Microphone-  Shure SLX24/BETA87A Hand-Held Wireless Condenser Microphone System  

                     Wired Shure Beta 87-A Mic

**These work best for my voice.  Its important to get something that works with your vocals.**

Acoustic Guitar- Breedlove  C25/SR with Breedlove case.

Electric- Fender Telecaster (Sunburst)

             Ibanez hollow-body

Guitar Picks- Dunlop Tortex Standard (I prefer the orange ones because I constantly lose pics)

Capos- Acoustic: G7th and Electric: Kyser 

Amp- Fender Blues Jr. III (Just got this amp and I am in love)

Effects: Pedal Train 2 with hard case for rack and power

            Keeley Compressor (Best on the market)

            Ibanez Tube Screamer

            TC Electronics Overdrive Mojo Mojo (Iphone Compatible)

            TC Electronics Flash back Delay (Iphone Compatible)

            Dunlop Volume Pedal

**When it comes to effects I keep it simple.**  

Angels we Have Heard on High- Chris Tomlin Version 

My Soul Magnifies the Lord- Chris Tomlin 

Run Run Rudolph- Chuck Berry 

Revelation Song- Kari Jobe

He Is- Healing Place Church 

All Creation Sing (Joy to the World)- Steve Fee 

Set-List for 11-20-11

Set Free- Chris Tomlin
Exalted One- Elevation Church
The Lord is My Rock- Elevation Church
Unashamed- Starfield
How Great is Your Faithfulness- Matt Redman
It Was for Freedom- New Life Worship

I am seeing a disturbing trend with pastors and leaders in the Church today.  It seems like every time I turn around someone is taking a shot at someone’s church.  They find every reason to trash someone else’s church.  The sad thing is that it is normally a church in their own community.  Two reasons why I believe pastors/leaders church bash: 1. They are insecure about their own leadership  2. They feel threatened with that church.

I know that the American churches are in trouble.  I know that over the past 50 years denominations have been on a steady decline.  I don’t need to keep hearing all the negatives.  The Church does not need to hear how horrible they are at what they are doing. Maybe the reason they are not doing well is because they have been told over and over that they are horrible at ministry. Would you ever tell a kid over and over again that they are horrible at life? No you wouldn’t! Why? Because you know good and well that it would have negative effects on that child’s life.

Let’s try something different…How about we follow the model of Jesus and begin showing the Church what it can be? Jesus didn’t need to tell the blind man he was blind and He didn’t need to tell the dead that they were lifeless. They knew their conditions.  Jesus just needed to tell them there was hope and a plan for them.  They needed to hear His voice.  How about we encourage local churches rather than slam them every chance we get? How about we tell them what God can do through them if they will just follow His voice.

Hey pastor/leader rather than putting that Church down next time how about you write them an encouraging letter?.  Lay your pride down for a second and pick up a pen and write. How about when you ride by that church that you pray over it.

Maybe right now you will find yourself where I have been and need to repent over things you have said.  Whatever you have to do please do it.  The Church will never change if we constantly bash her.

This weekend we will be in week 2 of our series Amazing Grace.  Our topic this weekend will be Graceful Confrontation. Be assured that Pastor Shawn’s message  will be powerful and life changing! Freedom people who are you bringing this weekend?

We are the Free-Matt Redman

Your Grace is Enough- Chris Tomlin

All We Need – Charlie Hall

Grace Greater Than Our Sin- Remixed Hymn

You Alone Can Rescue- Matt Redman

Forever- Chris Tomlin

“It doesn’t matter how many chariots the other guy has when God is on your side.” Pg. 3

“We will not believe in God most fully until we despair of ourselves more completely.” Pg. 44

“When things don’t go well, after the tears we usually look for someone to blame. Leaders make a handy, accessible target.” Pg. 56

“God has two things going for him that you don’t: Time and Perspective. He is never in a hurry and he knows the future.” Pg. 93

“Blessing always follows obedience” Pg. 124

“You need some separation to throw rocks. You need proximity to have influence.”  Pg. 164

Unfortunately  not all criticism is wanted. Negative critics can bring pain and hurt with the words that they use.  Our church from time to time takes shots from people in and out of the community (BTW this seems to be normal in church planting).  Does it hurt? yep! Does it hinder our mission of reaching those far from God? Nope! Heres why…Critics DO NOT dictate our calling as a church.  Critics DO NOT define who we are as a church. Critics DO NOT define me as a leader.  Pastor Perry Noble once said, “If Jesus and Paul could not please everybody then you can’t either”.  When critics attack you or your church you have to walk away with your character intact. You goal is for God to look at you and say, “thats how I would have handled it.”  You have to have tough skin and a soft heart. Be prepared when negative criticism comes your way!

Torn by Pastor Jud Wilhite

You may be experiencing a time of such darkness that you wonder if you will ever find “normal” again or look toward the future with hope. In Torn, Jud explores your questions as well as God’s answers—and God’s mysteries. With a pastor’s heart, he looks with you at practical ways to fight for joy, deal with anger and depression, and make the million tiny decisions that add up to a life committed to God, even when your heart is broken.

The Art of Curating Worship by Mark Pierson

The Art of Curating Worship promotes a new vocabulary to help worship curators work out how and why and where worship can best engage their community, inside and outside the church, in transformative encounters with God.

Ir-revend by Pastor Greg Surratt

Whatever you may think about the “typical” pastor, throw it out. Do they make bad decisions? Yes. Commit sin and experience severed relationships? Yes and yes. Pastor Greg Surratt is not perfect, and he unashamedly tells the stories that have strengthened his faith. He writes that the choice to follow Christ is never clean, is often scary, is usually clothed in mystery, and is always an adventure.