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Several years ago, I was involved in a church building program. I was serving the church as assistant pastor and minister of music. The pastor, at that time did not qualify to be bonded and “head up” the building program of the church so I was asked if I minded doing so. I told the bonding company that I had no problem doing that. I was fingerprinted and the bonding company and an agent of the governing board researched my life’s history. It did not take nearly as much time back then as it would now. I became friends with the bonding agent over the next few weeks and he told me a story that horrified me. It seems that a church in a nearby state had just gone through a bonding program with his company and had moved into their new church buildings. Not long after, people from a nearby church started joining their church in record numbers. The church welcomed them with open arms. Then … the horrible truth came out. It happened that the church buildings, where the new members had vacated, were pretty run down and the membership had gotten together and made a diabolical pact to join the new church and when they became the majority, fire the pastor and then hire their own pastor and have all of those nice things that they had coveted. They were found out before all they had planned had taken place. There was a humorous twist to this story. All of those immigrant members did not realize that they had to pay for all of those nice new buildings. They just thought they could move in and have all those nice things with no further responsibility. Have you ever heard of such a thing?
Hello ... I sent this out last evening but many did not get it ... so here it is again: For several years, Yvonne and I had a local radio program called: "A Different Look" ... It is now streaming the internet and is available for you to listen.
These are some of the old programs that were recorded and are now available ... Yvonne (and others) sing and I do a Bible study .... we may just bring these up to date and do them "LIVE" again ... let us know what you think ...
Thanks!
http://www.otthorn.com/look.htmlFeel free to pass this link along to others ...
Tags: Radio Bible Christian Life Practical
When Contemporary Is Traditional Mark 7:13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. I guess I am as traditional in my love of music as anyone. I love the old hymns and music of the church. But … in my vocation as minister of music, in which I served for the greater part of my life, both full and part time, I tried to use a variety of styles of music. The music department (or ministry) of most churches today may as easily be called the “War Department”. I recently heard of a choir director who said that he could not use a certain person in “his” music ministry because she sings too “country”. In surveying his choice of music and musicians I have found that he leans toward the contemporary style of music. I said that I have no problem in allowing ANY minister of music or church choir director choose the type music used in the music ministry of the church as long as the pastor approves of his or her choices. The pastor of the church is also pastor of the music ministry as well as every other ministry of the church. The greatest problem I saw is that this certain choir director announced the “too country” statement publicly and therefore hurt the “country” soloist deeply. Such statements are better buried deep within the minister’s own conscience and not exclaimed aloud and thus hurting not only the minister but the whole ministry of the church. We are to edify and be encouragers one to another: Heb 10:24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. I have to admit that everyone is a music critic. It doesn’t matter what their music education is; EVERYONE knows what style of music they like and usually will choose a church based on their personal preferences. I, personally, could not take a steady diet of 7/11 music; that is seven words sung eleven times. That type of music just leaves me empty and worn out when I am forced to “eat” it for two hours steady. There are those who will only survive on their steady diet of “contemporary” music. They are just not “challenged” by hymns or even southern gospel. I have seen some nearly gag and run from a room when “Gaither” type music is being presented. The real church musician ministers to the whole church, lifts up the Lord Jesus Christ and brings honor to God and not to themselves: I Cor 45For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. To feed the church congregation on just one style of music is like sitting our children down to dinner and serving them only a bowl of sugar. A balanced diet edifies the whole body. I was told that another church only used “contemporary” music in their services … I guess that has become their tradition. Our church services need to be bathed in prayer … and not just during the service itself … but for days before … let God do the choosing and may the people be blessed. God bless you, Bro. Ott
Tags: Music Contemporary Traditional Service
Well ... after working all day, Yvonne and I decided to go to our favorite restaurant ,,, The Kimball, Tennessee Chinese Buffet ... the food is always good there and Lou a young Chinese fellow, usually is our server ... He usually knows what we want to drink and seats us ... we pray and then go fill up our plates. We were almost done and Lou brought us our "check" ... I told him that I didn't want it and he promptly put it in his pocket and walked into the kitchen ... Yvonne thought I had scared him to death and scolded me for doing it ... after awhile I went to Lou and told him that at this time, I wanted the ticket ... he laughed, handed me the ticket ... I payed it and we left ... On the drive home, Yvonne asked me what our server's name was to which I replied ... "Lou". She laughed and asked if his last name was "Costello"? I told her "No!" ... that Lou was his last name and that his first name is "Skip" and his middle name is Tooma. Yvonne said "His name is Skip Tooma Lou?????? I hope the swelling in my right eye will go down enough by Sunday so I can read my Bible
Crescent Processing Company is a proud member of both the Better Business Bureau and the Electronic Transaction Association &nb sp; &nb sp; Crescent Processing Company is an innovative, professional provider of payment processing services to small- and medium-sized merchants throughout the United States. We provide solutions for many of your payment processing needs: Credit, Debit, Check Conversion and Guarantee, Gift Card, Receipt Capture, Receipt Advertising, Wireless Terminals and more.Why Crescent Processing?ü Use of a terminal (and related equipment) at no additional cost while you process through Crescent Processing *ü No more monthly terminal lease payments *ü By providing all payment services, we help you “look and feel” like a sizeable merchantü Single platform for all payment solutionsü “Best in Class” Client Serviceü You can add additional payment services at any time: Pin-Based Debit, Crescent Check, Gift Cards and Receipt Capture ü A Client... for life* Some restrictions apply; call our sales department for more details.Industry Facts ü Consumers typically spend more using credit cards than with cash or check (1)ü Credit card use is still growing at 12% per year (1)ü The average consumer has 5 credit cards (1)ü But, checks are still “alive”: Check writing grew 25% in the past 5 years (1)ü Over 50 million people purchased gift cards last year (1)ü 61% of consumers spend more than the original value of the gift card (1)ü Gift cards outsell paper certificates 4 to 1 (1)(1) Sourced from The Nilson Report (Oct. 2006 and Dec 2006) Contact:Ott Horn 423-309-1418 (cell)otmer@bellsouth.net
Tags: Credit Cards Processing Checks Gift Cards
Jewish Bell Ringer Helps In Kettle CampaignIt's the biggest Christian holiday of the year... But all day sunday a local man of Jewish faith rang in the season to raise money for the Salvation Army.
When Marty Libowski heard the Salvation Army stopped ringing their bells on Sundays, he stepped up to the plate.
For 11 hours Sunday, Libowski stood outside Cordova Mall, in Pensacola, ringing the bell raising money for the kettle campaign
Marty Libowski: "I am of the jewish faith and in our religion we call it a Mitsfa , that's a good deed that's giving back to the community."
Libowski raised a little over one thousand dollars for the Salvation Army kettle campaign. Merry Christmas Everyone, Bro. Ott
I added a new song to my page ... it is called "Christmas In Heaven" and is being sung by my wife, Yvonne ... it is Southern Gospel in nature and is my Christmas gift to you ... let me know what you think ... God bless ... Bro. Ott
God Told Me Matthew, Chapter Thirteen: 24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is
likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept,
his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when
the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou
sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them,
An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go
and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root
up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in
the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and
bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. The sad thing about this parable is that the word “among” means “every other one”. Since the field is the church, and the wheat are saved church members, then the tares are lost church members placed there by the enemy (satan). If we are to take this parable literally, then there are as many lost church members as there are saved ones. There are as many lost pastors as there are saved ones. It is no wonder, then, that there is so much trouble in the church and with “Christianity” in general. I am not saying that those involved in these illustrations are “lost” themselves but that lost people are so influencing our churches and the dealings of the church with the things of God and His ministry. Some time ago, I asked people to send me some illustrations of trouble they have had with church and will some who call themselves “Christians”. This is the first in a series of instances which will serve to encourage those who are going through similar circumstances. II Cor 1:4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. Some time ago, a local pastor said to me that God had told him to do something. I replied to him that I thought that was wonderful and also asked him when he was going to do it. He replied to me that he would “first have to ask some of his men if it was ok to do it.” In the genera of the teenager of today: “No Duh!” (This was the same pastor who told his congregation that “No one has the right to question” his messages from the pulpit because those messages come directly from God.) If God tells you to do something, then do it! You do not need permission from anyone. Just make sure that it is God who is giving the command. II Cor 3:1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. 4And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Please let me remind you that the words that I have given you are in rough draft form and will be retyped and corrected. I am still asking those of you, who will, to write me and give me your own personal testimonies that you believe may help others who may be going through the same troubles. I promise not to use the names of persons or places which may point back to you. God bless … Bro. Ott
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