The Journey
Week of 9.30.12
Cathedral Work: Music
by Phillip G. Pattee
I am reminded as I write this reflection that excellence is one of Heartland Community
Church’s core values. We have scriptural basis for this. One example is Jesus’ first miracle, as
recorded in the gospel of John, which occurred at a wedding in Cana. When the wine had run
out, at his mother’s request, Jesus had servants fill six stone water jars with water and then
draw some out and take it to the host. When the host drank, the water had become wine. The
wine, however, was not of the ordinary variety. The host complimented the bridegroom,
noting that most people serve their best wine first and later, after the quests have had too
much to drink, bring out a poor quality wine. Instead, the groom had saved the finest wine
until the last. Not only had Jesus met the needs of the banquet, but he also provided
excellent wine. (John 2: 1-11)
Now let’s turn our attention to music. I think we are blessed with a core of talented musicians
at Heartland and I thoroughly enjoy our excellent worship music. I know many share my
opinion and find Heartland’s music inspiring. Still, not all music is of equal caliber and there
are people who mock contemporary Christian music in general for a variety of reasons. I’m
not much of a music critic but a quick search of the internet for people’s dislike of Christian
music revealed some recurring themes including boringly repetitive lyrics, a perceived lack of
sophistication in musical arrangements, and performances exhibiting mediocre talent.
I could become immediately defensive by pushing back with the idea that those points could
just as easily describe pop music put out by many contemporary artists. Not only that, but I
could also include the rationale that these complaints are from non-Christians picking the
music apart while they would give secular music a pass. On the other hand, the comparison
illustrates that the two genres have much in common; perhaps they are more alike than
different. To me, this begs the question, where does much of Christian music draw its
inspiration? Is it from what we hear in pop music, so that it copies the world, or is it from the
Spirit so that it reflects heavenly things? As Christians, if we look to the world for inspiration,
we will follow the world. If instead we rely on the Spirit, then our inspiration is from Christ.
Our excellence will shine through and we will demonstrate our love.
At one time, the church was the world leader in musical composition as well as a number of
other areas, including art, architecture, oration, and literature. If we choose to mimic the
world’s music, we are by definition followers. Because we strive to follow Christ, when we pray
and meditate, and when we exercise our God-given talents and abilities, we should look to
Him for inspiration and guidance.
“This is what we speak, not in worlds taught us by human wisdom but in worlds taught by
the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.”
~ 1Corinthians 2:13
Heartland Community Church, On-Line Journey Devotional
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(You are encouraged to use the SOAP – Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer Method for a guide. Click here to read more
about developing your devotional life. Click here for an example SOAP journal entry. If you don’t own a Bible, pick up "The Story of
God" Bible available for free at the Welcome Center in our atrium.)
Week’s Overview: one of Heartland’s core values is to ‘Develop Excellence.’ In all things, we want to give God our very best. Not scraps, not leftovers, not after‐thoughts. We call this life “A Cathedral Work.” This week is about developing this heart among each of us. As you search His Scriptures this week, may God inspire you richly. {note: if you’re new to our series called ‘A Cathedral Work’, click here to watch the short video promo.} monday, 10.1 Read: Genesis 1:26‐31; Colossians 1:24‐29 (focus v.27) Study: if you’ve noticed, we read Genesis 1‐3 a lot. This is because it is foundational to our understanding of what it means to be human and what God thinks about our physical world. In short, it is all good and very good. A part of bearing the image of God means that we reflect His creativity. In that sense, we are all artists. Personal: in what ways are you creative? (Hint: be creative as you think about it! ) Pray and thank God for this gift. Action: join us for the musician and artists’ workshop hosted by John Stothers! 7pm – 8:30pm in HCC’s auditorium. Click here to register. tuesday, 10.2 Read: 1 Corinthians 10:31; Philippians 4:1‐9 (focus v.8);Colossians 3:23‐24 Study: In Colossians 3:23‐24, the Apostle Paul is addressing slaves. It’s important to note that slavery in Biblical times was rarely an oppressive act against a particular race, but was most often a result of when one person went into excessive debt and worked as a ‘bond‐servant’ to pay it off. Click here for more detail. Personal:  Pick one area of your life where you are giving your very best. Thank God for the joy this passion brings.  Pick another area where you’d like God to inspire you to develop greater excellence. Heartland Community Church, On-Line Journey Devotional
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wednesday, 10.3 Read: 1 Samuel 3; Psalm 84:5‐7; Job 33:14‐16; Habakkuk 2:2‐3 Personal: what journey are you on right now? How are you the Pilgrim? How are you asking God to bring you from ‘strength to strength’? Prayer: Recite this prayer throughout your day: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Worship:join us for our 1st Wednesday Worship | Prayer | Communion service at 7pm in HCC’s Auditorium! John Stothers will be behind the piano leading us in worship. thursday, 10.4 Read: Isaiah 58 Study: In Isaiah 58, God challenges His people to a deeper level of excellence. They had perfected the peripheries; they had mastered all appearances of a well‐ordered life. But God challenges them with what spiritual excellence truly looks like. Personal: what is God prompting you to do today? Friday ‐ Sunday, 10.5–10.7 Read: Psalm 112
Personal: how does this Psalm speak to you? If you don’t already receive weekly email notification about The Journey, click here to sign up. Heartland Community Church, On-Line Journey Devotional
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grow (resources to help you in your study)  Sunday’s Sermon: Click here for podcast, or video  web: read up on Pilgrim the Musical by clicking here.  documentary: watch more excerpts of the documentary on Pilgrim by clicking here.  book: Madeleine L’Engle: “Walking on Water – Reflections on Faith and Art”  book: Ben Patterson: ‘Serving God – the Grand Essentials of Work and Worship”  book: “Who is this Man – the unpredictable impact of Inescapable Jesus” by John Ortberg  click here for more resources – this will link you back to the journey’s main page.  connect: click here to go to Heartland’s Facebook page  mobile connections: download the free Heartland app for your iPhone or Android device and access our resources virtually anywhere go (action steps)  prayer? Please send us an email by clicking here  care? Do you need to talk with someone? Please call us at 913.341.5820 ext. 330  go—Sign up to serve: email Lisa Zulke by clicking here  grow—Join a small group, a 1:1 spiritual mentorship, or find about the many other ways to grow  give—click here to make an online gift to Heartland and learn how you can set up recurring gifts Heartland Community Church, On-Line Journey Devotional
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