philcoleman

Michael Obrien in Concert!

2010-10-15T16:21:06-04:00

Hey everybody, just want to make you aware of a special event happening @ Whitewater Crossing Christian Church a week from this Sunday (Oct24). Michael Obrien, former lead singer of Newsong, will be in concert. Concert begins @ 6pm. Free admission. A love offering will be received.

If you’ve ever heard him sing (with or without Newsong), you know how incredible this evening is going to be. Michael O’Brien is probably most known from his 7 year tenure as lead singer of the Christian band Newsong. But, he has actually been in the music ministry for some 20 years now and has built a reputation as an incredibly gifted singer/ songwriter with a heart for ministering to the body of Christ.

Michael’s most recent project “Something About Us” has been described by Michael as a musical love letter to his one and only. It has received critical acclaim from many of his musical peers. Natalie Grant says, “Michael O’Brien is such a phenomenal talent. His voice is a rare breed in today’s musical climate. I’m a sucker for music with a nostalgic sound. This is just great classic sounding music. He reminds us what true love is all about.” Country Artist Mark Wills says Michael is his “favorite singer of all time,” while Nicole Mullen says “Michael O’Brien has outdone himself! This cd is wonderful, and highly recommended for all married couples. It’s about time that someone has given us a clean, passionate, beautiful backdrop for falling in love all over again. Out of four stars, I’d give it a six!”

If you're in town, come check it out. I would LOVE to see you too. If you would be so kind to promote this to your friends, I would greatly appreciate it. I know Michael would love to see a full house.

On the journey...Phil

2010-10-06T22:29:52-04:00

AIR @ WCCC:

After prayer and discussion utilizing the above criteria, our Search Team, led by Mark Koerner (thanks Mark for a great job!) recommended six individuals (subsequently approved by David Vaughan, the Elder Compensation Team and Elders) to be formally called to be permanent Artists in Residence. They have accepted.

Those six (in no particular order of ranking) are: Paula Stefanovich, Denver Bierman, Titus Chapman, Jaci Velasquez, Alisa Childers, and Michael Boggs. An awesome lineup, wouldn't you agree!!? A team of variety, diversity, energy, and humility.

We were originally thinking we would limit our AIR rotation to four or five, but because of the wonderful feedback, ability, likeability, and connection evidenced by all these individuals, we agreed to go with a team of six. From time to time we will schedule an artist who has led in the past, but is not a member of our AIR rotation. (Michael O'Brien is an example. He will be here to lead worship on October 23/24 weekend, and also share an 'Encore concert' that Sunday night as well!)

We believe the AIR program is a "win-win' for our church, as well as the artists selected. We get fantastic people to lead us in worship each weekend, as well as a broadened outreach opportunity, and they have a church home which provides support and community, while also allowing them to pursue their other performing/recording careers. Our hope and prayer is that week by week, you will continue building better and deeper relationships with these gifted artists. Please make them feel welcome!

I will continue to support and schedule our AIRs, as well as prepare and rehearse our bands, vocal teams, choir, and production teams during the week as Minister of Music, Service Programming, and Business Administration. I will also stand ready to lead worship on any weekend where a scheduled AIR experiences an unexpected delay or weather cancelation on a particular weekend.

How cool is this? Way...!!

2010-09-13T10:56:49-04:00

"When Satan reminds me of my past, I remind him of his future" Randy Duncan (e.gtr @ WCCC).

Jesus went to the cross and took with him all of the sins, including the resulting guilt and shame, of our past. So, as Christ-followers, we should stop walking around with our heads down, and a "woe is me," defeated attitude. Instead, we should focus on forgetting the past and, with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, look forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13-14). In humility, let's honor the completed work of Jesus Christ and LIVE FREE!

Philippians 1:28 tells us to "NOT be intimidated by our enemies. And that this will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself." The future of the enemies of the cross is eternal destruction (Phil 3:18-20).

Christ-followers are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives (Phil. 3:20). So we should conduct our lives in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ (Phil. 1:27). Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8). Let your lives shine brightly in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people (Phil 2:15).

On the journey...Phil

2010-08-16T10:22:22-04:00

A-I-R:

Since my last post, some of you have been asking why Jaci Velasquez was leading worship at Whitewater Crossing Christian Church. Last winter, when Paula Stephanovich announced that she was going to pursue her concert ministry more fully, she and the church leadership came up with the idea of utilizing worship artists, who have active concert ministries and (also) the desire to be involved, leading worship in a local congregation. This approach, in our area of the country at least, is unprecedented.

Many churches prefer to have one full-time worship leader. This approach denies many Christian artists the opportunity to lead worship in their church (the thought being "we'd love to have you at our church if you'll commit to every weekend and put your ministry on a back burner or only book concerts during the week when it is convenient to the church calendar" kind of thing).

A new vision for worship leading emerged. The vision is to work with Paula and other Christian artists to create a team of 3-5 people, who, on a rotation-basis, would come and lead worship @ WCCC. This concept creates a "both/and" for worship artists and our congregation. It's kind of like "having our cake and eat it too." The team approach affords us the ability to be more diverse on the platform, both in terms of music style and demographics, which greatly expands our ministry opportunities, and vastly broadens our base for community outreach.

So, since May, WCCC has been inviting various worship artists to come and lead our services. It's been very exciting to get to know them, share in their ministry, and for them to get to know us. In our time of research, we've had Michael O'brien (formerly of Newsong), Melissa Green (formerly of Avalon), Jaci, Michael Boggs (formerly of FFH), Alisa Childers (formerly of ZOE Girl), Denver Bierman (of Denver and the Mile High Orchestra), and Nic Gonzales (of Salvador) ...to mention a few, in addition to Paula (who's been coming back once a month or so). Of these, we'll develop a team of worship leaders who will regularly be a part of the service programming team @ WCCC.

Now...this really only works if the church has someone, on staff, on "the ground," who can coordinate and manage the details of the program, lead and pastor the music teams, and fill-in if something happens (bad weather, car trouble, etc.) to one of the scheduled worship artists. That's where I come in! And I LOVE IT!

Come check us out!

On the journey,
Phil

2010-08-09T15:45:46-04:00

This past weekend...

Jaci Velasquez led worship @ Whitewater Crossing Christian Church (my new place of ministry). This was her 2nd time to lead this summer. On Saturday night, I saw a completely different aspect of her ministry.

After the worship service, we hosted a "meet-n-greet" with invited Latino guests from the community. About 15 or so Spanish-speaking friends showed up for this first-time event. Jaci was the "main event."

Jaci Velasquez has played in front of hundreds of thousands of people in her career, performed in the White House twice, just returned from a concert tour in Hawai, and now, here she was, pouring her heart out, singing to, talking and praying with ... ministering to this handful of people in the Youth Center at church.

I was blown-away. She could have thought (and acted like), "this is a waste of time," and disengaged like some premadonna. I guess I could have understood if this had been her reaction. She could have asked for more compensation for participating in this event. It was extra time and energy and preparation - over and above her worship leading responsibilities.

She didn't have to do this. This was not part of the "deal" when coming to lead worship @ WCCC. In fact, this was her idea! She wanted to be a part of this event and wants to get involved in serving the Latino community on the west-side of Cincinnati. That's what I call 2nd-mile ministry. How cool is that?

I didn't really participate in this event with the expectation or hope of being ministered to; only to "work" it. Instead, I was the one who was touched and inspired.

I am SO blessed to part of the ministry team @ WCCC. God is moving in miraculous and powerful ways. If you don't have a church home, please come check us out.

On the journey,
Phil

Crowns

2010-04-28T20:00:00-04:00

Ever wonder what the Bible says will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of Christ? You've often heard it referred to as a crown, which, by definition, is a mark of royal or exalted rank, or a prize to the victor. These crowns represent eternal blessedness, which, in my book, sounds pretty good.

Woody Cumbie, pastor of Lifepointe Church in Carmel Indiana, recently shed some light on the subject. Here's an outline with a few definitions and added thoughts.

Incorruptible: (1 Cor. 9:25) Imperishable. Immortal. But what is "it" referring to in this verse? It is referring to running the race. The Greek denotes run as to exert one's self, strive hard, to spend one's strength, and incur extreme peril, which it requires the exertion of all one's effort to overcome. In other words, give everything you've got. Giving it your all is doing "it" in such a way to get a prize, right? But to what are you giving everything you've got? What is the "race?" Proclaiming, sharing, declaring the Good News. Read verses 19-23, specifically, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
Rejoicing: (1 Ths. 2:19)...with the people who will be in Heaven because you took the time to love on them and share your faith in Jesus Christ. I'm reminded of an older song by Ray Boltz (good song notwithstanding his current issues) called "Thank You." The song is a reminder to stay and do well in the race, to do our best to make a difference, to "drag" as many people into Heaven as we possibly can. It's a song about lives that were changed through one person.
Glory: (1 Pet.5:4) Magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace. The glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Savior's return from heaven. The glory crown is a reward for caring, "for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God." (1 Pet.5:2)
Righteousness: (2 Tim.4:8) In a broad sense: state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God. The doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God. Integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting. This crown is a reward of a life "poured out as an offering to God" (2 Tim. 4:6), "working at telling others the Good News, and fully carrying out the ministry God has given you" (2 Tim.4:5).
Life: (Jas 1:12, Rev. 2:10) Life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever. Eternal life is the reward of perseverance: under misfortunes and trials; holding fast to one's faith in Christ.

So, what about you? How are you doing with your crowns? On giving your best effort? Taking time to share your faith? Caring for others? Offering yourself to God for His purposes? Being steadfast despite what the world may throw your way?

On the journey,

...from the Easter message @ Lifepointe Church...

2010-04-04T23:33:07-04:00

Great message by Pastor Woody Cumbie this morning. It's the first time I've ever heard an Easter message using the Emmaus passage in Luke 24:13-31, specifically verse 27..."And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."

Imagine walking down the road, hearing the story of Jesus from Jesus himself! What verses from the Torah and prophets did Jesus use to describe His ministry; God's plan for salvation? Woody suggested the possibility of the following:

Genesis 22:2-14: Jesus is the provided, substitute sacrificial Lamb
Exodus 12:12-28: the blood of Jesus is the means of redemption for believers
Numbers 21:4-9: healing (salvation) comes through faith in Jesus (see John 3:14-15)
Isaiah 53: Jesus, the suffering servant, will lead to exaltation and glory

As they walked and talked, God kept them from recognizing Jesus. At the end of the journey, Jesus accompanied them to their home. While there, Jesus took a small loaf of bread, asked God's blessing on it, broke it, then gave it to them. At that moment, for the first time, their eyes were "opened," and they recognized Him. Imagine their reaction. Their grief and mourning turned, in an instant, to elation! "The Lord has really risen!" WOW!!!

Perhaps this season, you have heard (again or for the first time), on TV, radio, at church, or maybe from a friend, the story of God's Son, but never taken the time or effort to have your eyes opened to His truth. Listen to the link below. A new life in Jesus is really only a prayer away!

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I want to see You.

On the journey,