Cross Timbers Worship

When Love Was Slain

worship — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:22:06 +0000

Hey Cross Timbers! Can you believe we are less than two weeks away from Easter?! Here at CT we have been busy for months now making preparations for what we believe will be an amazing celebration of the resurrection of our Savior. The CT worship department have some new faces this Easter season and new songs to go with those faces. Will and Crystal Yates have joined us as our new Denton Campus worship leaders. They are originally from Florida where they lead worship for a few years before moving to McKinney, TX. “When Love Was Slain” is a new song co-written by Jennie Riddle (writer of “Revelation Song”) and Will and Crystal Yates. Barrett and I had one listen to this cool song and decided to plug it in to our Easter worship experiences at all campuses! Take a look at this unplugged recording of Will and Crystal leading When Love Was Slain accompanied by Barrett Snare, Chris Bullard, and Seth Whorton.

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Keller Set List 9.04.11

@barrettsnare — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:43:37 +0000

Posted in #setlists

Categories: #setlists

1.) Your Grace Is Enough (Tomlin) 2.) Always (Stanfill) 3.) No One Higher/The Stand (Fee) 4.) Greatness of Our God (Hillsong) 5.) Glorious Day (Johnson) Buy these songs here: http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/keller-set-list-9-4-11/id462320495

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The Uncritical Temper

@sethwhorton — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:45:33 +0000

Posted in devotion

Categories: devotion

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Matthew 7:1 Jesus says regarding judging – Don’t. The average Christian is the most penetratingly critical individual. Criticism is a part of the ordinary faculty of man; but in the spiritual domain nothing is accomplished by criticism. The effect of criticism is a dividing up of the powers of the one criticized; the Holy Ghost is the only One in the true position to criticize, He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a critical temper; it makes you hard and vindictive and cruel, and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a superior person. Jesus says, as a disciple cultivate the uncritical temper. It is not done once and for all. Beware of anything that puts you in the superior person’s place. There is no getting away from the penetration of Jesus. If I see the mote in your eye, it means I have a beam in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-20). Stop having a measuring rod for other people. There is always one fact more in every man’s case about which we know nothing. The first thing God does is to give us a spiritual spring-cleaning; there is no possibility of pride left in a man after that. I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God. No matter how many times I have read thru his devotion book there is always something fresh… Thanks Oswald! Great read for me, hope it speaks to you as well. -Seth

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Beautiful Things

@sethwhorton — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:05:39 +0000

Posted in Song Stories slider worship

Categories: Song Stories, slider, worship

Hey everyone! I wanted to share with you this new song called “Beautiful Things” that we’ve introduced in our worship services here at Cross Timbers over the past few weeks. This song has really struck a chord in the hearts of our congregation with it’s unique style and honest lyrics. As a worship leader, there are some songs you introduce that you really don’t expect to have more than a week or so shelf life. There are also some songs that may just speak to you on a personal level and may not necessary connect with everyone but you go ahead and use them as a guilt pleasure if you will… Beautiful Things was definately that for me. So as I began to lead this new song, (with my eyes closed so I wouldn’t be distracted by the crowds disinterest) I poured my guts out in this moment of worship. Lyrics like: “all this pain, wonder if I’ll ever find my way,” and “You make me new, you are making me new” leave my mouth like an autobiography as I honestly convey my brokenness and brave a peek into the crowd. In this moment I see others who, with tears rolling down their cheeks feel exactly as I do. Life is full of joy, victory, hurt, and loss and all to often we come to church in our Sunday best and try to hide what hurts or is broken in us. We live as if church has a sign outside that say’s “Only the healthy need enter” when actually Jesus said quite the opposite in Mark 2:17: 17 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Brokenness is a part of life and a major catalyst for growth and change in us. Sometimes those lessons are learned the easy way and sometimes not. If you’re like me, no matter how many times the waitress says, “careful this plate is hot, it’s best to wait before you touch it…” I still touch it! What is that? I think some of us just can’t learn our lesson until we’ve been burned to much or come to the end of our way and begin to trust His. In our relationship with Jesus there is a constant struggle between His way and mine and which I will trust. God isn’t easily shaken, and thankful doesn’t give up on us. In this journey called life He is constantly in the business of “making us new!”

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The love of a Son

@barrettsnare — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:48:25 +0000

Posted in worship

Categories: worship

Tags: love

This morning I was at home with my 2 year old youngest son Harper. Harper has an amazing personality and if you have ever met him you know what I am talking about. Harper is a people person to say the least. He lets you know if he wants you to acknowledge him. HE says high to EVERYONE! He is a bold example of the way we should operate our lives. No fear, no hesitation, no prejudice, no bitterness, just Godly confidence and LOVE! In the short time that Harper has been speaking in full sentences, I could not possibly count how many times he has told me “I Luh (love) you dad.” Every time that he tells me this it is genuine, and he delivers the statement with confidence like it is the first time that he has ever said it. He is proud to show his affection. He loves to tell his daddy how he feels about him. This morning I was standing at the sink peeling a couple of hard boiled eggs for Harper and I to eat, and unprompted, He told me again. “I luh you dad.” As I looked at his smiling face my only response was to respond back to him out of a full heart. Yet again, caught off guard by his spontaneity, “I love you too Harper!” This got me thinking about that expression of love from child to father and how seldom I privately profess my love for my Father in Heaven when I am not on a stage and simply because I want Him to know. There is power in our confession to the Lord. My lack of confession of the deep affection I have for the Lord needs to change. For so many of us we tell God that we love him when things are good and everything around us seems “in its place.” But we all need to learn how to tell God we love him as an act of our will that is not dependent on a feeling or an emotional response alone. So today,as an act of my will, I looked up and told Him “I love you Dad”. It felt right, satisfying, and like a deep breath of fresh air in my lungs. His response was “I love you too Barrett!” Try it…it feels good, -Barrett

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No Electricity

@sethwhorton — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:10:35 +0000

Posted in worship

Categories: worship

Tags: cross timbers, Toby Slough, worship

Hey everyone we had an amazing weekend this past Sunday brought on by all of our plans being thrown out the window. Our pastor Toby Slough says it best on his blog: Our early services in Argyle yesterday were some of the most interesting we’ve had in awhile. About ten minutes before we were to begin, the electricity went out. No lights, no microphones, and no video—you get the picture. After a bit of scrambling around by our staff, the decision was made to begin the service old school style: acoustic worship in the dark. I stood on a chair and preached without the aid of amplification. (Thank God for that rubber tent we call home. My voice carried to the back row.) No scripture slides. No illustrations via video. Just a preacher, the Word and some listening hearts. I loved it. The moment was instructive. Jesus was there.. I had a sense that in the dark people felt more free to “do business” with God in a time of ministry. We left encouraged, built up and ready to begin another week. It seemed to me that more people hung out and connected at the end of the service. All of us agreed that it was a very special day. I’ve had lots of folks tell me that we should do that every week. Respectfully I disagree. It seems to be our human nature to try to re-create a powerful moment rather than just receive it. The freshness of a unique moment is what makes it unique—it’s new and different. Several weeks of an unlit room, acoustic worship and a bald guy screaming from a chair would get old quickly. But here’s something I was reminded of: lights, technology and microphones while good and very helpful, aren’t necessary for believers gathering on a Sunday morning. Jesus is. There is a huge difference between power and electricity. While challenging, I can live and function without electricity. I’ll never find real life without power, the power Jesus promised through the person of the Holy Spirit.

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Barrett’s Jam of the Week 4.29.11

@barrettsnare — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:38:13 +0000

Posted in Song Stories

Categories: Song Stories

Tags: #jamoftheweek

I have heard this song so many times, but the other day I had it on and I listened closely to the lyrics. The one that really got me, I mean really got me was this: “I know my call despite my faults and despite my growing fears.” When I listen to the voice of fear, or the voice of past failures with more attention than to the affirming voice of Christ I have chosen defeat over victory. I have a choice of what voice I listen to and so do you. This choice involves making a decision to not rely soley on emotion or feeling, but to make a choice by an act of our will to take negative thoughts captive, and verbally confess Gods truth. The biblical truth that states that God is good and trustworthy. Romans 8:28 says it this way: “We know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God-those whom he has called according to his plan.” We have a call to be who God has made us to be, uniquely, and individually. If we are not being who God has chosen us to be, no one else can be that for us. I am the only me that there is, and if I am operating out of SHAME or FEAR, I CANNOT BE ALL GOD HAS CALLED ME TO BE! In Matthew 5:13-16 we see that as followers of Christ we are called to be the “salt of the earth“, and “light of the world“. We are called to be the reflection of hope that IS Jesus. HE is our hope. HE is our strength. Be confident, be courageous, be who he has made you to be. As I write these words I find myself reciting them in my head. Joshua 1:6 “Be strong and courageous because YOU will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.” You may not know it, but regardless of who you are, you lead people whether you like it or not. As a professing believer, people are watching what you do, hearing how you talk, and constantly taking inventory of the way that you carry out your life as they judge if the faith that you profess is “FOR REAL“! You and I are called to a life that is confident in the HOPE of Jesus Christ. Know your call and live it out. “I know my call despite my faults and despite my growing fears.” -Barrett

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You Are Good – Jeremy Riddle

@sethwhorton — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:21:00 +0000

Posted in Song Stories slider worship

Categories: Song Stories, slider, worship

Tags: cross timbers, event, Jeremy Riddle, live recording, worship

Two Sunday’s ago, we had Jeremy Riddle, a worship pastor from Bethel Church in Redding, CA. as a guest worship leader/teacher for what was from my perspective an amazing moment at CT! As Jeremy’s message drew to a close he lead our church in an expression of worship that we don’t frequently share in “a shout.” What was cool about this moment was that from my vantage point I got to see all of you’re faces as you were given “permission” to go a little crazy in a Sunday morning service! That worship can be an expression of emotion and not just an observance of a great God. I think we tend to get an A+ in reverence and a D- in outward expression! I believe a healthy worship life needs a balance of both. I loved some of the statements Jeremy made like: “worship can’t just be a party in your heart” and “have you ever seen a group of kids when offered ice cream respond in a lackadaisical manner?” It was amazing to see us shed some apprehension and lift up a new expression of our love and adoration for our great God who is so worthy of it! You Are Good – “Be Lifted High” is definitely a song we will be using a lot more in our CT worship services! -Seth Whorton, Argyle Campus Worship Pastor.

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Barrett’s Worship Jam Of The Week

@barrettsnare — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 02:37:58 +0000

Posted in Uncategorized

Categories: Uncategorized

Tags: #jamoftheweek, worship

My Jam of the week! GIVE ME FAITH by Elevation Worship. I have found myself loving that this song is stuck in my head! It is so raw and honest. There is no way that I can deny the fact that I “may fail but my God You Never will.” Check it out here: http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/my-jam-of-the-week/id432714101 Here are some of the lyrics: “Give me faith to trust what You say. That you’re good and your love is GREAT!” “I may be weak but Your spirit’s strong in me. My flesh may fail, BUT MY GOD YOU NEVER WILL! God give us faith to trust what you say. Help us to remember that you’re good and your love is great! Amen. Love you guys! Enjoy worshiping our God who NEVER FAILS! Barrett (Keller Campus Worship Pastor)

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Set List for CT Keller Campus 4/17/2011

@barrettsnare — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:17:26 +0000

Posted in #setlists worship

Categories: #setlists, worship

Here is the set List for the Cross Timbers Keller Campus this weekend. http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/keller-set-list-4-17-11/id432388690 I have been so blown away by the presence of God showing up at Keller. I have been praying that we will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit louder than anything else that tries to invade our hearts and minds during our weekend services. If you didn’t get a chance to hear Toby talk about it a couple of weeks ago, he stated that Keller has changed and is different than it was 6 months ago. I AGREE! He also said that when he walks into the campus, he can physically feel the presence of God as he walks in the doors. I am so proud to be a part of what God is doing in Keller and our church. It is an honor to be able to lead everyone in worship. Here is a word of encouragement: Isaiah 42:6-13 says this about what happens when we worship him: (Message) 6 “I am God. I have called you to live right and well. I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe. I have set you among my people to bind them to me, and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,7 To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light: opening blind eyes, releasing prisoners from dungeons, emptying the dark prisons.8 I am God. That’s my name. I don’t franchise my glory, don’t endorse the no-god idols.9 Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled. I’m announcing the new salvation work. Before it bursts on the scene, I’m telling you all about it.” 10 Sing to God a brand-new song, sing his praises all over the world! Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, with all the far-flung islands joining in.11 Let the desert and its camps raise a tune, calling the Kedar nomads to join in. Let the villagers in Sela round up a choir and perform from the tops of the mountains.12 Make God’s glory resound; echo his praises from coast to coast.13 God steps out like he means business. You can see he’s primed for action. He shouts, announcing his arrival; he takes charge and his enemies fall into line: If you feel like you are facing an enemy, you are! but the great news is that when we worship God he steps out on our behalf to fight our enemies. That is great news. Spend some time in worship today. Whatever that looks like for you, spend some time telling God that he is the greatest and see what happens. Barrett (Keller Campus Worship Pastor)

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