“All of my life, in every season, you are still God. I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship!”

Preparing for our upcoming worship set and reflecting on the upcoming holiday, these lyrics have resonated in my heart. Not only do I have a reason to sing and worship the creator and savior God for my freedom. I also have a reason to rejoice this Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day has traditionally been a day of smeared mascara and withdrawing from the world. It is the one day a year I throw myself a pity party for all the loss and pain I’ve ever experienced. While the world around me is celebrating mom, I am mourning the loss of mine. At the age of 10, I lost my mother to a sudden and tragic brain aneurysm. It was an ordinary Thursday morning. She kissed my face and walked out the door for work. It was when Uncle Jeff pulled up to pick me up from cheer practice that I knew something was terribly wrong. He did his best to convince me mommy just fainted and would be home soon but I knew, that I knew, that I knew, it was not going to be okay.

Needless to say my life has never been the same. I could write a book about what happened between that day and the day I put my trust in Jesus, but I’ll spare you the details. The important part of my story is that the God of the universe has chosen to use me, and my tribulations to glorify Him. I now see the joy in my sufferings. Instead of crying tears of pain from losing my mommy I am crying tears of joy for the blessings of being a mommy. It’s amazing how my view of Mother’s Day has changed after having children of my own. What blessings! I still mourn. But I also now sing.

I have to think that God might feel the same way. I suspect the sting of “losing” His son Jesus is so much less because He now gets to experience the joy of close relationship with us, his children. Imagine the happiness your child brings to your life. We bring that to Him. He delights in us. We get to experience the joy of one, two, three (maybe six if you’re the Seymore’s ) children. God gets to experience the blessing of millions of children. Wow!

He was and is still God. He knew what he was doing on November 4th 1993 and I am so excited that He knows what He is doing today, tomorrow and forever. What comfort I find in that truth. All of my life…in every season…I have a reason to sing!!!

Brook Arnold
Vocalist / Lead Worshiper, 7x

Holy Discontent

What makes you cry?
What messes with you?
What punches you in the gut?
What can’t you stand?
What wrecks you?
What makes you mad?
What is your Holy Discontent?

Holy- Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power, sacred; specified, set apart for a religious purpose

Discontent-a restless longing for better circumstances

A restless longing for better circumstances based on the sacred, not the temporal. An alignment of our hearts with God’s heart for the world. The idea comes from a sermon by a guy named Bill Hybels. You can download the message here.  I highly recommend it.

However, Sunday the question was asked of my church. In the middle of a sermon series on prayer that has been challenging me each Sunday, this question was posed. As I sat and listened to a passage on Nehemiah-a guy wrecked by the destruction of a city, I began thinking of my own struggle with holy discontent. It comes down to one number.

27 million.

A huge number. In dollars, you would be rich. And that number makes a lot of people rich. However, it makes me sick. Literally. It makes me furious. Angry. It brings tears to my eyes. It is why I am doing what I am doing. It is the number I will spend my life fighting. That number represents one word: Slavery.

Perhaps my mom should have been worried when her 5th grader was reading books like Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Perhaps this was always my calling. Regardless, I can tell you that the last three years have been a journey into the dark world of human trafficking. I have read more, watched more, listened more, gave more, prayed more, and spent more time devouring anything I could on this topic. I have altered my shopping patterns, my finances, my time, and the direction of my life to spend it focused on fighting that number. Because in a world with resources and wealth aplenty, no one should be beaten, bruised, tortured, trapped, raped, and killed for someone’s elses pleasure. It is injustice at its finest and it is fast becoming the number one global crime industry racking in billions upon billions of dollars because unlike drugs which long has held the number one spot, a human can be sold over and over and over. 8 times a night. 7 days a week. 52 weeks a year.

The beauty of holy discontent is that it messes with each of us differently. Our church was tweeting about it all morning (#holydiscontent) and as I read the things that wreck people, I was instantly reminded that it is not about being capable or having the perfect resume or the right answers or the most experience. It is about the thing that keeps you up at night. The thing that breaks your heart. The thing that causes you to abandon all societal norms in the pursuit. For me it is the injustice of slavery. For others it is divorce, or drugs, or religiosity, or poverty, or homelessness. But in all of it, God is discontent. And while sometimes I wish He would come down and wipe every pimp off this earth, I believe that He can and will use the passion and desires in my heart to effect change. My job is just simply to ask, seek, pray, and do.

What is your holy discontent? Figure it out and feed it. Pray about it. Learn about it. Fight against it. And never ever let it become content. Keep that restlessness that comes with it. Only then will God use us to change the world.

Amanda Kloeppel

Amanda is a One Life attender and a student at USI working on her Masters in Public Administration. She works as an Associate Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual. More of her own personal blog is at Amanda’s Annotations.

Son of David
Don’t pass me by
Cause I am naked
I am poor
I am blind

I remember well my first international mission trip.  I was part of a high school ministry that took a trip to build houses for the poor in Juarez Mexico.  I remember crossing the border and getting the feeling as though I had crossed into a whole different world.  That week that I spent sleeping in a tent and taking showers by filling buckets from rain barrels and dumping them over my head opened my eyes in ways I never thought possible.

Fast forward to my college years.  It was during my sophomore year that I decided to travel to Myanmar to serve in the orphanages there.  Once again, I entered a whole new world.  The things that I experienced consumed each of my senses.  The conditions people lived in broke my heart.  The health issues people lived were unimaginable.  But the children,  the sweet, innocent, loving children swept me away.  I remember leading worship along side Lindy Weatherly in a room filled with children that the world would place little value on.  In that small room, the worship leader became the worship led.  I was humbled by the shear joy and hope that each one brought with such a genuineness that I had never seen before or since.

Several years have past since I was loved on by those children, but the impact they had on my life is still very real.

Each of us has  a mission field.  A place where God has placed us for a season to have an impact.  For me, I believe it’s my workplace.  My wife considers the internet to be her mission field through her blogs and social media streams.  Yours may be your home or the gym.  Wherever it may be, you have the opportunity to make an impact.

This weekend, we are beginning a series on missions.  If you’ve been keeping up with the OneLife Social Media streams, you’ve undoubtedly seen posts regarding the Student Worship Night this Saturday night and the “My Heart for Myanmar” campaign going on.  The student ministry has taken on some major initiatives to impact the people of Myanmar.  The beauty of the “My Heart 4 Myanmar” campaign has truly been the involvement of our students and their leaders.  Each of them has worked tirelessly, diligently and boldly to see this through and this Saturday night they are kicking things off in grand fashion and furthermore, come Sunday morning, we will all get to experience it.

While we look to serve Myanmar and other nations around the world, it’s important to remember that “Missions” is not reserved for those who travel around the world.  “Missions” is making an impact where you are…right now!  We’ve used the phrase many times before, “Missions exist because worship does not.”  We’ve been wired to worship.  Unfortunately, all too many people don’t know the glory of God to offer Him the worship he is due.  That’s why we do what we do!  That’s why we want to help people far from God experience Jesus.

Come Sunday we’ll be playing some familiar tunes but there is one that I want to encourage you all to go download.  It’s a song we’ve never done before called With Everything by Hillsong United (Click here to download).  The words in this song are profound.  As we sing this song, we’re going to get a glimpse of our students and see what their hearts are truly for.  And then….we’re going to shout!  Seriously….we’re going to challenge the structural integrity of our building by shouting praise like we’ve never done before.  So be there and be bold in inviting someone from your “Mission field.”

Can’t wait to worship with you this weekend!

Hey everybody! This is Tami, I hope you’re doing well!  At One Life we are in passionate pursuit of a deeper relationship with our creator, Jesus Christ.  Every step we take towards God through prayer, worship, daily bible reading, attending life group, volunteerism, etc. is bringing us that much closer to the one who designed it all!  As you know, several of the worship team members have been asking God for new worship material to minister and inspire the church with.  As He graciously answers and gives us new songs, we want to do our part in providing the music to you so you can learn the words in advance and worship at home.  That way you’ll be prepared to worship extravagantly on Sunday mornings as you focus on the song’s meaning, and not learning lyrics.

Speaking of meaning, Suddenly I Feel, is a song birthed out of a very dark and lonely time in my own life. At the time, I was recently divorced and a single mom struggling to keep my head above water in every way; emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually. I remembered coming into church late one morning after fighting my 2 year old the whole way, and in my frustration and desperation cried out during the last song, “God if you’re really the God I’ve learned about and lived for since I was a child, then I need to feel you in a real way right now!” And at that very moment I felt a peace and calmness from the Holy Spirit, and it was as if God whispered directly to me, “Tami, I know exactly where you are and I understand your hurts.  But you have to trust in me because I will provide for you in every area of life if you just walk this out with me.”  I continued to cry as I visualized my hand grabbing onto His, and promised I would not let go.

I don’t know about you, but in my Christian walk there have been times either because of life circumstances, sin, busyness, or sheer laziness that I’ve felt distant from God…and the few times I’ve gotten too distant, it’s like I’d forgotten how much I needed Him until life felt out of control.  In any case, as soon as I call out to Jesus, He doesn’t ignore me, nor does He make me earn back the privilege to ask for His presence; He comes back suddenly—in an instant!  Once I feel Him again I know this is exactly where I belong, with Him…close to Him.

My prayer is that this song inspires you to examine your life, and then lay it down for a new life in Christ. If you’re already there, I hope this song challenges you to draw closer so you can feel Him in a totally new way!  The video post below will help you learn this new song.  We will continue to post new songs as they develop so check back soon!

Tami Tenbarge, One Life Worship Leader

Watch Video

Suddenly I Feel

Verse 1

Coming into this place

Hesitations erased

I call to the one holy God

Feeling empty and bare

Need to feel that you care

Envelope me into your arms

Verse 2

So I lay down my pride

And I open my life

With all that I am to respond

You transcend through my failures

Revealing your honor

Proving you’re almighty God

Chorus

Suddenly I feel you

Didn’t know how much I needed you

Until I looked at the person I was

Now I see my need for you

Want it to increase for you

Set apart this life that is yours

Verse 3

It won’t always be easy

But you promise to lead me

You’ll never leave me alone

Overwhelming my weakness

Your presence completes us

Proving your power and love

Chorus

Suddenly I feel you

Didn’t know how much I needed you

Until I looked at the person I was

Now I see my need for you

Want it to increase for you

Set apart this life that is yours

Suddenly I feel you

Didn’t know how much I needed you

Until I looked at the person I was

Now I see my need for you

Want it to increase for you

Set apart this life that is yours

Bridge – Instrumental

Chorus 2 x

Suddenly I feel you

Didn’t know how much I needed you

Until I looked at the person I was

Now I see my need for you

Want it to increase for you

Set apart this life that is yours

Suddenly I feel you

Didn’t know how much I needed you

Until I looked at the person I was

Now I see my need for you

Want it to increase for you

Set apart this life that is yours

Why do we do preludes? The idea started back before we planted One Life Church. It was inevitable that people waited in the lobby talking until the music started. We hated that this large group of people missed the first song of worship and it made the experience of worship that much more difficult. So we started playing a “wash” song to signal we were getting started and people should come on in.

In a planning meeting we came up with the idea of using secular songs as a prelude. This would accomplish a couple of things in our services. First, it would encourage early attendance. When the prelude started folks would move into the room prior to worship. This was very practical in theory. Second, we viewed secular songs as a bridge for explorers attending worship services. Let’s face it, secular music is what most people listen to, including people who attend church regularly. In some ways it’s common ground for all. Our vision at One Life is to be devoted to reaching the unchurched secular minded person. What better way to bridge that gap then by playing a song that he or she can identify with. This is why you will hear everything from Foo Fighters to Pink to the Black Keys. Third, secular songs can also be more complicated and challenging for our musicians. We have some very talented players at One Life and we want to keep musicians challenged. Congregation-friendly worship songs are often easy to play so working on a more complex secular prelude challenges our players skills. We want our teams to grow in their playing abilities as well.

This week my team is doing the song “The Cave” by Mumford and Sons as our prelude. I had heard it before but never paid attention to it until one of the guys from our team said it was about “The Cave” written by Plato. I googled this and read several descriptions about the story. It is pretty interesting because Plato’s story involves 4 prisoners chained in a cave whose only experience in life is what they see as shadows in the cave. One of the prisoners is released and he sees a new reality from what he was exposed to previously. If you have seen the Matrix it was based off this idea from Plato. As we are in this series on Winning the Game, I thought it was so appropriate to bring out a philosopher’s idea on truth and ultimate reality. I love that we get to bring our brains to church and get to wrestle with the ideas such as: What is ultimate reality? Are humans valued? What happens when we die?

I just finished a book, “Saving Leonardo” by Nancy Pearcey, that Pastor Bret encouraged us to read as worship leaders. I love this book because it relates worldviews and how they translate into the world of arts. In the last chapter Nancy makes a plea to the church. She asks “Where is the music and art that expresses biblical truths so eloquently that it invites people to embark on a search for God?” She goes on to say this: “But we must teach the young to be revolutionaries against the status quo. We are called to revolt against false idols and the power they exert over minds and hearts. Christians should be on the front lines fighting to liberate society from its captivity to secular worldviews. And who is better equipped than artists to communicate that liberating message – to jar the church out of its complacency, tear away the veil of religious euphemism, expose hypocrisy & self-righteousness, & create works that reveal the breath-taking beauty of salvation?” I agree with Pearcey, lets be revolutionaries and create works of art that help lead people on a journey to Christ. It’s time to be creative for our Creator.

-Lindy Weatherly

The day of romantic love is approaching. Instead of “will you be my valentine?” I’m reflecting and asking the Lord to be my “agape.” In the New Testament, the Greek word, agape, refers to the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God. This word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, and thoughtful love. When I think about my love for something or someone, as compared to this definition, I know I fail time and time again. Do I really “love” unconditionally? Do I sacrifice myself for those I love? Do I take the time to thoughtfully consider my actions? I’d like to say I do, and maybe at times I do, but there is so much room for improvement. Father, as we celebrate romantic love, help us to also show your agape love. And I ask you, God, to pour out your agape for us. Help us to know your divine love in a real way.

Greek philosophers and other ancient authors have also used forms of the word to denote affection for a particular activity. My prayer is that the Lord will continue to develop my agape for worship. My heart’s desire is to be sacrificial in worship. I want to put great thought into both my preparation and my offering of worship each time I step on stage, reflect on scripture, or give of my time and treasures. Let the cry of our hearts be to reciprocate the agape that God shows us.

Brook Arnold – Vocalist, 7x

Some Sunday morning in 2007, my wife and I were sitting in the same “nose-bleed” section we always sat in at our church in Louisville, KY. Now, I know the term “nose-bleed” is usually reserved to describe the cheap seats in a massive facility like a NFL football stadium, but the church we went to happened to be one of the largest churches in America. In other words, Sunday mornings back then was more like going to Lucas Oil Stadium than going to church! Sitting back there felt safe somehow for a “new” Christian like me… On this particular morning the pastor started talking about something that made me put down my binoculars, crane my neck to intently peer over the third story balcony from which we sat, and listen. He was describing how the Bible describes worship in Heaven:

“And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” (Rev 5:13) NLT

Beautiful. The pastor went on to discuss and synthesize various passages to paint an elegant picture of what he believes it will be like when we are in God’s presence. But what really shook me was not the descriptive imagery, but the inclusiveness of the worship in heaven. It was not just Jesus in all His glory as all creation watched, or the angels but ALL of US together. I know people often picture fluffy clouds and robed angels playing golden harps when they think of the beauty of heaven, but some thing about the words “every creature” sounded…beautiful.

I am sure that it was no coincidence that as soon as the pastor wrapped up his message, an emcee came on stage and announced a date for worship auditions. Then the worship band came on and closed out the service with an amazing (as always) performance. Looking back, I find it ironic that after being rocked by the message, I remember thinking to myself that I could never “fit in” a worship band. There were two primary reasons why I talked myself out of trying out:

1) “Experience” as a Christian – I had only been a Christian for less than two years. I needed to give it more time, didn’t I? Surely the folks on stage had been at it their whole lives. They probably grew up in church, sang in the choir growing up, etc….or so I thought.

2) My “failures” - The people on stage looked so… “clean”. Tucked in shirts, slick haircuts and lead singers that looked like it probably takes them longer in the dressing room than your average pop superstar. You have to have it all together to be on stage in front of a congregation, right? While I was a follower of Christ, I was still working things out. I needed to “get it together” more before I tried some thing like playing at church…or so I thought.

I think there are a lot of people like the 2007 version of me out there. People who tell themselves they must somehow go through a process of becoming “worthy” of serving God – of worshipping Him – before taking the first monumental step of going to a worship team audition, signing up for a mission trip, or whatever. However, if you are like me, one day it clicks and it becomes evident that NO ONE is worthy by their own. Our individual faults and personalities are what gives color – or beauty – to what God does through us. We all need Him. He takes broken people with their broken words and broken songs to create the most beautiful symphony conceivable.

The cool thing is, when I decided to get over my own doubts and try out for a worship team at One Life, I found that all types of people are represented. There are people just like me. There are musicians who have known Christ their entire lives. And of course, there is every body in-between. Jesus spent much of his ministry teaching, healing and loving on the entire tapestry of humanity. He wants every one to get out of the “nose bleed” section of our churches.  It doesn’t matter how long you have had a relationship with Him or what you are still struggling with. He wants every one in His band…including you.

Chad Connor – Lead Guitar