I was reading in Genesis today and it got me thinking about ministry life cycle. How younger pastors typically behave one way and older ones another. Generalizations sure, but hard to argue.
What I find interesting is the common differences in purpose of ministry. Primarily, the difference between charging forward for the Kingdom as He allows and empowers vs. minimizing your losses and shielding your assets. Their is wisdom in some sort of balance but I am not old enough to know where. I am old enough however, to delve into this concept in the Scriptures.
When Jacob and Esau are about to reconvene, Jacob splits his livestock and people into two groups so that if Esau attacks, one group will have enough time to get away. He wanted to minimize damages.
As I read those words, I was reminded of the great business writer, Jim Collin's assessment of successful organizations; that the greatest enemy of "great" is "good". That many will never become great because good is simply "good enough". I hope that I remain faithful to whatever God calls me to for however many days He has granted me, and that I will be wary of the side-roads of comfort, ease, and security.
December 31, 2008
December 30, 2008
You know it's almost New Years when...
You know it's almost New Years when every other commercial on TV is for a weight loss program. New Years resolutions are an astounding evidence of the human ability to resolve to do something and then completely forget about it in 30 days.
God is a very patient father, who doesn't seem to mind reminding His children about things that matter over and over again...like loving Him, loving others, sacrificing, giving, our insufficiency...stuff like that.
God is a very patient father, who doesn't seem to mind reminding His children about things that matter over and over again...like loving Him, loving others, sacrificing, giving, our insufficiency...stuff like that.
December 23, 2008
Radio Interview
Here's the audio from an interview with KNIS Pilgrim Radio a few days ago. They wanted to talk about our relationship with our home community as a band. Good question!
listen here
or go to: http://www.zimmermanband.com/zimmermanpilgrim.mp3
listen here
or go to: http://www.zimmermanband.com/zimmermanpilgrim.mp3
December 11, 2008
BAND NAME is CHANGING!
Anchordown is a worship band based out of Living Stones in Reno, NV.
Anchordown the band started in early 2006. We had cycled in and out some players in search of a team that could tour. There were many kind and generous people that contributed to Anchordown in those days. We finally arrived at the cast of Donald, Brennen, Tim, Aaron, and Cory.
We made a record locally. Our home town friends loved it. We toured.
We then made a record with a man named Will Hunt who was good at making records. He worked with Shane and Shane, Bethany Dillon, and Shawn McDonald, all of whom are artists we respect. That record did very well for a band like us. We sold 3,000 physical copies and around 7,300 single-track digital downloads. We toured. We got radio play.
We later wrote a song that was different stylistically from our previous work, and decided to play it along with some other favorites at a battle of the bands in the huge state of TX. 175 bands entered, one would win. The judges liked us, so we took that top spot and made a music video of that new song. We still didn't feel like we had found "our sound" but were enjoying the journey.
Time passed. I did some soul-searching about what I wanted and what I thought God would want from us. During this time, I received an interesting phone call from my father.
Apparently, the man I had always known as my "Grandpa Z", was not my dad's biological father. That man had left when my dad was very young, leaving him with only one memory of a dimly lit room, and a pack of cigarettes on the counter alongside a glass of whiskey.
My biological grandfather had contacted my grandmother several times over the years to reconnect with my Dad but she hid the letters in a dusty shoebox in the attic.
On her death-bed, she made mention of the box to my dad. This was the beginning of the truth getting dusted off, and a new chapter starting in our family's life.
My dad found out after 50 years, that not only was his biological dad still alive, he wanted to meet his son. After prayer and deliberation, my father Don Zimmerman arranged to meet his biological dad, Don Otto. He later met a whole portion of the family tree that he never knew existed. Including, my aunt Wendy, in the chair with her dad Don Otto below.
My Grandpa Zimmerman (Zimmerman is German for carpenter...I know someone famous who was a carpenter for a while) legally adopted my dad at a young age and changed his name to Donald Zimmerman. He worked long and hard hours at a car dealership to make ends meet. He raised my dad with love, compassion, and a gentleness that was truly unique.
This band has always been about telling the story of God's redemptive love. Ephesians 1:5: "...He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will". God has adopted us into his family, and we have a new and perfect Father in heaven.
And so begins a new chapter for the band. We have worked very hard on a new record with producer and artist Robbie Seay. He is excited about it, and so are we. The new CD is coming out in a few weeks. We are waiting for new doors of opportunity to open. It seems a fitting time to close the previous chapter, and commence a new one. Anchordown is no more.
Zimmerman has begun. German for "carpenter", and a name of adoption. We are Zimmerman.
Our purpose is the same. Our hearts are for people to know God and experience the rescue He offers.
http://www.zimmermanband.com
Anchordown the band started in early 2006. We had cycled in and out some players in search of a team that could tour. There were many kind and generous people that contributed to Anchordown in those days. We finally arrived at the cast of Donald, Brennen, Tim, Aaron, and Cory.
We made a record locally. Our home town friends loved it. We toured.
We then made a record with a man named Will Hunt who was good at making records. He worked with Shane and Shane, Bethany Dillon, and Shawn McDonald, all of whom are artists we respect. That record did very well for a band like us. We sold 3,000 physical copies and around 7,300 single-track digital downloads. We toured. We got radio play.
We later wrote a song that was different stylistically from our previous work, and decided to play it along with some other favorites at a battle of the bands in the huge state of TX. 175 bands entered, one would win. The judges liked us, so we took that top spot and made a music video of that new song. We still didn't feel like we had found "our sound" but were enjoying the journey.
Time passed. I did some soul-searching about what I wanted and what I thought God would want from us. During this time, I received an interesting phone call from my father.
Apparently, the man I had always known as my "Grandpa Z", was not my dad's biological father. That man had left when my dad was very young, leaving him with only one memory of a dimly lit room, and a pack of cigarettes on the counter alongside a glass of whiskey.
My biological grandfather had contacted my grandmother several times over the years to reconnect with my Dad but she hid the letters in a dusty shoebox in the attic.
On her death-bed, she made mention of the box to my dad. This was the beginning of the truth getting dusted off, and a new chapter starting in our family's life.
My dad found out after 50 years, that not only was his biological dad still alive, he wanted to meet his son. After prayer and deliberation, my father Don Zimmerman arranged to meet his biological dad, Don Otto. He later met a whole portion of the family tree that he never knew existed. Including, my aunt Wendy, in the chair with her dad Don Otto below.
My Grandpa Zimmerman (Zimmerman is German for carpenter...I know someone famous who was a carpenter for a while) legally adopted my dad at a young age and changed his name to Donald Zimmerman. He worked long and hard hours at a car dealership to make ends meet. He raised my dad with love, compassion, and a gentleness that was truly unique.
This band has always been about telling the story of God's redemptive love. Ephesians 1:5: "...He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will". God has adopted us into his family, and we have a new and perfect Father in heaven.
And so begins a new chapter for the band. We have worked very hard on a new record with producer and artist Robbie Seay. He is excited about it, and so are we. The new CD is coming out in a few weeks. We are waiting for new doors of opportunity to open. It seems a fitting time to close the previous chapter, and commence a new one. Anchordown is no more.
Zimmerman has begun. German for "carpenter", and a name of adoption. We are Zimmerman.
Our purpose is the same. Our hearts are for people to know God and experience the rescue He offers.
http://www.zimmermanband.com
December 10, 2008
Getting closer...
I can't put in words how ready I am to be done with this CD project.
Let there be boxes arriving already!
Let there be boxes arriving already!
December 5, 2008
Our new record, "This Missing Peace"
Got to hear the first round of mixes on the whole album today.
I am so excited I can hardly stand it. More info soon...
DZ
I am so excited I can hardly stand it. More info soon...
DZ
December 2, 2008
Gifts
This weekend Harvey our teaching pastor spoke on spiritual gifts from Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12.
I noticed that each of the gifts (and we can argue all day long about which ones are "still around") all point to something that God is passionate about. Obvious perhaps, but I never made this observation before.
"7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."
To summarize, most of the gifts have to do with the communication of TRUTH and the carrying out of HEALING. Our God is a God of both of these.
Out.
I noticed that each of the gifts (and we can argue all day long about which ones are "still around") all point to something that God is passionate about. Obvious perhaps, but I never made this observation before.
"7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."
To summarize, most of the gifts have to do with the communication of TRUTH and the carrying out of HEALING. Our God is a God of both of these.
Out.
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