WORSHIP IN FAITH

Hey, I like your new web design! (It's hard fo...

2012-02-16T16:08:28.806-09:00

Hey, I like your new web design! (It's hard for old people to read words on black backgrounds.) And that was a good word from Liza/Kay!

Fixed the quote by Mayor Booker. It was actually M...

2011-08-12T10:15:43.595-08:00

Fixed the quote by Mayor Booker. It was actually Martin Luther King Jr. referenced by Mayor Booker.

Worship- that is what we were created to do. A ch...

2011-07-28T19:00:32.276-08:00

Worship- that is what we were created to do. A church where the people worship in spirit and in truth will be a church able to reach its community in charity, politics, family life, social issues and more.

A heart unashamed to worship Jesus wherever and whenever will be a terror to the gates of hell.

wow!People whose hearts are burning to serve the L...

2011-06-15T21:52:36.993-08:00

wow!People whose hearts are burning to serve the Lord! Awesome!

Thank you for those words of wisdom, Mark. Gives ...

2011-06-09T05:38:47.325-08:00

Thank you for those words of wisdom, Mark. Gives us all food for thought, for sure!! Bless You!!

Thanks for that word Michael. I completely agree t...

2011-05-16T14:42:38.637-08:00

Thanks for that word Michael. I completely agree that performance is not the goal. However, with the goal being, ministering to God & blessing His people, excellence (not perfection) is required.

Psalm 33:3
"Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy."

Exodus 31:1-5
"Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts."

Excellence (skill) is not the end all goal, but a necessary calling from God to help others turn to Him in worship.

Blessings!

The term "excellence", when applied to w...

2011-05-16T14:08:23.436-08:00

The term "excellence", when applied to worship, seems problematic to me. It carries connotations related to performance that is above and beyond the norm. But worship is not performance; it is, as one author put it, "a kiss towards God". If worship is, therefore, simply one of many expressions of the love we have for Him, then it can never be about performance.

On the other hand, we offer ourselves as a sacrifice to Him. The Hebrew culture was all about excellence when it came to sacrifices. Their mandate was to offer their very best, and to follow very precise procedures in the act of offering it. There is some application of this in Romans 12:1, which exhorts us to offer our bodies as "a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is [our] spiritual service of worship." So worship and offering ourselves are clearly linked, but it's not about perfection (excellence?); it's about our hearts. And by coming to Him with a pure heart, honestly expressing ourselves to Him (as you said), then our heart is united with His. That intimacy with God is not possible with other world religions; it distinguishes us from worshippers of other gods.

We are truly blessed.

Gee, I've listened to that song a hundred time...

2011-04-13T14:31:41.100-08:00

Gee, I've listened to that song a hundred times on the FCC website and I even told my worship pastor about it,but I didn't know until now that Mark wrote it! Thanks, Sed!

It made ME want you to write more, too! :) I love...

2011-03-15T08:48:09.591-08:00

It made ME want you to write more, too! :)

I love it!!

Thanks for sharing this. Richard

2011-02-23T15:00:08.539-09:00

Thanks for sharing this. Richard

Hope it's ok to put this link on my FB page, b...

2010-12-15T16:41:53.157-09:00

Hope it's ok to put this link on my FB page, because I just did! That was WONDERFUL!!

Randy Alcorn (who wrote a book on heaven) thinks i...

2010-12-07T15:59:59.081-09:00

Randy Alcorn (who wrote a book on heaven) thinks it's possible that really good songs written on earth will be sung in heaven, too! If so, I want to sing this one with you and Lisa!

Well, I've actually never heard it before so i...

2010-12-07T13:15:36.074-09:00

Well, I've actually never heard it before so it really is NEW to me. Man, I wish I could give you and Lisa a big ol' hug. And I wish I could stand beside you and worship together. Okay, my eyes are starting to leak so I'm done here. Luv ya'll. -Laura

Lest anyone thinks that was a send off for Basa, i...

2010-11-30T16:00:54.001-09:00

Lest anyone thinks that was a send off for Basa, it was not. I was just rejoicing in the fact that God is raising up amazing leaders here at Faith.

-Mark

Praying for Basa!

2010-11-30T11:42:40.424-09:00

Praying for Basa!

Short & Sweet Mary!

2010-11-29T13:50:20.816-09:00

Short & Sweet Mary!

He's called by God.

2010-11-29T13:44:21.531-09:00

He's called by God.

I HATE not being there, but I've been comforte...

2010-11-22T15:00:44.177-09:00

I HATE not being there, but I've been comforted knowing that your church family is taking such good care of y'all. I imagine Lisa's mom feels the same way.

Mark - you and your family are precious gifts. I i...

2010-11-22T13:16:58.716-09:00

Mark - you and your family are precious gifts. I imagine the past few weeks have been challenging for all of you, but I trust God has used each experience to draw you closer to Him. Thank YOU for all that you are to our family (we Z's and our FCC fam). God has blessed us all abundantly through you. Thank you for your humble leadership. We praise God you are here.
Sending lots of thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery...perfect healing, peace and hope in the days to come.
Happy Thanksgiving!

So glad you're talking about this. One of my l...

2010-11-22T13:00:29.805-09:00

So glad you're talking about this. One of my longings since childhood is to see American's believe God for miracles (and, yes, even people rising from the dead) in our day. Press on, bro!

Each time I work/minister/serve with you I continu...

2010-10-22T11:04:32.234-08:00

Each time I work/minister/serve with you I continue to heal. I appreciate your humble spirit.

My Costco moment was about 4:30 this morning when ...

2010-10-21T07:08:46.161-08:00

My Costco moment was about 4:30 this morning when God gently nudged me awake and took me to my laptop to experience here in Arkansas what y'all experienced there!

I had a wonderful time just adoring God, and weeping when Steve talked about the miners, and praising Him for so many blessings--from technology to each person who sacrificed their time to create such a wonderful experience! I especially enjoyed the choir and look forward to hearing them more, now that the music is being streamed every week.

My biggest praise, of course, was remembering how seriously ill I was this time last year, and how God totally healed me as I watched last year's Night of Worship by Skype. It was so awesome to be sitting here in perfect health and freedom from the oxycodone that had piled addiction on top of pain!

May God bless each of you who used your talents so amazingly! You have a sister here in Arkansas who loves and appreciates you!

I can't wait til the NEXT one! I concur with the people who commented on your FB page, Mark, that next time it should last until midnight. Then again, with the amount of energy expended, it might kill you all!

Hey Mark... If I end up comming back sooner than p...

2010-08-10T18:00:21.674-08:00

Hey Mark... If I end up comming back sooner than planned, may I join the choir?

I'm intrigued because I have no idea what a tr...

2010-05-20T15:51:28.319-08:00

I'm intrigued because I have no idea what a tri-tone is! I'll listen right now!

I'm chewing happily.

2010-05-05T14:29:21.872-08:00

I'm chewing happily.