The Heart of VBS (2014) - Night 4

Ever wondered what it's like to be in the VBS band?  Today's blog comes from the Worship Team's bird's-eye-view of what a sea full of God-struck children and adults looks like!  Do you have a VBS perspective or small story?  e-mail derek@horizonschurch.org to share


"It's all about perspective.  The worship team gets a unique perspective during VBS in a blast of 5-10 intense minutes twice a night of pumpin' thumpin' hoppin' get-on-your-feet-clap-your-hands insanity that we call worship music.  Our perspective gives insight into all of the emotions of VBS during the most jam-packed times - opening and closing.  We see everything from the kids who are on their feet screaming at the top of their lungs, to the kids who don't quite know what to think about this "weird" stuff, and even those who shrink away in fear from how much energy is zinging through the air. Then there's the strange old guy who sings 3 octaves lower than the rest of us with his pants backwards.  Maybe that's what those kids were crying about.  We enjoy the chance to get a little crazy :)

The best part for us as adults, though, is that we are reminded to approach God with the same faith and innocence of a child.  We get to break free of our inhibitions (in some of our cases, more than we should), and experience the awesome power of God through the eyes of a child.  Not only is this the best week of the summer for these kids, it is for us too.

Thanks for letting us be part of this crazy experience! - The Worship Team

Lauren Mize
Resource Teacher
Huntington Elementary"


More to come!

The Heart of VBS (2014) - Night 3

Today's thoughts come from a preschooler volunteer Alicia McCune about how VBS transforms adults hearts just as much as the kids'.  Enjoy!

VBS 2014

When I was asked to blog about VBS so far, to be completely honest…I really wasn’t feeling it. Somewhere through the rush of the day, my heart had hardened and felt heavy. It felt like I was going through the motions, struggling to get amped up to lead my “shorter friends”, the preschoolers, in songs.

Taking few seconds in the bathroom, I prayed that my heart would lighten and for God to lead me through the night. I needed His words, not my own.

I headed back into the worship center where the worship team was already bringing the house down, always my favorite part of a VBS night. As I stood in the back and looking around the room full of kids a thought took over my head.  We are planting a seed or maybe nurturing what God has already started. We are laying the foundation of faith. Who knows where a child’s life may take them or where the path may go, but VBS is laying a foundation of faith for them to fall back on when life gets hard.

Leaving the worship center and trucking it back to the room that’s now become a second stage for Dance USA, another thought hit me. When I think of all the volunteers that it takes to run a night of VBS, everybody has their niche.  Everyone has a role that they fill, or a gift that they bring that helps make the night successful. Maybe it will take a few years to figure out where your spot is at VBS, but know there is a spot. Derek and Liz maybe second-guess my role when the Congo line gets crazy but feel this is a good fit.

As the evening came to a close, one last thought came: When it’s all we can do to just show up, it seems that’s all God needs… He takes it from there. With every beat of the songs we sing and get crazy to, he finds us where we are at and through everyone coming together he lifts us up. As the music started last night, the worries and stress of the day faded, it was replaced by love and energy. It’s tangible every night, permeating the week of VBS.  Each night it’s as if we are letting go of ourselves and getting more of our God in. I really dig it J

God bless VBS :-), Alicia

More to come! 

The Heart of VBS (2014) - Night 1

My blog is about to get blown up in awesome ways as we live through the best week of the year at Horizons:  Vacation Bible School (VBS)!  Instead of just my thoughts, I'll be sharing miracles, sightings, and sentiments from the field--live from the lives being changed.

Night 1:  The Right Kind of Buzz

Getting ready for VBS each year can be a little anxiety provoking--will we have the same energy?  Will God bless our leaders and our kids as He has in the past?  Will all those little pieces finally come together?

And so the first night begins--first people scurrying, laughing, waiting, preparing, and then crowds pouring in.  It's exciting seeing faces and smiles and looks of wonder (especially on our parents' faces) as everyone finds their crews and gets acclimated.  

Then Bob, Carl, and John come out, the music begins, cheering ensues.  It's great, quite a rush.

But it's difficult not to begin speculating.  Are we on track?  Is the energy right?  Are things coming together?  Is this as good or better than the past?...  

This morning I was thinking about how the night went and remember running into particular leaders last night who have been doing VBS far longer than I have.  I distinctively remember their exclamations of excitement and joy cutting through my speculative thoughts as they shouted--"Isn't this so awesome???  It's finally here!!"  

It made me think about their energy and mine.  Clearly, these leaders have their hearts more fully in the right place.  It's not how well everything is running that pumps us up and brings us over the edge of speculation.  It's the pure energy and joy of knowing we're doing this all for Jesus, for God's name and love, and that once again we have a chance to share, proclaim, and reignite!  This is what makes it good!

So as we go forward, my focus will be about sharing and seeing Jesus, not just having an awesome production!

--Pastor Jason <><

More to come!

Jumpin in the House!

VBS is almost here, and the energy at Horizons is swelling!  As many know, a theme song that has become a permanent fixture at Horizons VBS is the song "Jumpin in the House of God."  Kids and adults go wild as the song comes over the air the first night, as do shivers shoot down the spines of the anticipatory leaders.  It's time once again to jump in the house of God!

But today I wanted to give some light to all the things happening as we lead up to VBS.  Horizons is experiencing so much new life and energy it's worth jumping about:

• Horizons now has the largest staff in its history with the welcome of Karen Herrold, Adult Ministries Director (a position never filled before!).  New opportunities for transformation and leadership!
  
• The Patio is done!!  We had a GREAT open house, tons of donuts and celebrations.  Many of us once thought maybe Horizons couldn't do something like this.  God showed us it is indeed possible!
  
• The Community Mission Garden is continuing to grow, produce fruit, and take shape.  There are still many opportunities and much to do to get it ready, but it's alive and relationships are forming around it!
  
• 4 of the High School students who went on the mission trip last week returned telling of how they fell deeply in love Jesus over the course of their time.  It blew me away to hear their reports of their new and growing relationships.
  
• Just this last Sunday (July 20th), Horizons had a guest violinist Jamie Jorge, who played beautiful music and shared a powerful testimony.  It was a transforming witness.
  
• Horizons leaders are beginning to emerge in exciting ways.  More and more we are starting to see our calls to be leaders and to take strides in trusting what God wants us to do!  

I could and WILL jump for more, as God reveals more and more for us to be thankful for!

More to come!

Jason <><

Alive on the Inside

What is it about memorizing scripture that turns so many of us off?

There are a handful of men in my Sunday morning HOME group who have committed themselves to memorizing scripture.  It's amazing and intimidating to watch them recite their verses in our conversations.  I've read about this practice and have had many recommend it to me.

But I've struggled with getting going.

Perhaps I've felt so far behind that I didn't feel there was ever a good place to start.  Perhaps memorizing scripture has mostly been placed in the context of needing it for rapid-fire responses during conversations with those who oppose Christianity.  Perhaps I was simply being a resistant human--as God is all too familiar with.

Perhaps it's a combination of all these.

Recently I read in a book about getting refueled spiritually, and of course, the act of refueling spiritually also, apparently, requires one to learn scripture.  BUT, the words used to describe why were the words that finally opened my heart to receive this practice.  Doug Fields writes in his book "Refuel" that if we're going to live by God's words, let's take the chance to let it live within us.

At that moment, I realized committing scripture in my heart wasn't about being a better Christian, Pastor, or faith leader.  I also realized while having scripture in memory may aid me greatly in a variety of conversations, that is not the main point either.

The point is to let God's word not only reside on a page or in our ears as it's read, but also to let it reside in the well of our hearts and the rhythms of its pulsing.  Having some simple words in my heart and accessible whenever--in the shower, while mowing or running, in the car, at my desk, right before facing a challenge, and in the midst of spiritual melt-downs--has been beautiful.  Those words are alive in my life!  They teach, speak, guide, comfort, and re-energize me.  Plus, during the many moments when I am wondering about the deeper context of the words, I have the chance to check in with God on why it came out that way.

It's beautiful, and I invite you to try it.  Just try one.  Forget the rest for now:  Matthew 6:33.


More to come!


Jason <><

2 to Tangle!

Two years ago, on July 8th, I strapped on the first over-the-ear microphone I'd ever worn, joined an excited and nervous worship team for a pre-service prayer, and walked out on a big platform to face a sea of faces at what was to be my new appointment and church body.

It was CRAZY (as in:  exhilarating, terrifying, exciting, way out of my control)!

The words "I don't know if I can do this..." rang through my heart so many times that day, just as they have in many moments subsequent.  It's been a crazy and life-giving ride!

But here we are, in the blink of a ministry-moment's eye, two years later, and I'm officially beginning my third year with Horizons.  Sarah and I have grown tremendously in our faith together as we've watched God do extraordinary things we never dreamed could happen in this ministry and as we've also watched God withhold and respond in ways we never hoped He would as He called for us to reach deeper into our faith and relationship with Him.

And the beauty of it is, I am still growing, and still feeling barely competent for the work Jesus has called me to let Him do through me at Horizons.  My tag line in my e-mails is "This is only the beginning."  I put that there to remind me and all of us that while we often believe we've reached the height of where God is leading us, we've really only just begun.

Here's are a few things I'm thankful for in my first 2 years at Horizons:

• Jesus has taught me through many pains and successes how to commit Him as the true Lord of my life and all I have (Phil 2:9-11).
• The leadership at Horizons has given me so much trust from an early time that reflected their remarkable faith in what God was doing (Deut 10:19).
• God truly gives what we need according to His will (1 Tim 6:17).
• The love Horizons staff and people both possess and pour out on a daily basis, and how that love is what truly and powerfully paves the way for all other things to happen (1 John 4:11-12).

I cannot wait to keep growing, working through challenges, and living into extraordinary faith for man years to come.  It's been a beautiful journey, and there's certainly more to come!

Praise God!

This is only the beginning!

Jason <><