Ronnie Murchison and Josh Powell | Preaching Mission-Mindedness Pt. 2

Hi this is breathing welcome to the Salvation Army's words of life. Welcome back to words of life on Bernie Dake and Cheryl and with us again as Lieut. Col. Carol Siler welcome Carol. Thank you. Good to be here last week we began a two-part discussion on how we encourage the congregation to be mission minded through preaching and leadership today were continuing this conversation by asking the same question but how he is worshiped and the arts to do the same for this interview was a roundtable discussion with myself. Our friend Josh Powell from transmission and Ronnie Murchison. These guys have great insight to this because in Josh's case he's been able to create music and lead music for people that are being prepared to be on missionary service with the Salvation Army has something called salvation a service Corps each summer and Josh is a part of that worship leadership in the week before they get ready to go on our missions and Ronnie is a salvationist from the Pennsylvania area and then lived in New Jersey and he married a Panamanian Salvation Army officer's daughter and he and his wife have been able to travel to Panama and other places around the world and minister in both Spanish and English with music specifically is the emphasis of their ministry missed any episodes from this series subscribed to words of life on your favorite podcast store visit Salvation Army sound for what an incredible friends visiting back on supplies and this time with Rose's mind and Ronnie Murchison and Josh Powell who was the leader of transmission right Salvation Army surgical headquarters in Georgia, but both of them have really an interesting story and passion for worship, worship, and I want to talk to them about that.

Tell everybody a little about where you come from on a musical journey for the Lord.

Ronnie I started college I didn't have the wisdom stages. I thought I was better off doing some other things but a bit misguided in that area, but found myself able to travel and seeing and do some small levels touring all over the country and leading worship and I guess cutting my teeth if you will semi Pro type of thing opening up for various artists and just being a part of that community. And the Lord took me from that to set me down for a while and begin to just learn the importance of my my fellowship with him. It was a hard lesson but in leading I had to learn that first, God has to be the one lead lead to take the lead and for me to hold onto him as he transitions worship is not necessarily just the way I did it all through music. But it's my entire lifestyle. Whatever it is, is that everything must be wrapped up inside of my my worship and orientations. We are grateful for your ministry. Ronnie Josh same question.

I mean, what's the musical journey that brings you here yes so I I started getting the bug for playing guitar and singing in leading worship actually from what actually is the precursor to transmission my good friend Marty Michaels was leading a group called 3:15 back in. I think I saw them in 2000 to edit a youth conference and there's a something that kinda started siding us at mad that looks like a lot of fun. Would really like to do that so came home by guitar and now it's Working at it and eventually moved to Atlanta a few years later and this dude Marty, who I'd seen as yours.

As a young kitty's counsel seen in past me to come play with them for a couple of things and you one thing led to another and start playing with transmission, which is really cool. Then my mood on take another opportunity and the this opportunity was here and see Micah a good step for me in a natural fit week. We are he had good cohesiveness with the group so I started leading transmission of the points I've been doing this since 2016. Thank you and is been a whirlwind. I hope if you are out there. Are you looking for something encouraging checkout Ronnie Murchison check out transmission. Kudos to both of you for using your gifts for the Lord and you've certainly been an encouragement to me with all the things that you let God do through you now.

Last week we discussed how we encourage mission minded this from preaching and leaving but how do we do the same type of thing with worship in the arts. Let's get into the deep end of this pool. Ronnie, how can we get into preaching and leaving with worship arts and being mission minded I think that it starts with from discipleship from the beginning of learning what true discipleship is and learning what your role in worship leading and and creative arts in this worship arts in general as well as whatever your craft is. If you're you musician. If you're not if you're an artist in some way. Whatever it is it's important to understand that to research it to do the work. I realize that in today's time. We don't really want to do the work that goes into it to make you a just just on just a low level just like a better you know PNS or better guitar player or better draw whatever it is you put the work in but in that you have to the entire time and here's what's dangerous, I believe, is that inputting when you put the work in, you still have to remember that you are disciple of Christ and you have to make sure that those walls of discipline stay around you to focus you and direct you into the direction of worshiping God.

I would encourage anyone to attempt to recognize and know that it's important to me to maintain the connection with the spirit of God, because if you don't, you can lead a whole mess of people down the road that they should be going down because they're following you and let you make that connection with your audience with your band members and so on and so forth.

You know we have to be careful and innocent responsibility that comes with that with the anointing of God.

Same question Josh like how can you encourage mission mindedness from a place of the teaching I feel like worship is the chief calling of all creation. So as worship leaders. We cannot have. We have the unique opportunity to basically build a platform for people to worship from so we we create a united atmosphere United platform for people to jump from to worship, but also think that you know what our mission is to worship. Our mission is also to make disciples of all of all nations, so you logistically as I'm picking songs for four times a worship back to be thinking is going to be somebody here who doesn't know Christ who hasn't made a commitment so it has to be some gospel centric theme to the songs I'm choosing.

The gospel will preach regardless of of how it's presented and one things I love about music in general is that it's the universal language. I mean everybody you all all cultures and nationalities have some form of music so we incorporate the gospel into into what we sing. I think it it it sinks down into people's hearts and souls and stirs them so as far as mission mindedness test us from thinking there has to be some sort gospel centric theme to the facet that I'm that I'm choosing worship today, particularly in the United States of America. We work and worship in many different places and it could be miles from one facility to the next story for even from your home. How can we encourage our congregations to get outside of the walls of their own church. Yet, I think you'll part of our goal and I mean right. Ronnie would let him answer as well, but I think part of a goal as worship leaders is to encourage all people to worship so we had to sometimes be creative and in the way that we approach this in you'll like I said you I tried it tried to songs that have the gospel within them, but there are a lot of other songs, particularly in subatomic tradition where we are. We can be mission minded in the songs that we choosers. There's songs that speak about you going out and and reaching the lost and saving them and bringing the whole world to Christ and I mean Justin in the songs that we we sing.

We encourage our own people. Our own congregations to think mission only to think outside the walls to think how how can we take the gospel take the, the, the message of Jesus Christ. Out of this place into my community and my sweet spheres of influence and ultimately make make a impact for the kingdom Ronnie how could you address that.

How do we get our congregations to get out of the walls of their own building. I think that the model that is been put in place is is still viable and still works. I just think that it needs to be revamped toward somewhat open-air as we talk about you know a lot of evangelism now Chicago would be doing what was his name, US had church in a park or what have you and people come in droves. You know, and any fixed of Charlemagne's origins.

This is what we were doing. Originally, you know, this is what the church was doing, and it's not a brand-new concept you know is just a matter of having the to say the goal but just the up you know just the innate ability to remember almost say remember who you are not messily remember the way you did it but remember who you are as a soldier you know in the Army of the Lord, you know you got a battle to fight. You know real quick story. I remember being in New York City on the corner of when they used to let you Times Square you know Times Square just sitting up and playing weekend after weekend and then all of a sudden you know people come emanated matter where they were from. It was little to get everybody's travel with. And it will come in droves.

And it would just gather around and wishing and Lauren I need your Holy Spirit any full suite with cups of danceable string of you know to end up literally singing a jump and everything else out of the having fun, but there's a there's a mission and that this could grab onto something that we can hold onto and we still can do it. We just have to not be afraid.

You know I appreciate that and a church that is only looking inward would have trouble growing. We have to do something outside our walls.

There been times where we've we've gone out like for instance we we played at an events in Tampa at the temple lightning hockey arena and they let us set up outside on the small stage in as you know you and arena full of fans were coming in and out of this arena we were able to to play songs of the gospel to these two these people so they feel may have been you know the even if there use a couple people that actually stopped and thought about what is with that what we are singing. That's the gospel reaching people on and in their world on their turf sort taking it to them so that that's the idea. I think today, especially after after last year. We can't discount the value of of virtual worship as well so I think I think the virtual world like Facebook, YouTube, that kinda becomes the new open-air for us because will have 100 people inside and center core building church building, but will have people from all of the world tuning in with us to watch the live stream.

Those are people that we would never have been able to touch before we started worship services.

Now we we have an ability to reach beyond church. There's not enough time in the day for me to engage both of you as I can talk to you for hours. Encourage get out there beat the drum for Jesus. Let's let's win real sense so that more people right away guys think you so much for your support. Ronnie we love you Josh we love you too. Looking forward to both of you are bringing to the airwaves. If you're performing anywhere we want to get out there and support you guys so we can be encouragement to you and to those that will hear you for the good of the kingdom. Thank you for your willingness to give of yourself to bless you both think Bernie I bushman the Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping people with material and spiritual needs to become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army visit Salvation Army USA.org to offer your support and love to hear from you.

Email us@radiouss.salvationarmy.org or call 1-800-229-9965 colitis PO Box 29972, Atlanta, GA 30359 tell us how we can help share prayer request or share your testimony.

Would love to use your story on the air.

You can also subscribe to our show on iTunes podcast store and surely give us a rating search for the Salvation Army's words of life.

Follow us on social media for the latest episodes extended in abuse and more. And if you don't have a church home. We invite you to visit your local Salvation Army worship center will be glad to see you. This is bringing to join us next time for the Salvation Army's life