You Can Give Them "Death" or You Can Give Them "Life"

A middle aged man became a Christian in my youth room yesterday at church. That's the awesome news! The end of the story first. Here is the journey of how he got there.
Every year Westside Church, my church, has "Christ Care". We are helping 72 families this year with Christmas. Our church members walk with the families that need alittle help this year through some Sunday school rooms full of clothes, toys, and other things and help them Christmas shop. We build relationships while we help. A middle aged man that came to Westside for help has some teenagers that he would like to see come to church.  So,  he asked to talk with the youth leader...That's Me!!!  We talked for a while. I even showed him our Youth Room.
It was there where God helped me to be quite and listen. I am a terrible listener! I mean really bad at listening!  Not yesterday. I heard every word this guy said. He was depressed, hurting, guilty, ashamed, ect... I was just piddle-farting around earlier that day before I met this guy. Now, I'm right there with him, feeing his hurt, pain, and shamefulness. I have good news. He just didn't know it yet!
During my piddle-farts earlier that morning I was yapping with Pastor Ed about food and fun stuff. I noticed some Christian witnessing tracts on his book shelf. Being fidgety and nervous I grabbed one and put it in my pocket. I have never done that before. Most tracts I've read are corny. Back to the guy...
He is telling me how amazing his teenagers are and he wants the absolute best for them. He said he has liver cancer and he can't provide for them the way he used to. He sometimes thought, since his days are numbered,  it would be better if he weren't around, at least his kids would have the insurance money to help them. His kids think of their dad as their "Best Friend"!
It was my turn to finally talk. I said in response for his kids, "You can give them death or you can give them life". Puzzled, he said, "What do you mean?" "If you give your life to Jesus, then, when you die, you can go to heaven. You will give your kids hope because they will be able to see you again. You could help give them life. If you died now you would only give them death." He said, "I've never thought about it like that!" I shared with him the verses on the tract. On the back of the tract there is a prayer to receive Jesus. He wanted to pray and ask God to forgive him and to save his soul right then and there in the youth room!
This past month I have been challenging our youth group to be better witnesses. I would have them come up to me and witness to me as practice using verses from the bible. Nervous and afraid they witness to their youth leader. I encourage them and give them helpful hints. Now I know God will want me to lead out in this. Where? and When? is the question.  Yesterday it was around 1:00PM when it happened. This guy was forgiven, not guilty, not ashamed, full of grace, full of hope, and his eternity was pointed toward heaven! He was crying and thanking me for taking time to talk with him and pray with him. I was sitting next to him in the "Shock & Awe" face. Humbled, thankful, not feeling worthy, amazed, and other words were flooding my heart. I gave this man a bible and my business card with my phone #. Taken back, he said, "You mean I can call you?" I said, "Yeh! That's why I'm here! Anytime you need prayer, let me know."
We are Ambassadors for Jesus Christ. We are the hands, feet, and mouth for Him. If we don't tell people how awesome and amazing Jesus really is, who will? Praise God he turned my piddle-farts into something truly AWESOME! Praise God Today! Glory to God forever.

Leading Worship or Worship Leading?

       Hey to my 6 followers and who ever else is bored enough to read this. I thought I would type an honest outlook on my job and at the same time, what God has called me to be.
Kevin Fowler "Worship Leader". That is what my office door reads. It's a very weird title if you think about it. Especially if you know what a goofball I am! I guess I hope that the Holy Spirit will lead and the rest of us will follow. Sometimes this is true and sometimes its not. For all of us I mean.
I have played guitar since i was 10 years old. Never took lessons. Just played what dad taught me. The most rockin' christian band in the world (hahaha) "More Abundant" really shaped and taught me how to play and sing though. We were never the Pre-Madonna's who played gigs and were cocky and demanded a bowl of only green M&m's with luke-warm water to refresh our throats. We did have a few gigs with bands such as these though. We would teach, play, sing, hangout, preach for whatever the church would pay (usually less than $200 for a week or weekend ) and all the money went toward the band's van payment. The van burnt to the ground on a ski trip by the way. God rest her soul "Bertha". 5 humble guys who loved to sing, play, hangout, teach, preach and whatever else the youth leaders wanted us to do. We loved it!
      I had a couple of opportunities to lead worship solo during those days of "More Abundant". It was very horrible (in a Charles Barkley voice). When I moved to Michigan, I started leading worship with Bud and Elizabeth  Rednower. I sang lead and played guitar while Elizabeth harmonized and Bud played the keys. It was a pretty great learning experience for all of us. A full band followed after a few years and that is where its gets tougher. More people, more drama, more of me and less of Jesus. It takes awhile to learn personalities and the songs and the tempos and the lyrics (which I most of the time butcher) and the chords ALL while trying to be lead by the Holy Spirit.
After about 5 years of this I moved to Westside Baptist Church where God would continue to mold me. Here is another band, more personalities, more drama, more of me, less of Jesus, more lyrics (or some lyrics depending on what I can remember) and more chords, ALL while trying to be lead by the Holy Spirit. It can be really tough sometimes staying focused on Worship.









This past weekend I was reminded of these things as I played for the YEC (Youth Evangelism Conference) at Parani's Arena in Flint,MI. Over 300 people were there and 40 people surrendered their lives to Jesus that weekend. You know what I was thinking? I think we started this song too fast, too slow, what is the next words, I just butchered that song, this is awesome!, this is horrible, God I love you so much, my hands are freezing, I need to quit dancing cause I got no rhythm,  the sound is really echoing, I can't hear my vocals, all I hear are vocals, I forgot to tune my guitar, the bass guitar is out of tune, I'm way flat, I'm way sharp, did I mention i was freezing and my feet are numb! ALL while trying to be lead by the Holy Spirit. Same on Sunday Morning worship service also. It was too loud that day.
Maybe these are taboo to talk about but they're true. I want to be humble and lead by the Holy Spirit more than anything, however, its tough sometimes. I know and understand what God has gifted me with and called me to do but sometimes it is really difficult to stay focused on Jesus and just Jesus. God used me to be a small part in the 40 souls that are changed for the rest of eternity and I was struggling to stay focused. I am a saint who struggles with sin. I used to be a sinner in need of a Savior. The blood of Jesus changed my status.
      Its a different experience for me to stand on the floor while another band is leading. I have to close my eyes and concentrate just as hard for that also. I don't sing as loud. I think I read more of the lyrics than anything. I fight the thoughts of watching the drummer or admiring the guitar players fancy licks or how tight their harmonies are while I need to be focused on Me singing the song to Jesus who loves me so much.
      Sometimes "I" am leading worship. Sometimes I am being lead. The latter is what I want every time! I am def. more comfortable now than I used to be on stage but God has kept me humble in different ways. I close my eyes alot when I sing. It helps me to stay focused on who I am singing to. I still forget words and chords and worry if we are giving the song justice or not, but I want it to Honor Jesus Christ most of all. I still don't understand why I get to do this. I am so unqualified. I am very grateful though and humbled because God called me to do this. For anyone ever wishing, wanting, desiring, ect., to be a Worship Leader you definitely have to be called. I just don't ever want to throw a concert for a large group of people so I look cool. I am so not cool and actually more awkward than anything. I would rather lead worship to 10 people who would give their left arms to serve  Jesus with their whole hearts than 1000 so i can "try" to look cool to them. I hope and pray my heart, soul, mind and all my strength serves Jesus with the gifts He has given me.  

Daddy...Are you going to die?

 Daddy...Are you going to die?

My 5 year old son Preston asked me this question last week as we were sitting in the car in a parking lot at a grocery store. "Daddy...why is the sky blue?" would've have been much easier. Or, "Daddy...why does it rain?" I would've replied with that one by telling him, "It's God crying because of all the bad things you've done to me and your momma!" OK, I wouldn't have said that but way easier to answer than the first question. 

I was honest with him and told him yes I was going to die one day. He asked me if it would be soon. I told him I hope not. I told my five year old son that if I did die, I would go to heaven to be with Jesus because He lives in my heart and has forgiven me of my sins. I told him that he could go to heaven also one day. I proceeded to let him understand that God made us and put us on earth to help other people. When we are done helping other people we can go HOME to heaven. I told Preston I had alot more helping to do for other people so I hope to be here for a while! He said, "Yeh, I gotta help alot of people too!"

 We have many more theological discussions to talk about as he gets older, but for now, loving Jesus and loving others is really about all he ever needs to understand!    

<<<This is Preston in his wrestling mask ready to conquer his Dad. He punches really hard!!!!

New Beginnings

My two oldest kids started school. Annabelle started second grade yesterday and Preston started Kindergarten this morning. Annabelle cried her first day and Preston cried today (his first day). This really sucks! Me and Steph were talking about how we were Momma's kids and we cried too during our early years in school. WHY???? Maybe we and the kids just really love our Momma's!

I remember Kindergarten vividly. I cried, hated nap time, bit a kid on the arm cause he didn't give me a block, cried some more, asked someone to be my friend by the water fountain and cried some more.
 I remember second grade also. I chased a fly around in the bathroom and actually got a whoopin from the teacher with a wooden paddle, had a crush on my teacher (discipline equals  LOVE), thought wearing bandanas around my arms and hands made me look cool, and I cried.
If they can stay away from the Principal's office and not get whoopins, I can handle their crying a little easier. Pray for them and pray for Momma too!
 

Steph and Me

This month Steph and I will celebrate our 10 year Anniversary on the 16th. I can hardly remember the early years of our relationship. Even remembering the dating years are blurry. I saw her, fell in love, and married her. Pretty simple steps.
We were talking the other day about how we knew we were supposed to be married to each other. It was New Year's Eve 1998 and we were sitting in my pick-up truck overlooking the city of Birmingham, Alabama watching the fireworks go off! Typically you kiss the one you like/love on this night as the clock strikes midnight! Not us. My palms were sweating, I was so nervous, I couldn't say anything. She was the same. I looked at her and said, "Can I pray with You?" She told me her heart melted. We knew that night we would spend the rest of our lives together. She wanted to kiss me and I wanted that too! I ain't no idiot!  But,,,,,,we Prayed!

She had been praying for a long time that she wanted to pray with the person she was to marry...on a New Year's eve. I had no idea. I was at the right place at the right time! God beautifully orchestrated it all from before the world began. I am glad to be part of His plan! Prayer changes everything................

Oh Yeh.    She is still HOT to me!!!!