Levels

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode where Kramer enters Jerry's apartment describing his plan to remove all the furniture from his apartment and build levels? If not, here's the conversation:

KRAMER: I'm completely changing the configuration of the apartment. You're not gonna believe it when you see it. A whole new lifestyle.

JERRY: What are you doing?

KRAMER: Levels.

JERRY: Levels?

KRAMER: Yeah, I'm getting rid of all my furniture. All of it. And I'm going to build these different levels, with steps, and it'll all be carpeted with a lot of pillows. You know, like ancient Egypt.*

In light of this comment on levels, my family and I just saw the movie, "Space Chimps." One of the things I found interesting was that the chimps - and the aliens they visit - all could completely understand eachother; to their own ears they all spoke perfect english. But on another level, whenever the humans tried to communicate with the chimps, all they heard was the monkeys screeching!

In my musing on this subject, I find that certain people just get me. Elements such as shared experiences, common interests or simply good old fashioned time spent together all contribute to determining what level of understanding two people can walk in.

Now, I'm the first to admit I've got a long way to go in my ability to build meaningful relationships where we can begin and potentially continue to communicate at deepening levels of understanding that has moved beyond the screeching of simians and the confusion that brings to all concerned.

But I also discover that Jesus confronted his own disciples for their dullness of hearing, their lack of ability to truly hear him and simply not getting it (Mt. 16:15). Or, in continuing with the imagery, not being at the same level of understanding, seemingly not even possessing the ability to speak the same language or be on the same page he was on.

I'm encouraged by the fact that even considering my own lack of ability to hear and/or understand what Jesus says to me, I can rest in the promise that as one of the sheep he's left the flock to go after, I can recognise, hear and know his voice - even amidst the ranting of the chimpanzees.

In closing, let's go back to the wisdom that is Seinfeld. As the scene progresses we learn that all Kramer needs to complete the 'some big job' that Jerry's dad Morty chimes in with, Kramer is left severly wanting - his ambition and ability to complete the job do not marry up.

You see, I suffer from that to - my ideal overshoots my reality too many times. And yet there is Jesus, still walking with me and offering me the opportunity to share in the secrets he so willing reveals to those he calls 'Friend.' He is the open door, inviting me to come up to another level of understanding and comprehension and yet offering me the freedom to choose to enter in without any threat, imposed pressure or obligation....

Am I willing to go out and get the lumber to work on that job?

* (Source: http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/ThePonyRemark.htm. Cited 31 Dec. 2008)

Kenya 07

Here's some pics of a freelance mission trip me and two of my friends undertook to Kenya last year. We called the trip the Spirit Wind Mission, wanting to led by the Spirit of God as per John 3 and not reliant upon a program or our own smarts. Our goal was simply to worship Jesus, pray for revival in Kenya and preach the good news of the Kingdom of God expecting miracles signs and wonders to accompany that word.

On day eleven on the streets of Kisii, after ten days of wondering why we were seeing God's presence come on people but not seeing them immediately healed, we were transported back into the New Testament where after praying for one man on the street and him receiving his miracle, God opened a flood of miracles and for the next four hours, we prayed for around 50 people each of whom many experienced immediate healing, deliverance or salvation. God is so good.

Some of My Story

Here is a little about myself, my family and my ministry experience so far.

I’m 34 years old and gave my heart to Jesus when I was 12 at a youth rally. My parents had separated and we had returned to live in Brisbane after 7 years of living and traveling throughout Central and North Queensland as well as a short stay in the Northern Territory owing to my Dad’s working commitments. Following the separation we returned to Brisbane to re-establish ourselves and shortly after found myself attending PRBC at the invitation of my junior soccer team manager, who just happened to be the Sunday School teacher for my age group at the church and had taken a special interest in our family. This connection to the church in time saw all of my family eventually coming to Christ.

I always had an interest in music, trying different instruments in primary school. I remember joining the junior school choir in grade 1 and having a go at the saxophone in grade 6. My Mum and Dad liked music and we would listen to all sorts of music – remember cassette tapes and vinyl records?? Mum’s favorite was Neil Diamond while Dad liked The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and the British bands of the 60’s like Herman’s Hermits and Gerry & the Pacemakers. Mum and Dad gave me my first guitar for my twelfth birthday but it was too hard to learn at start and it would go under the bed for another 3-6 months before I would pull it out again and try to teach myself again, only to find my lack of discipline working against me and under the bed it went again.

This cycle continued until grade 10 in high school when my friends started bringing their guitars to school and trying to play. This sparked my interest again and we ended up teaching each other to play songs like ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door,’ ‘House of the Rising Sun’ and ‘Wild Thing;’ basically anything that was easy and had three or four open chords. We dreamed of being rock stars, prancing around with brooms and mops pretending to be Poison, Bon Jovi or Aerosmith! Very funny in hindsight. We put together a high school music class rock band and played covers of Noiseworks and Eagles songs where I played the keyboard.

Guitar eventually became my main instrument and I began to be influenced by rock guitarists like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and the like. Then I was introduced to guys like Jimi Hendrix, and blues guitarists Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. My main influences though would have to be Eric Johnson, an amazing player from Texas, Stu G from Delirious?, and Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour. I never had the discipline to practice and play fast like some of those guys so my style has developed to be mainly blues based and modeled after David Gilmour’s approach to melody and tone.

I had no idea at the time of any Christian guitarists but later discovered Lincoln Brewster, a worship leader from the States whose playing is simply outstanding, especially in his use of the electric guitar as a lead instrument in a worship band. When I first heard and saw him, it really released a new freedom for me – it was legal to use the electric guitar in this way in the church. There are of course so many outstanding and anointing musicians who play faithfully every week in the local church who no one will ever get to hear in a broad sense, but who nevertheless are fantastic and skilled muso’s.

I first joined the worship band here with my nylon string classical guitar when I was 15 or 16, working with the chords I picked up from the above mentioned songs and the chord charts in the back of the Scripture in Song books – you know, the brown, blue and yellow books. I also enjoyed singing and at times would be in the backing singers group in the Sunday night service.

Well God was good and the people were gracious, especially when I bought my first electric guitar and began making a joyful noise until the Lord. I was very blessed to have patient people around me who gave me opportunities, as well as having an ex-professional muso in the band who really helped me in my playing.

As I got older, the playing got better, my gear improved and my passion for God and worship in particular continued to grow and develop. I was asked to lead worship for the first time when I was in my early 20’s and it was just a hand in glove fit. I knew that this was what I supposed to do and eventually grew into becoming the Worship Coordinator here at PRBC, and later, Elder overseeing the Worship Portfolio. I also have worked as a guitar/music teacher and have had opportunities to record my own songs and work on other peoples’ projects. I have a small studio that I like to tinker in and record ideas and original material.

The dream of becoming a worship pastor began to grow and my wife Rebekah and I discussed to potential of moving into fulltime ministry. So with a directive from God, I resigned from full-time work in late 2001 to embark on a season of preparation for full time ministry, beginning a Diploma of Ministry (Performing Arts) in 2002. I naively thought at the time, “I’ll do this course for two years, get my piece of paper, and get a job as a worship pastor.” What I didn’t know at the time was that God had much more in store for me as I went through a deep season of brokenness and heart preparation that became a five year season culminating in my graduation from Bible College in 2007 with a Bachelor of Ministry. This period was an extremely difficult time for me in so many ways, the least of which incidentally, was the academic side at college. God wasn’t just interest in my academic development, but wanted to do a deep work in my life that’s hard to describe here. Thank God for my wife and the support of my close friends who loved and nurtured me through this very trying time.

As difficult as this season was, it meant so much to me as God really recreated me from the inside out. My heart was renewed to the point where God showed me in Nov. 2004 after a long season of brokenness, that I was just a little baby boy being held in His arms. Our fourth child Joel was only four weeks old when God showed me how much he loved as a son and how valuable and precious I was to Him and that position and status didn’t mean that much at all. That would become the fuel for my ministry and my life. My identity as a son was established and birthed an even deeper intimacy with the Lord.

Amazingly, my dream of becoming a worship pastor was confirmed in early 2007 whereby the church here called me as an Associate Pastor. What a miracle! I have been so blessed by God and it is such a privilege and honor to serve God both in this body but across several churches across this city and beyond in the role as a lead worshipper of God, a modern day Levite, psalmist or minstrel if you will.

I’m passionate for revival and for the presence of God. I’m longing for the manifested glory of God to impact a region. I love the prophetic both in speech, song and music. I believe in miracles, signs and wonders and firmly believe in the power of sound and worship in ushering the presence of God into a meeting of like-minded believers. I believe when the glory falls in worship, nothing can stand against it and we’ll begin to see people getting radically saved, healed and delivered simply because the presence of God comes like a wave in the sound generated by people in worship. If we can truly experience the loving touch of Daddy God it will ruin us for ordinary living.

I’m happily married to Rebekah who I met here at PRBC 18 years ago. We’ve been married for 11 years now and have four children; Madeline, Ryan, Bethany and Joel. Our desire as parents is to live in such a way that we experience as much of God as we can, setting a really high ceiling that will become the floor for the next generation to come.

Welcome to the God-Stream

Hi there. My name is Marty and this is my first ever blog post. Welcome to the God-Stream, an outlet for my thoughts, observations and experiences resulting from my relationship with Jesus Christ. Yep, I'm one of those nutty Christians, who just happens to believe what the bible says and what Jesus said and taught about the Kingdom of God being within in reach. I'm hungry for revival to come to my church, city and nation and see the release of miracles, signs and wonders accompanying the preaching of the gospel.

I'm a worship pastor and musician from Logan City and look forward to sharing my journey with anyone whose interested.

Catch ya later
Marty