Several months ago, on the old, old, blog, I did a brief post talking about my fondness over the song Healer, written by Mike Guglielmucci and how I believed that that was a song that God really had his hand on and that was really becoming an anthem for the Church.
The story behind the song is that Mike was diagnosed with cancer and wrote that song, in pretty much one session, about how he believes God is his healer and his faith in God in such a hard time. The song was recorded on a Planetshakers album and Guglielmucci even led the song himself on the live Hillsong album, This is Our God, where he had an oxygen tube in his nose and the tank onstage with him during the song.
Since that time, however, there has been a development that has been brought into the light. Apparently, Guglielmucci wasn’t and has never been sick with cancer and actually came up with the cancer story to cover up a pornography addiction that he was battling. Now, I loved this song. I fell in love with the lyrics, the melody, and the story right away when I first learned about this song. I thought that this was an incredibly powerful song, with amazing lyrics, written by a broken man, that really captured what worship is. But with the news of Guglielmucci making up the cancer, and he was trying to cover up a pornography addiction, I think that… this is an incredibly powerful song, with amazing lyrics, written by a broken man, that really captures what worship is.
But not everyone shares this same opinion now that the real story has been revealed. I’ve read blogs, seen videos and read newspaper articles that talk about how they’re outraged and that the song loses all credibility and how it should never be used again and how it should be stricken from the record books and how if they’re ever in a worship service where that song is played they won’t be able to worship because all they’ll be thinking about is the lie that that song was promoted on.
I believe though, that if you’re unable to focus on God during worship because you’re so wrapped up with this story, then that’s your problem. Healer is a great song – it was written by a sinful and broken man. Name one song or hymn that we sing that was written by a sinless and perfect person?
Maybe I feel the way I do about this story because I can understand some of what Guglielmucci has gone through with his pornography addiction, as I’ve shared before about my struggles with porn. Maybe I feel this way because I’m naive. But just because the song wasn’t written based on the story we thought it was doesn’t mean that it isn’t accurate. God can heal cancer. God can heal pornography addictions. Nothing is impossible.
And if you feel like you have been hurt by Guglielmucci’s actions, forgive him. I know God already has; and if the Creator of the universe can forgive something, who are we to hold onto it?
Dustin
p.s. Here’s the video of him doing the song for the Hillsong recording.
One of the most popular verses when talking about worship is Romans 12 where it says,
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
Now, nowhere in this verse does it say to offer our good days, or offer the times when we feel like it as a sacrifice and that that would be our form of worship. It says to offer our bodies as a sacrifice, and then that would be our form of worship. Body can be interpreted as merely the physical body that each of us have, but it can also be interpreted as the whole, our lives.
I think that often we tend to justify not doing something for God by saying, “I don’t feel like it.” (I know I’m guilty of this). We think that because there’s no “mountain top” feeling going into something, that we don’t necessarily need to do it. But if we think that this is okay, why did Paul write to offer our bodies as a sacrifice and that that would be our form of worship?
Would true worship be showing up when the feeling isn’t necessarily there? Would it be participating in what God is doing out of true love, discipline, and obedience rather than out of a feeling or emotion? I’ve heard it said, and I agree, that love isn’t a feeling, it’s a choice (or something to that effect). And I think that we often forget that. A relationship with Christ is like any other relationship, if you try to operate off of feelings and emotions, the relationship will be short lived. But just as Christ chose and is constantly choosing to love us despite all of the junk in our lives, so should we choose to love and be obedient to Christ, operating not on feeling or emotion, but out of love, faith, and obedience.
I’m writing this post out of some experiences of mine that have happened as of late where I flat out didn’t want to do something that God was calling me to do. I wanted to leave or skip what I was responsible for and just move on to the next part of the night. I’ve heard several talks, and chances are if anyone has ever been on a retreat you’ve heard it too, about showing up and continuing this walk with Christ after the feeling from the retreat/concert/sermon/worship set is gone. I believe the same principal applies when going into something. I think God purposely chooses to not fill us with that emotion/anticipation of a moment to teach us to trust that He is still God. I think he does this to show that He is the God of everyday, not just the God of the big extravagant church events. This is a lesson that I’ve been learning a lot over the last two months and it’s been hard for me. I’ve had discussions with a couple of people where I just say that I don’t want to do this. But after we’ve prayed and brought this to God, God provided and told me to continue on.
This post feels kind of scattered and not well written, but I can live with that. Basically, worshiping God when the mountaintop feeling isn’t there is just as important, if not, more important, as worshiping God in those mountaintop experiences like retreats and worship events.
Thanks to Amber who took these pictures. These are a couple pictures from the incredible youth event held tonight called Unite where the young people in Eagle River and Chugiak gathered together to join as one in all out worship of our God. I was fortunate enough to lead worship for this event and I’m speechless. It was cool to see the young people of The Church sing and worship like that. It truly an anointed night.
It was an amazing night that and time of worship, we even had an encore! I have never had that happen to me before! God is so good, and it was incredible to watch these young people encounter God tonight.
I had a video posted on the other site before it crashed that had all of these songs in one video. But that file is ginormously-huge and can present quite a problem for those wanting to watch a video that’s over 20 minutes long. So what I did was divide them up into three separate videos, part one, two, and three.
Part 1 has One Way, Jesus Paid it All, and Nothing but the Blood
Part 2 has From the Inside Out
Part 3 has The Stand
The sound quality still isn’t very good, but I’m a person that likes to look back and reminisce and these videos are a chance to look back and remember just how cool of a Sunday it was when Kairos got to lead worship for all three services.
Okay, okay, so that title may have been a little misleading, I love the leadership roles I’m in and I love what God has called and is calling me to do. But I also love occasions where I don’t have to lead. In a sense, I love situations where I’m not in charge. I’m playing in Big Church on Sunday for the first time since June… I think… The fact that I’m not sure when the last time I played is an indicator of how long it’s been.
To me, there’s a big difference between being the leader and just playing. Technically, you’re still a leader because everyone who’s on stage is leading the congregation. But to me, it’s more relaxing to be “just a band member” than the one in charge. There’s less weight on your shoulders and less that’s running through your mind during a song.
For example, as a leader, I’m listening to everything as a whole and hoping that we all remember our cues. I hear more mistakes and I (try to) give my band as many verbal and non-verbal cues as to where the song is going next, let them know we’re ending, etc.
As a guitarist/singer though, I’m more free to just be there, play, sing, and worship because there’s less that I have to be doing as far as the overall is concerned. I really like weeks where I can just do that.
Worship still happens when I’m leading, but it looks a little different. When I’m leading, worship comes from doing what God has called me to do, doing it to the best of my ability, constantly trying to grow and improve in it, as well as approaching it with a joyful and thankful heart.
I guess, when it boils down, I love not leading a band because it gives me a chance to worship in a different way.
I’ve seen a couple of my friends throw one of these up on their blogs lately and I figured that I would follow and do one here because I can.
Song:Point of Difference by Hillsong United Lyrics:
The tide is turning
This is redemption’s hour
In the midst of the world lost for love
You are all we have now
The lost returning
Salvation is all around
In the midst of the world broken down
You are all we have now
For You are God and this hope is ours
So Father open the skies
Flood the Earth with your light
This is love, to break a world indifferent
Sing
Our hearts are burning
The fire that won’t burn out
In the midst of a world that’s grown cold
You are all we have now
The earth resounding
The anthem of your renown
As we lift up our eyes
And look to your glory
Call us out let the world see
You are God and this hope is ours
So call us out, let the world see
You are God as we sing
Open the skies
Flood the Earth with your light
This is love to break a world indifferent
As we lift up our eyes
Fill our hearts with your fire
In a world the same we’ll be the difference, the difference
So call us out let the world see
You are God and this hope is ours
Our eyes are open
Every chain now broken
In this world we are different
Let your love become us
As we live to make you famous
We’re in this world but we are different
So call us out let the world see
You are God one and only
In this world you are all we have now
Reason: I love the words to this song. They speak of change, (a common theme in this country nowadays), and turning towards God. That we would be a desperate people out to seek God’s face in all things. That we would be a people who live to make our God famous among all people, races, and nations. God’s love can break chains, open eyes, and heal lives. My favorite line is “Flood the earth with Your life. This is love to break a world indifferent.” Our world is marked with indifference; it is marked with the illusion that being lukewarm, not on fire, is the way to go.
I’m tired of the world’s messages saying this. It’s time for us to stand for what we believe in. It’s time for this generation to start reclaiming this world for Christ and to make him famous among all nations.
James says:
Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
If our faith isn’t being lived out in our lives outside of Church, our faith is dead. Because if what we do on Sundays in our churches when we gather; if the songs we sing, the words we hear, and the relationships we build don’t affect what goes on in our worlds outside of Church, then what’s the point? What’s the point of being a Christian, if we’re not fulfilling the Great Commission that we were given? Let’s show the world the love God has shown us.
Now watch Joel Houston talk about it:
Let’s live out the Love of God. The love that we’re each called to live out.
On September 2, 2008, my friend Lindee and I traveled from Eagle River, Alaska to San Jose, California for a Hillsong United concert there. It was a whirlwind experience and an unforgettable 24 hours. Below is a video and a blog post that hopefully show and tell just how amazing of a trip it was.
Originally written on September 4, 2008, 11:00 a.m.
So now that it’s the day after and I’ve had a little bit of time to fully process what all went on in the whirlwind of excitement that took place on September 2, 2008, I feel that I am adequately prepared to share the experience. The whole day can be pretty much summed up in one word, blessed. In fact, this whole trip can be summed up by the same word. God’s hand in guiding us and making it possible for us to be here has been so apparent and clear. From the offer of plane tickets, to the housing, to the flight loads, to the VIP status for the concert.
The morning started off early, 3:30 a.m. for those of you keeping track at home, with getting up, showering, picking Lindee up at 4:20 a.m. and jetting off to the airport for our 6:30 a.m. flight. We got checked in and already had seat assignments even though we were on standby. So we didn’t have to sit and wonder if we were going to get on the flight, and we talked to the gate agent and she was able to get us two seats next to each other. The flight from Anchorage to Seattle was quite pleasant, everything from the airplane safety to meeting our new friend, Betty, from Texas and who sings in the over 60 choir at her church. Our flight made it to Seattle about 30 minutes early, (can you say “miracle?!”).
In Seattle we ate our only food of the day, minus the breakfast cookie back home, at Ivar’s in the grande sized food court that is the Seattle-Tacoma airport and headed off to our gate where we were able to, again, get seats next to each other. The flight from Seattle to San Jose was a short one hour and thirty-six minutes of nap time and games, Lindee slaughtered me at dots. Our flight again arrived a few minutes early.
We arrived in San Jose just before 2:00 p.m., hit the potty, and jetted to the curb and called Greg, our host, to let him know that we were there. He picked us up right away in a nice silver Audi and gave us a tour of San Jose. After our tour we proceeded to Jubilee Christian Center, the site of the concert, and got a tour of their campus. That’s right, I said campus.
When we got there around 3:00 there were already several people in line to get into the concert and the doors didn’t open for another three hours. Fortunately for us we didn’t have to bother with the line because we were VIP’s thanks to Pastor Charlton who totally hooked us up. We got our wristbands to get in and then went over to the Urgency building where their youth group meets. Their facility is amazing, flat screen TVs, game systems, computer lab, pool tables, basketball courts, and other amazing stuff.
Greg then took us to the San Jose version of Jitters, Peet’s Coffee and we spent some time just hanging out and talking. On our way to Peet’s we saw the van that had the United guys in it as they were making their way to the church for sound check.
We got back from Peet’s and decided to head inside the church for the concert. The line out front was ginormous, but since we were on the VIP list we got in the back before the doors were even open. We checked out the merchandise tables and scouted out the best spot for the concert. We weren’t actually allowed in the sanctuary yet because sound check was still going on.
The doors opened and we headed to where we were told the best seats would be for the sound. We sat right next to the sound booth in the front row of the balcony. Great seats. We were able to see everything great and we were where the sound was best in the building.
The concert itself was incredible. 3,500 people all gathered together, singing as one, giving it everything they have, holding nothing back, and worshiping God with everything. It was three hours of all out worship with a short video and talk about Compassion. It was an amazing night of worship and encountering God. There was more than one instance where I just kinda stepped back and was just in awe of what was going on. To be joined in song with people who are joined together through Jesus Christ and to worship him with all we can, singing at the top of our lungs and jumping and dancing until we’re sweaty and out of breath.
While I was a picture taking machine for most of the day there, I did not take any pictures of the actual concert. There were specific instructions to everyone that photography was not allowed. I was actually relieved about this because this meant that I got to focus on the night and encountering God rather than taking pictures. However there were professional photographers there and the photos will be uploaded to the Urgency website in the next month or two.
After the concert Greg had to help take the lights down, and that took several hours to complete so Lindee and I got to hang out in the sanctuary and chill/relax/nap. We left the church around 2:30 a.m. or somewhere close to that on the way to a late night snack and some much needed sleep. We stopped at a Burger King (which totally violated my “No eating at places you have at home while traveling” policy, but when it’s 3:00 a.m. and you’ve been up for almost 24 hours and haven’t had anything to eat since 11:30 a.m. the day before, you don’t care about that policy) and got something to eat before bed.
We got to Greg’s house around 3:30. Lindee went to bed almost immediately while Greg and I stayed up a little bit just talking and whatnot while I blogged and did some Facebook stuff. I got to bed shortly after 4:30.
I woke up this morning around 9:30, showered and did some more blog updates via the wifi I stole from a nearby house. We left the house at about 11:30, got some breakfast and then headed to the airport to catch our flight out at 1:00. Nothing exciting happened on the flights home. We made it to Anchorage on time, and safely, and immediately stopped at Chili’s to grab some much needed dinner.
Overall this trip was incredible. God really had his hand on this trip from the start and his hand was evident every step along the way. Everything from the opportunity to go, the flight loads, the accommodations, and just being there and worshiping God was an enormous blessing.
So thank you to everyone who made this trip what it was. I especially want to thank Charlton and Greg again. They didn’t have to do anything for us, but they chose to. They chose to take us in and take care of us. They chose to pay for our meals and to make us VIP’s for the concert. Thank you guys for really making this trip amazing for Lindee and I. We are very grateful and hope we can get a chance to show the same hospitality you showed us if you ever want to come to Alaska!
This was the best concert I’ve ever been to, and God blessed this trip so much. It’s amazing.
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