To start off this new year, I want to take a look at something Jesus said during the Last Supper.
So Jesus and His disciples have been sitting around the table, sharing a meal together, and Jesus tells them that one of them will betray Him. They all deny it, but He insists it’s true, and eventually says it is Judas. He told Judas to go and do what He was going to do. Then, Jesus had some very important words for the rest of His disciples. He said…
As of September 8, 2013, Liberty Church has come into existence. In reality, Liberty Church has existed for months upon months, birthed by the toil and labor of many individuals we call our launch team. But for the general public, Liberty Church came into existence this Sunday at 10:30am. We had approximately 100 people in attendance for our first service, some of them smiling faces that were already a part of our family, and some of them new faces we hope to grow to know better over the coming weeks, months and years. The service went fairly well, without any major hitches, glitches or mess-ups. Most importantly, we had eight people make decisions for Jesus Christ.
Eight people.
Eight may not seem like a very big number. After all, there are approximately 150,000 people living in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, metropolitan area. There are nearly three million people living in the state of Mississippi. There are over 300 million people living in the United States. There are over seven billion people living in the world.
So what does eight people matter in the grand scheme of things?
Eight people were drifting hopelessly throughout life. Eight people were living without an eternal hope. Eight people had never known the healing power of God’s grace through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Eight people are now reconciled to God and are a part of His eternal Kingdom.
Eight souls reconciled to God are worth the grueling 22-hour commutes each weekend. Eight souls are worth the pressures of planting a church while trying to be a good student, employee, and husband all at the same time. Eight souls are worth every ounce of energy I could give and every drop of sweat I could pour out. For eight souls, I would gladly give every dollar and every day I have to see them come to know Christ.
Eight may be a small number, but it is worth an infinity to God.
It has been a while since I last posted. Easter brings a busy time of year for those in church-related ministry, and as a Bible college student, it only gets busier from here. However, I wanted to take a moment to share a sermon I preached in my Expository Preaching class on March 21st. Sorry about the quality of the video/audio, there wasn’t much I could do because the free version of Vimeo did not allow me to post a larger, edited edition of the sermon. Feel free to comment either here or on the video itself with either questions, comments or critiques!
What I mean is there is a serious importance in truly knowing your band, especially as worship leaders. If the leader is separated or alienated from the band, nothing good can come of it.
I got my inspiration from this post the way I get a lot of my inspiration: randomly watching suggested videos on Youtube. Today I was listening to Michael Gungor’s “Doxology,” and happened to stumble upon this version of it:
This video should have more than 850 views, as it is absolutely great for a number of reasons:
Technology doesn’t always work as it should
This video is everything you would expect from Michael Gungor and Co. for the first 3 minutes: creative, wild and toeing the line or chaos, yet still maintaining order and unity. However, at about the 2:57 mark, Michael’s looping pedal he was using to layer different guitar parts on top of each other fails, either by mechanical (what seems to be the case) operator error. Either way, the groove he was laying down was sufficiently killed at that moment. Or so it seemed.
A good band is better than riches
Just when you thought the song was killed, Gungor’s bassist, in a matter of about 3.5 seconds, picked up on what was happening and kept the groove going. He took over the bass line that Michael’s looper pedal was sampling and kept the song alive. The drummer joined in immediately after the bassist, and the groove was kept alive long enough for Michael to fix his guitar mishap (with the help of his wife, Lisa).
Mess-ups can be good
Not only can mess-ups sometimes be good, they are sometimes necessary. I’m not suggesting this about Michael Gungor, but I know personally as a church musician who plays weekly, I can get in a rut of doing the same things every week in the exact same way. When little mishaps like this happen, they help to break us out of our routine and sometimes result in creating something that is both beautiful and original. They bring each band member out of their own little world and call them to truly engage with one another to create beautiful music.
Mess-ups can be fun
Look at the faces of the band members when Michael’s pedal stops working. At first they are surprised and possibly worried, but in a matter of seconds (about 3.5, to be precise) they are smiling. Why? Spontaneity. They are creating something different than what was planned, and it is beautiful, new and fun. They are coming together in a unique way to make unique music. Also notice that the crowd picks up on this shift within the band dynamic. They realize that what they are witnessing is not something that was planned but is happening uniquely in that very moment. There is innate beauty in this kind of spontaneity. It makes people smile and clap and beckons them to join in the fun.
Spontaneity can be fun.
How this applies to worship leaders
This video has two major ramifications for worship leaders, which are:
Be spontaneous
I’m not advocating that every worship leader should throw their setlist out the window, rid their band of chord charts and declare “we are going where the Spirit leads, wherever that is!” This attitude is both ridiculous and unbiblical, for “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). However, perhaps it would do us some good to lose some of our rigidity in our corporate Christian musical worship time. If we do, perhaps we will remember that we are worshipping our Creator, an awesome God who gave us the very talents and spontaneity we are to use to worship Him.
Know your band and let your band know you
If every worship leader knew their band well enough and, perhaps more importantly, their band knew them well enough, technical issues like this would be no problem in church. If the worship leader goofs trips over his cord, unplugging their guitar, their rhythm guitarist should know them well enough to realize what has happened and to fill in. Not only is this sound musicianship, it is “gelling” as a group, which deserves its own separate post. When it comes down to it, bands (like most things in life) that are really good gel and operate as one unit. Would peanut butter and jelly sandwiches be nearly as good if you ate each part individually? No! What makes them great is when they combine into one inseparable unit and work together to make their delicious, unique flavor. Become a PB&J with your band, and you will not regret it.
What do you think? Does spontaneity have a place in Christian worship music? Is it important to “gel” with your band? Comment below and share this post with your friends, fellow worship leaders and musicians!
For those of you who have no idea what I mean by troll, or if it inspires thoughts of short, hairy little men living under bridges, you must be new to the internet. Let me educate you.
According toWikipedia, a troll is “someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.”
Although most sources agree that internet trolling (the verb indicating one who is doing the action of a troll) began in the 1990s with early internet usage, it didn’t really take off until the mid-2000s and has been increasing ever since.
However, “Christian trolling” has existed much longer than regular internet trolling, but has only recently made it to the web. What I mean by “Christian trolling” is when Christian extremists post on a social platform a message of hellfire and brimstone in a context where it is both unnecessary and highly ineffective. The “Christian troll” places comments on threads that have little-to-nothing to do with what spiritual matters they post about, and are typically very hate-filled in nature.
Widely known Youtube “Christian troll” commenter “customtheatres”
Consider the above example: Youtube users were simply listening to an Elvis tune, many of them likely aging baby-boomers new to the internet and looking to casually listen to nostalgic music. Then a “Christian troll” such as customtheatres comes along and posts hate-filled rants such as the comment above which are often difficult to back with Scripture or logic. However, for many of them, that is the point. This kind of illogical, unbiblical posting gets people’s attention and gets them upset, which is their goal.
Why?
Often such commenters feel it is their “Christian duty” to notify viewers/readers that whatever media they are partaking in is sinful and will surely result in their eternal damnation. Often those who post such things are retired, aging extremist conservative Christians who have nothing better to do with their lives. They see it as their duty to “e-vangelize” on social media sites with their doctrines of hellfire and brimstone, and most thoroughly enjoy the heated debates that follow their postings. For example, the above posting from customtheatres rendered him roughly 100 responses!
How do Christians respond?
Christians who encounter other “Christian” trolls must do so with extreme caution. Trolls thrive on getting a heightened emotional response out of those who read their postings. When you see such posts it is important to remember a few things:
Matthew 12:31: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It is questionable whether these Christian trolls are following this commandment of Jesus, but you must follow it yourself. Love the troll, even if you don’t want to. They are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) just like you are, and deserve to be treated like they are.
“You mad, bro?” Then don’t comment. Cool off first and let your anger go before you say something rash.
Trolls thrive on arguments, so if you respond, make your point and walk away.
Have you ever encountered “Christian trolls/trolling?” Comment below and let me know!
Have a faulty home button, lock button, vibrate/ring switch? Too poor to fix or replace your phone? A simple fix is Assistive Touch.
Assistive Touch is the perfect solution to any broken home button, switch or lock button issues.
I am a relatively poor college student. I have been using the iPhone 3GS for several years, and it has served me well. However, partially due to misuse (the occasional dropping or throwing) and partially due to general wear, my lock button and vibrate/ring switch have both stopped working. No matter, because a friend turned me on to the handy setting known as Assistive Touch.
Assistive touch is a pre-existing feature buried within the settings menu of the iPhone. Originally intended for those who are physically handicapped (e.g., those with only a few functional fingers, etc), Assistive touch “allows you to use iPhone if you have difficulty touching the screen or if you require an adaptive accessory.” In a nutshell, it makes operating most features of the iPhone a single screen-click away.
How to enable Assistive Touch
First, go to your Settings and click “General.” Scroll down to nearly the bottom of that page and click on “Accessibility.” Once in that menu, scroll down to the category that says “Physical & Motor.” In that category you should find an option called “Assistive Touch.” The screen should appear as the picture above. Click the switch on the screen to enable the Assistive Touch feature. Once you click that on, a small, opaque circle with a light app-sized square around it should appear on the screen. You have successfully enabled Assistive Touch.
The screen should now look something like this.
Now click on the small circle. A menu should come up that looks like this:
Now by clicking the bottom “Home” section this now serves as a secondary home button, and can exit from apps, take you to your first page of apps, etc. By clicking “Device,” you should see a greater menu with more options that looks sort of like this:
The “Device” menu within Assistive Touch.
As you can see, this menu gives you the ability to lock your screen without your lock button, mute or unmute your iPhone without your vibrate/ring switch, or to increase or decrease your volume without the side volume switches. This has proved to be an incredibly handy feature for me since losing the functions of my lock button and vibrate/ring switch. However, I still can’t wait until I can finally upgrade to the iPhone 5. Tax return money, here I come!
I hope this information and the Assistive Touch feature has been helpful to you. Let me know if you have any comments or questions by commenting below!
There is a very distinct difference between what most people refer to as church plants and the actuality of what a true church plant is. What is the difference, you ask? Simple: roots.
Roots – deep & wide.
Roots separate and define a true church plant from what I would call a “church launch.” Many may claim that this difference in terminology is splitting hairs and that the terms are two sides to the same coin, but I beg to differ. The definition of a “church plant” as defined by the great and all-knowing sourceWikipedia states that “For a local church to be planted, it must eventually have a separate life of its own and be able to function without its parent body, even if it continues to stay in relationship denominationally or through being part of a network.” This idea is embedded within the very name “church plant.” In order for a plant to reproduce and spread it’s species growth, the plant must release a seed from its own life and allow it to begin its own separate life. However, this life will never last without a critical element: roots.
Roots are what anchor a plant to the earth in which it is planted. Without a strong anchor, the plant can be ripped out of the ground and killed. However, when a plant develops a deep and wide system of roots, the plant can be nearly impossible to kill. Roots also provide food storage, but are perhaps most crucial for their role in absorbing the precious water that gives them life. Without the ability to draw water from their roots, the plant will shrivel up and die within a matter of time. However, deep and wide roots allow the plant to draw from deep springs of water and from vast distances to provide and sustain life.
Why all this farmer talk, you ask? What does any of this have to do with church planting? Church plants are much like regular plants; if they do not have deep and wide roots, they are weak and prone to being swept up out of the land in which they reside. Specifically, volunteers and pastors must put down deep and wide roots. This means truly committing to the church plant; no one-foot-in, one-foot-out type living. Change your driver’s license. Get a local area phone number. Actually purchase a place to live in the city or town in which you are working. Commitment is one of the primary ways to put down roots.
Not only is this concept logical, it is also biblical. Matthew 13:1-8 is known by most as the Parable of the Sower:
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (ESV)
Later, in verses 18-23, Jesus explained this parable to His disciples. In reference to the seed with no root, Jesus was referring to those who hears the Gospel, and ” he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.” Much like those individuals who fall away from the faith because they did not allow the Gospel to put down deep and wide roots in themselves, church plants are vulnerable to falling away by not having deep and wide roots within their community.
Without deep & wide roots, plants are likely to suffer uprooting.
Next, develop relationships. If you don’t know anyone from the city you are planting in by the time your church is established, you have not truly put down roots. It is key to get to know the community in which you are serving, and making friends within that community is one of the best ways to do this. Not only will it make you feel more at home in your community, but it will also give you a viable source for determining the thoughts and needs of the locals.
Third, show the people that you intend to stick around and grow with them. If you make it known that you are there only temporarily, then you will only have their temporary trust and respect at best. Locals cannot grow to appreciate, trust and connect with church planters who may be there one year and gone the next. They want people with whom they will develop lasting, meaningful relationships, not just another pastor-passing-through.
Fourth, if you develop deep and wide roots within your community, you will find that the benefits are mutual. By forming deep systems of roots that are connected to the individuals of your congregation, you will find that they may also provide access to the water to cause the church plant to grow. The water that causes growth is the spiritual vigor and vitality of the congregation, which (if the church is properly structured) pours life back into the church. It also helps to nurture the pastor; growth and excitement among the congregants are some of the most inspiring and satisfying traits a pastor can observe in his or her congregation.
In short, a church plant is when a church puts down deep and wide roots, while church launches remain shallow and transient. In order to make lasting and meaningful change in your community, dig roots down deep and spread out wide.
Hymns have existed for thousands of years, even before the time of Jesus, yet in the last few decades they have fallen into unpopularity. However, hymns are on their way back in, and in a big way.
A stack of hymnals.
The history of hymns
The origin of music referred to as hymns in a general sense is largely unknown. Jewish tradition dictates that the feast of Passover was always ended with singing, and many of the Psalms and Old Testament poetry could be considered hymns. In fact, it is noted in both Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26 that even Jesus participated in such Passover festivities. However, hymns in reference to Christianity did not come along until much later. What we would call “Christian” hymns (hymns whose text affirm the central beliefs of Christianity) largely rose out of the Gregorian chants under the reign of Pope Gregory I (590-604). Hymns at this time were used as an addition to the singing of the biblical Psalms. However, hymns gained their true prominence during the church Reformation (1400-1600) largely thanks to Martin Luther. Luther was himself a musician, and sought (amongst many other things) to modify the Catholic Mass and Divine Offices where he thought they conflicted with Scripture. Luther often advocated the retention of as much of the music and text as possible from Catholicism, but occasionally advocated smaller churches to change from singing in Latin to their native German and adding German songs to support them. Luther believed that the congregation should participate in the worship service to the extent of their abilities, unlike the Catholic style of spectator-oriented worship. Martin Luther also strongly encouraged the use alternative instruments in worship, rather than strictly the organ and voices. Out of such a tradition we get many great hymns still sung today, including Luther’s own “A Mighty Fortress.”
An old, well-worn hymnal.
Their downfall
However, after centuries of wonderful use and development, hymns fell into unpopularity in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s with the rise of evangelicalism and “seeker friendly” worship services. Hymn use in such evangelical services steadily decreased until in the 1990’s they were all but eliminated from Sunday services besides in what were then labeled “traditional” services. Hymns were replaced with what are commonly referred to as “worship choruses”: songs with a structure typically consisting of one or two verses, chorus or refrain and a bridge. These songs were styled largely after the growing rock and roll and pop culture dominating the air waves of the day, and were meant to appeal to non-Christians attending church for the first time. This format seemed successful, as new believers seemed more comfortable singing this new music rather than the traditional hymns, and the worship choruses grew in popularity. Until recently, worship choruses were largely all an attendee to the average American worship service could expect to hear. However, hymns have yet to bow out entirely.
King’s Kaleidoscope
The “resurgence”
Hymns have begun what I would call their “resurgence” into popular worship music. Thanks to a few select groups of worship leaders, hymns are being revamped and reintegrated into worship services all across America. Many of these hymns are receiving a much needed facelift – updating of their archaic language, new instrumentations and rhythms, and new and interesting reworkings of their musical styles in general. Much of this support comes from the organization known as The Resurgence, from which I borrowed the name for this article. Headed by Pastor Mark Driscoll, the Resurgence is spearheading what some call a second reformation – a call to return to “Jesus-centered theology, Jesus-modeled leadership, Jesus-empowered living, and Jesus’ mission.” Along with this call they have heavily supported and propelled the return of traditional hymn lyrics in worship through their associated musical acts King’s Kaleidoscope and Citizens. These bands lead worship at Driscoll’s church, Mars Hill, in their various locations across the west coast of the United States. They have written numerous highly skilled (and catchy) arrangements of traditional hymns, and are beginning to really catch on in the contemporary worship community. In addition to these acts, many mainline Christian artists are seeing the merit in returning to hymns: Passion released an album entitled “Hymns: Ancient and Modern” that featured popular artists Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and David Crowder* Band in 2004. Since then, many other artists have released their own hymn albums, including the popular WOW worship in 2007. The rise in the popularity of hymns is not only in mainline contemporary worship, but also in the grassroots. Artists such as Ascend the Hill and Page CXVI are largely independent artists who raise the funds for their projects by Kickstarters, donation-based bartering, and other fundraising techniques. Both have released hymn albums in the last 3 years, and Page CXVI is solely dedicated to reproducing hymns in new and creative settings.
In short, hymns never did completely die out, but they are certainly receiving new life and newfound popularity today. Hymns have been steadily rising in popularity for the past 5 years, and I predict that they are going nowhere but up in the immediate years to come. What do you think? Voice your opinion in the comments below.
There is much debate among guitarists about the merits and drawbacks of both pedalboards and processors. Guitar pedalboards are typically defined as, well… boards with pedals on them. They usually include a variety of different brands of individual pedals all with individual functions that the guitarist combines by turning some on at the same time to achieve a certain sound. Guitar processors, on the other hand, are one (typically larger) singular pedal by one singular manufacturing company. Generally processors have what are called “banks” of different tones, where the click of a single button on the pedal engages one preset tone. However, some higher end processors allow the user to customize, create and edit their own tones either on the processor itself or by plugging it into a computer and using software. Both styles of guitar pedals have their merits and drawbacks, which we will discuss in greater detail below:
Pedalboards
Guitar pedalboard – courtesy of Elevation Worship, from their video “We Rejoice.”
Pros:
individual pedals allow the user to choose which brand of effect pedal they want to use
greater levels of tonal customization by switching out, adding or subtracting an unlimited amount of effects
effects can be wired in any order or format the user desires
pedals can be grouped and arranged where the user finds them most convenient
virtually unlimited options
Cons:
typically much more expensive than a guitar processor (a full pedalboard can cost between $750 – several thousand dollars)
larger, bulkier, heavier, and generally harder to transport than most processors
requires a larger working knowledge of proper wiring and electronics
set up time for a pedalboard is much longer than the average processor set up time
there are more opportunities for something to go wrong (multiple power units, many more cables than with a processor, more electronics than can short or fry)
Processors
This is my guitar processor I used in an LCU chapel service recently (Line6 POD X3 Live).
Pros:
easy to transport to and from your venue (smaller, easier to carry, and lighter than a pedalboard)
quick and easy set up (a typical processor only requires two guitar cables (or a guitar cable and an XLR) and a power supply in order to function)
much cheaper than a fully-loaded pedalboard (an average guitar processor can cost from $100-$600)
simple to use interface (what some would describe as a “plug-and-play” style: processors are generally ready to be used straight out of the box once plugged in)
some processors allow the user to fully customize their tone using computer programs
Cons:
the output tone quality is generally lower than that of a pedalboard (most processors use digital sampling (COSM) to recreate tones they cannot produce themselves)
processors are less customizable than individual pedals
allow only a limited number of effects to be active at the same time
editing “on the fly” during a performance is more difficult than with a pedalboard
the types of effects that can be created are limited to those the manufacturer produces (e.g., if they do not sample an octave effect you cannot create an octave effect)
The bottom line
The right choice varies for each player depending upon financial restrictions, time limitations, and venue locations. I personally use a guitar processor (Line6 POD X3 Live pictured above) because I play at 4-5 different venues a month and like to have consistency in my tone (I can save my settings and they will be exactly the same every time). However, I do not endorse a guitar processor as the right choice for every person in every situation. For some guitarists, it may make the most sense to choose a pedalboard, while for others it is more reasonable to use a processor. Here are a few helpful tips for choosing which is right for you:
You should choose a processor if:
your funds are limited to less than $750
you play in a highly portable environment (e.g., church plant that meets in differing locations, you play at multiple churches frequently, etc.)
you are a beginner-to-intermediate guitarist when it comes to effects (processors are easier to learn to use)
you have limited set up/tear down time (you must have your gear set up and ready in less than 5 minutes)
you want a small, easy to store guitar effects rig
However, you should choose a pedalboard if:
you have more than $750 to spend on guitar effects
you have little need for portability (you play in the same venue every week or leave your rig at the location)
you are advanced in your knowledge of effects, electronics and wiring
you want a wide variety of effect options at your disposal simultaneously
you want to attain a very particular tone or sound
Readers, please comment on any input you have on the topic, including personal experience and advice. Thanks!
I began my walk with Jesus at Christian Life Church in Rantoul, Illinois, in January of 2006. Little did I know that just seven short years later I would be preparing to help launch and pastor a church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. A lot has changed in those seven years: I have volunteered for church work, gone to Bible college, and, most recently, have gotten married to my lovely wife Jordan. I believe all of these experiences have been God’s way of preparing and equipping me for the ministry I am about to enter into.
On September 8th, 2013, my wife and I will help launch the first service of Liberty Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Liberty Church is founded by my good friends and Lead Pastors Robbie and Ginger Larson. They have been preparing for this church plant for about a decade, and God has finally brought it near to fruition. In 2012, Robbie and Ginger spoke with us about what our plans were after finishing college. At the time we weren’t sure about where we might go; I only knew I wanted to enter into full-time ministry in a location where God could use us best. As Jordan and I began thinking about life after college, we decided to speak to Robbie and Ginger and see what they thought about the possibility of us helping them launch Liberty. They had already been praying about us and after more discussion and prayer Robbie and Ginger asked us to join them as their Associate Pastors, Jordan over Worship and I over Operations. Jordan and I prayed, fasted and sought God about whether or not He was willing us to join the Larson’s in their ministry. After three months, we felt a strong confirmation that God was calling us to partner in planting the church. Then we only had to tell our family.
At the time, little was decided about the church plant in terms of where it would be located, what it would be called or when it would occur. Pastors Robbie and Ginger shared that they felt God was calling them to a larger platform than their current ministry, so they were confident that the location would be in a larger metropolitan area. They began to search for college towns mostly in the South around the Gulf Coast. This was where Ginger was originally from, where they both went to school, and where they felt God was calling them back to. The first location they considered was Hattiesburg, Mississippi, a growing metropolitan area of approximately 150,000 people. However, this was not the only location they considered, and they began to look at other locations on the Gulf Coast. Yet God continued to bring them back to Hattiesburg. After meeting with the para-church organization ARC (Association of Related Churches) which is helping fund and organize the launch, the Larson’s felt strongly encouraged that Hattiesburg was the location God was calling them to. ARC had been planning to plant a church in Hattiesburg for a number of years, and were ecstatic to hear that Robbie and Ginger were considering it as a location. After much prayer, the Larson’s announced that the location of the church plant would officially be Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
After determining the location of the church plant, the next thing to decide was what to call it. Robbie had been pouring over the Scriptures for inspiration for the mission and vision of the church when he came across Isaiah 61. It reads:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (ESV)
This is also the passage read by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19. Jesus stood and read Isaiah 61 in the synagogue as the official beginning of his public ministry. In verse 21, Jesus claimed that Isaiah 61 was fulfilled in him and his ministry. This gave much inspiration to Pastor Robbie, as he felt strongly that the mission of the church would be to be a life-giving church. The strong language of bringing good news to the poor, binding the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound spoke volumes to him, and he meditated on this verse frequently. The word liberty began to stand out to him as he reflected on the passage and its meaning. After praying and consulting others, it was determined that the name of the church would be Liberty. This was not necessarily as a reflection of the American values of liberty but of what they mean in the realm of Christianity: freedom from addiction, spiritual bondage, sin and death. This is the focus of the church, and seemed only fitting that it would be reflected strongly in its very name.
In recent months much discussion has occurred over when the church plant should take place. Through prayer, studying church statistics and consulting ARC and other church planting experts, it was determined that the season of fall is the best time to plant a new church. This is especially true for Liberty and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, both because in the fall the students of University of Southern Mississippi return to the city and church attendance statistically is higher in the coming season of winter. After some deliberation, it was decided that September 8th would be the launch Sunday. The date is late enough into fall that students will have all returned by this point but not so late that no one will be seeking a new church home.
My job as Associate Pastor of Operations will entail many different facets of the church plant (I have been told I will have to be a Jack-of-all-trades), but will focus mainly on ensuring that the daily operation of setting up, practicing, organizing volunteers, running through the service, tearing down and packing up all go as smoothly as possible. I will also be heavily involved in college-age ministry, and will likely be spending much of my time ministering to the students of USM and William Carey University. Lastly, as Jordan’s husband and fellow musician, I will be helping her lead worship through music on Sunday mornings.
God has blessed me with the opportunity to minister to His people, and this never ceases to amaze me. I am extremely excited to begin the preparations for the church plant in the coming months, and I ask you to join in praying and well-wishing for both Liberty Church and all those associated with launching it. For anyone who is interested in becoming involved in planting Liberty Church or volunteering for a Sunday morning, feel free to contact me through Facebook, Twitter, my email, or any other means of communication. For online giving, contact information or more information on Liberty Church, please visit:
I began my walk with Jesus at Christian Life Church in Rantoul, Illinois, in January of 2006. Little did I know that just seven short years later I would be preparing to help launch and pastor a church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. A lot has changed in those seven years: I have volunteered for church work, gone to Bible college, and, most recently, have gotten married to my lovely wife Jordan. I believe all of these experiences have been God’s way of preparing and equipping me for the ministry I am about to enter into.
After determining the location of the church plant, the next thing to decide was what to call it. Robbie had been pouring over the Scriptures for inspiration for the mission and vision of the church when he came across Isaiah 61. It reads:
Jonathan David Scott 