To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Come as you are
No, this isn't a post about Nirvana. While at church this morning, I realized that I've never talked about the place I call my church home. It's not that I'm ashamed of where I go or anything like that- quite the opposite. Let's just say that the views expressed here may not be the views of the management of my church. They might be, but... then again, some of them may not. (But, if you're ever in the Austin area and need a church, let me know.)
The first song ever played at my church was "Losing My Religion" by REM. We do things a little different. I remember the theme from Sesame Street played during offering one Sunday. Today the band did Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide." We have a rock band on stage that rivals anything the live music scene in Austin (the Live Music Capitol) has to offer. (In fact, if I'm not mistaken, several of our musicians play in other bands). Our music minister has a gold record.and a Grammy nomination. Not bad, eh? A lot of people say they came for the music, but stayed for the message.
Ah, yes, the message. I'll use today as an example. How many pastors have you heard of who will reference Jimmy Buffett and quote Socrates (as well as Jesus and the apostle Paul) in the same sermon? And have it make perfect sense? Just another Sunday morning for us.
Then there's the church motto: "Come as you are." That's actually what prompted me to write this. Sitting in the first service this morning (I volunteer with the production team, so I was at all three services today), I noticed a woman wearing a "Mike's Hard Lemonade" t-shirt. I commented to the production team that it's great that we go to a church where she'd feel perfectly comfortable wearing that t-shirt to church. Turns out, she volunteers with the ushers, and she collected the offering during that service. Talk about taking "come as you are" to a new level.
Actually, it's not that big of a stretch for us. The "official" uniform of the production team is either shorts or jeans and a team t-shirt (team members get new ones as a Christmas gift each year from the staff). This year's shirt has plastic "army guys" on the front wielding our "weapons"- lights, cameras, boom mics. The back reads "We do more before 11:11 than most people do all day Sunday." Last years said "It's amazing what you can do with duct tape and doughnuts." Geez... our pastors even wear jeans. (I did see the pastor in a tie once... weird... very weird...)
What's amazing and awe inspiring is how God has used this group of people. In the almost 6 years that this church has been meeting, literally hundreds of people have come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. People who have never been a church or who were burned by church have found a place to seek answers. And that's what it's all about.
The first song ever played at my church was "Losing My Religion" by REM. We do things a little different. I remember the theme from Sesame Street played during offering one Sunday. Today the band did Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide." We have a rock band on stage that rivals anything the live music scene in Austin (the Live Music Capitol) has to offer. (In fact, if I'm not mistaken, several of our musicians play in other bands). Our music minister has a gold record.and a Grammy nomination. Not bad, eh? A lot of people say they came for the music, but stayed for the message.
Ah, yes, the message. I'll use today as an example. How many pastors have you heard of who will reference Jimmy Buffett and quote Socrates (as well as Jesus and the apostle Paul) in the same sermon? And have it make perfect sense? Just another Sunday morning for us.
Then there's the church motto: "Come as you are." That's actually what prompted me to write this. Sitting in the first service this morning (I volunteer with the production team, so I was at all three services today), I noticed a woman wearing a "Mike's Hard Lemonade" t-shirt. I commented to the production team that it's great that we go to a church where she'd feel perfectly comfortable wearing that t-shirt to church. Turns out, she volunteers with the ushers, and she collected the offering during that service. Talk about taking "come as you are" to a new level.
Actually, it's not that big of a stretch for us. The "official" uniform of the production team is either shorts or jeans and a team t-shirt (team members get new ones as a Christmas gift each year from the staff). This year's shirt has plastic "army guys" on the front wielding our "weapons"- lights, cameras, boom mics. The back reads "We do more before 11:11 than most people do all day Sunday." Last years said "It's amazing what you can do with duct tape and doughnuts." Geez... our pastors even wear jeans. (I did see the pastor in a tie once... weird... very weird...)
What's amazing and awe inspiring is how God has used this group of people. In the almost 6 years that this church has been meeting, literally hundreds of people have come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. People who have never been a church or who were burned by church have found a place to seek answers. And that's what it's all about.
