Blog Archives
Teach Us How To…Live? an Early Church Fathers Take on The Lord’s Prayer
“Lord, teach us to pray…”
You would have reacted the same way, I suppose. The disciples had seen Jesus do incredible miracles. They also watched him pray a lot. They put two and two together and surmised that Jesus’ power was a result of his prayer. Now, every first century Jew knew how to pray. But nobody could do the miracles that Jesus was doing. The disciples wanted to know how to do that!
So they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. That inquiry resulted in what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” A short lesson on how to pray that the church has held dear ever since.
But is it a lesson on how one should pray?
“Yes, but”, is how I think I would answer that.
Yes, Jesus taught the disciples how to pray here. But if you look closer at what Jesus taught, I think He was actually Read the rest of this entry
Are YOU a Heretic? Take the Quiz and find Out!
You may have been labeled a heretic in the past. Now you can take the quiz and find out if you really are one! Take the “Are You A Heretic Quiz.”
Cross-Centered Worship Songs: “Let Your Kingdom Come!”
I have been responsible for leading corporate singing in the church for years. 
I know how frustrating it can be to find songs that are worth singing. Many of the newer songs never mention or even allude to the most important aspect of Christianity: The message of The Cross! To be sure, there are songs out there, but it takes time to find them. I often sift through 40 songs, just to find one new song. (Worship team members have affectionately, and some times derogatorily, nick-named me “The Lyric Police”. Call me old school if you like, but If we are going to sing in church, I think the songs we sing to our Savior should be worthy of Him and His work on the cross!
This column, “Cross-Centered Worship Songs”, was started as a way to serve my many worship leading friends. I hope to introduce some of the lesser known songs out there that you may not have heard. Today’s song, “Let Your Kingdom Come”, is an Read the rest of this entry
The Apostle Paul on the Contemporary Church: “Don’t Abandon The Gospel!”
Not for itching ears is a blog dedicated to discussing the serious issues that face the evangelical church. The main issue, as we see it, is that the church has grown perilously close to abandoning the Gospel. All around us we see churches relaxing their grip on it, in danger of fumbling it. In a recent message I delivered titled “Don’t Abandon the Gospel”, I took a look at what the Apostle Paul challenged the church of his day with. Based on 2 Timothy 4:1-8, it provides a clear remedy: Read the rest of this entry
Christ Centered Worship Songs: “What A Savior”
This column, “Cross-Centered Worship Songs”, was started as a way to serve my many worship leading friends. I hope to introduce some of the lesser known songs out there that you may not have heard. We will be posting songs from different genres: hymns, a capella, contemporary rock, etc. We will post the lyrics as well as the Mp3 along with a chord chart when possible. I hope you find it helpful. If you do, please let us know! This weeks selection “What A Savior” is a remake of the old hymn (1875) with an updated chorus. Musically, it is very stripped down, with a lot of potential to put your congregations own touch on it. A Gospel saturated song that calls us to rejoice in what God accomplished at Calvary.
Can You (Personally) Worship God Without A Band or A Song?
Can You (personally) Worship Without A Band or A Song?
I remember sitting in a church service as a young pastor explained why they were beginning a building project. “We are growing so fast, we do not have room to put everyone.” His assessment of the situation was correct. They didn’t have room for all the people who were coming. However, I thought his conclusion was wrong. Building wasn’t the answer.
I had attended for three months so I felt I had a good sense of the leadership and the congregation. I thought the answer was more basic: Start preaching Biblical messages, presenting the message of the Cross, instead of tickling everyone’s ears, and the space problem would be fixed. How, you ask? People would Read the rest of this entry
The Seeker-Sensitive Model: Has the Quest for “Relevance”, Made the Church Irrelevant?
In its quest to be “relevant”, has the seeker-sensitive church model become irrelevant? Has the desire to seem “seeker-friendly” actually made the church less friendly? Does the Seeker-Sensitive church model eternally benefit those whom it targets? My conclusion: The Seeker-Sensitive church Isn’t. It isn’t “friendly” and it isn’t relevant. Strong charges, I know. Bear with me a moment and walk through my argument.
The seeker-sensitive church model is good at doing what it does. It is good at creating a crowd, Read the rest of this entry
Christ-Centered Worship Songs: “Perfect Lamb of God”
We have noticed a disturbing trend in the corporate worship songs of the church. Perhaps you have too? It seems that we sing very little about the main point of Christianity. This is due, in large part, to church leaderships desire to be more “sensitive” to those who attend the service but are not Christians.
The research tells us (we are told), that non-Christians don’t really want to hear about sin and guilt and being accountable to a holy God. Hearing about a Savior dying on a bloody cross for their sins is not high on their priority list. To reach them, we must eliminate these topics from our sermons and our songs. Sadly, much of the Evangelical church has mistakenly signed on to this approach. We could not disagree more strongly!
The message of a crucified and risen Savior and the reconciliation that this can bring is the only message the church has! It is the one and only message the church has been entrusted with and that the lost so desperately needs to hear.
As one who has been responsible for leading corporate singing for years,…
I can attest to how frustrating it has become to find songs that are worth singing! There are many out there, but it takes time to find them. Because of this, we have started a new feature at Not For Itching Ears. Each week, we will post one worthy (at least in our opinion) worship song for you to listen to. We will post the lyrics as well as the Mp3 along with a chord chart when possible. This weeks selection is “Perfect lamb of God”, by Adam Sacks. We hope you enjoy it. Caution: The first time I heard this song I hit the skip button. It has a Jewish flavor to it, and the intro to the song made me falsely assume that I would not like it. I was wrong! Read the lyrics first and then Read the rest of this entry
Christ-Centered Worship Songs: “Through the Precious Blood”
This column, “Cross-Centered Worship Songs”, was started as a way to serve my many worship leading friends. I hope to introduce some of the lesser known songs out there that you may not have heard. We will be posting songs from different genres: hymns, a capella, contemporary rock, etc. We will post the lyrics as well as the Mp3 along with a chord chart when possible. I hope you find it helpful. If you do, please let us know! This weeks selection “Throught the Precious Blood” is a medium tempo song in 6/8 time. Read the rest of this entry
Christ-Centered Worship Songs: Leading Worship at a Funeral
It was the most difficult “worship” service I have ever had the honor of planning or leading. On a cold January morning, the pastor called me into his office. One of the young ladies in our congregation had died in a horrible car crash. She was only 20. “Jim,” the pastor said, “we’ve been asked to lead worship for her service. I am putting you in charge.” Nicole had been “The Girl of The West” which was a very big deal out here in Colorado. Because of this, her memorial service had to be moved to a much larger facility. We expected over 500 people to attend. I was overwhelmed by the assignment!
Leading worship at a funeral for a genuine believer is no small task. Yes, we gather to celebrate their life, but the emotion present in those gathered is not celebratory. It is grief, gut wrenching heartache, over the loss of someone they love. Few people feel like singing. In addition, many who attend the service will not know the Savior. If you are asked to lead worship in this situation, you will need songs that help people express their pain and their hope in the resurrection. You will also need songs that call unbelievers attention to the Savior.
I don’t remember the songs we chose for Nicole’s service. I do recall there were several drafts, and that I was not completely happy with our final choices. I wish I had known about Read the rest of this entry
A 300 year Old Prayer: “Father, Occupy the Throne of My Heart”
The following prayer was first offered back in the 1700′s. It is from the largely forgotten deposit of the Puritan Movement of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These people knew God and they certainly knew how to pray. We can learn a lot from them. They are written in old english. I have updated a few outdated words and changed the Thee’s and Thou’s to make it more 2011. However, they still have the feel of that era. This prayer, titled ‘Regeneration’, along with many others, can be found in a book titled “The Valley of Vision”, by Arthur Bennett. Read the rest of this entry
Get Your Free Audio Copy of the New Testament on MP3
In my search for an audio copy of the New Testament, I stumbled across the “Faith Comes By Hearing” website. I was familiar with their ministry, having taken our church through their very edifying listening program a few years back. I was stunned to find out that they give away, completely free of charge, the Bible in Mp3 format. I downloaded the ESV version and I must say, I am completely thrilled. I just listened to 1 John while I was driving.
Here is a statement from their website, followed by a link to get your own free audio copy of the New Testament on Mp3:
“Faith Comes By Hearing is committed to reaching the nations with the Word of God in audio, offering the Bible in a format that will connect with the world’s 50% illiterate population. To accomplish this enormous task, the Lord has assembled a group of committed leaders and dedicated servants of His Word to develop into a reality the vision of bringing His church together and making disciples.The word nation is the Greek word ethnos, which means “of the same language and people group,” not the political borders of a country. The worldwide Bible translation and distribution ministries have determined there are 6,809 ethnos, or nations, in the world, most of which cross many Read the rest of this entry
A 400 year Old Prayer: True Love Was Defined Here – Thank You for The Cross!
The following prayer was first offered back in the 1700′s. It is from the largely forgotten deposit of the Puritan Movement of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These people knew God and they certainly knew how to pray. We can learn a lot from them. They are written in old english. I have updated a few outdated words and changed the Thee’s and Thou’s to make it more 2011. However, they still have the feel of that era. This prayer, titled ‘Love Lusters at Calvary’, along with many others, can be found in a book titled “The Valley of Vision”, by Arthur Bennett. Read the rest of this entry
Questions About Corporate Worship: “Why Do We Clap Our Hands?”
Kristin, from PrayForMeOnline posed a great question in response to one of our recent articles Worship Leader Make-Over: Defining the Goal of a Worship Leader. Here it is:
I like the question for one simple reason. It made me think about something we do in corporate worship all the time. Why DO we do it? Do we do it just because that’s what we do? There was a time not too long ago, when you would be challenged with a powerful phrase if you advocated something others were not sure about. Some of you remember that phrase because you’ve been following Christ 20 plus years. The phrase? “Chapter and Verse!” “Show me where it says that in the Bible, give me the exact address of where it says that in the Bible. Give me the Chapter and Verse.” If it could not be done, discussion over.
Great question Kristin! Here’s my answer, including the Chapter and Verse! Read the rest of this entry
Would the Apostle Paul Plant a Seeker-Sensitive Church?
The most effective means of bringing people to Christ is planting new churches. At least that is what the experts tell us. There was a time when I believed this with all my heart, but I am not so convinced anymore. Many of todays “modern” church plants are extremely ineffective.
This week alone, approximately 100 new church plants will begin holding public services in America. Most of these new church starts are based upon a seeker-friendly or purpose driven style of ministry. In simple terms, the seeker-sensisitve church model is based on designing a service for the non-christian. It has to be attractive, appealing and most of all “relevant” to the unchurched. The unchurched decides what is relevant for them, and they have decided that a message about a cross, their sin, a God that holds them accountable for their lives, hell or how to make peace with God is not relevant. They want nothing to do with that type of message. They want to know how to raise their kids, how to have a better marriage, how to be succesful. Essentially, they are interested in anything that will make their life better now. Today’s modern church plant is striving to give them what they want, at the expense of what they truly need.
This model can attract large crowds, but it is not effective in leading large numbers of people to true faith in our crucified and risen Savior. Still, it is the most popular model among today’s church planters. Which begs the question: Is it a correct model? Is it a biblical model? Should we be using it? The Apostle Paul was a prolific church planter. If he were planting churches today, would he be using this seeker-sensitive model? If you read his works, and study what he did, you would walk away with one clear conclusion: Read the rest of this entry
My Authentic “On The Border” Salsa Recipe (Just like the Restaraunt)
This is my authentic “On The Border” restaurant Salsa recipe.
Disclaimer: (I did not break into official headquarters at night and “borrow” this recipe. I did it in broad daylight, because that is how I roll!)
It all started with Kolten, (thanks Kolten) one of my sons friends. While visiting our home one day, he made a great salsa. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make! I thought “with a little tinkering, this could taste like my favorite “On The Border” salsa recipe.” (Of course my favorite salsa recipe is El Tarasco’s in Manhattan Beach, California. Only the most blessed people on earth know what that tastes like!)
So the tinkering began. After months of trial and error, the following recipe is what I think comes closest. Everyone loves it. Try it, but beware, you never make enough!
This post is a very large departure from our typical posts, but I thought I would share something from my kitchen instead of my library today. Read the rest of this entry
A 300 Year Old Christian Prayer: “Lord, Help Me Follow You”
The following prayer was first offered back in the 1700′s. It is from the largely forgotten deposit of the Puritan Movement of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These people knew God and they certainly knew how to pray. We can learn a lot from them. They are written in old english. I have updated a few outdated words and changed the Thee’s and Thou’s to make it more 2011. However, they still have the feel of that era. This prayer, titled ‘The Throne’, along with many others, can be found in a book titled “The Valley of Vision”, by Arthur Bennett. At the end of the prayer, I have also included a song called “Before The Throne of God Above”, written by Charitie Bancroft in 1863. The music was written by Steve and Vikki Cook just a few years ago. I think it goes perfectly with this prayer. Read the rest of this entry
Top Posts in January
Below you will find links to our top 5 posts in January. Have a quick read and join the discussion!
#1. Pray This 400 Year Old Prayer: “Lord, Help Me Live a Life that Honors You!”
#2. Would They Have Killed Jesus if HE Preached the Same Message the Church Preaches Today?
#3. George Barna: The Seeker-Sensitive Church Model: Dumbing Down Disciples
The Greatest Message Ever Given…
The greatest message ever given is the Message of a crucified Savior. It is the message of God forgiving treasonous, rebellious traitors who wanted nothing to do with Him and who deserved absolute judgement. Not by winking at our rebellion or pretending it wasn’t happening. Rather, He sent his own Son to take our place in judgement.
One of the things that amazes me about this blog is the number of people who read it who do not speak english. This post is for them. It is John 3:16-18 in different languages, the Gospel in its clearest form. Feel free to repost it! Read the rest of this entry
A 300 Year Old Prayer: “Help Me Follow The Savior!”
The following prayer was first offered back in the 1600’s. It is from the largely forgotten deposit of the Puritan Movement of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These people knew God and they certainly knew how to pray. We can learn a lot from them. They are written in old english. I have updated a few outdated words and changed the Thee’s and Thou’s to make it more 2011. However, they still have the feel of that era. This prayer, “The Savior” along with many others, can be found in a book titled “The Valley of Vision”, by Arthur Bennet… Read the rest of this entry
Not For Itching Ears 