Top Ten Albums of 2012

Hey everyone,

It is that time of year again! Time to count down the top 10 albums from this past year. If you were wondering if any good music came out in 2012, you missed some great stuff and my hope is that as you read this post you'll find something you may have missed and you can check it out. Please keep in mind that these are my picks from 2012 and not yours, so if you disagree with me, feel free to leave a comment and tell me what albums you think I should have included.

Honorable Mentions

Lincoln Brewster - Joy To The World

Genre - Christmas / Holiday Music

Favorite Tracks - "Miraculum", "Joy To The World"

Lincoln Brewster finally does a Christmas Album! One of the best Electric Guitarists I have ever heard. If you are a fan of Carlos Santana, Joe Satriani, or Steve Vai, check out any of Lincoln's stuff. I promise you that you will highly enjoy it.  Especially snag it if you are looking for some new Holiday Music. We have done two of his arrangements at ACC this year and probably will do another two next year...

Soundgarden - King Animal

Genre - Rock

Favorite Tracks - "Been Away Too Long", "By Crooked Steps"

Rock fans celebrate! Soundgarden returns after over a decade away from their instruments to thunder once more. It is so good to hear this band putting out new stuff. I was excited when they scored the single "Live to Rise" for the Avengers movie, but this album cranks up the old Soundgarden style to eleven. It would have made the top ten, but those albums were just a bit better than this one I'm afraid to say.

Lindsey Stirling - Self Titled

Genre - Orchestral Dubstep

Favorite Tracks - "Moon Trance", "Stars Align"

I know you probably read the genre for this one and thought to yourself, "huh"? That's right music people - there's a new genre in town and this lady pulls it off very nicely. I heard her track "Crystalize" on the radio and after obtaining a free download of the song I proceeded to check out the rest of her album. It's really good, especially if you're into running and looking for something with a beat to push your pace faster. 

Top Ten Albums of 2012

#10 - Pat Metheny - "Unity Band"

Genre - Jazz, 

Favorite Tracks - "Roofdogs", "Come and See"

Jazz music is a staple for me. Early in the morning, late at night, it is always perfect music for a cup of coffee and unwinding. And there is no one better at it right now than Pat Metheny. This guitarist usually records with two or three musicians under different monikers, but this go around he brings some fresh sounds to the table.  This quartet of musicians has put together a fantastic hour of some really complex jazz movements and it is awesome for just about any occasion. Pick this up if you're looking for good jazz. 

#9 - Tremonti - "All I Was"

Genre - Speed Metal

Favorite Tracks - "Doesn't Matter", "You Waste Your Time"

Creed. Alter Bridge. What do these two bands have in common? The same drummer, and bass guitarist, as well as their fantastic lead guitarist Mark Tremonti who brings forward a solo project this year with "All I Was." The signature Tremonti sound is there in all of its glory and the drumming and bass work are great as well. The big surprise for me on this album though, was Tremonti's vocal work which I actually vastly prefer to Scott Stapp of Creed and Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge. If you're looking for some music to get you going (whether exercising or sporting) this is the album to pick up.

#8 - Hans Zimmer - "The Dark Knight Rises"

Genre - Soundtrack

Favorite Tracks - "Gotham's Reckoning", "Rise"

"There's a storm coming Mr Wayne..." That's what Selina Kyle told us in 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises". What she didn't tell us was that the soundtrack was on it's way also. What a wonderful finish to what is quite possibly the greatest trilogy of films since Star Wars and what a stellar soundtrack accompanies it. Hans Zimmer has done some marvelous orchestrating for this film which brings in a very dark choral chant to compliment the very familiar themes we find in his score. If instrumental music is your thing (specifically if you like film scores) this one is the soundtrack of the year to buy. 

#7 - Gateway Worship - "Forever Yours"

Genre - Worship

Favorite Tracks - "Forever Yours", "Be Lifted Higher"

As a worship pastor, I am always looking for new worship songs I can lead at ACC and as a result, I listen heavily to the worship albums that are put out each year. This year had some great offerings and as with previous years (2011) and (2010), some worship albums definitely made the cut. This album by Gateway Worship from Gateway Church in TX has some very raw lyrics and heart-grabbing hooks. I had to listen to the title track "Forever Yours" several times before I had the rhythm down, but now it's ingrained in my head and I can't get it out. There is some really good corporate songs on here if you're a worship leader in any capacity, but if you're looking for something out of the box, this is the album for you.

#6 - Hillsong Live - "Cornerstone"

Genre - Worship

Favorite Tracks - "Beneath The Waters (I Will Rise)", "Cornerstone"

Hey hey, 2 worship albums back-to-back. Yes, that's right, Hillsong Live returns with their signature Australian sound to give us some new corporate songs to sing together as we praise God. There is some great upbeat stuff and some slower songs that really get at the heart behind why our faith is founded on Jesus as our Cornerstone. ACC, you can expect at least one of these to debut at our Church in early 2013. Which one you ask? You'll have to wait and see...

#5 - Nine Lashes - "World We View"

Genre - Hard Rock

Favorite Tracks - "Anthem of the Lonely", "Believe Your Eyes"

I got nervous about listening to this band at first because they were purported to sound like one of my favorite bands, RED (who are putting a new album out in early 2013). So, I dialed them up on Pandora and was expecting to hear a copycat of RED signed by Tooth and Nail Records. What I got what an extremely legit sounding band with some well focused lyrics and high octane rock sound. Yes, the RED overtones are there, but Nine Lashes stands on their own. A very well done album and one of the surprises of the year for me. 

#4 - Tobymac - "Eye On It"

Genre - Pop/Rock/Dubstep

Favorite Tracks - "Eye On It", "Speak Life", "Unstoppable"

I love Tobymac because I never know what he's going to bring to the table in terms of his album. While I liked his last album, "Tonight", I wasn't thrilled with it as most of the hooks in the songs were very "Pop-ish". With 2012's "Eye On It", the former dc Talk frontman has brought forth something for everyone. I had a lot of fun listening to this album and my son absolutely loves it. It might be the one he has requested most in the car whenever we're headed somewhere. Great stuff from Toby.

#3 - Nightwish - "Imaginaerum"

Genre - Hard Rock

Favorite Tracks - "Storytime", "I Want My Tears Back", "Last Ride of the Day"

Two Words. CELTIC METAL. That's right. With a gritty Evanesence sound and a whole host of symphonic instruments backing them up, This quintet from Europe delivers on heavy metal, and big gang vocals. The only way to really give it any justice is to tell you to take Evanesence, Metallica, and Trans Siberian Orchestra and throw them all in a blender with Celtic Woman. Makes you want to check it out for curiosity's sake alone doesn't it?

#2 - David Crowder*Band - "Give Us Rest or (a Requiem Mass in C [the happiest of all keys])"

Genre - Worship

Favorite Tracks - "Come Find Me", "After All (Holy)", "Sometimes"

Sadly, 2012 saw the demise of my all time favorite worship band, the DC*B. Interestingly, David Crowder has begun his own band simply called Crowder and the rest of the DC*B has formed what is being called the Digital Age. Wonderfully, as they faded into the sunset, they gave us a double disc album of pure awesomeness and gave my all time favorite worship album "A Collision" a run for it's money. This music is pure gold and I could sit down and listen to almost every song on these two CD's straight through. I am not kidding when I say that there is something on this album for everyone. Whether you're a fan of rock, pop, country, bluegrass, metal, or liturgy, you'll find it here. I was sad to see them go, but they gave us one of their best on the way out.  

#1 - Flyleaf - "New Horizons"

Genre - Rock

Favorite Tracks - The Whole Album, (Specifically - "Bury Your Heart", "Cage on the Ground")

This album was the surprise of the year for me and that is no small reason why it has garnered the number one spot on my 2012 list. I simply didn't see it coming. This album is just that good. I was suspect of Flyleaf because I really didn't care for their last album "Memento Mori". Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it, I just didn't expect them to turn around and give me one of the best albums I've heard in a long time. Lyrically, it's gold. Straight scripture at times, challenging culture instead of going along with it. Flyleaf has an uncanny ability to make you think the song is about one thing and then flipping it with a twist at the end, giving the whole song new perspective. It's like listening to music that is Christopher Nolan approved. If there is one downside it's that, you will never hear this band in this form again. Their lead singer, Lacey Sturm, has since announced that she's leaving the band (Don't worry, it was a very amicable parting and they've since found another lead singer). This album is worth a listen. Even if you're not a fan of the genre, I dare you to find lyrical flaw with it.

So, there you have it. My 2012 list. Did I leave something out? What would you have put on here? Let me know so that I can discover the music you listen to as I hope I've been able to do for you. 

Want more music? 

You can check out Brian's Top Ten from 2011 by clicking here, 

and the 2010 list by clicking here.

ACC Worship Set - December 16

Hey everyone,

What an awesome service yesterday! Jesus is alive and he calls us to surrender everything to Him! The great thing is this, when we begin to understand that God has set up his Word so that our lives will be infinitely better when we follow His will, then obedience becomes a joy and surrender becomes easier every day.

Here's the worship set from Week 3 of our "Let it Snow" series at ACC.

• Do You Hear - Northpoint Church
• It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Kutless
• O Come O Come Emmanuel - Lincoln Brewster
• Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) - Chris Tomlin
• Always - Kristian Stanfill
• We Stand - Lee McDerment
• O Come All Ye Faithful - Third Day
• He Has Come For Us (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) - Meredith Andrews

ACC Worship Set - December 9

Hey everyone,
I loved seeing the level of participation that our people brought with them on Sunday morning. It energizes your ACC worship band to see all of you participating in worship with us as we praise our God together. That's what it's all about! Here is the Worship Set from ACC this past Sunday, December 9, 2012:

• Joy To The World - Lincoln Brewster
• Come Thou Long Expected Jesus - Daniel Renstrom
• O Holy Night - Kutless
• I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Casting Crowns
• There Is A Fountain - ACC Original
• Glory In The Highest - Chris Tomlin
• Redemption Song - Mikeschair
• Our God - Chris Tomlin

New Song at ACC this Sunday

Hey everyone,

I am giving you a sneak peek at the brand new song we will roll out this Sunday, December 9 at ACC. The song is called "Redemption Song" by the band MIKESCHAIR and it is a great way of telling others that our God began our Redmption story through a baby in a manger and that's the entire reason we celebrate Christmas.

If you would like to purchase the song, iTunes has it available here and Amazon.mp3 has it available here

Listen it to it this week and try and pick up the incredibly singable chorus. You can listen to the song via the YouTube player below.

On the First Set of Christmas...

Hey ACCers,
We kicked off our brand new Christmas Series, "Let It Snow" at ACC on Sunday.

If you missed Mike's awesome message, you can check it out by clicking here.

As per the season, your ACC Worship Band also dusted off the Christmas Songs and brought them out. Each week during this series, I will make sure to post the arrangements of each carol/song that we do this season so that you can head on over to iTunes or Amazon and pick them up for your mp3 players.

Also, be watching this blog tomorrow for the brand new song we will unveil at ACC this coming week. (That way, you can learn it before your neighbor so that you'll look like you knew it all along when we sing it Sunday morning!)

ACC Worship Set: December 2, 2012

• Do You Hear - Northpoint Church
• O Come All Ye Faithful - Third Day 
• Angels We Have Heard On High - Third Day 
• O Come O Come Emmanuel - Lincoln Brewster 
• Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) - Chris Tomlin 
• He Has Come For Us (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) - Meredith Andrews 
• Glory In The Highest - Chris Tomlin

Worship Set November 11

What a morning at ACC yesterday! a fantastic message on the battleground of the Spiritual War which is the worship, peace, and freedom of our hearts, capped off with 2 baptisms! Can't get better than that!

Here was the worship set the ACC team rolled out yesterday:

• Our God - Chris Tomlin
• Everything You Are - Jamie Jamgochian
• Glory To God Forever - Steve Fee
• How He Loves - John Mark MacMillan
• Greatly To Be Praised - Steve Fee

The Church is on Notice

The election is now over and maybe your candidate won or maybe he didn't.

However, last night, America put the Church on notice. Last night, America showed the Church who it is. It showed the Church that the values and morals which we stand for (the Bible) are not what the median of America is standing for.

And these are the people that we need to reach for Jesus.

It is time for the Church to stop playing games. It is time for the Church to put aside petty squabbles. It is time for the Church to stop arguing over decorum or methodology.

It is time for the Church to rise up in a Matthew 28:19-20 mentality to take the Gospel of Jesus to this world. It is time for the Church to Connect people to God and to others, Grow people closer to God and to others, and Show people how to serve God and serve others.

Life is too short for us to be concerned with the day to day things that don't seem to matter because hell is real (Revelation 20:11-15), yet Jesus wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-5) and he died for everyone (1 Peter 3:18) and he has given the Church a mission to go and reach these lost people.

Take a good look at the way people voted because those are the morals and values that they hold on to Church. Those are the morals and values they live by and our job is to show them who Jesus is and why His life, death, resurrection and example points the way to the Father. (John 14:6)

And despite whatever you believe or which party you aspire to, the Church is still here and our mission is unchanged. As a matter of fact, our resolve should be stronger than ever because we have a God who knows our future and has a plan for us.

Now it's up to us as a Church to take His plan to those who need it. 

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

ACC Worship Set November 4

Hey everyone,
I took some time off of the blog for October as we've had many irons in the fire at ACC. To that end, I missed quite a few worship services and songs. I'd like to pick up from yesterday and move on, but if you have a question on any of the songs we've introduced at ACC over the past month, e-mail me at brian[at]ameliachurchofchrist.com and I'll make sure to get back with you on those.

Here is the set from yesterday at ACC:

• I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin
• Holy, Holy, Holy - Reginald Heber & John B Dykes, Arrangement & New Chorus by Brian Morrissey 
• Never Once - Matt Redman
• How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin
• You Are Holy - Elevation Worship

ACC Worship Set September 30

Hey everyone,
Happy October! Hope you're loading up on candy corn and other great things this season. Here is the Worship Set from ACC yesterday, including the special we did right before the sermon.

(* denotes new song)

September 30, 2012

• Glory to God Forever - Steve Fee
• Proclaim The Name - Aron Paul Kirk
• I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin
• The Lord Is My Rock/God You Lifted Me Out - Elevation Worship
• * Always - Kristian Stanfill
• Strong Enough To Save - Tenth Avenue North (Special)

Worship Set - September 16, 2012

Hey everyone,
Here is the worship set from yesterday's morning service at ACC:

September 16, 2012

• Let God Arise - Chris Tomlin
• Exalted One - Elevation Worship
• Everything You Are - Jamie Jamgochian
• His Name is Love - Aaron Pelsue Band
• God Of This City - Bluetree, Arrangement by Chris Tomlin
• The Church - Elevation Worship

ACC Worship Set - September 9

Hey ACC,


God showed up in an amazingly huge way yesterday and really restored some marriages. If you missed it, you need to at least go back and check out the sermon so you can catch up on what happened. 

Here is the worship set from yesterday's service.

September 9th, 2012

• My Future Decided - Hillsong United
• Lord Almighty - Kristian Stanfill
• Holy - Matt Redman
• How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin
• God You Are My God - One Sonic Society
• How He Loves - John Mark MacMillan
• God Of Second Chances - Carlos Whittaker
• All Because of Jesus - Steve Fee

Worship Setlists Aug 26 & Sept 2

Hey ACC,
It was an absolutely crazy-busy week last week and I neglected to get our setlist up from last Sunday, so I'm coupling it with yesterday's Sept 2 worship set. We taught 2 brand new songs the past couple of weeks, both of which are noted. Enjoy.

August 26th, 2012

• Hosanna (Praise Is Rising) - Paul Baloche 
• I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin 
• You Never Let Go - Matt Redman 
• God You Are My God - One Sonic Society  (** new song **) 
• You Are Holy - Elevation Worship
• Glory To God Forever - Fee

September 2, 2012

• Our God - Chris Tomlin
• Everything You Are - Jamie Jamgochian  (** new song **) 
• The Lord Is My Rock - Elevation Worship
• Beautiful Jesus - Kristian Stanfill
• The Broken & the Tired - Elevation Worship
• Proclaim The Name - Aron Paul Kirk

ACC's Small Group Registrations

Hey everyone,

It's that time of year again to get involved in a Small Group.

If you are a member of ACC and you are not involved in a Small Group, you are missing out on a huge part of who we are as a Church. 

Our Simple Vision at ACC is Connecting, Growing, and Serving and Small Groups comprise the entire middle step of our vision. They are where growth happens on a large scale with God and with others.

We have four amazing groups for you to register for this semester and you can read more about them here: http://www.ameliachurchofchrist.com/content/view/861/85/

Then you can go to our Small Groups website once you've selected which group you want to be a a part of and you can register there: ameliasmallgroups.com

That's it. You're all set to grow.

Don't miss out on this chance to be a part of something that is truly life changing.

ACC Worship Set List (Past 3 weeks)

Since I've been on vacation (and it was wonderful) I thought I would catch everyone up with the song sets from the past three Sundays at ACC:

Sunday, July 29, 2012

• I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin 
• All To Us - Chris Tomlin 
• The Broken & the Tired - Elevation Worship
• Your Favor - Elevation Worship
• God Be Praised - Elevation Worship 

Sunday, August 5, 2012

• Our God - Chris Tomlin 
• Lord Almighty - Kristian Stanfill
• How He Loves - John Mark MacMillan
• The Church - Elevation Worship 
• The Lord Is My Rock/God You Lifted Me Out - Elevation Worship 

Sunday, August 12, 2012

• Here For You - Matt Redman
• Holy, Holy, Holy - Traditional Hymn, New Chorus and Arrangement by Brian Morrissey
• Revelation Song - Gateway Church
• Holy - Matt Redman
• Mighty To Save - Hillsong United

Back in Two Weeks

If you're checking here for the song set from yesterday's service at ACC, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I am currently on vacation for 2 weeks.

However, as an added bonus (and just to make sure you don't miss out) when I return, I will post both week's songs so that you can find out who does them.

You can check back on August 13th when the lists will be posted.

See you then.
-B

Top Ten Worship Essentials Part Three

Continuing our Top Ten Worship Essentials today. You can read Part One here and Part Two here.

Principle #3: Authenticity
We train in so many things consistently, but nothing can replace each individual's commitment to an authentic life as a worshiper. When your inner life is revealed, what is seen and what is unseen by humans is one and the same.

Bill Hybels wrote a great book called Who You Are When No One's Looking. Work at making sure that you are one person: the person everyone around you publicly knows and the person God privately knows.

Challenge: This week, act the exact same at work, church, and home. Don't pretend to be someone you're not, just understand that Jesus loves you and that's enough. 

Worship Set July 22

Here is the set from yesterday's Worship Service at ACC:

• My Future Decided - Hillsong United
• Our God - Chris Tomlin
• Beautiful Jesus - Kristian Stanfill
• Revelation Song - Gateway Church
• You Are Holy - Elevation Worship
• Proclaim The Name - Aron Paul Kirk
• My Savior's Love - Traditional Hymn (Arrangement by ACC)

Ten Worship Essentials Part Two

Last week we began a series of posts regarding what it takes to be a passionate worshiper of God. God wants to be worshiped in a specific way and we can understand that when we understand these ten principles we'll be outlining over the next several weeks.

You can read about principle one here.

Principle #2: Excellence

Each week, without fail, your ACC Worship Team brings it's finest because we care that our sacrifice is truthful and brought with the integrity of our hearts. 

The first fight in the Bible was over a Worship Offering (Genesis 4) and to this day, people bicker and disagree about what genuine worship really is.

No matter how we present our worship, only God knows the true intent of our pursuit of Him. And it is in that authentic pursuit that we discover excellence in worship.

Worship Challenge
This week, worship God in a different way than you would normally. Maybe you'll sing out loud. Maybe you'll journal what he's teaching you through your Scripture reading. Whatever you choose to do, make that time of worship straight from your heart and the best that it can be. 

ACC Worship Set July 15

Here is the worship set from yesterday's service at ACC:

• Here For You - Matt Redman
• Exalted One - Elevation Worship
• Glory To God Forever - Fee
• Never Once - Matt Redman
• The Broken & the Tired - Elevation Worship
• I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin
• Jesus Paid It All - Kristian Stanfill

Ten Worship Essentials Part One

Over the next 10 Tuesdays, I want to step back and give you a perspective on what we should bring to God in worship. I have been going over these principles with your ACC Worship Team and together we strive each week to lead from the stage with these in mind.

But it doesn't stop with us on stage. It continues with you as an individual worshiper of God. 

You see, God wants to be worshiped in a specific way.

My hope is that each of these ten principles will help you be a better worshiper of God and understand why we worship and not just how we worship. 

Up front, I want to be forward that these principles did not originate with me. They can be found in an article in Worship Leader Magazine by Darlene Zschech who is one of the Worship Pastors at Hillsong Church in Australia.

Without further ado, let's tackle principle #1

1) The worship of God is holy
God is not common; hence, worship is not a gig, not a right to prove our abilities, not an opportunity to sing our favorite songs. We worship because He is a holy God and we the created - made for His pleasure - worship and serve the Creator because He alone is worthy.


Exodus 15:11 says - Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders. 


This week as you drive to and from work, as you sit around the house, as you spend quiet time with God, consider His holiness, His glory and His wonders. 

ACC Worship Songs July 8

Here is yesterday's worship set from ACC:

• Declaration Of Dependence - Starfield
• Say Say - Kristian Stanfill
• No One Like - Tadd Tatum (NewSpring Church)
• His Name is Love - Aaron Pelsue
• You Are Holy - Elevation Worship
• Greatly To Be Praised - Fee
• There Is A Fountain - Traditional Hymn, Arrangement by ACC Worship Band

ACC Setlist July 1

Here is the set from yesterday's Worship Service at ACC:

• Hosanna (Praise is Rising) - Paul Baloche
• Lord Almighty - Kristian Stanfill
• Holy - Matt Redman
• The Church - Elevation Worship
• I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin

ACC Worship Set - June 24

Here is the worship set from yesterday's service at ACC:

• Yours is the Victory - NewSpring Church
• I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin
• The Saving One - Starfield
• How He Loves - John Mark McMillan
• The Church - Elevation Worship
• Proclaim the Name - Aron Paul Kirk

ACC's Big News

I have served at the Amelia Church of Christ for over 10 years now and this past Sunday we shared some HUGE news about the future of our Church and how God is setting us up to reach more lost people for him than ever before. Do yourself a favor and check out this video if you haven't had a chance yet.


BIG News! from Amelia Church of Christ on Vimeo.

ACC Worship Set June 17

Big news yesterday for the future of our Church. To go along with it here is the Worship Set from yesterday's service at ACC:

• Our God - Chris Tomlin
• Glory to God Forever - Steve Fee
• The Church - Elevation Worship
• God of This City - Bluetree
• We Stand - Lee McDerment

ACC Set List June 10

After an extended break from blogging, I'm back at it and to kick things off here is the Worship Set from ACC yesterday, June 10, 2012:

• Here For You - Matt Redman
• All Because of Jesus - Fee
• Beautiful Jesus - Kristian Stanfill
• No One Like - Tadd Tatum & NewSpring Church
• Revelation Song - Gateway Church
• Let God Arise - Chris Tomlin

Worship Set List May 20

Here's the Worship Set from ACC yesterday:

• Say Say - Kristian Stanfill
• Holy, Holy, Holy - Reginald Heber & John Dykes, Arrangement & New Chorus by Brian Morrissey
• Mighty to Save - Hillsong United
• Greatly to Be Praised - Fee
• Holy - Matt Redman
• Agnus Dei - Michael W Smith, Arrangement by Third Day
• Declaration of Dependence - Starfield

The Petebox

I am a fan of almost every kind of music that is out there and I love to see artists display their craft, not just listen to it on my iPod.

That being said, Ladies and Gentlemen........I present.........

The PETEBOX.

Small Groups Registration - Summer 2012

Just a short reminder that our Small Groups Registration is live over at ameliasmallgroups.com

Click on over there and get yourself registered for one of our two amazing Small Groups this semester.

Set List 5-13

Here's the worship set-list from ACC yesterday, May 13:

Declaration of Dependence - Starfield
Let God Arise - Chris Tomlin
No One Like - NewSpring Church
How He Loves - John Mark MacMillan
You Are Holy - Elevation Worship
Proclaim the Name - Aron Paul Kirk
Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) - Chris Tomlin

Epic Hunger Games

Okay, I must admit I enjoyed the Hunger Games. Good plot, great subtext on how far our society has gone with current reality shows and where they could head, but except for Cato, Clove, and Katniss, (sorry Peeta fans, he was terrible) I found the participants to be a tad boring at times.

Apparently so did someone else. How about these participants for an all out Epic Hunger Games?

I would be glued to the television set.....

Summer Semester Sign-Ups

Hey ACC, just wanted to give you a quick reminder that our Summer Semester Small Groups will be open for registration beginning this Sunday at ACC.

Here is the lowdown on our groups which may help you decide which one you want to be a part of:

Ground Floor

Facilitator – Mike Edmisten

Day – Tuesday Evenings

Time – 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Location – TBD

This group starts on the “ground floor” of Christianity and explores the basics of our faith. We’ll discuss foundational truths about God, Jesus, the Bible, the church, what it means to be a Christ-follower and much more. We’ll also explore in depth the God-given vision for ACC.

Got questions? Good. Got doubts? Bring them. Nothing is off limits.

Beyond the Message

Facilitator – Mike & Amy Cothran

Day – Saturday Mornings

Time – 10:00am – 12:00pm

Location – Cothran’s Home

This group will dive deeper into each week’s sermon as we explore what happens Beyond the Message. We will meet each week to discuss several questions that pertain to the previous week’s message at ACC and how we can use what God’s Word says to transform our lives so that we can grow closer to what God wants us to be while growing along with each other.

Perspective Shift

This past Sunday, I sat and worshiped with my ACC family from the seats instead of the stage. Doing so gave me some huge perspective shifts and I wanted to share some of those with you today.

Onstage you worry about your notes.
Offstage you worry about your heart.

Onstage you set an example.
Offstage you set an example.

Onstage you say things to God out loud.
Offstage you say things to God from your heart.

Onstage you display your worship.
Offstage you display your worship.

Onstage your focused on what you're doing next.
Offstage your focused on what God is doing next.

Onstage you worship God with your church family.
Offstage you worship God with your church family.

Onstage you serve.
Offstage you live.

On both sides of the stage, God is only concerned with one thing - our hearts.

If our hearts are not worshiping Him, we might as well sit down and keep our mouths closed. God would rather have that from us then have us halfheartedly bring him worship that we don't feel like bringing at all.

I am blessed to lead a church that loves God and worships Him with their whole hearts. It is a privilege and an honor for me to stand in front of you each week and lead you to the throne of God and having a week to see just how you worship has taught me more than ten years standing in front of you has taught me.

Thank you God for this gift and thank you ACC for being as passionate about worship as you should be.

Worship Set May 6

As most of you may have noticed, I was not on stage leading worship yesterday.

Big props first of all to Josh Young who allowed me to be a "member" of ACC for the day yesterday by leading worship for me. I was able to garner some huge perspective on the day which I will be sharing here tomorrow. 

Having said that, Josh picked out the set of songs he wanted to lead and I thought he and the band did a fantastic job. It's so comforting to know that I can step off the stage and we will not lose a step in the quality department. Josh is a great worship leader and he strives for the same level of excellence that I do.

These are the songs that the band led yesterday at ACC:

• Glory to God Forever - Fee
• Exalted One - Elevation Worship
• The Broken & The Tired -  Elevation Worship
• Your Favor -  Elevation Worship
• You Are Holy -  Elevation Worship
• I Have Decided (Where You Lead Me) - Aaron Pelsue

Juggling Level 792297

Random Humor Thursday!
I dare any of you to try these tricks out at home....

Small Groups For 2012 Summer Trimester

Hey ACC,
I told you last week on my blog that we would let you know what groups we'll be offering this Summer, so without further ado, here are the two awesome groups we're rolling out this Trimester:

1. BEYOND THE MESSAGE (Facilitated by Mike & Amy Cothran) - This group will dive deeper into each week’s sermon as you explore what happens Beyond the Message. You will meet each week to discuss several questions that pertain to the previous week’s message at ACC and how you can use what God’s Word says to transform your lives so that you can grow closer to what God wants you to be while growing along with your group members.
2. GROUND FLOOR  (Facilitated by Mike Edmisten) - This group starts on the “ground floor” of Christianity and explores the basics of our faith. You’ll discuss foundational truths about God, Jesus, the Bible, the church, what it means to be a Christ-follower and much more. You’ll also explore in depth the God-given vision for ACC.

Signups will begin on May 13th at ACC  and online at ameliasmallgroups.com

Bonus Post - The Dark Knight Rises

Bonus post!

My favorite movie series is Star Wars, but my favorite superhero is and will always be Batman. Having said that, I am super excited that The Dark Knight Rises comes out this Summer and was pleasantly surprised to wake up this morning and find the final trailer online for this Bad Boy which comes out in July.

Buckle your seat belt and click this link to watch the full trailer.

Context & Definitions

I have a neighbor who is a Jehovah's Witness.

Now on the outside, you hear that and think, Oh, he's a person who follows Jehovah (God's name in the Old Testament) and he's a witness, which means he tells other people about God.

And if it was just that, I would have no problem with it. As a matter of fact, when I began to talk to him about what I believe, there were several times he agreed wholeheartedly with me. 

And I couldn't figure that out, because what we believe could not be different.

He believes that:

• Jesus was raised from the dead, not with a physical body, but as a mighty spirit creature
• The second coming of Jesus was an invisible spiritual presence that began in 1914
• The dead exist only in God's memory: the wicked will not be punished with conscious torment but will be extinguished forever.

Conversely, I believe that:

• Jesus when He was on the earth was fully God and fully human and was raised as such - with a physical body, yet still fully God (John 20:24-29)
• The second coming of Jesus has not yet occurred but will happen soon (Revelation 22:12)
• Hell is very real and those who go there go to eternal punishment (Mark 9:47-48, Revelation 20:15)

The problem we were running into in our discussion was our context and our definitions. 

Every time we talked, he agreed with me that Jesus was before time, but what I didn't find out until later was that he believed Jesus was a created being. John 1 states that Jesus was with God and was God in the beginning. It says nothing about Him being created. 

When you talk to someone who doesn't share the same faith as you, often times, you can walk away feeling frustrated as if what you had to say fell on deaf ears. 

Next time you have a conversation though, start with defining what you're going to be talking about. Ask questions like "What do you believe about salvation?" or "Who is Jesus to you?" 

Then you'll be able to get at the heart of what you're really talking about. 

My Jehovah's Witness neighbor is not ready to give up his faith, but at least we understand now what the other person is talking about.

Worship Setlist & New Worship Team Members

Here is the setlist from ACC's Sunday AM service on April 29:

• All Because of Jesus - Fee
• Lord Almighty - Kristian Stanfill
• Beautiful Jesus - Kristian Stanfill
• Never Once - Matt Redman
• Revelation Song - Gateway Church
• Yours is the Victory - NewSpring Church

Also, some of you have been asking, who's the new singer onstage? Her name is Heather Knollman and she and her husband Andrew recently joined ACC earlier this year and they have been fantastic additions to our Worship Team with Heather singing and Andrew running sound.

So the next time you see them, you'll be able to say "Hi" since you know who they are now!

How It Should Have Ended

Anyone who knows me would know that my favorite movies series of all time is the Original Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes IV, V and VI). And if I absolutely had to pick one of those to be my favorite, it would have to be Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

The amount of emotion in that film is staggering. The director, Irvin Kershner, specifically set out to cram as much emotion into the film as he possibly could and every scene and moment comes off as strikingly magnificent. Not only that, but it has what is possibly the greatest plot twist in cinema history, (you have to remember that we didn't have the Prequel trilogy yet).

So when the website How It Should Have Ended parodied Empire, I knew I would love it and today, i thought I share it with you. This is How the Empire Strikes Back should have ended.....

Summer Trimester

Just wanted you to know that things are gearing up for our Summer Trimester of Small Groups at ACC.

We will be offering two groups this summer and you will have the chance to begin signing up for those beginning on Mother's Day, May 13.

Next week here on the blog, I'll let you know exactly which two groups will be available, so stay tuned...

Defend Your Pride

I was flipping channels the other night and came across a show about lions hunting on the Discovery Channel.

Each pride has an Alpha male lion who defends the pride from attacks and sires the cubs. It's a beautiful arrangement until he gets challenged by attacks from other Alpha males looking to dominate his pride and take away everything that belongs to him.

And on this show, two roaming alpha males came in and attacked the leading male of this particular pride and drove him off, killing all of the cubs that were his in the process.

And this needs to be a huge lesson for any man that is trying to lead his own family.

1st Peter 5:8 says that our enemy the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Men, we need to step up and defend our prides. We can never be off our guard, never lay down for an instant, because it might be in that moment when the Devil sends an attack in to destroy everything we hold dear.

We have to stop being lazy and pretending that everything's okay. 

So, if you've been slacking:

• Get back to reading the Word 
• Ask your kids what's going on at school, or with their friends 
• Pursue the godly woman that God has brought into your life to protect. 

And defend your pride so that no one else can come and take it from you.

Setlist from April 22

Hey ACC, here is the worship setlist from this past weekend, April 22:

• Our God - Chris Tomlin
• Holy, Holy, Holy - Reginald Heber & John B Dykes, New Chorus & Arrangement by Brian Morrissey
• You Never Let Go - Matt Redman
• Son of God - Starfield
• The Broken & The Tired - Elevation Worship
• Greatly to Be Praised - Fee

Sulfur Hexaflouride

Random Humor Thursday Post!!!!

Okay, we all know about helium and what it does to your voice when you inhale it. But what happens when you breathe in the dense gas known as Sulfur Hexaflouride?

And then how would you get it out??????

Why So Small?

People have often asked me, why does your church place such an emphasis on Small Groups? So, here's the long and short of it:

Our Church is growing. That's what every Church in the world should be doing if they're truly following the great commission.

As our Church grows larger, we cannot know everyone. It is a physical impossibility. Statistics say that you will only really "know" 60-80 people within your Church. And by the word know, I mean "be acquainted with."

But Jesus didn't call us to stop there, so as the Church grows larger, we must also grow smaller at the same time.

Acts 2:46-47 tells us how the early Church did it while their numbers were increasing: ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

We base our model on the early Church and since it worked for them, we figure it will work pretty good for us as well. Hence, Small Groups at ACC

Allergies

Oh this season is my least favorite time of year.

Wait a sec, I'm not supposed to complain anymore.

I tend to get really bad allergies this time of year. The trees are in full bloom and so are my sinuses. They back up and swell up and it leaves me sneezing my head off, blowing my nose and generally laying on the couch feeling miserable.

At least until I discovered my new best friend, Allegra.

I don't like medicine. It's something I will not take unless I'm in dire straights. I had previously been on Claritin, but my body developed an immunity to it and the effect that Claritin had on my allergies gradually faded over time until it was almost non-existent.

Enter Allegra

My brother told me that it worked for him and I was so miserable, that I decided to give it a try.

The result was instant relief.

Allegra cleared up my head, my sinuses and I was actually able to go outside with my family again.

Now before you think that that's the end of this, let me show you something you may have missed because you weren't looking for the spiritual significance in this lesson.

When you're constantly doing the same thing over and over, it loses it's effect and it's meaning for your life.

• When you pray the same words in your prayer
• When you read the same Bible passage over and over again
• When you just go to Church week in and week out as a spectator.

These things will cause your Spiritual life to gradually fade over time until they become non-existent.

So this week, try something new.

• Pray differently
• Read a different section of Scripture that you've never read before
• Go to Church and volunteer to serve in an area you're gifted in.

Be intentional about switching up your routine and watch the relief of God wash over your life so that you can get up and live again.

ACC Worship Set April 15

Here is the Worship set from April 15 at ACC:

• Hosanna (Praise is Rising) - Paul Baloche
• The Saving One - Starfield
• No One Like - NewSpring Church
• Revelation Song - Gateway Church
• God of This City - Bluetree
• Mighty to Save - Hillsong United

How to Propose

It's random humor Thursday and this week I'm bringing you a video entitled "How to Propose"

When I proposed to Cara, I did it under the stars up in the mountains. (Yes, I grabbed her wrong hand - but give me a break, I was nervous)

This guy went above and beyond for his and he got it all on film...literally.

Check it out to see what I mean and watch her reaction when she figures it out:

Tough to Follow

My Small group is currently tackling the Book of Romans and this week we're in Romans Chapters 12-13.

Take a minute and read these commands that Paul lays down for believers in Romans 12:

o Hate what is evil

o Cling to what is good

o Be devoted to one another in brotherly love

o Honor one another above yourselves

o Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord

o Be joyful in hope

o Be patient in affliction

o Be faithful in prayer

o Share with God’s people who are in need

o Practice hospitality.

o Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

o Rejoice with those who rejoice

o Mourn with those who mourn

o Live in harmony with one another

o Do not be proud

o Be willing to associate with people of low position

o Do not be conceited

o Do not repay anyone evil for evil

o Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody

o If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone

o Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath

o Do not be overcome by evil

o Overcome evil with good

Of those commands, which do you have the most difficulty following?

Try and work on that one this week.

Worst (or best) Day Ever?

*Warning - this post contains graphic complaining. Viewer discretion is advised....

Last Friday was an exercise in the totally bizzare.

There are seasons as a pastor where your family comes under attack. You expect that.

Since I'm trying to win people to the Kingdom of God, you understand up front that you have a red bullseye painted on the front of your chest.

However, Friday took it to a whole new level.

It began when my son woke up and discovered that a tick had latched on to his side. Now, I had to research it and we were able to get the tick off him since it hadn't burrowed yet, but then I had to discover what kind of a tick it was and figure out whether or not he would get Lyme Disease. After spending some time looking at options, we determined it wasn't serious. The bug had barely bit him and the sites I visited said that it usually took >36 hours for the tick to pass on the disease and this variety didn't even carry it.

So, we calmed him down and resolved ourselves to watch him for symptoms. This put me in an extremely foul mood. I was trying to get my family ready and out the door so that we could enjoy breakfast as a family on Josh's last day of Spring Break.

I wanted the day to be perfect from then on, but little did I know that it was going to be anything but that.

Over the next few hours, these things occurred:

• Traffic on the way to the restaurant
• Every red light I could've hit, I hit
• Josh was in an extremely foul mood (probably because of the tick) and that bothered me and my nerves
• There was a huge line at the restaurant
• The food was cold when it arrived at our table
• We went shopping after breakfast and couldn't find what we were looking for
• When we came back home, Josh went out to play and Cara decided to clean the bathrooms, where chemicals somehow got flung into her eye and had to flush them out for 20 minutes before we were able to get it to stop burning
• My allergies started acting up and I was sneezing my head off (more about that next week)
• Josh and I tried to play the Wii, only to have it freeze up right as we got to the end of our game we were playing together
• We found a second tick crawling on Josh after he came indoors and we got to it before it could get on him
• We went to cook a meal for dinner and after making the meal, realized that the butter we had used to make the meal had expired (Cara normally checks such things, but I was cooking that evening)

After a long and frustrating day where nothing seemed to go right, we were getting water to take upstairs with us before bed and the cup Cara was holding fell out of her hands. the cup immediately fell onto the floor and cracked and the water that had previously been in the cup flew the entire length of our kitchen and sprayed me in the face....

...and we laughed.

After the day we had experienced, what else could you do in a moment like that? We each have a choice on how we react to situations. During the majority of the day, I had complained, whined, been frustrated and stamped my foot quite a bit, but with water dripping down my face, I began to see what God had done for us:

• The tick(s) didn't hurt Josh. He didn't contract a disease from them because we found them early enough
• We didn't get in an accident during our trip(s) out of the house
• We had food to eat and everyone was healthy enough to go out to breakfast
• At least we have a bathroom (with indoor plumbing) to clean
• I was able to sit down with my son and play a game together even if we didn't get to finish it
• We are able to cook indoors and we have food in our pantry
• We have more cups and more water

Instead of viewing it as the worst day ever, maybe I should have viewed it as the best, because God showed me how many blessings I really had during the day.

April 8 Setlist - ACC

Going to be doing something new on the blog every Monday from now on. So to that end, here is the Worship Setlist from this past weekend at ACC:

• My Future Decided - (Hillsong United)
• We Stand (Lee McDerment)
• Exalted One (Elevation Worship)
• Glory to God Forever (Fee)
• How Great is Our God (Chris Tomlin)
• Proclaim the Name (Aron Paul Kirk)
• Yours is the Victory (NewSpring Church)

Blog Revamp....(plus Zorro)

Finally....a post

For the few of you who still read my blog, I am looking at a new format for posting things that will make it a lot simpler for me to post. For you, this means more posts to read!

From now on, the new format will look like this:

Mondays - Worship (These posts could be something as simple as the worship set from Sunday at ACC, but will tend to include scripture and life lessons I have experienced during both leading and personal worship. From time to time, I will also review music albums so that you can read about it before you waste money on it - that's always a good thing)

Tuesdays - Personal (These posts will be life lessons from either myself or my family. I am really excited and nervous about this one because I'm a fairly private person but others have told me that they want to know what happens in the Morrissey household outside of Church, so I guess we'll spend some time talking about that....)

Wednesdays - Small Groups (Again, I will mostly be posting on upcoming items/events at ACC, but from time to time, I will offer advice I have picked up along the way so that you can have a better experience from and in your Small Group)

Thursdays - Random (Humor is a big part of who I am and what I do and along my way in life I have collected and continue to collect humorous things that i like to share with others. Most of Thursday posts will have to do with that very subject, but I reserve the right to be totally bizarre and perplexing as well)

Hopefully that will keep you coming back for more as we go through each week.

For now, it's Thursday and that means it's Random Day, so without further ado, here's what I wish would've happened in my college science class.......