I was a junior in college at Harding University and I was asked to go with one of my friends to the 8:30 service at Downtown. I didn't know what to expect because I had already been to worship that morning, and then again to a small group at 5 pm. I remember thinking, that I had never had this much "church" in one day before.
As I walked into the gym at Downtown, I could feel this sense of something coming from many of the people in the room. There was nothing special about the room. We were in a gym and there were chairs placed all around the large room. Up in the front of the gym was a podium, a table with communion set out, and there was a screen that I guessed was for the songs. The singing began. We sang about five or six songs, and then the worship leader opened up the room for spontaneous singing. He said, "There will be a short thought to direct our minds, and then during the songs, when you are ready to come and take of the Lord's Supper, come and take them at the table or you can go wherever in the gym or outside."
Being from the traditional background that I was, I had never heard of anything like this before. I was a little shocked and almost like, what should I do? My answer came very quickly, because as the songs were sang throughout the gym, I felt this urge to remember. I wanted to remember what my Jesus did for me. I made it personal, but at the same time, I was there with so many of my friends and so many other Christians. We were all remembering Jesus together. I could feel his presence in the room. I could feel that God was there with us and this was very pleasing to him. I stood up and walked down the aisle to take the emblems and as I watched others take them at the table, I felt this urge to find a small corner of this huge building and just be alone with God.
I found my corner and just knelt down. I continued to sing and then just stopped and started praying out loud for what was going on in my life. I prayed for my spiritual walk and how I felt like for so long I had been so far away, I prayed about the spiritual life of my family and my friends, and I thanked God for his Son. I say I prayed out loud, because the singing was so amazing and beautiful, but very loud all at the same time. We all just felt so comfortable just singing at the top of our lungs. I remember feeling like that was one of the first times I truly felt God listening and taking away my burdens. I then took the bread and the juice and continued in worship on my knees. I left that evening in tears and with such a renewed sense of my faith.
This was the first time that I truly felt "Shekinah," or being in the glory of God. His presence was everywhere. I also truly felt "Koinonia" for the first time. There was a deep inward fellowship among us all that night. I will be using these two words this week in our devotional/discipline time. We have focused on Silence, Prayer, Study and now we have Worship. I am sure that many of us can think of these times in our lives where we felt like we were a church family truly dwelling in the presence and that deep indwelling connection to our brothers and sisters during and after worship. That is what I long for now. What about you? The more that we have this time of worship together, the more growth will happen and the more people will come to be a part of God's Kingdom, just by watching, listening, singing, and praying.
All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's Supper), and to prayer.
A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity — all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47
Worship means so much more than just being in a building more often and sitting in pews and singing the same old songs, and listening to a sermon. Worship is in every day, and in everything that we do. Even being a part of the community we have at Westview, I can feel the spirit of the Lord everyday in discussions and in prayers. Worship is Shekinah, and it is Koinonia. Being together in the presence of God. Does it get any better that that?
Jason
Showing posts with label fellowship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fellowship. Show all posts
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Monday, November 3, 2008
Walking like Enoch
This week, Jason Roark has agreed to bring our devotional thoughts:
I have a question for you. How many of you, when you get to the genealogies, skip over them and think there is nothing important for me to read here. Blah, blah, begat, blah, blah and blahhhhh. Is that what you think? Well I was reading through Genesis the other day and came across the genealogies and all the ages of everyone who lived a long time ago. Look in Genesis 5:21. When you look there you see the story of Enoch. It’s only about 4 verses, but in those verses is a story that is beyond comprehension.
“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
Did you catch the story? Did I even have to bold the important parts? Enoch was a regular man, but he did something that not everyone can totally say about their lives. Enoch walked with God.
A little girl in Sunday school class was asked about this man Enoch walking with God, and where he went when God took him away. This was her reply. “Enoch and God used to go on several walks together. They loved to walk along the river and the mountains. They would walk and talk, and talk and walk. One day Enoch knew he was getting too old to walk very far, but he was with God and he didn’t care how old he was, so they just kept on walking. Enoch started getting tired, and said ‘Father, I think I need to go home, because you are wearing me out.’ And God said, ‘My child, your house is far away now, mine is closer, let’s just go to my house forever!!’ That’s what happened to Enoch. God took him home!”
Oh the innocence of a little child. That makes the most sense to me as well. I want to be like Enoch. I want to walk daily with God. I want to walk so far with Him, that He finally one day says, “We’ve walked a long way, and you’ve done well my child. I want to take you home to my house forever!!” Wouldn’t that be awesome! Let’s walk with God like Enoch. Hand in hand forever!
Jason
I have a question for you. How many of you, when you get to the genealogies, skip over them and think there is nothing important for me to read here. Blah, blah, begat, blah, blah and blahhhhh. Is that what you think? Well I was reading through Genesis the other day and came across the genealogies and all the ages of everyone who lived a long time ago. Look in Genesis 5:21. When you look there you see the story of Enoch. It’s only about 4 verses, but in those verses is a story that is beyond comprehension.
“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
Did you catch the story? Did I even have to bold the important parts? Enoch was a regular man, but he did something that not everyone can totally say about their lives. Enoch walked with God.
A little girl in Sunday school class was asked about this man Enoch walking with God, and where he went when God took him away. This was her reply. “Enoch and God used to go on several walks together. They loved to walk along the river and the mountains. They would walk and talk, and talk and walk. One day Enoch knew he was getting too old to walk very far, but he was with God and he didn’t care how old he was, so they just kept on walking. Enoch started getting tired, and said ‘Father, I think I need to go home, because you are wearing me out.’ And God said, ‘My child, your house is far away now, mine is closer, let’s just go to my house forever!!’ That’s what happened to Enoch. God took him home!”
Oh the innocence of a little child. That makes the most sense to me as well. I want to be like Enoch. I want to walk daily with God. I want to walk so far with Him, that He finally one day says, “We’ve walked a long way, and you’ve done well my child. I want to take you home to my house forever!!” Wouldn’t that be awesome! Let’s walk with God like Enoch. Hand in hand forever!
Jason
Friday, October 3, 2008
Outside in
Have you ever been called into community?
When I was fourteen years old, I was called into community, although I would not have put it that way. I was the typical, nerdy adolescent: bright, not socially adept, and not particularly athletic. I made good grades (at the time, an underachiever), was a member of Student Council, was a Life Scout, went out for the baseball team (but never got to play in a game), and lived a life removed from faith altogether. In my case, this did not make me different than the rest of my family, because none of us went to church. Hardly ever. Weddings and funerals – that was it. When it came to church, I was definitely an outsider.
Then a small but significant thing happened in my life. A friend that I had known since kindergarten asked me to go to a church event with him one evening. It was nice to be invited, so I went with Rodney. Neither one of us could drive, so his folks picked us up in their Buick LeSabre and drove us to church. It was an interesting community. I was attracted to the young people in this church, but really, the entire group seemed open and welcoming. And so I began to go to church with Rod regularly.
Every time the church doors were open, Dean and Lucille O’Dell would drive out of their way (about a mile) to come by my house and pick me up to go to church with them. Over the next several months, I was invited into relationships with members of that community: friendships, teacher/student relationships, mentor/mentored relationships, relationships with spiritual fathers, and relationships with spiritual mothers. I had never experienced anything like this before. The community was affirming and connecting. This community gave me guidance, but it did not seek control. This community sought to help me find myself, and gave me some clues about what that self might look like, but it did not seek to make me conform to some standard and preconceived mold.
I wanted to be a part of this community.
Fortunately for me, the Eastside Church of Christ in Duncan, Oklahoma extended regular invitations to outsiders to become insiders. But really, they had brought me into the community, and shared with the me many of the benefits of the community long before I agreed to become a member of it. They welcomed me into their fellowship, and did whatever it took to allow me to participate in it. They picked me up and drove me to church until I was old enough to drive myself. They helped my brother and sister make the same regular trips. They understood community.
Have you ever been called into community?
When you were born, you were called into the community of family.
When you became a Christian, you were called into the community of faith.
When you came to minister at Westview, you were called into a community of hospitality and healing.
We have all been called into community.
Now it is in our hands to help shape those communities. How will they look? Will our communities appear to be open and inviting, or closed and impenetrable? Will our communities seek to serve as the grace of God, or as his judgment? Will we gently mold each other, or use the tools of manipulation? All of these decisions, and hundreds of others, shape the character of our community. That community may be our church, our ministry, or our family.
What do our communities look like? Do people see open arms or cold shoulders? Do people hear inviting words or impossible demands? Is it more likely that the people smell the aroma of Christ or the stink of unresolved disagreements? Can people taste the fruits of the Spirit amongst us, or can they not even get to the table? Do people feel the embrace of fellowship, or the cold distance between us? It is good to see ourselves as we are, but complaining about it never fixed anything. Only persistent, loving action can do that.
Have you ever been called into community?
On behalf of Jesus Christ, I am recalling you into your communities today. See them afresh. Help them be renewed. Restore to them the vibrancy intended by their Lord and Master.
Many will be blessed if we do these things. Who knows how many lives may be touched by influencing just one person. One outsider.
Grace and peace,
Ron
When I was fourteen years old, I was called into community, although I would not have put it that way. I was the typical, nerdy adolescent: bright, not socially adept, and not particularly athletic. I made good grades (at the time, an underachiever), was a member of Student Council, was a Life Scout, went out for the baseball team (but never got to play in a game), and lived a life removed from faith altogether. In my case, this did not make me different than the rest of my family, because none of us went to church. Hardly ever. Weddings and funerals – that was it. When it came to church, I was definitely an outsider.
Then a small but significant thing happened in my life. A friend that I had known since kindergarten asked me to go to a church event with him one evening. It was nice to be invited, so I went with Rodney. Neither one of us could drive, so his folks picked us up in their Buick LeSabre and drove us to church. It was an interesting community. I was attracted to the young people in this church, but really, the entire group seemed open and welcoming. And so I began to go to church with Rod regularly.
Every time the church doors were open, Dean and Lucille O’Dell would drive out of their way (about a mile) to come by my house and pick me up to go to church with them. Over the next several months, I was invited into relationships with members of that community: friendships, teacher/student relationships, mentor/mentored relationships, relationships with spiritual fathers, and relationships with spiritual mothers. I had never experienced anything like this before. The community was affirming and connecting. This community gave me guidance, but it did not seek control. This community sought to help me find myself, and gave me some clues about what that self might look like, but it did not seek to make me conform to some standard and preconceived mold.
I wanted to be a part of this community.
Fortunately for me, the Eastside Church of Christ in Duncan, Oklahoma extended regular invitations to outsiders to become insiders. But really, they had brought me into the community, and shared with the me many of the benefits of the community long before I agreed to become a member of it. They welcomed me into their fellowship, and did whatever it took to allow me to participate in it. They picked me up and drove me to church until I was old enough to drive myself. They helped my brother and sister make the same regular trips. They understood community.
Have you ever been called into community?
When you were born, you were called into the community of family.
When you became a Christian, you were called into the community of faith.
When you came to minister at Westview, you were called into a community of hospitality and healing.
We have all been called into community.
Now it is in our hands to help shape those communities. How will they look? Will our communities appear to be open and inviting, or closed and impenetrable? Will our communities seek to serve as the grace of God, or as his judgment? Will we gently mold each other, or use the tools of manipulation? All of these decisions, and hundreds of others, shape the character of our community. That community may be our church, our ministry, or our family.
What do our communities look like? Do people see open arms or cold shoulders? Do people hear inviting words or impossible demands? Is it more likely that the people smell the aroma of Christ or the stink of unresolved disagreements? Can people taste the fruits of the Spirit amongst us, or can they not even get to the table? Do people feel the embrace of fellowship, or the cold distance between us? It is good to see ourselves as we are, but complaining about it never fixed anything. Only persistent, loving action can do that.
Have you ever been called into community?
On behalf of Jesus Christ, I am recalling you into your communities today. See them afresh. Help them be renewed. Restore to them the vibrancy intended by their Lord and Master.
Many will be blessed if we do these things. Who knows how many lives may be touched by influencing just one person. One outsider.
Grace and peace,
Ron
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