Thoughts on Hillsong United’s “THE I-HEART REVOLUTION” Movie

Last night, Hillsong United premiered its documentary film, THE I HEART REVOLUTION: WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, in theaters across the US and Canada (it will premier across Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa on November 18). I’d heard about the movie a while back and forgot about it until Tuesday night. I’ve been on a business trip in Virginia this week, so I figured I’d see it after work. I’m glad I made the choice to see it.

The event started with a mini-concert and introduction by United – broadcast from Australia. It set the stage for and explained the documentary, which tells stories of justice, compassion, and mercy around the globe – all filmed over the past three years during their concert tour.

Apart from the 30-minute intro, the movie ran about two hours (a little long and sometimes bumpy in the message, but it needed to be). The film was divided into three distinct parts:

1. Stories of injustice, loss, neglect, poverty, – the harsh and terrible realities of life across the globe…the realities that we don’t know about or often choose to ignore.
2. The Hope amidst those realities found solely in Jesus.
3. A call to those who follow Jesus to have a heart like Him, consider #2, and (because of it) take action on #1.

It was a profound film. So much hurt and hopelessness in the world…and we too often turn a blind eye to it.  I (and many around me) couldn’t help shedding tears at given moments during the film.  It is a profound message.

There were so many “amen” moments and phrases.  I found a few of them on Twitter to share:

• Loneliness is the worst form of poverty.
• If what happens inside the four walls of the church doesn’t make a difference in the streets that people travel to get there, then maybe we are missing the point.
• We’ve trained ourselves to look past need.  Injustice and indifference go hand in hand.
• Jesus didn’t die to give us religion, He died to give us love.
• Preaching does not come from the pulpit, it comes from the people of God living their lives out for Him -Brother Andrew
• There’s a dangerous division between sacred and secular… There’s nothing secular, everything belongs to God.
• The church exists for those outside of it. -William Tyndale
• Having seen all this you can choose to look the other way, but you can never say again, ‘I did not know.’ -William Wilberforce (regarding the English slave trade in the 1800s)
• “Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something”
• You think that all the preaching must come from the pulpit. It’s not true. It comes from the life of those who follow Jesus.
• For too long the church has made a big deal out of small things and a small deal about big things!
• Talk is cheap, put feet to your vision.
• The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.
• The future will be written by the way we respond to moment that’s in front of us.

Driving back to my hotel, my mind was reeling – information overload, conviction of my own apathy, and thoughts of how I can make changes in my own life to “do something.”  (OK – my mind is still reeling)

God has really been working on my heart in this area lately and I needed to see this movie.  I pray that my heart is changed, last night wasn’t a wasted moment, that I would be part of the solution.

Will you be part too?

(If you didn’t get to see the film, I’m sure it will be out on DVD at some point.  I HIGHLY recommend it.)

Sunday Setlist – November 1, 2009

The Setlist:

Walk-in:

• Glory to God Forever [Fee / Beeching]

Service:

• All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises [Baloche]
• How Great Thou Art [Hine / Baloche]
• I Will Exalt You [Ligertwood]
• Revelation Song [Riddle]

The Recap:

First Sunday back after a needed two week break – it was great to be back.

We used Glory to God Forever are the walk-in – mainly because we have not done it too much since we introduced it and I wanted to re-familiarize people with the sound.  We will do it in the main set next Sunday.

I Will Exalt You was new this week (I had done it during Communion last month).  I really like the simple yet deep lyrics.  I think it is a keeper, although I may pick up the tempo slightly and definitely shorten the overall song – I think it went a little long (a little birdie told me).  I think it paired well with How Great Though Art (I really like Paul Baloche’s arrangement from his Our God Saves album).

Sunday was Communion at East Valley.  I really like singing Revelation Song after Communion – it is so forward looking.  Looking toward the time when we won’t observe Communion – we will see Him face to face!  Maranatha!

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This post is part of the Fred McKinnon service Setlist extravaganza – check out the fun!

God-Pleasing Worship

I thought I would share this as we start the weekend – which is filled with many things, including opportunities for gathered worship (otherwise known as “church”).

God has been really working on me in this area lately.  I’m far from where He would have me be and know I will never “arrive” at that place this side of Heaven.

Anyway, I thought I would share two songs that have been hitting me heavy this week:

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Instead of a Show, Jon Foreman

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Fade With Our Voices, Jason Gray

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“… Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

- Jesus (Mark 12:30-31)

“Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

- Wisdom from King Lemuel’s mom (Proverbs 31:8-9)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

- James the Just. (James 1:27)

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What will our “gathered” worship result in this coming week?

Accepting God’s Omnipotence

I was reflecting on Francis Chan’s “Crazy Love” at Lunch…

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God is all-powerful. (from chapter 1, “Stop Praying”)

For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.

- Paul to the Church at Colossae (Collosians 1:16)

Don’t we live instead as though God is created for us, to do our bidding, to bless us, and to take care of our loved ones? – Chan

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“His dominion is an eternal dominion; His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: ‘What have You done?’ “

- King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:34-37)

Can you worship a God who isn’t obligated to explain His actions
to you? – Chan

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Abba, Father:

 

At times, my human inclination to the often-hard-to-grasp truth of Your omnipotence is to the echo the Disciple’s statement, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”  I pray that, through the power of the Holy Spirit and based on the truth of Your inherent and strong Word, my faith would be strengthened when my human view and questions cloud things.

You are God…i am not. May my worship not be contingent on my full understanding of Your ways and thoughts.

dennis

Rise Up

In the midst of the “stuff of life” happening lately in my circle of family and friends, just thought I would share this song…

[BTW, it you're not familiar with Ben Shive, I highly recommend picking up his The Ill-Tempered Klavier album.]

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Rise Up
Ben Shive

Every stone that makes you stumble,
and cuts you when you fall;
every serpent here that strikes your heel,
to curse you when you crawl,
the King of Love one day will crush them all.

And every sad seduction
and every clever lie,
every word that woos and wounds
the pilgrim children of the sky,
the King of Love will break them by and by.

And you will rise up in the end.
You will rise up in the end.
I know the night is cruel, but the day is coming soon
when you will rise up in the end.

If the thief had come to plunder
when the children were alone,
If he ravaged every daughter
and murdered every son,
Would not their Father see this?
Would not His anger burn?
And would He not repay the tyrant
in the day of His return?
Await, await the day of His return.

Cause He will rise up in the end.
He will rise up in the end.
I know you need a Savior. He is patient in His anger.
But He will rise up in the end.

And when the stars come crashing to the sea.
The high and mighty fall down on their knees.
When you see the Son descending in the sky.
The chains of death will fall around your feet.

You will rise up in the end.
You will rise up in the end.
You will rise up in the end.

Maranatha!