The worship leaders of the Greenhills church I attend have decided to assign me to sing lead on several songs for our worship service on February 17. This will be the first time for me to lead worship at my home church in Greenhills, and the first time for me to lead in any worship service since 2005.

Admittedly, I am concerned about my readiness to lead, so I’m covering myself in prayer (and request my regular readers to please include my intentions in your own prayers) to ensure that it be about God - and God alone - who is glorified during the praise and worship, and not about me. I am also concerned about my vocal preparations, so vocalization and song prep (to ensure I don’t forget a single word!) are part of my daily regimen.

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship recommends the following tips, in turn taken from John Wesley’s Select Hymns, for people preparing to sing or lead at worship:

• Sing all. As few ad libs as possible, don’t let weakness or weariness get in your way. If you are weak during the service - and that has happened to me quite often when I led in my former church - take up the weakness as cross, and let it be a blessing.
• Sing strongly. Lift up your voice with courage.
• Sing humbly. Not about you as leader, so don’t intentionally try to stand out, to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation. Contribute to the harmony, and unite your voice, so it is one clear, melodious sound.
• Sing in time. Always a challenge for me, it’s important not to run before nor stay behind it.
• Above all sing spiritually. “Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.”

By the way, I’m still totally in love with Unrestrained sung by Mandisa and written by Calvin Nowell. Do visit the website of that fellow, who is now my new inspiration. He writes songs for God and lost 240 lbs. WOW. God’s grace! Calvin, brother, you are my hero!

SoulKeeper Radio, an online radio station/ministry that streams anointed worship music 24/7 to refresh, renew, and revive, had added Heaven and Earth, one of my originals, to its rotating list of songs.

You can click on the link from their homepage to listen to some of CCM’s more worshipful melodies from independent Christian singer/songwriters. (And please feel free to send them an encouraging email; theirs is a ministry worth supporting.)

Thanks, Joe and Melissa Champlion for including Heaven and Earth in your playlist. It’s an honor and a blessing.

After years of prodding, one of my best friends, whom I shall keep anonymous with his online nick Raft3r, has finally been bitten by the blogging bug, and set up his own online home at The Deadbeat Club.

Raft3r and I go waaaay back, as in the days of elementary school, when I was a little taller than him and fatter. Now, he towers over me, although I’m still fatter. He was a groomsman at my wedding, and now he’s a gym buddy as well. Do pay Raft3r a visit and tell him Ganns sent ya.

Victory Greenhills, my home church in Greenhills, invites you to Draft Day Weekend.

If you have a heart to serve God - and who in His family doesn’t? - help honor God and make disciples by volunteering for a ministry! You may choose from the following:

Technical Team. If you’re a tech whiz, handy with a laptop or a magician with a mouse, come and join the Technical Team! Multimedia presentations, videos, and other great communication tools will be in your hands!

Ushering. If you’ve got a smile that extends past your ears, or a desire to welcome people to the happiest place on Earth (Victory Greenhills, baby ng VCF Fort, the best church in Taguig ever!), you’re more than welcome to join the Ushering Team!

Children’s Church. Wanna raise the next generation in diapers? Are you patient and do you love kids? Volunteer for the Children’s Church and plant God’s seeds early in these future leaders!

Kids’ Church. As children grow, they need spiritual watering, and if you have a heart for kids 7-12, come and help out at Kids’ Church!

Worship Team. Does your heart sing when we do? Got an ear for music or for playing it? Think you’ve got what it takes to bring God’s people to that next level of worship? Come and try out for the worship team!

Hospitality Team. If you’ve a heart to welcome your brothers and sisters in Christ from overseas, or would like to assist in events that require people shuttling other people or resources all over the metro, we would love to have you in Hospitality!

FEBRUARY 3, 2008!
DRAFT DAY VOLUNTEER’S WEEKEND!
SALI NA!

This vlog features a meal at SM North EDSA’s Oody’s on the second floor beside Cabalen.

Vlog Title: Oody’s SM North EDSA
Time: 2:01

Don’t see the video? Please come back later; YouTube may still be processing it.

My home church in Taguig, Victory Christian Fellowship - Fort Bonifacio, recently offered me a full-time position as a Communications Officer. This job is something I am looking forward to with much anticipation, I kid you not. I am literally shaking with excitement for it. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve God full-time in His house!

I have so many fond memories of this Taguig church (which is, by the way, the church that planted the VCF Greenhills church in Greenhills that Cathy and I now attend and in which I serve in the music ministry team). As part of their staff, well, I can only imagine the events and projects of which I am going to be a part, events and projects that will honor God and make disciples.

Wow. God be praised.

Full details here on my personal journal.

What do you say about taking chances?

What makes a good friend? Is it regular updates? Is it his or her show of love and concern? Is it the many things you have in common?

Let’s take a look at James 2:23.

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.” (NIV)

What can I learn about being a better friend from this verse?

1) Friends believe (in) each other. Friends want the best for each other, trusting that s/he has nothing but the best intentions for the other. “Abraham believed God.” The Amplified Bible’s translation reads “Abraham believed in (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on) God.” The very essence of a friendly relationship implies trust in and reliance on the other in good times and bad.

2) Friends help the other become better people. A good friend helps his friend become a better person, one ‘more righteous.’ The Amplified Bible’s version reads Abraham’s friendship with God “was accounted to (Abraham) as righteousness (as conformity to God’s will in thought and deed).” No self-respecting friend would help his friend down a dangerous path, or knowingly stand by while his friend is self-destructing. Friends care passionately about their friends, and help them reach their fullest potential.

3) Friends hold their relationships with their friends in the highest regard. A friendship is a privilege. When one stands up and declares that s/he is a friend of someone, s/he is saying, “I value this person.” We are close. I cherish this relationship. To be called someone’s friend is an honor. (Can you imagine dying and having no ‘friends’ at your funeral?)

At face value, it seems easier to build relationships with people we see on a regular basis, but just because you’ve been out of touch with a friend doesn’t mean the friendship has to end. Work on your friendships. The best relationships are built on a foundation of trust and regularity; if someone hasn’t been in touch a while, it may be hard to rekindle the flames of friendship. If your friend, however, is willing and open to bringing the relationship back, then it could be the beginning of a wonderful new friendship.

Go ahead, talk to a friend today.