I have to say that Saturday night was "one of those nights" for me. I felt very much connected to God during the worship time. And while it's always nice to teach to a fuller house than we had this pre-holiday weekend, I could sense that some of you were understanding well what God had given me for the night.
I was set to thinking in reflecting on all this today, though, about some research that was done a few years ago that explored why visitors stick around at any particular church. In a nutshell, the study revealed that visitors return and stay because they sense that "God is here." Of course, people come and stay at a lot of very different churches, so we can conclude two things: (1) God is in many kinds of churches, (2) and when He is not, people mistakenly think He is and stay anyway!
As a lead pastor I could desire almost nothing more significant than this: that people would visit our fellowship and sense that God is here—and that they would be right!
How does this happen? Let's turn our attention there. I'll offer some thoughts, and you offer some too.
First, God is with us because we gather in His name. In other words, people might sense His presence through our common pursuit of Him.
Second, God is with us because we sing His praises. Thus, people might sense His presence through the joy and authenticity of our worship. If in our worship we are really drawing near to God, then He will be drawing nearer to us, and His presence would be move evident.
Third, God is with us through the way we serve one another and the world. Many churches are known for the way they extend the love of God, and people (especially the recipients of this love) sense God's presence through that love.
Fourth, God is preached with His Word as the revelation of Him and the preaching as the faithfully contextualized presentation of that revelation. Through this, people sense that God is true and His Word is living and active (and He is thus quite present).
Fifth, God is revealed through healing, through prophetic word, through tongues, and through Spirit-ignited affection. We cannot work this up—if we do, people can sense that too. But when these things come prayerfully and naturally, without fleshly hoopla, God's presence is very recognizable.
How about for you? When do you sense God among us?
Are there other places (perhaps a beautiful outdoor spot or a quiet room at home) where you sense God's presence exceptionally? Are there ways that closeness can be brought to our full meeting?
God Keeps Leading
11 years ago
13 comments:
It's nice to know God answered my prayers for at least a couple of people. I just kept praying over and over that people would be able to worship and that my mistakes would not detract from what is really important. And what was nice was that I was able to worship even through all the blunders. I really did sense God in a nice refreshing way as well Saturday night.
For me, the most important element to those places where I "sense God's presence exceptionally" is my expectation of meeting him there. That is what I try to bring with me to the corporate meeting. I know he's always there. But pushing myself to focus on his presence by allowing myself to let go and worship is the key to sensing him. Coming with expectant hearts and having a willingness to share what he gives us, as Mary and Kim did, is, in my opinion, the best thing we can do as individuals coming together to worship corporately.
Kim, you have hit on a key point, one that I had set my thoughts toward when I wrote this post, and then which I subsequently forgot! It is this: we certainly cannot be expecting visitors to sense God's presence among us if we ourselves are not earnestly desiring, welcoming, and enjoying His presence. And it is very hard to do any of this if we are not thinking at least a little bit of this beforehand, when we are on our way to the place we hope to meet Him.
I just wanted to say God really blessed me by your singing saturday night Kim. In my view, it was an awesome time of ministry. Thanks again to you and Crispy, and the rest of the team.
Thought I would share a thought.
I dont like the prayer time. It almost seems like an after thought to the service. People are dismissed and it just seems to me like this is the most important part of the service. Its the time where we call on God to help, and in my opinion the time where He is most likely to move. Now let me expand here. Say you are God... looking down on all the people at your house. You know why they came, you actually orchestrated them getting to church that night, you know their needs, and how much they need you. The service is great, great worship which you like, you hear your word preached, and its great too, and now the people who need prayer are there, but everyone else is walking out the door, or are standing around the place of prayer talking to each other about this that or the other thing, and the two people you want to bless, the person getting prayer, and the person praying never hook up, or if the do its more a quick lip service because everyone is leaving, and it just seems like its very malnourished...again its just my thought, i might be wrong but it is a thought.
I would say that we could make a better place for prayer. This has been an ongoing struggle for the leadership. It has evolved into what it is now for some reason partly because when we do offer a purposeful ministry time it is so hit and miss with anyone coming up that it can be frustrating. (Not that that is a good reason to continue as we have been doing as of late.) When the numbers were higher and we had a ministry team in place it was a bit easier to have a set prayer time and it wasn't always the same two people praying. You know, the body shared the load. However, if we are going to offer prayer, I agree that it should be done in a way that makes people who do want prayer feel comfortable to go get it, not like they are imposing because most people are trying to leave. There is also a nice prayer room to go to if prayer is the focus, and not overall ministry. Music isn't necessarily required for prayer to happen. I'm not sure what it should look like, but I do like to have a ministry time. Who is willing to pitch in to make it happen?
I think a new life together group might be interesting. A group that meets once a week. Overseen by TFH leadership but the focus of the group is prayer, faith, God's presence, being in tune with the moving of the Spirit. A group that desires to stir up the gift inside of them.
And part of being on this team is you would be shored up by an intercessor that prays for you on a regular basis.
I think another part of this group might be that they also act as greeters , on a revolving basis of course greeting people as they come in with warm handshakes, big smiles and good eye contact, so that a newcomer may be more inclined to get prayer if they see that warm greeter at the front door now waiting to pray for them.
A group that longs to see God move on His people, and is willing to do whatever that takes.
Anonymous,
No matter how many good ideas we come up with, there have to be people willing and able to do the work. Our volunteer force is very very thin right now. The idea of adding anything is almost absurd considering how narrow a margin we are working with.
Amy, are you saying its a good idea?
What Amy is saying is that for the past two quarters we have identified areas where we have needed help, including greeting and ushering, and we have received no response, chiefly because most everyone is involved in at least one other way. Similar is the situation with Life Together, where many who attended a "new group" would actually be double-dipping (which is not a bad thing, necessarily, but just another indication of the fact that few people are sitting on the sidelines).
Additionally, not since last year's Christmas program has anyone approached me with a specific, new ministry or even short-term ministry activity idea and said, "Here is something I think would be good and I would be willing to take the lead on this," * which means in essence that all "good ideas" are expected to be picked up by those who are currently involved with other key matters. This does not mean, anonymous, that sometimes "key matters" shouldn't be reshuffled as you seem to be suggesting, and I can gladly assure you that this has been the nearly full occupation of the council's discussion since mid-September. We will continue to reassess our key ministries and chief priorities until we have the congregational meeting in late January, when we will bring several things to the membership. Crises like the theft have a way of causing a big reassessment like this, and we have not missed the opportunity. Thanks for the input; it is evident that your heart desires the right things: more people more in love with God.
*Actually I did have such an exchange with someone last week, and we will be looking at that possibility in the mix with everything else.
So, you think I could be a greeter? I know that of late I've had a hard time getting to church (I blame the newborn), but I really feel that this is something I could do. Let me pray about this, cuse it just came to me while reading the comments. Anyway...Just throwing it out there.
I think you'd be an awesome greeter Tiffiny, if you can make a commitment to be there and probably have Shawn come to help with John while you're greeting. You should discuss it with your husband and see if you can both commit. I love that you are willing to consider it! :)
I too felt the Lord's wonderful presence Saturday night...for me, it seems His Presence is ushered in by a combination of the worship team, the worshippers and a "Unity" in the Spirit...a desire to be quiet and humble before an awesome God..all the while, worshipping Him for who HE is, almost a "getting lost" in Him...and Jeff, I agree with you in a sense that it is not about numbers...but a "focus" of the ones who are present in the Body..to be of One mind....
We surely cannot miss with our attitudes and hearts in the right place...
Thank you for sharing with us that your heart wants nothing more than that people would visit TFH and sense God's Presence..because His tangible presence can be felt and they leave touched and changed!
Mary,
I totally agree with you. As I sat in church Saturday night I could totally feel Gods presence. Who was or wasn't there didn't really matter. (although I did miss you) Makes me wish I had gone to church on the Saturday night Jeff is talking about. I really needed Gods presence that night but I just didn't feel like I could face anyone that night after a confrontation with my daughter.
There are also times when I am working that I feel Gods presence with me. He guides my hands at times or reveals something important.
Worship is important to me and is generally when I feel his presence with me. Quiet times are another time when I feel his presence, when I am focused on connecting with Him.
Btw Kim, I never notice mistakes. I think the worship team does an awesome job!
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