Sunday, January 30, 2011
Kids Between Services
I've wanted to have videos on this site for awhile. This is my first and very amateurish attempt. I hope to portray the sense of family and joy at Parkway. I hope this video accomplishes a portion of that. Uncle Rob
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Songs and Emotions
This is from Walker Perkins
One of the unique aspects of song worship is that songs often become associated in our minds with very distinct and powerful emotions. Perhaps this would not be construed as strange in other groups, but among our brethren there is a special emphasis on an objective reading and interpretation and application of God's Word in our lives. Often something as subjective and volatile as emotions are unintentionally demeaned. There is one song in particular that holds a whole host of meanings, and memories, and emotions for me. I would like to share that with you.
"You are My All in All" is a newcomer in many congregations, but it has been sung in our local congregation for over ten years. It was introduced at a Thursday night high school and college devotional by Kamron Lloyd, and its contagious melody, harmony, and sincerity has infected us incurably. We would sing it at the beginning of the devotional, and we would sing it at the end of the devotional. Sometimes someone would request to sing it in the *middle* of the devotional. As we continued singing it on Thursday nights, the song became more than its component parts. Notes, words, pitches, and rests gradually blended into something that transcended into something grander.
Unlike many cities, there are not very many non-institutional Churches of Christ in Corpus Christi, and the divide between institutional and non-institutional congregations is typically such that it was not very practical for us to cooperate, coordinate or visit with one another with great frequency or with any deeper spiritual significance. Many of our members drive in from across town twenty, thirty, or even forty minutes, meaning that our young people are seldom in the same neighborhoods--much less school districts. For years we only ever saw each other at service times, most of that being spent silent on pews or in a class where the focus was on other things than fellowship.
But on Thursday nights, we would be together. We would worship and devote ourselves to God's word, and we would also share that most fleeting blessing: fellowship. For us the song nearly became an anthem or a talisman. It meant that we were together in a place where we could be ourselves. We could be brothers and sisters and not mere co-worshipers in a daunting auditorium. And we sang. We sang many many songs, but always there was "You are My All in All"; in the beginning, at the end, and sometimes even the middle.
When it was lead in services, it never sounded as well. If you were the song leader, and you thought to look, you could see people rolling their eyes at this troublesome new song that became emblematic of the supplemental song book. We who knew it would sing it rapturously, and I daresay that you could hear us over the rest of the congregation. Most of us knew (and still know) it by heart. A few of us even--gasp--close our eyes when we sing it.
It doesn't sound the same to me now as it did then. Possibly because I'm not sitting on someone's carpet with a bellyful of Coke. But it always makes me remember one hour devotionals that would end up lasting for two or three. It makes me remember people that were here, but are gone now. It makes me remember what it was like to be young and alone in the world, and what it was like to find a momentary haven with those of kindred faith.
There is no Thursday night devotional now, and the song isn't sung as often in our congregation anymore. There are barely any high school age children in our congregation any longer, and most of our college age students (and there are a growing number) are foreigners from the local university, only one that's been baptized, and at least five different languages among them. But there's a small horde of middle school, elementary, and preschool kids (to which I am about to make a contribution). It makes me wonder what songs will be important to them, and if I will roll my eyes in the pews or if I'll invite them to my house and learn it with them.
Hopefully the latter.
One of the unique aspects of song worship is that songs often become associated in our minds with very distinct and powerful emotions. Perhaps this would not be construed as strange in other groups, but among our brethren there is a special emphasis on an objective reading and interpretation and application of God's Word in our lives. Often something as subjective and volatile as emotions are unintentionally demeaned. There is one song in particular that holds a whole host of meanings, and memories, and emotions for me. I would like to share that with you.
"You are My All in All" is a newcomer in many congregations, but it has been sung in our local congregation for over ten years. It was introduced at a Thursday night high school and college devotional by Kamron Lloyd, and its contagious melody, harmony, and sincerity has infected us incurably. We would sing it at the beginning of the devotional, and we would sing it at the end of the devotional. Sometimes someone would request to sing it in the *middle* of the devotional. As we continued singing it on Thursday nights, the song became more than its component parts. Notes, words, pitches, and rests gradually blended into something that transcended into something grander.
Unlike many cities, there are not very many non-institutional Churches of Christ in Corpus Christi, and the divide between institutional and non-institutional congregations is typically such that it was not very practical for us to cooperate, coordinate or visit with one another with great frequency or with any deeper spiritual significance. Many of our members drive in from across town twenty, thirty, or even forty minutes, meaning that our young people are seldom in the same neighborhoods--much less school districts. For years we only ever saw each other at service times, most of that being spent silent on pews or in a class where the focus was on other things than fellowship.
But on Thursday nights, we would be together. We would worship and devote ourselves to God's word, and we would also share that most fleeting blessing: fellowship. For us the song nearly became an anthem or a talisman. It meant that we were together in a place where we could be ourselves. We could be brothers and sisters and not mere co-worshipers in a daunting auditorium. And we sang. We sang many many songs, but always there was "You are My All in All"; in the beginning, at the end, and sometimes even the middle.
When it was lead in services, it never sounded as well. If you were the song leader, and you thought to look, you could see people rolling their eyes at this troublesome new song that became emblematic of the supplemental song book. We who knew it would sing it rapturously, and I daresay that you could hear us over the rest of the congregation. Most of us knew (and still know) it by heart. A few of us even--gasp--close our eyes when we sing it.
It doesn't sound the same to me now as it did then. Possibly because I'm not sitting on someone's carpet with a bellyful of Coke. But it always makes me remember one hour devotionals that would end up lasting for two or three. It makes me remember people that were here, but are gone now. It makes me remember what it was like to be young and alone in the world, and what it was like to find a momentary haven with those of kindred faith.
There is no Thursday night devotional now, and the song isn't sung as often in our congregation anymore. There are barely any high school age children in our congregation any longer, and most of our college age students (and there are a growing number) are foreigners from the local university, only one that's been baptized, and at least five different languages among them. But there's a small horde of middle school, elementary, and preschool kids (to which I am about to make a contribution). It makes me wonder what songs will be important to them, and if I will roll my eyes in the pews or if I'll invite them to my house and learn it with them.
Hopefully the latter.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
The Old Testament and the Letter to the Romans
The letter to the Romans, inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by the Apostle Paul, has a lot of Old Testament in it. I was looking at the footnotes at the bottom of the pages and there are 57 references to the Old Testament listed. In addition, several Bible characters are mentioned in the letter: Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Adam, Isaiah, Elijah and Jesse.
That’s interesting to me because the letter is written to non-Jews, i.e. “Greeks and Barbarians” (1:14)… people who were not raised with Bibles in their homes. Since these people would have no knowledge of the Old Testament then either they were taught the Old Testament in their conversion process or after becoming Christians the Old Testament was taught in their assemblies. I suspect both occurred.
Regardless, Paul’s repeated use of Old Testament references suggests they had a familiarity with it.
Paul’s purpose in writing this letter was to help them become established. Even though their faith was “proclaimed throughout the whole world” (1:8) they still needed to be established. Paul referenced the Old Testament 57 times in this effort to “establish” them.
Even though we now live under a New Law that doesn’t mean we don’t need the old Law.
If we want to be established like the Roman Christians were, then we need to follow Paul’s example in the use of the Old Testament to build a rich and deep faith.
That’s interesting to me because the letter is written to non-Jews, i.e. “Greeks and Barbarians” (1:14)… people who were not raised with Bibles in their homes. Since these people would have no knowledge of the Old Testament then either they were taught the Old Testament in their conversion process or after becoming Christians the Old Testament was taught in their assemblies. I suspect both occurred.
Regardless, Paul’s repeated use of Old Testament references suggests they had a familiarity with it.
Paul’s purpose in writing this letter was to help them become established. Even though their faith was “proclaimed throughout the whole world” (1:8) they still needed to be established. Paul referenced the Old Testament 57 times in this effort to “establish” them.
Even though we now live under a New Law that doesn’t mean we don’t need the old Law.
If we want to be established like the Roman Christians were, then we need to follow Paul’s example in the use of the Old Testament to build a rich and deep faith.
Know Your New Parkway Members - Kirby Crabtree
Pictured are Kirby and Gabby. Gabby is not a member but attends with Kirby. Gabby was raised in Corpus Christi and Kirby is from Tennessee. Gabby works for a company that sells equipment for power lifters. Kirby is big into Civil War re-enactments.
Know Your New Parkway Members - Pat Jackson
Pat comes to us from Maui. I'll send out her info. via e-mail.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Shooting at Starry Gun Range with Int'l Students
Chu(?), me, Oscar and Hiliary. Chu is Hiliary's room mate... I'm not sure of her exact name.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Three Kinds of Believers
There is a theme that runs through the book of Hebrews that warns Christians about the possibility of falling away.
Hebrews 5 & 6 describes three categories of believers: Those who are believers but are failing to grow, believers who are growing and believers who have completely fallen away.
Each group is addressed.
Those who are failing to grow need to be re-taught and be more diligent in their Christian growth (5:11-12, 3:12)
Those who are actively growing need to be teaching and bearing fruit (5:12, 6:7)
Those who have completely fallen away cannot be brought back (6:6)
Failing to grow is due to laziness and lack of effort (6:10-12). Let’s be diligent and help ourselves and each other reach heaven before we drift so far that we cannot be brought back.
Hebrews 5 & 6 describes three categories of believers: Those who are believers but are failing to grow, believers who are growing and believers who have completely fallen away.
Each group is addressed.
Those who are failing to grow need to be re-taught and be more diligent in their Christian growth (5:11-12, 3:12)
Those who are actively growing need to be teaching and bearing fruit (5:12, 6:7)
Those who have completely fallen away cannot be brought back (6:6)
Failing to grow is due to laziness and lack of effort (6:10-12). Let’s be diligent and help ourselves and each other reach heaven before we drift so far that we cannot be brought back.
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