A recap of our weekend worship services with Fellowship Bible Church.
Read MoreSongs We Sing, 10/05 - 10/06/13 - Fellowship Bible Church
This weekend, our lead pastor, Joe Hishmeh, continued in our sixth week of our series, "Deep and Wide," and shared how the Jesus multiplies whatever we bring to Him. If we offer Him nothing, zero multiplied by anything is still zero. When we offer even what we think is the smallest thing to Him, it becomes great than we could ever have imagined. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here. Here's our service plan from this weekend:
Countdown Song - "Follow You" (G) [Ben Rector] Video - T.E.A.M. - Brent Preston "Before The Throne" (A) [Charitie Lees Bancroft, The Modern Post] "Hosanna" (E) [Brooke Ligertwood] Greeting Time Video - Administrative and Support Ministries - J.D. Holt Announcements/Offering Communion Communion Song - "In My Place" (A) [Michael Bleecker, Matt Boswell] / "Nothing But The Blood" (A) [Robert Lowry] Message - "Deep & Wide: A Follower of Jesus... Multiplies" [Joe Hishmeh] Elder-led Prayer - Jeff Vogel "Your Great Name" (Bb) [Michael Neale, Krissy Nordhoff] Dismissal
Thoughts: This weekend was
For our singing this weekend, we sang songs that celebrated how our life and salvation are completely dependent on the redeeming power of Jesus for us ["Before The Throne," "In My Place," "Nothing But The Blood," "Your Great Name"]. We also sang "Hosanna," which calls us to laying our lives down for the kingdom of God as we look toward His return. We opened our services this week with Ben Rector's "Follow You" in the countdown, and it is a fun and hopeful song that calls us into the joy of laying down our burdens and following Christ.
- Bill
What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?
Songs We Sing, 04/06 - 04/07/13 - Fellowship Bible Church
For our final week of our 2 Corinthians series - "Purpose In Christ," our pastor, Joe Hishmeh, preached through 2 Corinthians 13, and taught about how believers can pursue peace with one another through "rejoicing, restoring, reaffirming, reuniting, and reconciling." It was a great challenge to each of us to pursue health in our relationships. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here. Here's our service plan from this weekend:
Welcome/Call to Worship - Ephesians 2:4ff "In Tenderness" (G) [Adoniram J. Gordan, W. Spencer Walton, arr. by Citizens] Greeting Time/Announcements Message - "Purpose In Christ, pt. 11" [Joe Hishmeh] Communion "In My Place" (G) [Michael Bleecker, Matt Boswell] "Son of God" (G) [Jon Neufeld, Tim Neufeld, Ed Cash, and Gordon Cochran] "Our God" (G) [Jonas Myrin, Jesse Reeves, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin] Dismissal
Thoughts: This was a good weekend. Our team did a great job, and the church engaged well in each of our worship experiences. Lindsay Kraisinger and Heidi Carlson did a great job leading "In My Place" during communion, which was a beautiful moment. Kip Kraisinger did a great job co-leading on several of the songs, as well. It was great to have a few people to share the leading load this weekend, especially since I was fending off strep throat (which my wife had) the whole weekend. My immune system finally gave in Sunday afternoon, but I'm glad to have gotten through the weekend without too much trouble. Now, it's time for some rest.
- Bill
What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?
Set List, 09/08 - 09/09/12 - Fellowship Bible Church
(an image of our new Ephesians set design, courtesy of our Tech Director, Wyatt Johnston)
This week our lead pastor, Joe Hishmeh, kicked off our new discipleship series, "Ephesians - United in Christ." In his message, Joe shared from Ephesians 1:1-14 that Jesus is our best offense, our best defense, and our best confidence. It was a great reminder of the work of Christ on our behalf, which results in grace and peace in our lives. He is so good to us! You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.
For our singing this week, we focused on the gospel and on God's sovereign power over all.
Here's our service plan from this weekend:
"In Tenderness" (G) [W. Spencer Walton, Adoniram J. Gordon, Nate Garvey, arr. by Citizens] Welcome/Greeting Time Call To Worship/Confession "Glorious Day" (Bb) [J. Wilbur Chapman, Michael Bleecker] "You Alone Can Rescue" (Bb) [Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin] "Lord of All" (Bb) [Kristian Stanfill] Message - "Ephesians 1:1-14" [Joe Hishmeh] "Son of God" (G) [Jon Neufeld, Tim Neufeld, Ed Cash, Gordon Cochran] Offering/Announcements/Dismissal
"In Tenderness" - This was a new song that we taught during our countdown last week, and continued teaching this week. It is a hymn that was written in 1894, and that was rearranged by a band from Mars Hill Church called Citizens. I love the energy this song brings to our services and to our congregation, and I think our church is catching on. I think this song is a keeper for us, and it fit well with the message for this week.
"Glorious Day" - This is another old hymn that has been refreshed for the Church today by Village Church. I love the lyric of this song, as it remembers where we were before Christ, and then celebrates what Christ has accomplished--and will accomplish--for us. It is a great fit for this series through Ephesians.
"You Alone Can Rescue" - This song focused specifically on the redemption that we have in Christ. I love how this song communicates our own powerlessness to save ourselves and the unique ability of Christ alone to rescue us from sin and death. Because of who He is and what He has done for us, He alone is worthy of our praise.
"Lord of All" - We went from singing about the unique worth of Christ (because He is the only one who can rescue us) at the end of "You Alone Can Rescue" to this song, which emphasizes His unique worth because He is the Lord of all. This has been, and remains, one of our church's favorite songs. I love singing it together.
"Son of God" - We responded to Joe's message with this song, which focuses on the unique personhood of Jesus. This is another of our church's favorites, and it was a great way to wrap up our services.
This weekend was a solid weekend of worshiping together. Our team did a great job leading our congregation in singing to our King. We also worked like crazy to get our new stage design put together, and I am really happy with how it all turned out. I am really excited about going through Ephesians together as a church. It's going to be transformational!
I hope you had a great weekend of worship wherever you were!
What were your thoughts or experiences on your worship experience from this weekend?
p.s. don't forget to check out The Worship Community!
Set List, 03/03 - 03/04/12 Fellowship Bible Church
This weekend, we continued our Romans series, focusing on Romans 10:8 - 17. In his message, Joe taught about God's plan of salvation for the nations, and how we must be the ones to go and tell about what Jesus has done. We are participants in the gospel, and God calls us into spreading the message to the people we encounter. We are the only option - as Joe says, "There is no Plan B." You can listen to the entire message here. Here's our service plan from this weekend:
"Say Say" (Bb) [Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Chris Tomlin] Welcome/Greeting Time Call To Worship "Glorious Day" (B) [Michael Bleecker, J. Wilbur Chapman] "Stronger" (B) [Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan] "Jesus Paid It All" (B) [John T. Grape, Elvina M. Hall, w/ additional chorus by Alex Nifong] Time of Reflection/Prayer Message - "Romans 10:8 - 17" [Joe Hishmeh] Communion Intro Communion Song - "Your Great Name" (Bb) [Michael Neale, Krissy Nordhoff] Taking of Elements Song Reprise - "Your Great Name" (Bb) Offering/Announcements Dismissal
"Say Say" - Because of the focus passage for this weekend (which includes Romans 10:9 - "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved"), we opened our services with this song. We taught this song to our congregation a few months ago, and haven't sung it too frequently since that time. It was one of the first that I introduced here to Fellowship. I love the call of this song on our lives, for us to declare with boldness and sincerity that Jesus is King. This song inspires confidence in the truth of the gospel, and these are the kinds of words I think we need to be encouraging one another with when we sing together in worship.
"Glorious Day" - This is a song that we began teaching a few weeks ago, and I continue to love how this song ties the past, present, and future of the gospel message all together. I think it is a solid song of celebrating what Christ has accomplished at the cross and in His resurrection, and also what He will accomplish in His return. We have many amazing reasons to worship our King!
"Stronger" - This song, while written somewhat recently, has the feel (in the lyric, anyway) of being almost like a creed. I love the simple declarations throughout the song, and the bridge sings of exalting Jesus' name because of what He has done. It is also one of the few new worship songs that is truly in 3/4, which gives it a unique feel throughout. I really enjoy singing this song, and singing out what Jesus has accomplished.
"Jesus Paid It All" -This song is one of our favorites here, and for good reason. It is a simple confession of our dependence on Jesus and His finished work on the cross, and a powerful declaration of praise for what He accomplished for us in His resurrection. We were dead, but now we are alive in Him, and that is the main motivation we have sing and exalt Him.
"Your Great Name" - This song is new to our congregation, so we introduced it during our communion time this weekend. I first heard this from the writer, Michael Neale, at a conference in Florida. It was made popular by Natalie Grant. What I found interesting is that Natalie Grant sings the harmony during the chorus and the bridge, but sings it as though it is the melody. Both the harmony and the melody of this song are very nice lines, so it works really well. I love this song because it clearly declares the name of Jesus and exalts Him for who He is and what He has done. There is salvation and power in no other name, and we should speak it out with confidence, hope, and faith. Our congregation really connected with this song (surprisingly so), and we will definitely be singing it together again. The video to which I linked in the title of the song also has the lyric on it. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this song, and if you have sung it in your congregations.
This weekend was a strong weekend of worship with a very clear focus on the gospel and on proclaiming it to the world around us. I love celebrating the Lord's Supper with our congregation, and remembering what Jesus has done. He is so good and faithful to us, even when we are faithless. He is so worthy of all of our praise and glory!
I hope you had a great weekend of worship wherever you were!
In the Son, Bill
p.s. don't forget to check out The Worship Community!
Set List, 02/04 - 02/05/12 Fellowship Bible Church
This weekend, we continued our Romans series, and focused on Romans 5:1-10. In his message, Joe shared about what the life of a believer looks like because of what Christ has done. He talked about how we are now reconciled to God, and as a result we have peace and rest with Him. You can listen to the entire message here. Because of the focus of Joe's message, we emphasized our new standing with God because of His great love for us. We have hope and life because of Him. Here's our service plan from this weekend:
Time of Preparation/Prayer "Jesus You" (E) [Bill Horn] Welcome/Greeting Time Call To Worship - Psalm 33:1ff "Your Grace Is Enough" (G) [Matt Maher] "I Stand Amazed" (G) [Charles H. Gabriel] "Because Of Your Love" (G) [Phil Wickham] Message - "Romans 5:1-10" [Joe Hishmeh] Communion Song - "In My Place" (Eb) [Michael Bleecker, Matt Boswell] "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" (Eb) [Edwin O. Excell, John Newton, Louie Giglio, John P. Rees, Chris Tomlin] Offering/Announcements Dismissal
"Jesus You" - We sang this song as our preparation song this weekend, because it was written partially from chapter 5 of Romans. The certain hope that we have because of what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf is the focus of this section of Romans and is also the ultimate focus of this song.
"Your Grace Is Enough" - This song remains a staple for us at Fellowship. We don't sing it as often as maybe we once did, but it is a great song of celebration as we express our confidence in the finished work of Christ on our behalf. His grace is sufficient for us, and we look nowhere else for our salvation. Jesus is the one who has saved us; we did not save ourselves.
"I Stand Amazed" - This song was fitting for this weekend, because it points to our previous status of condemnation before God, our redemption through the work of Christ, and the future hope we have when Christ returns. Our church sings this song well. We may have set the click a little fast early in the weekend, but it was still a great song with which to celebrate our Savior's great and marvelous love for us.
"Because Of Your Love" - I love how this song declares that living our lives for God's glory is the fitting response to what He has done for us through the cross. We only have true life because of what Christ has accomplished for us. He endured our pain and our penalty in our place as our substitute, giving His life up selflessly, and now we can give our own lives selflessly for Him and for others.
"In My Place" - This was a new song that wanted to introduce for our communion time this weekend. I have been listening to this song for the past year or two, and I finally found my opportunity to introduce it here at Fellowship. I love the lyrical focus and the beauty of this song about the cross. We brought it down from G to Eb, and I think it was much more singable for our congregation in that range. I'm still not sold on whether this song could work in our setting for a congregational song, because there are lot of implied notes that the melody pulls out, such as starting on a major 7 (G)of the chord that the rest of the band is playing (Ab). I think it will still be at least a fantastic communion and preparation song in the future. We'll see how else we can use it. Here's the lyric:
"In My Place" Michael Bleecker, Matt Boswell
In my place He stood condemned He who knew no sin Became sin for us That we might become His righteousness
Bearing all my sin and shame The punishment and blame He conquered the grave That we might become the heirs of grace
In my place, Jesus died The spotless Lamb laid down His life The wrath of God was satisfied In my place, Jesus died
Nail-pierced hands, bleeding side, His body bruised, my God crucified Crown of thorns, dying cries, His flesh was torn, my God crucified
Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Savior!
CCLI # 5181287
"Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" - This was our response song this weekend. This is another great song that we haven't done very often, and it was a great fit for this weekend. I love singing of our chains being gone and of our newfound freedom in Christ.
On a side note, my wife and I were talking about 2 Chronicles 20 this weekend, and how God called Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah to merely stand before their enemies, who were on their doorstep and about to attack. The people of God went out to face their attackers, and they worshiped the Lord. As they did, God won the victory for them, and their enemies destroyed themselves without the people of Judah lifting a finger against them. They merely trusted in the Lord, and He fought for them. In this passage, there is an interesting correlation between worship and prayer and trusting in the Lord. Really, when we are doing the first two things sincerely and with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, it is because we are also trusting God. When we depend and trust in Him, we get the opportunity to see Him move in powerful ways, and He gets all the glory. I pray that we, as the people of God through Christ Jesus, would trust in the Lord so completely that our worship and prayer together would reflect that. He is worthy of our trust, and He is worthy of our worship--ALL of it.
This weekend was a great time of celebrating the life, hope, and peace that we have because of Christ, and then celebrating through communion together as well. Praise God for the love that led Jesus to the cross in our place to save us!
I hope you had a great weekend of worship wherever you were!
In the Son, Bill
p.s. don't forget to check out The Worship Community!
Set List, 01/21 - 01/22/12 Fellowship Bible Church
This weekend, we returned to finish our heaven series, "Heaven Revealed." Joe shared about the purpose of heaven and how we can be prepared for heaven. I really loved spending the time this weekend trying to get our hearts and minds around a clearer vision of heaven. You can listen to the entire message here. Here's our service plan from this weekend:
Time of Preparation/Prayer "Jesus You" (E) [Bill Horn] Call To Worship "Sing To The King" (E) [Billy Foote, Charles Silvester Horne] Welcome/Greeting Time "Happy Day" (B) [Ben Cantelon, Tim Hughes] "Glorious Day" (B) [Michael Bleecker, J. Wilbur Chapman] "Jesus Paid It All" (B) [Elvina M. Hall, John Thomas Grape, Alex Nifong] Message - "Heaven Revealed, Pt. 2" [Joe Hishmeh] "Revelation Song" (C) [Jennie Lee Riddle] Offering/Announcements Dismissal
"Jesus You" - We sang this song as our preparation song this weekend. This is an original song that came from a study of the book of Romans, especially chapters three through five. We sang it for the preparation time this week because the song ends by pointing to eternity: "Now Death, where is your sting?/ You send me home, where forever I will sing/ You, Jesus, You." We have no need to fear death if we are in Christ. Death only sends us to our true home - the presence of Jesus.
"Sing To The King" - This was our opener this week. This song was used because it points to Christ's ultimate victory, which gives us the promise of a future together with Him in heaven. The focus of this song certainly gives reason for celebration!
"Happy Day" - We sang this song primarily because of the second verse: "When I stand in that place/ Free at last, meeting face to face/ I am Yours, Jesus, You are mine/ Endless joy and perfect peace/ Earthly pain finally will cease/ Celebrate, Jesus is alive/ He's alive!" Once again, it is because of the salvation we have in Christ that we can look forward in anticipation of the day when we see Jesus face to face. All tears and sorrow will be gone, and we will experience a joy that defies description!
"Glorious Day" - This song is still fairly new to our congregation, being that we only started singing it a few weeks ago. You can read more of my thoughts on the song here. This week, we decided to bring it down another half-step to B to see if it would be even easier for our congregation to sing.
"Jesus Paid It All" - This song is a staple for our church, and we sang it because it celebrates the one who resurrected us from spiritual death - Jesus Christ. He is the reason we have life. He is the one who has saved us. We did not (and could not) save ourselves. We owe all thanks, praise, and honor to Him. He is the one who paid our debt and raised these lives up from the dead!
"Revelation Song" - This was our response song this weekend. It was one that I had planned on doing for this series when we first started talking about it, and when we sang it for the "Heaven Is For Real" event this past Sunday night, it became a natural tie to this weekend as we concluded our formal discussion on heaven in our services this weekend.
This weekend was really powerful, and we experienced the presence of Christ as we worshiped in our services. Our team did a great job, and our congregation sang like crazy, which was exciting to witness. I am overwhelmed by the goodness of Christ in His promise of heaven for us. I can't wait to see Him face to face.
I hope you had a great weekend of worship wherever you were!
In the Son, Bill
p.s. don't forget to check out The Worship Community!
Set List, 01/07 - 01/08/12 Fellowship Bible Church
This weekend, we began our Romans series, "Grow In Christ." Our family pastor, Brian Tryhus, taught about the background information surrounding Paul's letter to the Romans, as well as calling us as a church to committing ourselves to a diligent study of the book, both individually and in community. I think it was a great challenge to all of us for the new year. I am excited about what the Lord is going to do in our church as we delve into Romans together. I pray that the gospel becomes ever more clear and sure for each of us. You can listen to the entire message here. This was an interesting and unexpected weekend. I was not originally scheduled to lead, but another leader's sickness necessitated it. About 3 hours before we started rehearsal, I adjusted our song set, communicated the change with the team, and we went for it. I was once again impressed by the flexibility and ability of our team. They all did a fantastic job, and it was a great weekend of worship, as we focused heavily on the gospel. Each song reflects that focus in some way.
Here's our service plan from this weekend:
Time of Preparation/Prayer "The Love Of God" (D) [Frederick M. Lehman, Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai] Welcome/Greeting Time "All Because Of Jesus" (Bb) [Steve Fee] "Glorious One" (C) [Steve Fee] "Glorious Day" (C) [Michael Bleecker, J. Wilbur Chapman] Message - "Romans: Grow In Christ - Introduction" [Brian Tryhus] Communion Communion Song - "Sing To Jesus" (Eb) [Richard Nibbe, Fernando Ortega] Offering/Announcements "In Christ Alone" (D) [Keith Getty, Stuart Townend] Dismissal
"The Love Of God" - We sang this song as our preparation song this weekend. I especially love the third verse, which makes a beautiful analogy to speak of the greatness of God's love:
Could we with ink the oceans fill And were the skies of parchment made Were every stalk on earth a quill And every man a scribe by trade To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry Nor could the scroll contain the whole Though stretched from sky to sky
"All Because Of Jesus" - This was our opener this week. We sang it because Jesus's sacrifice for us is the reason we have life and hope. As we focus on Romans, this was a fitting song.
"Glorious One" - This song is a favorite of mine, but I have not sung it with Fellowship before this weekend. Fortunately, it was one that they had sung previously, and it was good to bring it back and sing it together.
"Glorious Day" - This song is new to our congregation, and it is one that I have wanted to introduce ever since I heard it. It is from Michael Bleecker and the Village Church, and it first appears on their album, "God Of Victory." (Yes, Casting Crowns did a cover of it, taking some liberties of their own, but I definitely prefer the first rendition by the Village). I love the lyric (written in 1909 by J. Wilbur Chapman), and how it communicates Christ's incarnation, death, resurrection, and return. It moves me every time I hear it or sing it, because the truth of it resonates deeply in me. Here's the lyric of the song:
Verse 1 One day when heaven was filled with His praises One day when sin was as black as could be Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin Dwelt among men, my Example is He
Chorus Living He loved me, dying He saved me Buried He carried my sins far away Rising He justified freely forever One day He's coming O glorious day
Verse 2 One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain One day they nailed Him to die on the tree Suffering anguish, despised and rejected Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Verse 3 One day the grave could conceal Him no longer One day the stone rolled away from the door Then He arose, o'er death He had conquered Now is ascended, my Lord evermore
Verse 4 One day the trumpet will sound for His coming One day the skies with His glories will shine Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine
"Glorious Day" J. Wilbur Chapman | Michael BleeckerCCLI Song No. 5181287 © 2008 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
"Sing To Jesus" - This song was brand new to me this week. Sarah Oldberg had picked it out as a communion song this week, so I wanted to leave it in if I could learn it. It is such a beautiful lyric and melody. We did the song with just piano (Cory Zipperle did a great job making it happen!) and vocal. This song was also my introduction to Fernando Ortega. I had heard the name, but never heard any of his music before this week. I am now a fan. I am looking forward to discovering more of his music as a result of this song!
"In Christ Alone" - This was our response song this weekend. I love this modern hymn. It's interesting to play on guitar, because the traditional arrangement probably wasn't written with guitar in mind... But it works, and the power of the song takes care of it. It declares the gospel clearly and beautifully, and it is a song that just sounds like I knew it, even when it was the first hearing. It is truly in Christ alone that we have salvation, life, and hope.
I hope you had a great weekend of worship wherever you were!
In the Son, Bill
p.s. don't forget to check out The Worship Community!