May
17
I am a Christian. This means that I follow Jesus Christ. I follow His teaching, His commandments, His leading, and His example. At least that’s the general idea.
Follow. Here’s the interesting thing about that word, when you follow someone you end up going where they go.
So, what should I expect my life to be like if I follow Jesus?
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/250
May
14
Frank Hart & Living Creatures Record the Music of CrossPoint
So, I’ve been the worship leader at CrossPoint Church for almost eight years. During that time I have written a bunch of songs for Sunday morning. Songs for the congregation to sing together as part of our worship. Some of the songs were tied to specific teaching series that we were doing, and some were tied to our overall mission as a church trying to do its thing in the greater Houston area. Most of the people at my church don’t know the difference between a song that I write and a song that we play by other worship leaders (like Tomlin, Redman, etc.) Most of my congregation doesn’t spend much time listening to Christian radio.
People ask on a regular basis where they can find recordings of the songs we sing together. For years I have simply said that we haven’t recorded many of my songs yet. I always feel a little silly giving this answer. I have wanted to do a serious recording project for a long time, but it just never seemed like the right time.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/238
Jan
17
Believe in God?
Most people believe in God (even the ones who say they don’t.) Everything that exists implies that there is a designer and a maker. No matter how far you zoom out (the entire universe) or how far you zoom in (the inexhaustible detail of the micro-universes inside every atom) there is amazing design and purpose in how it all fits together. It is very difficult to sustain belief for even a moment that all of this happened by chance. None of us believe that given enough time a million monkeys at typewriters could eventually compose a single coherent sentence, let alone the Book of Genesis. Time, plus chance, plus monkeys … just equals a bunch of dead monkeys.
I have tried to be an agnostic, but I can’t lie to myself long enough to allow time, chance and random chaos to make an iPhone. -Bad Buddha
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/218
Dec
15
‘And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: ‘Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people, Unto you is born this day a Savior which is Christ the Lord.’ Luke 2:11
2011, This is the Hart family – Angel, Von, Frank, and Kim… AngelVonFranKim.(We sat around the dinner table and recorded this conversation, and then typed it word for word to make this letter. Merry Christmas.)
Frank: We’re talking about the last year, this is our Christmas Letter. So, what did we do this year?
Angel: Well… This year we went to Las Vegas, it was a lot of fun…
Frank: What was cool about Las Vegas?
Angel: We got to go to a VERY big hotel (Excalibur), I think it’s the second biggest hotel in, pretty much, the earth. (nope) and it was really fun because they had three pools and they were about seven feet deep, and it was pretty cool… Von?
Von: My favorite part of the trip to Las Vegas was I got to ride my first BIG rollercoaster, and I also really liked the big water slide at our hotel.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/183
Oct
17
Do you want good things in your life?
Do you want to have good friends? Do you want your children to love you? Do you desire peace and love in your marriage? Do you want to have a relationship with your family (mom, dad, grandparent, uncle, etc.) It has been said many times by far more intelligent people than me that the true “good things” in life can not be bought with money. That may be true, but they can be bought. Or, at least pursued.
“I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life.
Job 29:17-19
Want Good Friends?
If you want a friend, be a friend. Pursue your friends. Don’t wait for them to call you, you call them. Don’t wait for someone to invite you to lunch, you invite them to lunch. Drop by their office, chat for a minute, say something kind, and let them get back to work (Don’t ever waste their time, that’s not friendly).
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/168
Oct
10
For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding.
Psalm 47:6-8
Our Church Band Rules!
Here is some basic info about what it means
to be in the Band at CrossPoint.
The Idea
The purpose of the band is to help the congregation participate in worship. It is also to provide a high quality attractional feature that bridges the gap between church and culture. The music is to speak the cultural language of the people that God brings into our church on a Sunday morning. We are doing two big things, facilitating sacred worship and incarnating into the world that we live in.
Not The Idea
We are not trying to have a “churchy” praise band. We are not trying to be “worshipy” Christian hipsters. We are also not trying to be a super-cool band of rock stars.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/157
Oct
10
Demons, Ghosts, Vampires, and monsters of every kind will be walking in small packs around our neighborhoods on Halloween night. How are we as Christians supposed to feel about this? If we think it is “just good fun” are we being unfaithful? If we forbid our children from joining in the fun, handing out healthy snacks and Gospel pamphlets instead (or refuse to answer the door – because that’s how holy we are!) is that really the right thing to do? Doesn’t seem right to me, something about knock and the door shall be…
Growing up in smalltown Illinois I loved Halloween. The costumes, the candy, the tricks and the treats. For years the youth group I was part of even did a fund raiser at our church by turning the whole church in a macabre haunted house complete with demons, ghosts, monsters and a live execution. Were we out of our mind? Should we have dressed up in Bible costumes instead? (I think that might be much more scary in some ways!)
The following is a article by James Jordan that I have found to be helpful concerning Halloween.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/152
Oct
06
Water Flowed From the Temple
Ezekiel saw a vision of water flowing from the temple into the surrounding area. It poured off the the altar and at first it barely wet the ground, but as it continued to flow it became waist deep and then flooded the whole culture. It brought life and healing to everything around.
This vision speaks to the church’s mission, our mission. It is Worship that is to overflow from our church and pour into the lives of the people all around us. Picture your Sunday morning worship overflowing with love and power into the communities where you live, everywhere within reach. Picture it like water carrying the life-changing grace of Christ. Then realize that the church is you and me. Worship changes everything, and worship is everything.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/136
Sep
30
And What Wives want from their Husbands
In the heat of the argument she reaches for something on the shelf to throw at him. The “D-Word?” (No, I’ll save that for later, that’s the trump card.) Instead she finds a nice smooth stone that fits in the palm of her hand. “This will do the trick,” she thinks, then she hurls something at him that basically says “I do not respect you, you are not honorable, and you are not successful.” Ouch!
“What we were talking about again?” He thinks to himself as he feels the sting of her words and reaches deep into his pockets to find just the right thing to throw back, “Well, it doesn’t really matter what we were talking about … it’s ON now!”
He finds the old faithful comeback which more or less means “You don’t know what you’re talking about, you annoy me, I don’t find you attractive, I don’t love you, and you are just like your crazy mother.”
Tears, and CUT. Perfect, it’s a wrap! Let’s do it again next week.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/133
Sep
26
Ever have to take one of those personality assessment tests for work? I have had to take a bunch of them. I have learned that I am a “Hawk/Owl,” a “Strategic Thinker,” and a “huggable bear who might eat you.” Some people don’t like labels, and others like them too much. I’ve come to the realization that it is best to have some idea of what is inside the can before you open it.
I was recently asked to take another personality profile test. It is based on the Biblical leadership gifts found in Ephesians 4. It is called the APEST Test.
Here is what they say about it on their website:
APEST is a ministry assessment emerging from the most comprehensive statement of ministry structure, that of Ephesians 4:7,11-12. Within this passage we find the fivefold ministry of APEST: apostolic, prophetic, evangelist, shepherd and teacher; But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned It is he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be shepherd and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.
All five ministries are needed to engender, call forth, and sustain a full ministry in the Jesus movement. In fact, all five ministries in dynamic relation to one another are absolutely essential to vigorous discipleship, healthy churches and growing movements. Ephesians 4:7,11-12 assigns APEST ministries to the entire church, not just leadership. All are to be found somewhere in APEST a leadership model characterized by a servant-inspired dynamic. (theforgottenways.org)
I’ve taken a lot of these tests, and for the most part I think they are fun. It is interesting to think about my strengths and tendencies. This one is different because you not only take it yourself, but you invite people who know you to also take it on your behalf. People who are in your life and have experienced how you lead in your ministry.
When I took the test for myself, these were my results:
Permanent link to this article: http://www.frankhart.com/archives/121
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