FredMcKinnon.Com

Hey Gang,

Writing this blog from the hotel in Augusta, GA – I’m up here with 26 of our praise/teach team volunteers from SSCC.  It’s the first time we have taken a road trip as a team and I’m totally excited about experiencing this “Glorious” seminar.

We had a great bus ride up here … and would be amiss not to mention that our good buddy Mandy Thompson (the Worship Leader/Songwriter Girl) is with us as well.

Can’t wait to worship, be taught, and celebrate with our team.

Hey Gang,

It’s been another whirlwind week and the ole’ blog here has been neglected once again.  At any case, I’d love your prayers … I’m leaving this weekend to lead worship at Fort Bragg, NC.

Fort Bragg is hosting the Billy Graham Association’s “Rock the Fort” event.  I’ll be coming in Friday night and leading a time of worship and prayer for the leaders, artists, and those who are helping put on this event.  I view this as an opportunity to till the ground.  No band – just me, a keyboard, and maybe some song loops.  The plan?  To worship, soak in God’s Presence, pray, and prepare for the big event on Saturday.

This is my second visit to the military bases to minister, my first to Fort Bragg.  It’s the home to some incredibly brave soldiers and I’m honored to minister there.

I’ll be back just in time to enjoy our worship service at SSCC, work a couple of days, then head straight out to the Forge Conference where I’ll be leading and teaching.  This conference is shaping up to be one of the best deals EVER … at only $67 registration.  Details are at www.theforgeconference.com

When you say “praise Him in the dance” and think of incorporating “dance” as an act of praise … what comes to mind?

How about this?  1300+ people from a church in Budapest Hungary rehearsed this dance and came together and “danced” to celebrate Easter Sunday.  What’s even cooler?  They are organizing the same thing for Easter 2011 … worldwide.  For more info, visit www.uptofaith.com

HEY -

We interrupt your afternoon with a quick announcement (yes, two blog posts in one day!) ….

TONIGHT, I will be joining several others in a live, online discussion, sponsored and hosted by the AllAboutWorship Podcast.

The topic?  Senior Pastor and Worship Leader Relationships!

Check out the details, and join us tonight!

Wednesday, July 14 2010

Last night, millions of viewers said “farewell” to a guy named Captain Phil Harris of the F/V Cornelia Marie. Although he passed away in February 2010, the rest of us experienced his passing via the “reality TV show”, “Deadliest Catch“.

I’m not sure when I got hooked on this show … and I don’t quite understand why I will watch the same thing (cussing, smoking, throwing hooks, and pulling in crab pots) for hours upon hours.  I’m intrigued by the personalities.  Overwhelmed by the work.  Energized by the risk.  Captivated by the rewards.

Captain Phil was quite the case.  Supposedly, he was the exact same kind of person “off the camera” as “on the camera” … the same guy before and after their “fame” from being on TV.

Captain Phil … he smoked like a train, cussed like a sailor (oh, wait, essentially, he was a sailor, or a fisherman, at least!) … fought with his crew, fought with his kids … yet, was clearly a compassionate, loving man.  My wife and I were in tears as he loved his boys, showed them deep affection, and told them the four words that EVERY BOY WANTS TO HEAR FROM THEIR FATHERS:

“I’m Proud Of You”.

So … why this eulogy over a guy I never met?  I’ll tell you – Captain Phil represents something very powerful to me.  He represents the kind of guy that Jesus sought out to be His disciples.

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.19 And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  (Matthew 4:18-19, ESV, YouVersion.Com)

We hear all the stories of how Simon Peter must have been.   We infer from the stories in the Bible that Peter was rough, tough .. I bet he had quite the mouth on him.  I bet he could fight with the best of them, and could beat anybody in poker.

I bet when Simon Peter dropped his nets and followed Jesus … that his personality, and perhaps, even his habits, didn’t change overnight.

He wasn’t in a suit.
He wasn’t carrying His Bible in a leather case with a cross on it.
He wasn’t speaking King James.
He probably wasn’t clean shaven and polished.

He was ROUGH around the EDGES.

Jesus wanted Him.  Jesus called Him.  Of all the righteous, religious, uppity-fancy people walking the earth … and Jesus chose people like Simon Peter … like the tax collectors … the prostitutes … and yes, people like Captain Phil.

Did Captain Phil know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior?   Well, I doubt any of us can answer that for sure.  Before you fire off your comments about how a Christian would never use that language, just stop and consider what I’ve written above.  Maybe you don’t smoke and cuss … but those are outward expressions of a sinful nature (and perhaps, just culture and physical addictions) … and I bet if you wrote down your less-visible “inward” sins … you’d back down …

All I can say is … I hope he did … ’cause I’d like to go fishing with him in heaven.

Farewell, Captain Phil Harris.