MERRY CHRISTMAS!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

- Isaiah 9:6 -

[New Song] 'Promises' by New Life Worship & Desperation Band

Song Title: Promises
Song by: New Life Worship & Desperation Band
Album: My Savior Lives (2007)

[Lyrics]

Bridge:
Singing all of Your promises won’t let go of me
(All of your Promises won’t let go of me)

Verse:
I’ve surrendered my life to Your ways
I have learned what it means to obey
Jesus, my heart has been
Changed by You

I am walking the path You have made
I am seeking the truth everyday
Jesus, my heart has been
Changed by You

Pre-Chorus:
I couldn’t walk away if I tried
Cause Your love is better than life

Chorus:
The sun’s shining bright and it just won’t set
Cause Your love is alive and it lights my step
My heart is amazed everyday to the next
Your joy overtakes and I can’t forget about it

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, I can’t forget about it (x2)

[New Song] 'I Will Remember You' by Brenton Brown

I don't know if you guys know this song already but....

Song Title: I Will Remember You
Song by: Brenton Brown
Album: Everlasting God (2006)



[Lyrics]

Chorus:
I will remember You always remember You
I will remember You and all You've done for me

Verse 1:
I will not forget all Your benefits
Even when the storms surround my soul
How You comfort me, heal all my diseases
How You lift me up on eagles wings

Verse 2:
I will not forget all Your benefits
How You've chosen and adopted me
Orphaned by my sin, Your grace has let me in
And never once have You abandoned me

Bridge:
I have tasted and I've seen how you Father faithfully,
How you shepherd those who fear Your name
When the shadow's start to fall and my heart begins to fail
I will lift my eyes to You again (and)

Magnifying God

Just wanted to share with you from what I've been reading...

(excerpt from 'Don't Waste Your Life' by John Piper...)

Magnify has two distinct meanings. In relation to God, one is worship and one is wickedness. You can magnify like a telescope or like a microscope. When you magnify like a microscope, you make something tiny look bigger than it is. A dustmite can look like a monster. Pretending to magnify God like that is wickedness. But when you magnify like a telescope, you make something unimaginably great look like what it really is. With the Hubble Space Telescope, pinprick galaxies in the sky are revealed for the billion-star giants that they are. Magnifying God like that is worship. (emphasize mine)

We waster our lives when we don not pray and think and dream and plan and work toward magnifying God in all spheres of life. God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that he really is."


Worship=to magnify God.

<><<><\\\\\
-sHin

[NEW SONG] SPEAK TO ME

SPEAK TO ME
Tommy Walker from 'I Have A Hope' album (2008)

(Verse 1)
I am your servant
And I am listening
Speak to me Lord, speak to me

I need your wisdom
And truth and comfort
Speak to me Lord, speak to me

(Chorus)
Speak to me
Speak to me
Through your word
Through your spirit
Speak your words of life

Speak to me
Speak to me
I am listening
I am waiting
Speak to me

(Verse 2)
I am your servant
And I am listening
Speak to me Lord, speak to me

My heart is silent
My soul is longing
Speak to me Lord, speak to me

WORSHIP & AIRPLANE RIDES

Last week during small group I shared about my frustrations in worship. Then I read this the other night that seems to illustrate really well what I was trying to convey. I pray that we cease to be a merely content worshipper but seek to be a childlike worshipper with exuberence to come before the presence of an Almighty God!

(excerpt from 'Just Like Jesus' by Max Lucado)

People on a plane and people on a pew have a lot in common. All are on a journey. Most are well-behaved and presentable. Some doze, and others gaze out the window. Most, if not all, are satisfied with a predictable experience. For many, the mark of a good flight and the mark of a good worship assembly are the same. “Nice,” we like to say. “It was a nice flight/It was a nice worship service.” We exit the same way we enter, and we’re happy to return next time.

A few, however, are not content with nice. They long for something more. The boy who just passed me did. I heard him before I saw him. I was already in my seat when he asked, “Will they really let me meet the pilot?” He was either lucky or shrewd because he made the request just as he entered the plane. The question floated into the cockpit, causing the pilot to lean out.

“Someone looking for me?” he asked.

The boy’s hand shot up like he was answering his second-grade teacher’s question. “I am!”

“Well, come on in.”

With a nod from his mom, the youngster entered the cockpit’s world of controls and gauges and emerged minutes later with eyes wide. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “I’m so glad to be on this plane!”

No one else’s face showed such wonder. I should know. I paid attention. The boy’s interest piqued mine, so I studied the faces of the other passengers but found no such enthusiasm. I mostly saw contentment: travelers content to be out of the airport, content to sit and stare and say little.

There were a few exceptions. The five or so mid-age women wearing straw hats and carrying beachbags weren’t content; they were exuberant. They giggled all the way down the aisle. My bet is they were moms-set-free-from-kitchens-and kids. The fellow in the blue suit across the aisle wasn’t content; he was cranky. He opened his laptop and scowled at its screen the entire trip. Most of us, however, were happier than he and more contained than the ladies. Most of us were content. Content with a predictable, uneventful flight. Content with a “nice” flight.

And since that is what we sought, that is what we got. The boy, on the other hand, wanted more. He wanted to see the pilot. If asked to describe the flight, he wouldn’t say “nice.” He’d likely produce the plastic wings the pilot gave him and say, “I saw the man up front.”

Do you see why I say that people on a plane and people on a pew have a lot in common? Enter a church sanctuary and look at the faces. A few are giggly, a couple are cranky, but by and large we are content. Content to be there. Content to sit and look straight ahead and leave when the service is over. Content to enjoy an assembly with no surprises or turbulence. Content with a “nice” service. “Seek and you will find,” Jesus promised. And since a nice service is what we seek, a nice service is usually what we find.

A few, however, seek more. A few come with the childlike enthusiasm of the boy. And those few leave as he did, wide-eyed with the wonder of having stood in the presence of the pilot himself.

NEW SONG INTRODUCTION: "NEW DOXOLOGY"

Song Title: New Doxology
Song Artist: Gateway Worship
Song Album: Wake Up the World

Verse 1:
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost

Verse 2:
Let earth and heavenly saints proclaim
The power and might of His great Name
Let us exalt on bended knee
Praise God, the Holy Trinity

Chorus:
Praise God, praise God, praise God, Who saved my soul
Praise God, praise God, praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Verse 3:
Praise to the King, His throne transcends
His crown and Kingdom never end
Now and throughout eternity
I’ll praise the One Who died for me
Praise God, praise God, praise God, Who saved my soul
Praise God, praise God, praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Verse 4:
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost

TEN QUALITIES OF MINISTRY

(from 10/19/2008 Sermon 'Grace in Suffering' by Pastor James Lee @Open Church EM Open Worship Service)

Nature of Ministry is SERVICE
Motive... is LOVE
Measure... is SACRIFICE
Authority... is SUBMISSION
Purpose... is the GLORY OF GOD
Tools... are GOD'S WORD & PRAYER
Privilege... is GROWTH
Power... is the HOLY SPIRIT
Model... is JESUS CHRIST

Foundation... is CHARACTER!

NEW SONG INTRODUCTION: "SHINE"

Song Title: Shine
Song Artist: Generation Unleashed
Album: Generation Unleashed Live Worship 2008

Chorus:
I want to shine for You
And be a light to this world
And let the whole earth know
That You are King

Verse:
I want to live life like You did
I want to be just like You
I want to be right where You are
How can I be closer to You?

Bridge:
I want to shine
I want to shine
For You
For You

Elec Guitar Part Tutorials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQZ3_CH1ojg (from guitarpraise.blogspot.com)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S88Z2fNDcYo (from guitarpriase.blogspot.com)

New Song Introduction: Through Christ

Song Title: THROUGH CHRIST
Songwriter: Donna Lasit
Album: Generation Unleashed Live Worship (2008)

I wrote this song during a stretching season for me. The verse, “I can do all things through Christ,” kept going through my mind. I sat down at the piano and starting singing the scripture from Philippians. Out of that came a chorus and then later on the same day, the verses came to me. I started singing about how I was going to live in reflection to that verse and I was going to trust God’s word and live by it. (from yourmusiczone.com)

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" -Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

Lyrics:

(verse 1)
When the darkness tries to hide my way
Your word is the light that guides my faith
I will trust in You (x2)

(verse 2)
When my heart is weak & I've lost my way
I will lift up my eyes and choose to say
I will trust in You (x2)

(chorus)
I can do all things through Christ
I can move a mountain if You
Are the strength of my life
I can do all things through Christ
When You are the strength of my life

(verse 3)
In Your presence I find strength renewed
I find courage to stand & a hope that is new
I will turst in You (x2)

(bridge)
Whatever trials come my way
I will worship You always
Forever trust in Your unfailing love

Whenever doubt and fear press in
I still hear Your voice within
Forever trust in Your unfailing love

resource video links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuxYW2lAL2M (youtube version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsvlv87fIIU (elec guitar part)

ETERNAL PURSUIT

(thoughts from 9/21/2008 message by Dave Gibbons @Newsong Irvine titled 'Cotton Candy', part 1 of Sex & Chocolate sermon series)

When I received my iPod for my birthday (thanks again guys ^^), I probably spent a good hour or two trying to figure out all the neat functions and features this little gadget can do. I then spent another couple of hours reorganizing my music on my computer with my iTunes so I can put them into my iPod, then took it with me everywhere I went so that I can enjoy it. (Oh, I even bought a little dock station so that I can listen to it through a speaker.) Beautiful thing this iPod is...

I can only pray that I can be so passionate about God. Couple of the first songs I ever started playing on the guitar is 'In the Secret' & 'Lord, I Want to Know You More'. They're both my all time favorite songs that expresses my longing to know God more and more, to grow deeper, and more intimate with Him. And I'm sure I've prayed that prayer a thousand times... but truly?

Do I truly KNOW God? Do I even TRULY DESIRE to know God? If so, how should my life be different? My priorities?

To paraphrase Pastor Dave Gibbon's quote in the abovementioned sermon, he says that 'Those who truly know God, tursts him and fully obeys Him. Those who TRULY KNOW God are the few radical Christians that laid their life out for God because they know and trust God that only He can make most of what You fully surrender to Him.

In God's infinite wisdom, power, glory, majesty, and beauty it will take us more than an eternity to fully know Him. So He calls us to start living our eternity now, to listen to His words and practice them in our lives. To live in worship, in His words, in prayer.

Who likes shallow relationships? But are we willing to engage in the depth of relationship that God calls us to venture into? Hope so. By faith, not by sight.

In our eternal pursuit of God, may God be glorified.

<><<><\\\\\
-sHin

GOD'S WORDS BE OUR ROCK!

http://www.ireport.com/blogs/ireport-blog/2008/09/18/the-last-house-standing

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

-Matthew 7:24-25-

Financial markets crashing, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, droughts, famines, genocides, wars, disease, crimes, suicides... How is your life foundation in times like this?

Are you ready?

<><<><\\\\\

-sHin

SMALL GROUP BOOK MATERIAL

The Unquenchable Worshipper issues a passionate call for a return to a pure, first-love lifestyle of worship. In his first book release, respected worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman writes: "The revelation of God is the fuel for the fire of our worship. And there is always more fuel for the fire. When we open the eyes of our heart, God's revelation comes flying at us from so many different angles." Open the eyes of your heart and let the gut-level message of The Unquenchable Worshipper cause you, like martyred missionary Jim Elliot, to say, "Saturate me with the oil of Thy Spirit, that I may be aflame. Make me Thy fuel O flame of God."


(Please bring $10 for the cost of the book.)

FRIENDS DAY WORSHIP FLYER!

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING!

It's starting to get a bit chilly these days and we see that summer is almost behind us and autumn is right around the corner.

^

As we gear up for the start of another school year, I'm sure that a lot of us are feeling a bit of excitement for the fresh start ahead of us.

^

Well that's how I feel (even though I'm not in school) and that's why the quote 'Hit the Ground Running' came to mind. I put the quote up on my Messenger, as well as on my facebook, and I started getting questions from people of what that meant. Somebody asked me if I fell off the treadmill while at the gym, and someone else asked me why I would do such a purposeless thing to hit the ground with my feet.

^

So I had to revisit the meaning of the idiom in order to explain to them what I was trying to say. After careful research (typing it in to google), the free dictionary website defined the idiom as "to immediately work very hard and successfully at a new activity". Yep. Exactly what I wanted to say.

^

If my memory serves me right, I first encountered this saying in a movie or television show where a commander ordered his troops to 'hit the ground running' as they were parachuting off the helicopter into enemy territory. If they remained still on landing, they would be caught in a fierce crossfire.

^

Personally, the quote carries another meaning. That I will not stop running, trying, fighting, with my life for God's convictions in my life, even if I find myself on the ground, fallen, at the bottom of life.
^

To every and any race, the start is crucial. If you start slow, it's that much harder to catch up later in the race. I've rarely seen anything in life that has a poor beginning that results in success without trials and difficulties. In the same way I want to say that we must HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. Have a great start to this school year to everything that we do: relationships, work, church, ministry, etc...

^

I especially want to rally us to seek a great start to this year's EM Praise Ministry at Open Church. If there is any time to be open and honest about your ideas, inputs, convictions, and expectations for your role and position within this team, it is NOW. NOW is the time for us to be gathering, sharing, talking, communicating, fellowshipping, encouraging, and building, doing anything and everything we can to share in each other's burdens that God has given us for our ministry this year.

^

Come ready to our meetings and practices with an open heart, ready to share, to fire away your thoughts and your feelings. Be ready for battle, to be engaged, to be convicted, to be hurt, to explore and learn new things about others and about yourself.

^

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand."

^

Are you ready?

^

^

2008.09.11

<><<><\\\\\

-sHin

2008-6-8 OPEN CHURCH 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

First...

Thank you Justin and the boys again for leading us in worship last week... It was really refreshing!

Second...

I just got back from KPCA EM Conference at Niagara Falls... Let's just say that it ranks right up there with the best trips I've ever taken in my life... Ask me to tell you about it later...

Third...

We are meeting tomorrow (Friday) for practice, but we have not finalized the program for our 25th Anniversary Celebration Service so we might have to meet again Saturday...

Regardless, Deacon Hong who is part of our KM praise team has been kind enough to invite all of our EM praise team members for dinner with the KM praise team... here is the information:

Where? 사간 (saa gaan; Thinking Place) 7801 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA
When? Friday, June 6th, 2008 @6PM (Please don't be late)
Directions? From Church: 55N -> 5N -> 91W -> Exit Beach Blvd. -> Left Turn -> On your right, before La Palma Ave.

We will eat, go to church for a short prayer meeting with the KM at 8:00PM and begin our practice at 8:30PM...

We should arrange car pool for those of us leaving from Irvine... Call me if you have any questions...

See you all tomorrow! ;)

<3><<>-sHin

2008-5-25 OPEN WORSHIP SONG LIST

1.) THE LIST:

BY YOUR SIDE (G#) -Hillsong
UNCHANGING (G#) -Chris Tomlin

WHERE THE LOVE LASTS FOREVER (D) -Hillsong United
'TILL I SEE YOU (E) -Hillsong United
UNASHAMED (E) -Starfield
-----
AMAZED (E) -Lincoln Brewster

2.) HEADS UP:

A. Our practice date & time this week is Friday 8:30PM. Please don't be late because we have to be done before others use the sanctuary for a prayer meeting that starts @10PM.

B. Justin Chang will be leading praise for Sunday 6/1/2008 Worship Service.

C. We will have an important team mtg. on Saturday May 31st. More info on that later...

<3><<><\\\\\

-sHin

IN THE NEWS

A Very Respectable Lady

and let's not forget to pray for the victims of the deadly earthquake in China, and the cyclone disaster in Burma (Myanmar)...

2008-05-11 OPEN WORSHIP SONG LIST

BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I'm back ;)

Here's the song list:

YOU ARE HOLY (PRINCE OF PEACE) -Michael W. Smith (D)
O PRAISE HIM -David Crowder Band (A)
FOR THESE REASONS -Lincoln Brewster (D)
A GREATER SONG -Matt Redman & Paul Baloche (D)
---
SURRENDER -Lincoln Brewster (D)

Ciao~

<3><<>-sHin

2008-04-20 OPEN WORSHIP SONG LIST

First the list....

FOR WHO YOU ARE -Hillsong (B)
BLESSED BE YOUR NAME -Matt Redman (B)
EVERYTHING -Tim Hughes (B)
OCEAN'S WILL PART - Hillsong (B)
GOD OF THIS CITY -Bluetree (C)

Second practice time...

11AM this Saturday... Due to eCrusade... Please don't be late!

Finally...
I've been wanting to do HEALER by Planetshakers for the longest time but it's a pretty difficult song and we all have to learn our parts so I'm going to put the reference link on the Now Playing section so please study the song and your parts for next week!

Ciao! ;)

<3><<><\\\\\
-sHin

IN THE NEWS

Politics: College Students Rule!

2008-04-13 OPEN WORSHIP SONG LIST

First, our song list for this Sunday...

HOSANNA - Paul Baloche (G)
MAJESTIC - Lincoln Brewster (D)

DEVOTION - Hillsong United (D)

YOU REIGN - Simon Brading (C)
YOU ALONE ARE GOD - Hillsong (C)

Second, our practice time... 11:30AM this Saturday...

Third, random thoughts...

1.) Devotion is our new song for this week... seems like a simple enough song but if you don't listen to it a couple of times it's a very tough song to learn, especially for our singers...

2.) 3 stages to a band... IMITATE-MANIPULATE-CREATE... First, all bands start out by trying to imitate and duplicate other band's songs... Then, as they get comfortable enough, they start manipulating songs to suit their own styles... Finally, as they become experts at manipulating and rearranging other people's songs, they realize it doesn't take much more to create their own songs. The reason I mention this is because I believe it is our ultimate goal to be creative in our worship for God. We often tend to be less engaged in worship sometimes because we lack ownership of the songs that we're playing and singing. All we're merely doing is imitating songs that others have created. But imagine, if we were playing songs that we created for God for His glory. Our worship will be much more engaging.

3.) Why the jibberish up there? Let's level up. We have grown tremendously since when we first started. I remember purposely avoiding difficult songs because I knew we wouldn't be able to cover it, but now I feel comfortable challenging any songs. But I feel we could be even better, and the first and most important thing we need is commitment; to God, to eachother, and to reach the ultimate goal of being able to worship God creatively that translates to a more intimate worship. Remember, the first God that we are introduced to through the word is the God of creation. God is a creative God. I believe as worshippers of God we are called to seek new and every way to worship God more creatively.

Doesn't it excite you? That we are not bound to any formalities in worship? Imagine. We have to worship God for eternity and all we can do is stand, lift our hands and sing along to someone as we worship God. There is more. There has to be more. Let's go find out.

<3><<><\\\\\
-sHin

2008-04-6 Open Worship Song List

---UPDATED 4/3/2008 4:30PM---

You Saw Me (C) -Hillsong
My Savior Lives (B) -New Life Worship
Endlessly (E) -Desperation Band
Where the Love Lasts Forever (D) -Hillsong United
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever (E) -Hillsong/Delirious?

My Savior Lives is a new song, so please listen to it and practice your parts before coming in...

I'm having one of those 'I just wanna shut everything down and get away' moods again these days... lathargic... indifferent... pray for me...

I'll call you guys to remind you but I think we need to have practice at 7PM this week.

So that'll come in the middle of making strawberry jam for fund raising which we need to be at church by 3PM.

I have to be at a wedding this Saturday and that's the reason for the late practice...

See you Saturday... Love you all~

<><<><\\\\\
-sHin

Currently Praying...

(in any way possible tell me your prayer requests and I'll post it everyweek just like so...)

Justin Chang -

Mindy Kim -

Sarah Kim -

Bryan Kwon -

Paul Lee -

Saemyi Moon -

David Shin - Financial Crisis! w/o getting into too much detail, I lost a LARGE amount of money due to unforseen & unfortunate circumstances. Pray for me that I can let go, leave it up to God to fill my needs and be satisfied by Him and turly confess 'All I Need is You Lord'.

Jackie Sohn - safe trip home, good rest, studying for MCAT & Spring quarter, moving in to new place.... most importantly, I will grow more and more in Christ ^^

Jin Hee Yoon -

Easter! 2008-3-23 Open Worship Song List

The Worship...

---praise & worship---
HAPPY DAY (C) -Tim Hughes
MY REDEEMER LIVES (E) -Hillsong
HOSANNA (E) -Brook Fraser
FIRE FALL DOWN (E, F, or F#) -Hillsong United
THE WONDERFUL CROSS (D or E) -Chris Tomlin
---offering---
SALVATION IS HERE (B) -Hillsong United
or
YOU SAW ME (C) -Hillsong

The Story...

This past Sunday was Palm Sunday. This week is Passion Week. This Friday is Good Friday. This Sunday is Easter Sunday. If you don't know the significance of why we remember and celebrate this season as followers of Jesus... hmm... uh-oh... yea... go find out.

(http://www.crivoice.org/cyholyweek.html <--I found this through google as a good source of information, and you can also read Matthew ch. 26~28, Mark ch 14~16, Luke ch. 22~24, and John ch. 18~21, for the scriptural understanding.)

We all celebrate Christmas as our biggest holiday. This is like the chicken and egg question, but would Christmas be meaningful if Easter never happened? In other words, what good is Jesus' birth if he did not take up the cross for our sins, died, and rose again to signify God's power over sin and death?

I believe Easter should be celebrated just as much as Christmas. That is why I propose that you all buy me an Easter gift. (Puhaha j/k!) But in all seriousness, I hope that we can reflect on God's love for us throughout this week by remembering what our Savior went through to reach out to us. And come this Sunday to celebrate! The wisdom, power, and glory of our God who has conquered death and sin and has given us the promise of eternal life!

The OCpraise NEWS!

1.) We missed you! Sarah and Justin. Hope to see you this Saturday @12PM.
2.) I need some exposure to sunlight. Can we please go to the beach after practice this Saturday?
3.) But Jackie will you be here?? If not, Paul be ready on the drums and Justin to sing k?
4.) $$$ (we really need to pay back Justin and fix our amps...)
5.) New ShoutBox on the sidebar of this page! Use it to mark your presence at this site!
6.) Prayer Requests... Please leave a comment on every week's post and I'll post it the following week so we can all pray for eachother.

Finally, I don't know if you guys are acutally reading/using this site and preparing for practice before you come in, but at least for me this has helped alot! I'm thinking when we all get on the same page with this new system(?) we'll be able to cut down our practice time drastically. BUT FOR THE ONE LAST TIME: LET'S BE PUNCTUAL!

Because He lives...
<><<><\\\\\
-sHin

2008-3-16 Open Worship Song List (UPDATED)

(still working on it...)

-----UPDATED 3/13/08 @1:00AM-----

First of all... Here's the song list: (This Week's Theme: Christ's Beauty)
‘Till I See You –Hillsong London (E)
Awesome is the Lord Most High –Chris Tomlin (G)
Beautiful One –Tim Hughes (D)
Son of God –Starfield (G#)
More Than Life –Hillsong United (G)

Second of all... REMINDER:
This Week's practice is Sat. 3/15 @12PM (noon)

Third of all... ANNOUNCEMENT:
After practice... (for those of us who can)... Jin Hee suggested we go to the beach! (weather permitting)... so... let's go!!!

Finally... I had a dream about us the other night:

“31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.” (Ezekiel 33:31-32)

I had a dream about us the other night, and it goes something like this…

We were at practice. Everybody was there and by the end I felt like we had a solid practice, covered all the parts we needed to cover, everything went very well, and I felt comfortable with our whole set for Sunday. (In reality, I never feel comfortable coming out of practice.)

Next thing I know, we’re leading worship on Sunday, and an unbelievable number of people are at our church and filled the seats and the whole sanctuary. But as we’re leading worship, it’s nothing like how we practiced and we’re soon adlibbing and improvising the whole worship! So obviously I’m growing frustrated and having a hard time focusing on worship. Then when I took a look out at everyone worshipping they are all doing their own things and not worshipping at all! At this point I guess Justin saw that I was struggling and he took over singing for me and in the MIDDLE OF THE SONG I came down from the stage and stormed out of church out of frustration.

Hmmm… I don’t remember if I shared with you guys before about a similar dream I had couple months back. In that dream though, I stormed out of church went into another room and began praying (more like crying out to God). This time however, all I can remember from the dream is just roaming around outside expressing my frustration.

To tell you the truth I don’t know how to interpret this dream, and maybe it’s not meant to be interpreted. Most likely it stems from my personal issues dealing with worship and my inner fears and frustrations of things not going the way I planned to be. Perhaps this dream really doesn’t mean anything and maybe it’s not that important.

But whether the issue is real or perceived, personal or corporate, I know that the issue is there. The issue is that God exists to be worshipped and we exist to worship God. And no matter how hard we try to run from that fact, or chase it to perfectly understand it, our primal desire and need to worship is never satisfied, nor God’s worth ever fully glorified through our worship.

So as I have told you guys before, what I actually experience through our worship is totally the opposite of what I dreamt the other day. Our practice could be sub par and our preparation inadequate, but when I let go and just begin to worship, His grace usually shines through, along with His glory. However, that’s not to say I’m ever satisfied. I always feel like we can be better. No, that’s not right. I always feel like God could be BIGGER.

I don’t know about you guys but I really enjoyed last week’s worship. Even as we were leading I thought to myself, ‘Wow, God is blessing us again and we’re doing good’. But that positive thought soon turned out to be a stumbling block merely because I couldn’t let go of that thought. I kept thinking ‘we’re doing good, we’re doing good’, that afterwards I felt like ‘Ok, we did good, but how did God do?’. God can definitely be BIGGER through our worship, in our church, in our personal lives, EVERYWHERE.

And the one way we'll experience a BIGGER GOD is when we see real and practical changes and growths in our lives and in our church. Changes that we thought were impossible, and growths that we thought were too hard. Then we know God is at work and that we're in the middle of God's revival, God's great work to make us like-Christ to share in His Kingdom.

Praying that Ezekiel 33:31-32 never speaks the truths of us...

Unquenchable Worshipper,

-sHin

<><<><\\\\\

2008-03-09 Open Worship Song List (UPDATED)

(still working on it...)

---UPDATED 3/6/2008 @6:00PM---

WoW... It took me awhile this week to come up with our song list for whatever the reason but here it is:

HOSANNA (E) -Brook Fraser
OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART (E) -Paul Baloche/Sonicflood
UNASHAMED (E) -Starfield
AMAZED (E) -Lincoln Brewster
AMAZING GRACE (MY CHAINS ARE GONE) (F) -Chris Tomlin

Again... perhaps not in that particular order...

This week's worship theme: God... isn't HE AMAZING?

NEWS:
1. Sarah (Freshmen/Biola) wants to join our team as a singer! I'm thinking maybe we initiate her in with the song Hosanna and see if she can pull off a Brook Fraser... keke ;)
2. Practice this Saturday @3PM same time... PLEASE PLEASE BE ON TIME!
3. I want our money! $30 for praise team and $8 for food last week for Justin. I didn't forget bro. ;)

Music sheets available upon request for those who want to practice before hand and all the reference videos are up on the NOW PLAYING section of this page!

See You SAT!
<><<><\\\\\
-sHin

2008-03-02 Sunday Open Worship Song List

Sorry it's a little late...

Something was different about last week:
Worship is never about us and it could’ve simply been God wanting to bless, but I would like to think that God blessed our prayers as we did our part to let go of everything and simply focus on Him as our sole object of worship and He revealed how wonderful it is to worship Him in His presence. (Is it just me? Please share your thoughts…)

Our focus in Worship this week-KINGSHIP, LORDSHIP, & THE AWESOME POWER OF GOD:
(please watch this video->) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vAKCHcOnxc (7min 37sec)
I think Chris hits it right on the head when he says we sometimes tend to think WE are the catalysts of revival and worship and “WE try to build church as if God was dead”. But just as we were able to do last week can we again (and again and again) come simply to call out to God in worship for Him to rise and be our God who saves? (please read Psalm 68).

Sun. 3/2/2008 Praise & Worship Set:
*ALL OF MY DAYS (E) – Mark Stevens
KING OF MAJESTY (B) – Hillsong United
*LET GOD ARISE (B) – Chris Tomlin
**SAVIOUR KING (B) – Hillsong Australia
AWESOME GOD (B) – Rich Mullins
Offering Song:
I WILL RUN TO YOU (G) – Hillsong Australia
(no reference)

*=first time songs (Check out the related videos on LET GOD ARISE. There are many instructional videos by parts.)
**=notice the there’s a key change from last week’s (C) to (B). (The Youtube reference is a different one too.)

And as always... music sheets are attached...

UPDATE: CHECK OUT THE NOW PLAYING SECTION ON THE SIDEBAR OF THIS BLOG FOR THE YOUTUBE VIDEO REFERENCE FOR THE SONGS.

Finally…:
1.) Don’t expect major changes, but don't be surprised if I change up the orders or change a song here and there.
2.) Practice still @3PM this week. And after practice our team is invited to Jung Sook gsn’s house for dinner so we can all go together. Unless you tell me otherwise I’ll let her know that all of us are going, so let me know if you can’t go.
3.) Membership FEES still not received from some of you. ;)
4.) Somebody remind me we need to get our weekly prayer partners running again.

SEE YOU SATURDAY!

<><<><\\\\\
-sHin

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