IDENTITY CRISIS. Identity crisis is a psychological condition in which one is uncertain about one’s self and one’s role in society. This discussion thread might be said to have an identity crisis. Is it about music teaching or spiritual preaching? Is it written to music teachers or pastors? Does it contain ideas for a great music program or a dynamic church? Is it a radical approach for achieving top musicianship skills or deep spiritual skills? If you are a music teacher looking for insights into the most rewarding ways to teach music, this is a deep sea exploration dive. If you are a pastor looking for a new vision for a powerful spiritual impact on your church and community, this will stretch your horizons. Perhaps you as well have an identity crisis of a sort and are searching for more? Who are you and why are you reading this? Are you looking to broaden your life? What is the "more" for which you are searching?
When I was a little kid playing in the dirt, while still unsaved, I knew two things about my life beyond any doubt. (1) I saw myself at a desk, teaching students, and (2) I heard myself speaking with pastors and churches. All this even before I was saved. I knew I would be a teacher and the subject definitely would be music, and I felt the words to pastors and churches as words of great strength.
FIRST PURPOSE. I had piano lessons during my school years and then went to college for teacher education. My entire life’s career has been teaching K-12 general classroom music. The results of what the Lord had me do in music teaching were phenomenal. Within a decade and a half, our public school music staff changed a no-name music department to one that was first state awarded, to nationally awarded, and then noted internationally. After three decades, I retired from public school to go back to college to complete a Ph.D. in music education and enter the college realm to teach music education methods. My first purpose obviously has been fulfilled.
SECOND PURPOSE. Over the years I dropped all thoughts of speaking words of strength to pastors and churches. I believed my two life-purposes were impossible to be linked. I forgot about the second purpose. Dismissed it entirely. Then, a few weeks ago, sitting at my desk, the Lord impressed on my thoughts a single sentence, “The things I taught you about music education and the successes I gave you, I want you to teach pastors how they can do the same in their churches.” WOW, what a perfect intersection of two seeming totally unrelated purposes.
FOR THIS TIME. There are some 50 years between the realization of these two purposes. (However, time is nothing to God.) In considering why such a long time, I am brought to Esther 4:14, “For such a time as this.” What is this time? If we consider today’s (2012) society and our elected government as a mirror image reflection of the church’s health and influence, we have a sad picture. In society, the church is as an elderly invalid confined to a wheelchair and handicapped spaces.
On our way to being a victorious church, we are presently no longer a strong light in society and government, and darkness prevails. But why is this? Is not darkness a powerless nothing? Darkness exists only when something is absent—light. Darkness is powerless and has no resistance. It instantly and automatically flees every time a light is turned on. As Edmund Burke, one of our nation’s founding fathers, said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Sooooo…
WARNING. Do Not Read Further Unless You Have An Open Mind! The following undermines a lot of entrenched paradigms and shoots many sacred cows. (I love messing with entrenched minds.) This series of posts is for the serious gold miner who digs deep, not just the stream and screen panhandler. With my Ephesians 4:11 teaching gift, prepare yourself for a challenge to leave off business near the shore and launch out into the deep. “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep.” (Psalm 107:23-24). As you read the following, you will begin to perceive the intersected power of my life’s two purposes.
Your Belief System and Your Church: (1) Introduction
Your Belief System and Your Church: (2) Your Paradigms
Your Belief System and Your Church: (3) Bondage or Freedom
Your Belief System and Your Church: (4) Gateway Skills
Your Belief System and Your Church: (5) Teacher Accountability
Your Belief System and Your Church: (6) Talking About vs. Doing
Your Belief System and Your Church: (7) Student Accountability
Your Belief System and Your Church: (8) Assessment
Your Belief System and Your Church: (9) Bury Dead Tradition
Your Belief System and Your Church: (10) Teaching vs. Learning
Your Belief System and Your Church: (11) Teachers' Three Phases
Your Belief System and Your Church: (12) Excellence is NOT a Goal
Your Belief System and Your Church: (13) My Teaching Limits Were Their Learning Limits
Your Belief System and Your Church: (14) Unlearning Creates Success
Your Belief System and Your Church: (15) Pioneers vs. Settlers
Your Belief System and Your Church: (16) Real and Lasting Learning
Your Belief System and Your Church: (17) Problems With Memory
Your Belief System and Your Church: (18) Ownership Creates Success
Your Belief System and Your Church: (19) Not Perfect, But Honest
Your Belief System and Your Church: (20) Take Risks and Give Away Control
Your Belief System and Your Church: (21) Out of a Job
Your Belief System and Your Church: (22) KCAASE and Proverbs 24
Your Belief System and Your Church: (23) Responding vs. Reacting
Your Belief System and Your Church: (24) Only When Performed
Your Belief System and Your Church: (25) A Supervisor's Vision
Your Belief System and Your Church: (26) Glimpses Into the Spiritual
Your Belief System and Your Church: (27) One Reason Alone
Tags:
Dave Knauss said:Praise the Lord, Pastor Joe!!! What phenomenal things are happening in your church and community. You're correct in that prayer is not a major focus, and neither is fasting and many other vital Christian exercises, but they're mentioned a lot. Remember the change process that the 2000 successful churches adopted that always began with prayer? With every VRP session beginning and ending in prayer, we instructors lived it for you rather than spoke of it on slides. Congratulations on your commitment to prayer and fasting. I really praise God for your willingness to "let go" just like you mentioned. Every teacher likes to hear of his "students'" spectacular successes!!! Especially here in the VRP program. Don't stop now, let me hear more. Give me a call here at Kingdom to chat.
Blessings, Dave
© 2021 Created by Juanita.
Powered by