011-08-16T18:02:25.836-04:00Hillsong United Concert - A Worship Leader's PerspectiveI headed up to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI yesterday to see Hillsong United. Joel Houston and team led us in a 2.5 hour worship experience. I stood the entire time, but never really got tired.<br />
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Four Main Impressions:<br />
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1. <b>Hillsong knows how to program a worship concert. </b>They know how to take a crowd on a ride that keeps people engaged. As they kept the focus on Christ, they were able to move us through a journey of high energy praise to intimate worship and back again. Their use of lighting, video and instrumentation made the night full of spontaneity and wonder.<br />
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2. <b>They understand worship FLOW. </b> Too many worship team, occasionally my own included, go from song to song with many starts and stops without a great deal of thought about helping people stay connected to Christ between them. Whether it was performing songs in similar keys, or creating a high energy drum transition, or a video scripture with keyboards underneath, the night kept going. I also noticed their effective use of blackouts to allow people to switch instruments without it being awkward.<br />
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3. <b>They shared the stage between them. </b>Although Joel was the main leader, it was obvious that leadership was shared. Each leader had his/her unique contribution to make. It was this sharing that allowed the audience to connect to a whole team rather than one person. I loved this!<br />
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4. <b>Hillsong United has an amazing following considering very little airplay. </b>The arena was packed! How cool to consider that this was their first trip to Grand Rapids and they packed it out. Also, besides "Mighty to Save", you couldn't tell me a Hillsong tune that has hit the top of the Christian charts in recent history. They have built up a following by equipping local congregations with great music that edifies. This is a unique way to build a following, through other people playing your music. I'm not sure if there are any other examples of this out there. <br />
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A great night of worship! Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-62998697904541100232011-05-22T08:42:00.001-04:002011-05-22T08:42:48.801-04:00David's Big BUTReading <a target="_blank" href="http://bible.us/Ps13.1.NLT">Psalm 13</a> as part of the <a target="_blank" href="youversion.com">YouVersion</a> Psalms & Proverbs reading plan. I am amazed by King David's resolve. The first part of the Psalm is a cry out to God in the midst of utter despair. We read as David is fully honest with God. Not holding back his frustration. You can almost hear him yelling this at God. And then a shift in verse 5:<br /><br /><b>But</b> I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.<br /><br />This is a big <b>BUT</b>! Despite his situation, David CHOOSES to trust in God's unfailing love. He then says in verse 7 that he sings to God because God is good to him. What faith. Even in the middle of great betrayal and turmoil, David trusts God. I think <a target="_blank" href="mattredman.com">Matt Redman</a> got it right when he penned "You Never Let Go":<br /><br />Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on <br />And there will be an end to these troubles <br />But until that day comes <br />Still I will praise You, still I will praise You<br /><br />This is the trusting heart of a true worshiper of God. This is the heart I desire to have. This is the heart that I desire for our people. Whatever the circumstance, there is a faithful God that we can trust.<br /><br /><br /><br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-12354590112448705732011-04-13T09:40:00.000-04:002011-04-13T09:40:29.756-04:005 + 5Reading this morning in Matthew 25 about the parable of the talents, or "bags of gold" as the 2011 NIV translates it. Quick summary: one servant is given 5 bags, another 2 bags, and another 1 bag. Now to actual scripture for "the rest of the story":<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NLT-24000" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">19</span></i></sup><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NLT-24001" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">20</span></i></sup><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NLT-24002" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">21</span></i></sup><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NLT-24003" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">22</span></i></sup><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NLT-24004" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">23</span></i></sup><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;">We learn later that the 1 bag servant hoards his gold, is scolded and sent away. As I read this again, I was struck by the first two servants. They were each given a level of responsibility, possibly based on their capacity and ability. Let's do the math:</span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><b>Servant 1 5 talents given + 5 talents earned = 10 talents</b></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><b>Servant 2 2 talents given + 2 talents earned = 4 talents</b></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma;">What they produced was equal to what they were given. </span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;">Each servant was faithful, yet the reward was not what would be expected in today's society. What was the reward for doing a good job? </span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><b>MORE RESPONSIBILITY.</b></span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;">I think what we expect today is a payday, a vacation, an incentive. This is not the way of Jesus. What was His reward for faithfulness? The <b>RESPONSIBILITY</b> of bearing the sins of the world on a cross. If we faithfully invest our lives in building God's Kingdom, the expectation we should have is MORE WORK. If we remember that earlier in Matthew 9, Jesus said: "the harvest is great, but the workers are few." This is no excuse for workaholism, but it is a reminder of our calling. Living things produce fruit. So should our lives.</span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal;">I want to be a 5 + 5 kind of Christian. I want my life to produce shock waves for God's glory. I pray that my family, those I serve alongside, and our entire church will have lives of incredible impact for Jesus. </span></span></i></span></div>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-34428902250612974492011-04-12T16:50:00.000-04:002011-04-12T16:50:58.520-04:00When Great Arts MeetReally love this song by Brenton Brown. Available <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/joyful/id423109103?i=423109105">here</a> on iTunes. Love the painting along with. When great art gets together, something powerful happens!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lyqmJx7q4hE" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-10487968320468408302011-03-21T14:30:00.000-04:002011-03-21T14:30:47.972-04:00Worship Conference - In the Sticks...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">VERY EXCITED about a new training opportunity that we're launching called "Worship in the Sticks". It is a worship conference designed with smaller churches in mind. I've had so many church leaders talk to me about the unique difficulties they face as they lead worship in smaller congregations.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFEd0GWd4wWQ7x4Ku1pPQo_Nigp97HilxeFuLHGHYcTKgv1Mxlsruzs9nJbxkrgIEzSiSwmMm2So_4dwptAMb5VQQypryvO94dlnmo_XgHauOGxPdg4XHQtFTMs5B4AIrmr6t/s1600/WorshipSticksRectangleLogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFEd0GWd4wWQ7x4Ku1pPQo_Nigp97HilxeFuLHGHYcTKgv1Mxlsruzs9nJbxkrgIEzSiSwmMm2So_4dwptAMb5VQQypryvO94dlnmo_XgHauOGxPdg4XHQtFTMs5B4AIrmr6t/s320/WorshipSticksRectangleLogo.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">BY BUILDING INTO TEAMS AND LEADERS, WE'RE LOOKING TO HELP:</span></strong></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- EQUIP</span></strong></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- ENCOURAGE</span></strong></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- INSPIRE</span></strong></div><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If you are involved in leading worship (leader or team member), I think you'll find this event to be helpful. It will be held on SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH at Union Center Church of the Brethren in Nappanee, IN. For more details and to register, check out: </span><a href="http://www.worshipinthesticks.com/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">worshipinthesticks.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Hope to see you there!</span></div>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-65986246810790951562011-03-18T10:01:00.002-04:002011-03-24T10:21:09.417-04:00Rob Bell vs. John Piper: Competitive Christianity?There is a debate going on in church world that many have summed up like this:<br />
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<b>Rob Bell vs John Piper</b><br />
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<center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/03/18/976.jpg"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/03/18/s_976.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="236" /></a></center><br />
This post is not to state my position on this debate, since I've not yet read "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Wins-About-Heaven-Person/dp/006204964X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300456679&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Love Wins</a>" by Rob Bell which seems to have stirred much of proverbial "pot". What I do know is that there often seems to be in issue that leaders (including myself) struggle with. I'm calling it, for lack of a better term, Competitive Christianity. Not judging these specific leaders, but more of the crazy blog world devisiveness that has erupted. Everyone trying to "one up" the last post of someone else.<br />
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I've often found in my own heart, that I struggle with having a voice, having an insight, having something useful to bring to the table to build up the body of Christ. It mostly comes from pure motives, I want to serve and be purposefully used by God. So I do my best to stay faithful to what God has called me to do, as Paul says to "run the race" marked out for us. The problem comes when, as I'm running, I lose my focus on the end goal and start looking to left and to the right. I look at what others are doing for Christ, and a bit of jealousy or envy kicks in.<br />
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In Luke 9, Jesus dealt with this:<br />
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Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”<br />
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When His disciples LOST FOCUS they began looking right and left. Jesus, corrects them by telling them to shift their thoughts back to the mission of welcoming not just children, but those with childlike, trusting attitudes toward God. And also He brings the focus back to welcoming HIM in their lives. They must be servants first and then they will be great.<br />
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<b>HOLD IT RIGHT THERE</b><br />
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Most preacher end it there. They say, "now, go be a servant" and you will please God. I'm just gonna be honest here and say that I struggle with this too! I still will use these words to GAUGE MYSELF with other people. Now, instead of trying to impress with all of my accomplishments, I'll try to somehow impress God (and others) with my sacrifice and servanthood, when all the while I'm really wanting approval. (truthfully, I almost didn't post this due to this whole idea - that even through the post I was trying to be more spiritual than others)<br />
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So, what are we left with?<br />
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My good friend <a href="http://robwegner.org/" target="_blank">Rob Wegner</a> told me once, as I spoke of this issue that I simply needed MORE JESUS. That sounds kinda simplistic, I know. But truly, the only way I escape the temptation to be what Brennan Manning calls "the imposter", is through focused time spent with Jesus. This for me is through meditation. It can other forms for others. It could be a walk in nature, journaling, sacred reading, etc. <br />
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I'm still in process on this. I may always be. I think it ultimately can be explained in the word SATISFACTION. Where and by whom/what are we truly satisfied? Psalm 63:5 "I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you."Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-85110371490740442422010-12-26T09:50:00.001-05:002010-12-26T09:52:45.512-05:00Time - A Parent's Perspective<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/12/26/987.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/12/26/s_987.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='211' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />As a parent of almost tween kids, I'm discovering more and more of what God's heart for us must be like. A particular example of this would be as my desire to spend time with my girls continues to grow, their desire for independence grows at the same time. This can be frustrating. Often, I'll sit by my girls and ask them how their day is and I'll get a short response with a request to go do something with a friend or computer time. To be honest, it often breaks my heart a little.<br /><br />As a parent, I feel this. On the other side of the coin, as a child of God, I wonder if I can see His perspective a little better. As I was meditating on Christ this morning, my mind kept wandering to other things. What I need to do. Things I want to buy. Plans I'd like to pursue. And I felt all that God wanted me to do was simply <b>BE</b> with Him. It hit me in the face - God must be feeling the same way I do as a parent.<br /><br />As a parent, <a target="_blank" href="www.markbeeson.com">Mark Beeson</a> has taught me a great deal about parenting. He has spoken on scheduling time with your kids. This is why I still try to keep a regular time of taking each individual daughter out for a breakfast meal so we can simply <b>BE</b> together. <br /><br />This regular time with God is a must too! But God isn't the one who sets the schedule, it's US! Regular time with God, however that looks for you, is really the only way to develop intimacy. I'm learning this from my kids.<br /><br /><i><font color="red">"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42</font></i><br /><br />. <br /><br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-50442260662828662612010-12-23T08:29:00.001-05:002010-12-23T08:32:49.951-05:00The Mighty MangerRead this from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Manger-Reflections-Advent-Christmas/dp/0664234291">God is in the Manger</a>:<br /><br /><i>Where is the divinity, where is the might of the child? In the divine love in which he became like us. His poverty in the manger is his might. In the might of love he overcomes the chasm between God and humankind, he forgives sin and awakens from the dead.</i><br /><br />Even today, as well as 2000 years ago, this display of might - the might of the manger - could be completely misunderstood. The general understanding of power is often through brute strength or military might. But the God-man, Jesus, enters this world and pulls a sort of jiu jitsu move on everyone. Instead of a thunderous show of the power that formed the heavens and earth, He humbly comes as a child. This child will ultimately show us a meekness (restrained strength) that reconciles the whole world to a perfect, holy God through the cross.<br /><br />I really wonder how the world would be different if power was wielded in this way. What would a world look like that had leaders humbly serving the weakest members of society? I'm not slamming anyone in particular, but I really do wonder how society would be different if the might that God displayed in the manger was emulated by leaders every day. I guess this truly starts with <b>ME</b>! How I lead my family, how I lead my teams and our church. <br /><br />My prayer: "Christ, give me a passion to know You intimately, and wisdom to embody Your selfless leadership to those you have entrusted me to lead."<br /><br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-26616094940863421182010-12-19T06:41:00.001-05:002010-12-19T06:41:34.666-05:00How I'm Changing<br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/12/19/485.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/12/19/s_485.jpg' border='0' width='144' height='220' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I just finished <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/DONMILLERIS">Donald Miller's</a> book <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0785213066/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img">A Million Miles in a Thousand Years</a><br /><br />This book is changing me. Though I am done reading it, it is still changing me. I am looking at life differently now. A short list of what I learned:<br /><br />1. A Greater Story<br />My heart is much more open to the beauty of a greater story that is being told through my life. I've learned that one of the easiest ways that we are de-railed from the best versions of who God wants us to be is by lesser stories. Whether driven by culture or some internal needs, we settle for less than what God has intended. As I look at my life now, and the life of the my family, I'm most prayerful about this issue. I never want to settle. <br /><br />2. It Takes Effort<br />Nothing worthwhile comes without effort. Intentionality in writing a great story is critical. As a songwriter, I have found this to be true as well. Songs don't get written if you don't just sit down and work them out. Simply waiting for inspiration has never been the way I write. The same is true with life. I may not feel like taking time to play with my daughter at a given moment, but every time I do, it has been well worth the investment.<br /><br />3. Inviting Others<br />My friend <a target="_blank" href="http://entermission.typepad.com/">Rob Wegner</a> is great at this. As the story of his life unfolds, he is constantly inviting others into what he is learning. Countless friends I have would say the same thing about him. This is the kind of life I want to live. <br /><br />4. The Petty Things Seem Silly<br />What I'm also discovering is that when my life is in tune with God's greater plan, the little, petty stories seem to fade in relevance to me. In fact, they often seem silly. Stories about my own image, how well-liked, or how talented I am - these just seem silly since I'm too busy being involved in a bigger story. <br /><br />As I look to life in 2011, I'm really thinking about what needs to change. How a life well lived will impact the world for Jesus. Praying for what SELFLESS IMPACT might look like.<br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-69191437501540923722010-12-16T09:00:00.001-05:002010-12-16T09:00:10.203-05:00The True Role of TheologyMore amazing wisdom from Dietrich Bonhoeffer in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_20?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=god+is+in+the+manger&sprefix=god+is+in+the+manger">God is in the Manger</a>:<br /><br />"How we fail to understand when we think that the task of theology is to solve the mystery of God, to drag it down to the flat, ordinary wisdom of human experience and reason! Its sole office is to preserve the miracle as miracle, to comprehend, defend, and glorify God's mystery precisely as mystery."<br /><br />This has so many ramifications. Since the goal of theology would then not be to "figure God out", it relieves a lot of the pressure that I believe some Christians feel. I often think about Paul's admonition to have a "ready defense" for the Gospel. While it is true that we shouldn't be thoughtless Christians, we also shouldn't feel the need to be in attack mode either. If someone comes to us with honest questions, we should be able to answer. However, if someone is on the attack, it is likely that no amount of convincing will ever sway this type of person.<br /><br />It is here that we embrace the mystery that is Christianity. A lot of my Eastern Orthodox roots are stirred by these thoughts. Since the Orthodox branch of Christianity is from an Eastern mindset, mystery is embraced quite a bit more than in our Western tradition. Often, as Bonhoeffer states, we try to get to explaining God through reason, which ultimately stamps out any mystery. <br /><br />This could be why so many people have turned to other faiths since many modern evangelicals seem to have all the answers about God. My thought is that theology itself, while discovering answers, should also be constantly stirring more and more questions as to who God is. This questioning posture will allow us to remain captivated by the mystery which entered the world through a manger so long ago.<br /><br /><br /><br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-71502376314093339322010-12-15T07:07:00.001-05:002010-12-15T07:07:06.893-05:00Who Will Celebrate Christmas Correctly?I've been reading an Advent devotional of collected writings by Dietrich Bonhoeffer called <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_20?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=god+is+in+the+manger&sprefix=god+is+in+the+manger">God is in the Manger</a>. Read this paragraph this morning that struck me in its beautiful explanation of how to best celebrate this season:<br /><br />"Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, all honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness." <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-12305275422128983642010-11-24T11:07:00.000-05:002010-11-24T11:07:17.898-05:00HAPPY THANKSGIVING!<object width="500" height="306"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TtOhm2m6R9g?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TtOhm2m6R9g?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="306"></embed></object>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-72230771075116532532010-11-24T06:13:00.001-05:002010-11-24T06:13:57.905-05:00A Prayer to Pray for OthersI've been hanging out in the book of Ephesians for a while and was struck by the prayer that Paul prayed for the believers. It is a prayer that I found myself saying for my family, my friends, my team, my church, and those around me who are far from Christ. You may want to pray it as well. Just replace the "you's" with a person's name. What a great prayer to lift up on someone's behalf. <br /><br />Ephesians 3:14-19<br />When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.<br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-70033475630691176322010-11-17T11:24:00.000-05:002010-11-17T11:24:40.426-05:00Christmas is Coming...<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16857552" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/16857552">Once Upon A Midnight Clear</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/gccwired">Granger Community</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-81037647021807189332010-09-29T13:11:00.002-04:002010-09-29T19:20:27.338-04:00Thoughts on "Our God"This weekend at <a href="http://gccwired.com/">Granger Community Church</a>, we launch our <a href="http://gccwired.com/storypage.aspx?pageid=30">How to Wreck Your Life</a> series. It's basically a series on how running after "idols" can literally ruin your life. Rob is teaching and will cover the basics of how God desires to be absolutely FIRST in our lives. <br />
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</div><div>The song lyrics of Chris Tomlin/Matt Redman/Jonas Myrin/Jesse Reeves' song "Our God" are:</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i>Water you turned into wine, opened the eyes of the blind</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i>there's no one like you none like You!</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i>Into the darkness you shine out of the ashes we rise</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i>there's no one like you none like You!</i></span></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i>Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i>Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i>And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><i>And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div><div>As we sing the lyrics, "God, You are higher than any other," this is a <b>dangerous</b> set of words to sing. If this is in fact, not just words on our lips, but the meditation of our hearts (Ps. 19:14), then we are called to live as if it were true. If Jesus is higher than ANY other, what is the impact on my day to day? How do I spend my time? How do I spend my money? What are the moment to moment thoughts in my head? </div><div><br />
</div><div>He is a jealous God, but certainly jealous with good reason. It is for our own good that He desires us to love Him. When Christ is seated on the throne of my life, there is peace through trial, joy through pain, hope through suffering, and the list goes on (Isaiah 61:3).</div><div><br />
</div><div>The truth in all of this is that left to our own devices, we are COMPLETELY unable to do ANY good thing, much less give up the idols that can seem comfortable. But through Christ, we know that all things are possible. Love to hear other people's thoughts on this.</div><div><br />
</div><div>This weekend, as we worship in song, may we always be mindful of what we sing. It is our desire to see our church grow in this respect. That our people would catch and retain great theology as it applies to their lives.</div><div><br />
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</div>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-28845002296336848382010-08-29T08:28:00.001-04:002010-08-29T08:28:34.536-04:00Untitled<div class='posterous_autopost'> Checking out Posterous to see if it will take away my Tweetdeck for iPad woes.</div>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-3385157056368432812010-08-18T09:05:00.000-04:002010-08-18T09:05:20.738-04:00As I approach 40...Here's a little blast from the past. Yes, that's me playing bass. Yes, I had hair. And yes, we were playing songs by Quiet Riot. A LONG time ago...<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Rcq5023hqM?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Rcq5023hqM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-90843542651571951972010-08-13T08:47:00.000-04:002010-08-13T09:18:38.363-04:00#twittersabbath & #fbsabbathThis is something that I've been stewing on for a while. In my thought world, I'm striving to be more and more "present", with God and with others. I think I'm wired up like Dug from the movie "Up", wanting to say "Squirrel!" to every distraction.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/08/13/617.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/08/13/s_617.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='202' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />With this in mind, the implications on my life from Twitter and Facebook are that they move me further and further away from being present in the moment. Here are just a few situations I find myself in (maybe you can relate):<br /><br />1. I will often go into what I'm calling "reporter mode", so that whatever I'm experiencing, I'm thinking about how I will shrink it down to 140 characters of less. Not truly experiencing the moment. (particularly tempting on vacations where I want to impress people by how much fun I'm having)<br /><br />2. I find myself checking to see if people have responded to my status updates as a means for approval. Not really living where I am.<br /><br />3. While talking to someone I attempt to split my attention between them and my phone screen. This, of course, makes the person (often my wife) feel less than valued. I think we've all been in on both sides of this equation.<br /><br />4. I have Tweetdeck installed on my computer with notices that pop up whenever someone posts. This is like crack cocaine for the attentionally distracted person. I usually am not as productive as I can be when this is on.<br /><br />All that to say that I'm proposing for myself and others to take a Twitter and Facebook Sabbath each week. One day (24 hours) where I fully disconnect with the social networking web world and strive to be fully present with everyone around me and God. A couple of notes:<br /><br />1. I'm trying hard to let go the urge to save up posts on my Sabbath day so that I can double up on the next day. Step away from Evernote, citizen!<br /><br />2. God desires a glad heart toward this, so if I bring a grumbling heart, I might as well not do it. <br /><br />3. I think that one cool thing that I might want to report on later is how my taking this Sabbath affected my relationships with others and God.<br /><br />So, I'm giving this a try. On the day that I do this, I'm using the hashtags #twittersabbath and #fbsabbath. <br /><br />What do you think? Is this worth it? Might you join me? Love to hear your thoughts. <br /><br />Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-6072740839559526542010-08-10T14:20:00.002-04:002010-08-10T14:20:35.727-04:00Killing Time at the Health DeptWe spent 2.5 hours waiting to get school vaccinations for Anna. Made a little video of our experience:<br />
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<object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gsJ1gGlougM&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></object>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848936.post-53353889600962789752010-08-09T09:54:00.002-04:002010-08-09T10:06:33.087-04:00Lessons Learned from a Bar GigI'm in a band called Vanakkam, which had the chance to be part of a team of people who went to India last March. We played several concerts in the Tamil Nadu region of India. It was a fantastic experience for us all.<br />
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This past Friday, We had the opportunity to partner with Dan Blacketor and <a href="http://www.therhemaproject.org/">The Rhema Project</a>. We were part of a concert at a bar called Legend's on the campus of Notre Dame. It was a fundraiser which featured the band "<a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/rickilakeeffect">The Ricki Lake Effect</a>" (great guys!) while Vanakkam was the warm up act. On Saturday/Sunday, we then served at<a href="http://www.gccwired.com/"> Granger Community Church</a>, helping lead worship for all four services.<br />
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I think we learned a few lessons on the way.<br />
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1. First, we found that the art we performed had both missional elements and attractional elements in it. At the bar, we were literally going to the people. We made some cool connections with the Ricki Lake guys and others who were there. At the same time, it was attractional. We helped people gather for a great cause and later in the weekend to worship God in church. This is the essence of what we'll be talking about at our conference this Fall called "<a href="http://www.andconference.com/">The Genius of AND</a>".<br />
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2. We have a deeper sense of community. Our band has played and practiced so many times recently that I think of ourselves more like a family than a band. I love these people now at a much deeper level than I did before we began this journey back in February as we prepared for India. The weekend was just a further deepening of that.<br />
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3. We are better musically. Our Friday night set was the tightest I think we've ever played. We now know what's coming up and how we can intuit what the others will do. For people who have played in bands a while, this is a normal thing. Since our teams have been rotating for years at church, this is new for us. (More news on this in a later post) <br />
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4. We feel USED. (in a good way!) It is amazing to think that God not only used us "over there", but continues to use us "over here" to bring glory to Himself. How this fully plays out has yet to be seen.<br />
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We're excited as to where God is taking us, not only as Vanakkam, but as an entire worship team at GCC. These lessons, I think, will continue to teach us more of the "how" and certainly the "why" of a vibrant arts ministry. <br />
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<div class="blogpress_location">Location:<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Notre%20Dame,%20IN&z=10">Notre Dame, IN</a></div>Dan Vukmirovichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07902885684766720666noreply@blogger.com4