blog.worship.com

Finding Your Vocation

Our friend Alex Chediak at California Baptist University writes an article of interest to young people seeking God's will for their lives vocationally.

A hundred years ago young adults did not have anywhere near the mind-boggling and almost debilitating number of options available today. In general, sons took on the line of work of their fathers, and girls adopted whatever domestic, social, and vocational roles their mothers held. It wasn't so much about "finding your calling" as it was about your calling finding you.

Today, relatively few pursue the line of work of their parents. How might Christians think about the additional freedoms and opportunities afforded by modern life? Is it really entirely up to us to choose our line of work, or can we wait to specifically hear from God on the matter?

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What do you want to be when you grow up?

Ask any five-year old, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and you will be greeted by a ready answer. Ask any twenty-five year old the same question, and you are likely to unravel a tale of confusion and frustration. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle.

Americans spend more and more time at vocational crossroads. In an era of supposedly limitless opportunities, we accept jobs with little certainty and hold them with even less satisfaction. We know that our steps should be faithful and purposeful, but we are no longer sure how to navigate our calling and career. Author Colin Creel enters this scene with his new book, Crossroads: Navigating Your Calling and Career, exploring the biblical view of calling and making practical applications in the realm of career.

Crossroads is designed for maximum impact—complete with discussion questions, a downloadable study guide (www.colincreel.com) and a wealth of original insights from Christian leaders like Josh McDowell, Steve Arterburn, Max Lucado, Tammy Trent, and Mark Price. Readers of any age or life stage will benefit from the depth of analysis and years of experience found in Crossroads. If confusion or frustration has crept into your work experience, it might be a good time to go back to the crossroads and get a fresh vision for your calling and career.

Visit www.crossway.org or contact mbennett@crossway.org for more information.

Stanley Fish, Ted Williams, Frank Sinatra and Character

In a recent NY Times blog, Stanley Fish (renown Postmodern scholar) reflects on his childhood and adulthood heroes: Ted Williams and Frank Sinatra. Interestingly, he points out that both men were, at times, quite unheroic in their treatment of women and in their violent public outbursts. After offering some interesting anecdotes, Fish comments on why Ted Williams and Frank Sinatra are so exemplary–-both were zealously committed to their art. He admires their commitment to their crafts, hitting baseballs and singing songs.

The science of hitting and the singing of songs by Ted Williams and Frank Sinatra have impressed Fish and countless others. Dismissing their personal vices and virtues, Fish glories in his heroes' excellent craftsmanship. He writes: "But it is neither their vices nor their virtues that appeal to me. It is their single-minded dedication to craft..." To be sure, Sinatra and Williams are legends in their vocations, but should we so easily dismiss character from craftsmanship?

It is arguable that both Sinatra and Williams lacked in character because they were so committed so music and baseball. In their zeal for excellence and fame, friends and family suffered. Nothing could trump the craft. Character took a backseat to vocational glory. Often, it is precisely because we are so committed to a thing, to a vocation, that our character crumbles. We make an ordinary thing extraordinary instead of worshiping the extraordinary Creator with character and craft.

Jonathan Dodson (c)

Free Conference Downloads on Worship, Life, God

Sovereign Grace Ministries is making a tremendous number of MP3 teaching sessions available for free download--no registration required.  This is a tremendous opportunity to pick up some great teaching on worship, God and the Christian life.

Included is the 2006 WorshipGod seminar, which includes the following sessions:

Main-session titles and speakers

1. A People of God’s Presence (Jeff Purswell)
2. Christ, Our Access into God’s Presence (Mark Mullery)
3. Celebrating God’s Presence (Craig Cabaniss)
4. Pursuing God’s Presence (Bob Kauflin)
5. Worshiping God as the Source of All Secondary Joys (Randy Alcorn)

Seminar titles and speakers

1. Why Skill Really Does Matter (Ken Boer and Pat Sczebel)
2. Healthy Tensions in Corporate Worship (Bob Kauflin)
3. Becoming a Better Songwriter (panel: Mark Altrogge, Steve & Vikki Cook)
4. Sanctification through Serving (Mark Mitchell)
5. Creativity in Corporate Worship (panel: Jim Donohue, Bob Kauflin, Pat Sczebel, Joe Stigora)
6. Training Children to Worship God (Mike Bradshaw and Marty Machowski)
7. Auditioning and Developing Musicians (Ken Boer)
8. Sound Teams 101 (panel: Rich Franck, Darryl Wenger, Dave Wilcox)
9. Playing Spontaneously (Jon Payne and Pat Sczebel)
10. Meeting God in the Psalms (John Loftness)
11. Corporate Worship as Pastoral Care (Bob Kauflin)
12. What Will Your Next Song Be? Writing Songs on Purpose (panel: Mark Altrogge, Steve & Vikki Cook, Keith Getty)
13. Eagerly Desiring Spiritual Gifts (Aron Osborne)
14. What Do I Do This Sunday? (panel: Craig Cabaniss, Bob Donohue, Joshua Harris, Joe Stigora)
15. Monitor Applications (Carl Taylor)
16. Praying Publicly (Mark Mullery)
17. Worshiping the Triune God (Bruce Ware)
18. Tech Panel (Jim Cowan, Darryl Wenger, Dave Wilcox)
19. Developing a Youth Choir Program (Nancy Chouinard)
20. New Song Seminar (Ken Boer)
21. Band on the Run (Bob Kauflin)

Also available are messages categorized under Worship & Music pertaining to the theology of worship and training resources covering topics such as worship teams, instrumentalists, vocalists, sound & tech teams, music theory, children, songwriting, and choirs.  Messages from the Together for the Gospel Conference as well as Josh Harris's New Attitude Conference for young adults are also available.

Be sure to browse around and look at the other free messages from Sovereign Grace.  There's much more than we can detail here.

(HT: Desiring God Blog)

Great Intern Op For Talented Young Writers

Marvin Olasky at World Magazine is looking for one or two interns, some of whom may land permanent jobs afterwards.  Writes Olasky:

I'm planning to train five or six WorldNewMedia interns during the second half of July and the first half of August, and then we'll see who we hire. I've already chosen four of the interns: two are finishing their junior years in college, one is in her senior year, one is a seminary student. For the remaining one or two spots I'm looking for a Christian graduating from college in May (or a recent graduate) with strong writing skills, a solid work ethic, and some journalistic experience (college publications and blogs count).

Interested folks can visit this link at the world mag blog for info regarding the next step.