Songs We Sing (11.29.2009)

We occasionally get asked what this or that song was after services. So, I thought I'd provide a small service to CCJ'ers and the general lurkers out there. I'll list each song and give you the original artist and/or songwriter and a few details. If you'd like to purchase the original song, I suggest using iTunes or Amazon's MP3 Store.

For the services of November 29, 2009, we sang:

I Saw The Light
Written by Hank Williams Sr. (with additional verses by David Crowder, 2005). From Wikipedia: "I Saw the Light" is a 1948 Gospel song written and first performed by Hank Williams, not to be confused with the hit song by Todd Rundgren or the #1 country hit by Wynonna Judd. With poetic lyrics, such as "I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin/I wouldn't let my dear Savior in," the song was written about Williams' religious convictions despite his alcoholic vices. Though the song was not a commercial success upon its first release, it has become one of the songs most closely tied to Williams' career. Since its release, the song has been covered by numerous artists, including Crystal Gayle for her album "Someday" (1995), Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Acuff (1948), Bobby Bare (1966), Merle Haggard (1971), Etta James (2001), Bill Monroe (1958), Jerry Reed, Willie Nelson (1979), The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1972), Earl Scruggs (1972), Hank Williams, Jr. (1969), The The (1995), Johnny Cash (In a Columbo episode), and David Crowder Band (2005)".
The David Crowder version is on their album "A Collision."

You Are Holy (Prince of Peace)
Written by Marc Imboden, Tammi Rhoton, 1994. When CCJ really sings, there is little more beautiful than us singing this song together (to me, anyway). I love the female and male voices mixing together singing different words but worshipping the same God.

Mighty To Save
Written by Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan, 2006. You can buy Hillsong's version here. As usual, we have amped up the song a bit and done it in our own way. This, however, is the original version.

Whole World In His Hands
Written by Tim Hughes, 2004. I love, love, love this song. It's such a great song of hope and inspiration to know that even though we will walk through fire, He has us and we will not be burned. We're not promised that there won't be fire, just that He will be there with us and take us through it. Matt Redman made this song popular. You can buy his version here.

You Never Let Go
Written by Matt Redman, Beth Redman, 2005. See "Whole World ..." Same thing. :-) You can buy Redman's version here.

We Are Called
Written by Daniel Ross, 2008. Read I Peter 2:9-10, then go back and read all of I Peter to get the proper context of why Peter was writing this and to who he was writing it. That's what I based this song on. By the way, we are in the infancy of recording an album of our originals (this one included) and a few public domain hymns. Hopefully, we will have it out in 2010 sometime (no promises though).
:-)

Songs We Sing (11.22.2009)

We occasionally get asked what this or that song was after services. So, I thought I'd provide a small service to CCJ'ers and the general lurkers out there. I'll list each song and give you the original artist and/or songwriter and a few details. If you'd like to purchase the original song, I suggest using iTunes or Amazon's MP3 Store.

For the services of November 22, 2009, we sang:

You Lifted Me Out
Written by Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Louie Giglio, Matt Gilder, Matt Redman, 2008. From Chris Tomlin's album "Hello Love." I love this lyric, "Lost is where You found me/Shattered and frail but You love me still/Trouble may surround me my heart may fail/But You never will/You never will."

On Our Side
Written by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Jesse Reeves, 2004. From Chris Tomlin's album "Arriving." Kurt does a good job singing this second verse, don't you think? :-)

Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
Written by Elisha A. Hoffman, 1887. Music by Anthony J. Showalter. "What have I to dread/What have I to fear/Leaning on the everlasting arms ..." I think of my grandparents when we sing this song. They left a rich legacy of faith for me and they came from a generation where "leaning on the everlasting arms" meant so much more than it does now (in many ways).

Doxology
Words by Thomas Ken, 1674. These lyrics, sung as the Doxology in many churches, are actually the last verse of a longer hymn, "Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun." Music is from 1551 (attributed to Louis Bourgeois). Arrangement by David Crowder Band and Narrow Path. We took David Crowder's version of this hymn and tweaked it just a bit so it's really kind of a mash-up of the original, David Crowder and us. A great Thanksgiving song.

Keep Me (Psalm 35)
Written by Daniel Ross, 2009. A prayer from Psalm 35. It's really a cry to God to save us but it has that spark of hope in the prayer to "keep me by Your side."

Forever
Written by Chris Tomlin, 2001. From his album "The Noise We Make." We've really revamped this quite a bit from the original version and made it our own. You guys sang well on this today. A great celebratory song that helps us warm up for eternity.

Podcast Back Up

If you get the podcast through iTunes, you may or may not know that it was down for two days.

Thanks to Mark Messmore, things are rolling again.

Everybody thank Mark for his genius.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Returns

It's back.

The Good:
----- The weekend of worship and the staff/elders overnighter.
------ The Colts being Darth Vader again .... and it being somewhat his fault.
------ My family.
------ The weather and how it has helped the construction stuff.
----- And the number one good is that God loves me even though I can be a idiot.

The Bad:
------ Sinus infections that will not go away.
------ People who have to hear me gripe about above sinus infections

The Ugly:
----- The Cowboys on Sunday
----- The Colts Offense for most of Sunday
----- People being hurt and sick

Podcast Problems

Just a quick notice to let you know that if you subscribe to the CCJ Podcast through iTunes, you are probably having a problem downloading this week's (or previous week's - if you haven't downloaded them already) podcast. You can, however, download the audio through our Media page or download it here directly (see link below).

11/15/09: Beautiful Mind (Series: The Life You Were Meant To Live (mp3)

I make no promises, but hopefully the issue will be resolved soon.

Songs We Sing (11.15.2009)

We occasionally get asked what this or that song was after services. So, I thought I'd provide a small service to CCJ'ers and the general lurkers out there. I'll list each song and give you the original artist and/or songwriter and a few details. If you'd like to purchase the original song, I suggest using iTunes or Amazon's MP3 Store.

For the services of November 15, 2009, we sang:

Be Glorified
Written by Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Louie Giglio, 1999. We first learned this one from one of those compilation worship albums several years back (I think Tim Hughes sang the version we do). A nice song of prayer that God would be glorified through us.

The Hand That Holds The World
Written by Jason Ingram, Jon Neufeld, Matt Bronleewe, Tim Neufeld, 2006. Originally recorded by Starfield (you can buy their version here).

Hosanna
Written by Brooke Fraser, 2006. Hillsong originally did this one but I like the Christy Nockels version (found here). Christy Nockels can flat-out sing.

All Creatures Of Our God And King
Written by Francis of Assisi, circa 1225 (this is REALLY old) :-)
Arrangement by David Crowder, 2002. This song really says it all. "Alleluia" (Praise be to God!). Everything praises Him.

Come Thou Fount
Written by Robert Robinson, 1758. Probably my favorite hymn ever. "Jesus sought me when a stranger ..."

Let God Arise
Written by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Jesse Reeves, 2006. This song can be found on Chris Tomlin's 2006 album "See The Morning."

Not Going Quietly

This is a post from my friend Jared at The Gospel-Driven Church blog. Go read it.

Below is the post almost completely re-printed (but, seriously, go read his blog. It's great):
Titus 2:11-15:
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you."

The gospel of God's grace in Jesus is an amazing trainer. It humbles us as it emboldens us. It drives us to our knees in awe while it empowers us to stand and walk. It takes away the burden of meritocratic discipleship while it moves us to a life of good works.

It calls us to deny ourselves as it gives us the authority of being ambassadors for the kingdom.

"Let no one disregard you," Paul says to Titus. This is similar to his admonition to Timothy to not let anyone look down on his youthfulness. But it is less specific and more emphatic: don't be disregarded.

Are you living as if the kingdom of God is a force to be reckoned with?

Jesus did not get betrayed and arrested and tortured and crucified because he taught peace, love, and good vibes. Anybody can ignore a hippie. But a guy who claims to be the Son of God? A guy who heals people and pronounces God's forgiveness and walks into the temple and acts like he owns the place? And then announces its destruction? That's somebody you have to deal with. You can't disregard him.

Pervaiz Masih clearly got this.
On October 20, two suicide bombers launched near simultaneous attacks on both the men's and women's side of the campus.

Afsheen Zafar, 20, is in mourning. Three of her classmates, girls she describes as "shining stars," were killed on that terrible day.

Still, she says the carnage could have been much worse if not for the actions of a lowly janitor, who was also killed.

"If he didn't stop the suicide attacker, there could have been great, great destruction," Zafar says.

"He's now a legend to us," says another 20-year-old student named Sumaya Ahsan. "Because he saved our lives, our friends' lives."

The janitor's name was Pervaiz Masih. According to eyewitness accounts, the attacker approached disguised in women's clothing. He shot the guard on duty, and then approached the cafeteria, which was packed with hundreds of female students.

Masih intercepted the bomber in the doorway, however, and the bomber self-detonated right outside the crowded hall, spraying many of his explosive vest's arsenal of ball bearings out into the parking lot instead of into the cafeteria.

"The sweeper who was cleaning up here saw someone outside and went towards him," said Nasreen Siddique, a cafeteria worker who was wounded in the head, leg and arm by the blast. "[Masih] told him that he could not come inside because there were girls inside. And then they started arguing. And then we heard a loud blast and all the glass broke."

"Between 300 to 400 girls were sitting in there," said Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik, the rector of the university. "[Pervez Masih] rose above the barriers of caste, creed and sectarian terrorism. Despite being a Christian, he sacrificed his life to save the Muslim girls."

Masih was a member of Pakistan's Christian minority, traditionally one of the poorest communities in the country.

No, not "despite" being a Christian did he save Muslim girls. Because he's a Christian he saved Muslim girls.

Church in the West, we are living lives of disregard and consequently having little impact. Despite our big buildings and our big budgets and our big publishing empires and our big voting blocks and our big events and our big numbers, we are living in such a way to be disregarded.

We cannot afford to go quietly. Exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Songs We Sing (11.08.2009)

We occasionally get asked what this or that song was after services. So, I thought I'd provide a small service to CCJ'ers and the general lurkers out there. I'll list each song and give you the original artist and/or songwriter and a few details. If you'd like to purchase the original song, I suggest using iTunes or Amazon's MP3 Store.

For the services of November 8, 2009, we sang:

Foreverandever, Etc.
Written by David Crowder, Jack Parker & Mike Dodson, 2005. This song is from David Crowder Band's 2005 album, "A Collision." We get some weird looks for the "foreverandeverandeverandeverandever ..." part at the end, but it perfectly illustrates the concept of the song.

Lord Reign In Me
Written by Brenton Brown, 1998. I picked this song out this week because it went perfectly with the sermon topic. It's a prayer that "Over every thought over every word/May my life reflect the beauty of my Lord/'Cause You mean more to me/Than any earthly thing."

Power in the Blood
Written by Lewis E. Jones, 1899. This song is also known as "There Is Power In The Blood." It's a pretty neat songwriting tool that most of the verses are in the form of a question.

The Wonderful Cross
Written by Chris Tomlin, J. D. Walt, Jesse Reeves (all 2005), Isaac Watts (1707), & Lowell Mason (1824). This is a modern chorus added to the old hymn "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross." The great songwriter Charles Wesley reportedly said he would give up all his other hymns to have written this one. It's a fantastic set of lyrics.

Jesus Paid It All
Written by Elvina M. Hall, 1865. An excellent old song about the supremacy of Christ in our lives.

Your Grace Is Enough
Written by Matt Maher, 2003. This song was written by Maher (who has his own version out there) but was popularized by Chris Tomlin on his album "Arriving."

Songs We Sing (11.01.2009)

We occasionally get asked what this or that song was after services. So, I thought I'd provide a small service to CCJ'ers and the general lurkers out there. I'll list each song and give you the original artist and/or songwriter and a few details. If you'd like to purchase the original song, I suggest using iTunes or Amazon's MP3 Store.

For the services of November 1, 2009, we sang:

At The Cross
Words by Issac Watts, 1707. Chorus by Ralph Hudson in 1885. This song is also known as "Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed?" without the "at the cross, at the cross" chorus. You know how we sometimes sing an old hymn with a new chorus? There's nothing new under the sun, as this is a good example. There are some great lyrics to this song. I used to think the line "Would He devote that sacred head/For such a worm as I?" was a bit harsh but, as I've grown, I realize that I have nothing to offer God that is good and that, in the full light of His glory, I am no more than a worm. HOWEVER, there is "Amazing pity/Grace unknown/And love beyond degree ... at the cross."

All Bow Down
Written by Chris Tomlin & Ed Cash, 2004. This is from Chris Tomlin's "Arriving" album (if you're looking to buy it). Our version is stylistically a bit more funky (I like it better, but that's just me). When we did this one at The Burner last Sunday night, there was some loud singing that warmed my heart. We got to the line "You are coming again, like a thiief in the night/You are coming again, with a shout from the sky." The kids (and adults) really let loose on the "shout from the sky part." It was awesome. :-)

Nothing But The Blood
Written by Robert Lowry, 1876. Man, this guy really was a prolific songwriter back in the late 1800s, wasn't he (go look at previous "songs We Sing" posts to see what I'm talking about)? This song has fantastic words that help remind us that it is not of our doing, but God's that we are saved - ONLY through the blood of Jesus.

Here I Am To Worship
Written by Tim Hughes, 2000. You can buy the mp3 here, if you want it. This one is a modern classic, so to speak. This takes us to a place of pondering just how much Jesus gave up for us. That requires our worship.

How Deep The Father's Love For Us
Written by Stuart Townend, 1995. This is written in hymn-style so many think it is an old song but it's fairly new, in reality. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the lyrics to this song. I've not found a version that is quite like ours so, I'll give you an old YouTube video of us doing it in 2007. For whatever reason, this video has been downloaded from our web site about 70-100 times each month and has been viewed on YouTube nearly 14,000 times. The video from the ccjasper.com site has been embeded in some South Korean web site and has been heavily viewed in China and other Asian nations over the past two years. God uses the weak in His ways, doesn't He?

Image of the Invisible
Written by Daniel Ross & Kurt Neighbors, 2008. We wrote this one back in late 2008 when CCJ was working through the book of Colossians. I was trying to hammer home the point that Jesus is the supreme ruler over everything. This will be available in a recorded form ... someday.