over the past few weeks the things I have been learning have really ROCKED my world and preparing me for the next season in my life. now, i’m not sure where and when the season will take place but I do know that God’s word tells me to always be ready. be ready to give an answer for the question you are asked. be ready and in all you do acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight. i once heard Louie Giglio quote someone as saying this “the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the word of God that we know”. let that marinate for a minute…

in navigating through this life there are so many choices to be made and God’s word is FULL of timeless unfailable truthes. there are two of them that have really opened my eyes recently.

Proverbs 27:12 (NIV)  ”the prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it”

I love what the Message  version says, check this out: “A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks;
   a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered.”

this passage is amazing. the prudent or “wise” see danger or trouble coming and do something about it. they act, they don’t talk about their “intentions” but they do what is necessary to their direction because that alone determines your destination. But the simple minded blindly keep going and will suffer for it. Andy Stanley’s book “The Principal of the Path” defines this thought and concept.

the 2nd passage has been something God has been using to shape me over the past 3 years.

2 Corinthians 4:18  “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.“

everything we see in this world that is of this world is temporary. the season you are in now, whether good or bad, is temporary. You are not going to be there forever! focus on the unseen, focus on the movement of God in your life. Proverbs tells us to lean not on our own understanding but in ALL of our ways acknowledge Him. here is a thought that has been literally ROCKIN my world. We always pray about and give God control over the things that we have no control over. Things like, traveling mercies, your kids friends, your salvation. Of course you give Him control over that stuff because we have NO control over it. However, will we give Him control over the things we do well. Our talents, jobs, the thing we do have control over. Will we TRULY give Him all control and focus on the unseen?!?!

God has also really opened my eyes to what it means to be a lead worshipper through music/song and as a true “Christ-follower” and what it means to be a steward of the talents and gifts God has given you. In the days and months to come i will be recording some videos on this topic. there is just too much information to type. THANK you for all the prayers, comments and for even reading this. I truly hope and pray that God speaks to you today and the days to come, through His word that you know!!

GREATER THINGS~!

Chris

Hello everyone. Well, this past Sunday was amazing!! God showed up in some HUGE ways at Stonecreek Church in Alpharetta. Here was the set list we used:

Freedom is Here- Hillsong United

Faithful- Alex Nifong (Kristian Stanfill’s version)

Chainbreaker- Charlie Hall

Beautiful Jesus- Kristian Stanfill

Glory to God Forever- Steve Fee

Let God Arise- Chris Tomlin

We stacked the set as it was the first Sunday back after the summer. Seeing 90 high schoolers and 70 middle schoolers truly worshipping through song is an amazing sound. The song that got the most response was “Beautiful Jesus”. Before the song we took a look at 1 Timothy 2:3-7 which says this:

“ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. ⁷And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. “

The fact that Jesus came for ALL! That was the theme of the morning. Taking that message to the world and realizing that sometimes we are the only Jesus that some people will see.

Chris

Had the amazing privilege of leading worship at The Well up in Catersville Ga. Here was the set we used this morning. The morning was centered around The story of Philip in Acts and diving into our relationship with Jesus. Andy Postell is the Pastor of The Well and did a FANTASTIC job teaching from God’s word this morning. In the words of my good buddy Noah Culver, “this verse will eat your lunch”; 2 Corinthians 4:4. I had the honor of having an extremely talented band. Clay Goswick and JD Myers on electric, Noah Culver on bass, Kyle Schumacher on drums. Here was the set for the morning:

You Lifted Me Out- Chris Tomlin

Glorious One- Steve Fee

Everlasting God- Brenton Brown (Tomlin’s Version)

God of This City- blutree (Tomlin’s Version)

thanks to every at The Well in Catersville and the guys for an amazing morning.

HEY!! It’s been another long break from blogging…and I’m back. As I am getting back into the habit of blogging I wanted to share what I have been learning and up to lately.

• Intention vs. Direction. Andy Stanley’s “The Principal of the Path” has been something that is really speaking to my heart and life. Living out Proverbs 27:12, I want and desire to be a person of wisdom and not someone who is simple…
• Music has NEVER been so alive to me. As I continue to grow and mature in every way music is literally a living thing to me. I want to live and breathe the words I sing and the notes I play. I am really wanting to get into a better musical shape. Writing new songs, adapting different arrangements to tunes that are great already but adapting them to the environment God has put me in.
• Continuing to grow as a husband and provider for my family…AMAZING growing process…I love my wife SOOO much!

There will be more to come…I PROMISE. I want to leave you with a question though…

What do you think when you hear this word… WORSHIP…

greater things, CH

Hello there!! It has been too long I know. It has been an interesting month full of busy work, amazing songs, time examining my own heart. It’s amazing that as you get older things tend to either set in stone or become more clear as each day progresses. This morning my heart was drawn to a verse out of Psalm 91. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” vs 1. Wow, to be in the shadow of the Almighty. Just to be in His shadow is where I want to be. Right beside Him letting the Father’s light hit the Son and all the while I am standing in His shadow. Normally standing in someone’s shadow is not a good thing, in this case however it is the BEST thing.

I am sitting here at Stonecreek Church after an incredible morning. We just got done singing “Beautiful Jesus” and the words have kind of run me over right now. We have an all powerful God that created all that we can see. He paints the sunset and He calls us friend. Here is the chorus:

“Beautiful Jesus, beautiful Savior
Nothing is greater, brilliant Creator
Friend of mine
Perfect is power, matchless in Glory
Nothing is greater, brilliant Creator
Friend I mine”- Kristian Stanfill

CH

this thought has been resounding in my head for days now…what does it mean to be a Christ follower in today’s world? In a world ini-dated with churches and philosophies and politics, where do we fit in? How does God want us to live? What should we do? Here are some things that I feel God has given me as an answer:

James 1:27

1John4: 10-12

In a world driven by success and fame I also think that there are specific things we should be focused upon. Twitters, Facebooks, Myspaces and whatever else promotes someone “following” you remember that there is one thing that we as Christ followers should do with EVERY word, EVERY breath and EVER action…GLORIFY HIM. Point to Him, and I’m not just talking about with our lips but with our lives. IT SHOULDN’T BE about how many people follow us on Twitter or Facebook but all about HIS name and HIS renown (Isaiah 26:8)! Our attitudes should be the same as Paul who said “Follow me as I follow the example of Christ”. So I say this in love…POINT TO HIM… =0)

Jesus tells us to GO and LOVE the people in the world. He has never said, “go and point the finger of condemnation”. His love saved you and is MORE than enough to save “that other guy”. This is the love that we have access to and that lives in us. We can offer what Jesus spoke over 2000 years ago, check this out:

12- When Jesus spoke again to the people he said, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

So my question is…who and what are you living for today????? Who do you need to care for? Who do you need to show love to? What changes do we need to make?

Father, let everything we do whether in word or in deed all be about You and Your Name…

in love, CH

A fellowship leader that I have had the privilege to have some great conversations with is coming out with his first full length record NEXT week. You probably know the name of Kristian Stanfill. Co-writer of  the latest rendtition of “Jesus Paid It All” with Alex Nifong and the latest artist signed to sixsteps records. The record is called “Attention” and it will feature the songs “Lord of All”, “Alive and Running”, “Faithful” and first single on the record, a song I’m sure you have heard if you follow the Passion movement at all, “Beautiful Jesus”.

Take some time today and drop by Kristians blog and take a look and listen as to what God is doing in his life right now.

Hello to all! Here are some pictures from an amazing night at the Hello Love tour with Chris Tomlin and Israel Houghton at Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, FL. All I can say is WOW! What a night of worship and celebration of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Here are a few picks from the night.

I just found out that Chris Tomlin’s grandfather passed away a few days ago. Please take a moment and lift up Chris and his family during this time. You can listen to Chris talk about it on his blog: Chris Tomlin’s tour blog

greater things,
=chris=