I grew up in the CRC, and am still here, along with my family. I'm married to Daryl, who has a construction business. I had a CPA license for 10 or so years, then I added EX to the front, and MOM to the back, so now I'm an EX CPA, MOM =). I am MOM to Duncan, Ian and Samantha. Our family also owns a raspberry farm, and in the summers we get to work out there.
I will confirm that He is purifying us, starting with leadership... several insights I received earlier this year as I was praying specifically for the CRC were: Malachi 3:3 He is purifying and purging us... and from How Firm a Foundation... the dross to consume and His gold to refine...to keep our foundation firm...
now in case someone infers that this is the 2 who have resigned... I have no clue, only God knows the hearts... I don't know them at all, but the reason the shake up in leadership caught my eye is because others that I pray with have shared that there will be a shift in leadership in the Body of Christ, that those who are in leadership positions, but are not men and women of prayer (God does the shaking/purifying/purging, He knows the hearts), He will either help them become men and women of prayer, who have a close relationship with Jesus, or if they are unwilling, then they will be shifted out.
Now, we can all say... "Well, I pray, of course I pray"... How dare anyone imply that someone isn't a man or woman of prayer. Every one gets to ask God for themselves, and watch for His response to you. He loves to answer the prayer. LORD, teach us to pray. He prompted me to focus on prayer more through several dreams and a bloody casino (we're asking Him to make it a House of prayer for the tribe)... talk about Him using something bad for good. But through this prayer journey, I have re-discoverd His voice, how He speaks now one way, and then another, making the Word living and active in fresh ways, and that those "coincidences" are designed by Him, getting my attention. I don't share this to brag, believe you me, I have been attacked for these testimonies... however, that was one of the words He gave me early on in my rediscovery of His voice... I will testify... from the Avalon song...
I know where I was before He taught me to pray. and I know that my prayer time is now a delight instead of a duty... I love to linger in the secret place with Him (ps. 91.1 NKJV). He is converting me from a Miss Martha to a Miss Mary. and again, someone might respond, well we can't all be Miss Mary's, nothing will get done. Not true. In my Miss Martha days (and I love Miss Martha - she was so practical, industrious, diplomatic - sound familiar?), I don't remember ever leading someone to Jesus, I hope I was instrumental in some peoples faith and I believe God used my weak efforts - but we worked hard, we were very involved in all the church programs, in leadership positions, but it was with some prayer, 0-15 minutes depending on the day, of here's my list LORD and then gotta run cuz there's lot to do. But as I spend more time with Him, the conversations I get to have with Him and with others are amazing, I have had the privilege to lead people to Jesus... I love to be in worship with Him, I don't care what style worship music... When He's there with you and you are aware of Him, it doesn't matter, it can be a 1000 year old hymn (of course those are the good ones since they've endured) or a song that was just released last week... I pray that everyone will have an incredible, beautiful relationship with Him. That your faith will be a delight, not a duty. That all believers will experience Him in ways they have never sensed Him before. That awareness of Him increases so you see little (and big) treasures from Him every day, little (serendipity type) signs that you are exactly where you are suppose to be at that moment. These are Him... I have been told they are not, but these experiences or whatever you want to call them are happening way too often to be random... and sometimes so statistically improbable, they can only be from God... Now if I had only experienced one of these in my life, you might say that was chance, but I have experience at least one major impossible, beyond calculable event a year in the last several years including this year, and probably more often... I would have to go back to my journals...
He has undone me more than once, in a terrible, beautiful way... these stories are actually quite humorous now... but several times I am crying my eyes out, in a public place without kleenex... and when I cry it's intense and everything pours forth - not pretty... I had one time where the Holy Spirit prompted me..." You might want to get some kleenex before you go in." and since i was in a snarky mood, I thought with a bad attitude, why would I need kleenex for this, it's just practice... about 5 minutes later I was "undone", during the choir practice... God used the first song Away in a manger, second verse...the little LORD Jesus no cyring He makes - the HS instantly dropped Hebr. 5:7 - and while in the days of His flesh, He prayed with loud, fervent cries, and tears... into my thoughts and by the next line... I love Thee, LORD Jesus, He melted the hardness I had let build up in my heart and by the 3rd verse I was a total basket case. It wasn't whipped up emotionalism. It's a whole story in itself, but through it He had me intensely weeping on behalf of the slaughtered unborn - those being aborted, as several songs later we sang...Lully, Lullay the lullaby about the children that were murdered by King Herod... it still brings tears to my eyes and gives me chills when I think about it, it was powerful, not pretty, but very powerful. I almost walked out of that choir practice between v2 and v3 of Away in the manger because of not knowing what I was going to do with all the fluids pouring forth from my face, and I knew v3 was going to be worse for me than v2... and wouldn't have come back to that practice or any others...
ok, that's my testimony - and I'm sticking to it - I have only shared a very small portion, even of the being undone. That whole testimony alone would probably be about a chapter's worth. Since I started "hearing" Him again, I have journals of testimonies of these, and since I haven't been very diligent with journaling consistently, those probably only represent 25% or less.
at this point, you might say, what does this have to do with minorities in leadership, well, I'll say that my heart cry is that everyone who doesn't already experience this will have an incredible, delightful relationship with Jesus, that you know in your heart and experience in your inner man, what it looks like to love the Lord, Your God with all your heart, soul, strenghth and mind - that Jesus is your first love, and then out of that will flow via the Holy Spirit, His perfect combination of who He has determined should be delegates or elders or whatever the position might be, because we are sensitive to His "voice" and in the right place at the right time at His leading.
May you, even today, "see" Him in a way you've never "seen" Him before.
Ps. here's a statistic on the devotional life of 1050 reformed and evangelical pastors - it makes me cry. I don't think we want to know what the % is with leaders or the lay people, the article does suggest that it is probably lower -
Two hundred seventy (270 or 26%) of pastors said they regularly had personal devotions and felt they were adequately fed spirituality.
Thank you... I was starting to feel very cautious about sharing any concerns about our denomination.. and that we were just skirting the deeper issues, while only having freedom in addressing the more superficial ones. These deep concerns have to be addressed, and in a healthy, open, Spirit- led way. Joel 2:17 Oh, LORD, that our priests/leaders would weep between the porch and the altar on behalf of Your broken, hurting Bride, Jesus...
thank you for stating so diplomatically your concerns on the BOT... I was sensing something there, but couldn't put words to it... and if there's one thing I have found that particularly the dutch don't like - I won't speak for other cultures on this, it is lack of transparency... whether it's perceived or real...
I know you do Ken... that's why I'd love to meet you and your family... even if you are liberal (i am teasing you)... I sense you have a beautiful heart for Him and for justice... and for worship...for His Kingdom... you wouldn't happen to be eligible for going to synod, would you?
on an entirely different note. while I have your attention =).. there is a pastors and prayer leaders prayer summit next week M-W at Cedar Springs... I know you are a prayer warrior, so please intercede on behalf of those gathering next week... and if you feel so led by the Spirit, come out for a few hours... I am planning to be there, not sure what that's going to look like for me yet as there is only one other woman going at this point (there are 15-20 guys signed up - including Mitch S, whom you know). So thanks in advance for your prayers on behalf of these leaders... and maybe I'll see you there...
ok, let's pray for an alternative solution to come forth through inspiration of the Holy Spirit... something that is obvious that it's God's idea because it's so beautiful and amazing, we could never have come up with it on our own... one of those AHA! breakthroughs... So I hope you can pray in agreement with me.... LORD, lead us and guide us into what your will is, let us not settle for human understanding in this issue, but let us listen to Your voice and be obedient to carry out what You desire, may there be numerous confirmations that whatever it is, it is from You... LORD, and if we aren't quite sure how to listen to Your still small voice, please teach us... and if someone doesn't know whether they have ever heard Your "voice" LORD, may they "hear" You this week with a "rhema" word, whether it's through Your living and active Word, or through a person, a song, nature... whatever you know will be meaningful to each person, so there is no question it is You...
FYI, in case you aren't aware of this already.. planned parenthood. is on the verge of being totally defunded by the gov't... that's huge... it passed the House like 240 to 200 or so, what a strong support for life by our country's leaders... not sure where the Senate is on it though... I believe this issue was the hold up on passing the budget or whatever a month or so ago when the country was going to shut down for a day because it hadn't been approved by congress.
..Hey BOT... let's throw age in there too! Why not 25% of people are under 25, 25% from 25-50, etc. etc. etc... and then how about income class...25% of people who make under $25k a year, and 25% from those who make $25-75K, etc, etc...Oh and how about our education level...25% HS grads, 25% college grads... wait, wait, wait, I got another one...how about our tithing levels... argh...the idea of any quota is making me cranky and snarky!!!! Quotas are man's understanding...
...why not try prayer AND fasting and listening to the Holy Spirit's direction, guidance, prompting, whatever you want to call it, to select those whom the Holy Spirit calls to that position...as the Bible give us precedent?!?!? Acts. 13:1-3; Acts 14:23 I have experienced incredible, humanly impossible convergences of God's Divine timing when something comes out of prayer and fasting instead of out of our human "ways." When we do it man's way, we only get natural results, and some (maybe most) are pretty messy, and sometimes it makes things worse (just think of some of our gov't programs)... when we do it at God's leading and direction, we get SUPER natural results and you know you are in the right place at the right time...
I'm not satisfied with our natural results anymore...
My verse for this week was...This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in guidance...Is. 28:29 NKJV
and another one on His guidance...Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a Voice behind you saying, "This is the way; walk in it."....Is. 30:21 NIV
LORD, help us to "hear" You...to be aware of Your Spirit's leading...of the many ways You speak to us...now one way, and then another...Open the eyes of our hearts to know You more, through the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.
but since I'm a woman, if the BOT DID want to suggest one just regarding women, I just might be willing to change my position on quotas....;) ah darn... that was my flesh speaking...:) !
Thanks Ken... from your posts I know you have a heart for pastors, that's why I asked you... don't underestimate the power of your prayers, especially when they are prayed in weakness, they are very powerful. So whatever the Spirit leads you in, giving you the strength and insight to pray on behalf of our leaders... You are so beautiful to Him, and He loves all the time you spend with Him... the funny thing is, sometimes He answers prayers just because we spend time with Him, and aren't even asking specifically for anything... it's like a bonus =)... again, pray however you feel the Spirit asking you to pray... He will help you, that's His promise to us...
Hey Fernando del Rosario...I would vote for you, whether or not we need a quota on minorities ;)... or is your name just a clever disguise for a dutch white guy?!?!?
I have found praying together really connects people on a deeper level... this discussion started with expanding on the communication concept from a ''marriage built to last" study, and a very interesting and powerful statistic related to that is, that for couples that pray together on a consistent basis (like 10 minutes a day) the divorce rate drops from 1 in 2 to 1 in 1150...that's a very powerful reason to spend time praying together, especially with your spouse.
One wife shared recently, that the more time her husband spends in prayer, the more she likes him...now that can be taken many different ways ;), but we do know, prayer does make us better believers, not better than the next person, but it makes us, individually, a better believer/person than where we would be without prayer.
Praise God...I do share your excitement!! Those are very significant breakthroughs for your congregation and the denomination. I find it very interesting that the opportunities all seem to be focused on the younger generation. Very encouraging signs - definitely not coincidence...keep us posted...you know, we need a blog for testimonies...God is moving and it seems with increasing speed and number of signs and wonders...let's make a remembering wall of what He is doing, and what He has done!
At a very simple and basic level, it is a heart issue...many in our culture have no problem watching some show night after night, ie jeopardy, or week after week, ie lost/survivor just to give some examples, or following every game of a certain sports team or would never miss the evening news...but when it comes to why they don't need to be at the 2nd service, oh, the excuses/reasons I've heard make me cringe and cry :( ! I'm not a pastor, as I gather many who previously commented are, but the 2nd service was being discussed in our church last year, and so, many comments were made related to the 2nd service. Like someone mentioned earlier in this discussion, God isn't the last priority, but He definitely isn't the first in many cases. So, I pray Eph. 1:17-18 (open the eyes of our hearts); Ezekiel 36:26 (give us new hearts, remove heart of stone and replace with heart of flesh); and Eph. 3:16 (that our inner man/being will be filled and strengthened with His Spirit); alot!! We want to fix it with the latest program/concept - whatever idea we might have, but God has to do some serious heart surgery before the 2nd service is something His children won't want to miss. Praise God! I see/hear some evidence of His stirring our hearts/spirits to seek Him more!
Another prayer is based on a line from How Firm a Foundation...the dross to consume and the gold to refine...that God would do this in our denomination. We don't like to address, or even admit to the "dross", but the dross -whatever it might be for various congregations and some denominationally, needs to be recognized and "consumed". I am not referring to the 2nd service as dross, I believe that would fall under the gold that needs refining!
Bless your heart, Ken... Thanks for being in agreement... praying in one accord is powerful..
That's awesome that you helped Mitch with 3 Trees... God is using that gathering place in amazing ways... I understand Mosaic (CRC) in B'ham is going out on the streets one service a month, and I also just heard a praise report about Bellingham Christian Center (non-CRC), who started going out on the street on Saturdays to share the gospel with people, and have led over 40 people to the LORD since the beginning of the year... PTL! He's on the move (and getting us to move, which can be like moving a mountain sometimes)
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
I will confirm that He is purifying us, starting with leadership... several insights I received earlier this year as I was praying specifically for the CRC were: Malachi 3:3 He is purifying and purging us... and from How Firm a Foundation... the dross to consume and His gold to refine...to keep our foundation firm...
now in case someone infers that this is the 2 who have resigned... I have no clue, only God knows the hearts... I don't know them at all, but the reason the shake up in leadership caught my eye is because others that I pray with have shared that there will be a shift in leadership in the Body of Christ, that those who are in leadership positions, but are not men and women of prayer (God does the shaking/purifying/purging, He knows the hearts), He will either help them become men and women of prayer, who have a close relationship with Jesus, or if they are unwilling, then they will be shifted out.
Now, we can all say... "Well, I pray, of course I pray"... How dare anyone imply that someone isn't a man or woman of prayer. Every one gets to ask God for themselves, and watch for His response to you. He loves to answer the prayer. LORD, teach us to pray. He prompted me to focus on prayer more through several dreams and a bloody casino (we're asking Him to make it a House of prayer for the tribe)... talk about Him using something bad for good. But through this prayer journey, I have re-discoverd His voice, how He speaks now one way, and then another, making the Word living and active in fresh ways, and that those "coincidences" are designed by Him, getting my attention. I don't share this to brag, believe you me, I have been attacked for these testimonies... however, that was one of the words He gave me early on in my rediscovery of His voice... I will testify... from the Avalon song...
I know where I was before He taught me to pray. and I know that my prayer time is now a delight instead of a duty... I love to linger in the secret place with Him (ps. 91.1 NKJV). He is converting me from a Miss Martha to a Miss Mary. and again, someone might respond, well we can't all be Miss Mary's, nothing will get done. Not true. In my Miss Martha days (and I love Miss Martha - she was so practical, industrious, diplomatic - sound familiar?), I don't remember ever leading someone to Jesus, I hope I was instrumental in some peoples faith and I believe God used my weak efforts - but we worked hard, we were very involved in all the church programs, in leadership positions, but it was with some prayer, 0-15 minutes depending on the day, of here's my list LORD and then gotta run cuz there's lot to do. But as I spend more time with Him, the conversations I get to have with Him and with others are amazing, I have had the privilege to lead people to Jesus... I love to be in worship with Him, I don't care what style worship music... When He's there with you and you are aware of Him, it doesn't matter, it can be a 1000 year old hymn (of course those are the good ones since they've endured) or a song that was just released last week... I pray that everyone will have an incredible, beautiful relationship with Him. That your faith will be a delight, not a duty. That all believers will experience Him in ways they have never sensed Him before. That awareness of Him increases so you see little (and big) treasures from Him every day, little (serendipity type) signs that you are exactly where you are suppose to be at that moment. These are Him... I have been told they are not, but these experiences or whatever you want to call them are happening way too often to be random... and sometimes so statistically improbable, they can only be from God... Now if I had only experienced one of these in my life, you might say that was chance, but I have experience at least one major impossible, beyond calculable event a year in the last several years including this year, and probably more often... I would have to go back to my journals...
He has undone me more than once, in a terrible, beautiful way... these stories are actually quite humorous now... but several times I am crying my eyes out, in a public place without kleenex... and when I cry it's intense and everything pours forth - not pretty... I had one time where the Holy Spirit prompted me..." You might want to get some kleenex before you go in." and since i was in a snarky mood, I thought with a bad attitude, why would I need kleenex for this, it's just practice... about 5 minutes later I was "undone", during the choir practice... God used the first song Away in a manger, second verse...the little LORD Jesus no cyring He makes - the HS instantly dropped Hebr. 5:7 - and while in the days of His flesh, He prayed with loud, fervent cries, and tears... into my thoughts and by the next line... I love Thee, LORD Jesus, He melted the hardness I had let build up in my heart and by the 3rd verse I was a total basket case. It wasn't whipped up emotionalism. It's a whole story in itself, but through it He had me intensely weeping on behalf of the slaughtered unborn - those being aborted, as several songs later we sang...Lully, Lullay the lullaby about the children that were murdered by King Herod... it still brings tears to my eyes and gives me chills when I think about it, it was powerful, not pretty, but very powerful. I almost walked out of that choir practice between v2 and v3 of Away in the manger because of not knowing what I was going to do with all the fluids pouring forth from my face, and I knew v3 was going to be worse for me than v2... and wouldn't have come back to that practice or any others...
ok, that's my testimony - and I'm sticking to it - I have only shared a very small portion, even of the being undone. That whole testimony alone would probably be about a chapter's worth. Since I started "hearing" Him again, I have journals of testimonies of these, and since I haven't been very diligent with journaling consistently, those probably only represent 25% or less.
at this point, you might say, what does this have to do with minorities in leadership, well, I'll say that my heart cry is that everyone who doesn't already experience this will have an incredible, delightful relationship with Jesus, that you know in your heart and experience in your inner man, what it looks like to love the Lord, Your God with all your heart, soul, strenghth and mind - that Jesus is your first love, and then out of that will flow via the Holy Spirit, His perfect combination of who He has determined should be delegates or elders or whatever the position might be, because we are sensitive to His "voice" and in the right place at the right time at His leading.
May you, even today, "see" Him in a way you've never "seen" Him before.
Ps. here's a statistic on the devotional life of 1050 reformed and evangelical pastors - it makes me cry. I don't think we want to know what the % is with leaders or the lay people, the article does suggest that it is probably lower -
Two hundred seventy (270 or 26%) of pastors said they regularly had personal devotions and felt they were adequately fed spirituality.
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
Thank you... I was starting to feel very cautious about sharing any concerns about our denomination.. and that we were just skirting the deeper issues, while only having freedom in addressing the more superficial ones. These deep concerns have to be addressed, and in a healthy, open, Spirit- led way. Joel 2:17 Oh, LORD, that our priests/leaders would weep between the porch and the altar on behalf of Your broken, hurting Bride, Jesus...
thank you for stating so diplomatically your concerns on the BOT... I was sensing something there, but couldn't put words to it... and if there's one thing I have found that particularly the dutch don't like - I won't speak for other cultures on this, it is lack of transparency... whether it's perceived or real...
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
I know you do Ken... that's why I'd love to meet you and your family... even if you are liberal (i am teasing you)... I sense you have a beautiful heart for Him and for justice... and for worship...for His Kingdom... you wouldn't happen to be eligible for going to synod, would you?
on an entirely different note. while I have your attention =).. there is a pastors and prayer leaders prayer summit next week M-W at Cedar Springs... I know you are a prayer warrior, so please intercede on behalf of those gathering next week... and if you feel so led by the Spirit, come out for a few hours... I am planning to be there, not sure what that's going to look like for me yet as there is only one other woman going at this point (there are 15-20 guys signed up - including Mitch S, whom you know). So thanks in advance for your prayers on behalf of these leaders... and maybe I'll see you there...
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
ok, let's pray for an alternative solution to come forth through inspiration of the Holy Spirit... something that is obvious that it's God's idea because it's so beautiful and amazing, we could never have come up with it on our own... one of those AHA! breakthroughs... So I hope you can pray in agreement with me.... LORD, lead us and guide us into what your will is, let us not settle for human understanding in this issue, but let us listen to Your voice and be obedient to carry out what You desire, may there be numerous confirmations that whatever it is, it is from You... LORD, and if we aren't quite sure how to listen to Your still small voice, please teach us... and if someone doesn't know whether they have ever heard Your "voice" LORD, may they "hear" You this week with a "rhema" word, whether it's through Your living and active Word, or through a person, a song, nature... whatever you know will be meaningful to each person, so there is no question it is You...
FYI, in case you aren't aware of this already.. planned parenthood. is on the verge of being totally defunded by the gov't... that's huge... it passed the House like 240 to 200 or so, what a strong support for life by our country's leaders... not sure where the Senate is on it though... I believe this issue was the hold up on passing the budget or whatever a month or so ago when the country was going to shut down for a day because it hadn't been approved by congress.
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
..Hey BOT... let's throw age in there too! Why not 25% of people are under 25, 25% from 25-50, etc. etc. etc... and then how about income class...25% of people who make under $25k a year, and 25% from those who make $25-75K, etc, etc...Oh and how about our education level...25% HS grads, 25% college grads... wait, wait, wait, I got another one...how about our tithing levels... argh...the idea of any quota is making me cranky and snarky!!!! Quotas are man's understanding...
...why not try prayer AND fasting and listening to the Holy Spirit's direction, guidance, prompting, whatever you want to call it, to select those whom the Holy Spirit calls to that position...as the Bible give us precedent?!?!? Acts. 13:1-3; Acts 14:23 I have experienced incredible, humanly impossible convergences of God's Divine timing when something comes out of prayer and fasting instead of out of our human "ways." When we do it man's way, we only get natural results, and some (maybe most) are pretty messy, and sometimes it makes things worse (just think of some of our gov't programs)... when we do it at God's leading and direction, we get SUPER natural results and you know you are in the right place at the right time...
I'm not satisfied with our natural results anymore...
My verse for this week was...This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in guidance...Is. 28:29 NKJV
and another one on His guidance...Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a Voice behind you saying, "This is the way; walk in it."....Is. 30:21 NIV
LORD, help us to "hear" You...to be aware of Your Spirit's leading...of the many ways You speak to us...now one way, and then another...Open the eyes of our hearts to know You more, through the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
but since I'm a woman, if the BOT DID want to suggest one just regarding women, I just might be willing to change my position on quotas....;) ah darn... that was my flesh speaking...:) !
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
Thanks Ken... from your posts I know you have a heart for pastors, that's why I asked you... don't underestimate the power of your prayers, especially when they are prayed in weakness, they are very powerful. So whatever the Spirit leads you in, giving you the strength and insight to pray on behalf of our leaders... You are so beautiful to Him, and He loves all the time you spend with Him... the funny thing is, sometimes He answers prayers just because we spend time with Him, and aren't even asking specifically for anything... it's like a bonus =)... again, pray however you feel the Spirit asking you to pray... He will help you, that's His promise to us...
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
Hey Fernando del Rosario...I would vote for you, whether or not we need a quota on minorities ;)... or is your name just a clever disguise for a dutch white guy?!?!?
Oh wait...it shouldn't matter... :)
Posted in: Give Ear
I have found praying together really connects people on a deeper level... this discussion started with expanding on the communication concept from a ''marriage built to last" study, and a very interesting and powerful statistic related to that is, that for couples that pray together on a consistent basis (like 10 minutes a day) the divorce rate drops from 1 in 2 to 1 in 1150...that's a very powerful reason to spend time praying together, especially with your spouse.
One wife shared recently, that the more time her husband spends in prayer, the more she likes him...now that can be taken many different ways ;), but we do know, prayer does make us better believers, not better than the next person, but it makes us, individually, a better believer/person than where we would be without prayer.
Posted in: Signs That God's At Work
Praise God...I do share your excitement!! Those are very significant breakthroughs for your congregation and the denomination. I find it very interesting that the opportunities all seem to be focused on the younger generation. Very encouraging signs - definitely not coincidence...keep us posted...you know, we need a blog for testimonies...God is moving and it seems with increasing speed and number of signs and wonders...let's make a remembering wall of what He is doing, and what He has done!
Posted in: Let's Keep Thinking about the "Second Service"
At a very simple and basic level, it is a heart issue...many in our culture have no problem watching some show night after night, ie jeopardy, or week after week, ie lost/survivor just to give some examples, or following every game of a certain sports team or would never miss the evening news...but when it comes to why they don't need to be at the 2nd service, oh, the excuses/reasons I've heard make me cringe and cry :( ! I'm not a pastor, as I gather many who previously commented are, but the 2nd service was being discussed in our church last year, and so, many comments were made related to the 2nd service. Like someone mentioned earlier in this discussion, God isn't the last priority, but He definitely isn't the first in many cases. So, I pray Eph. 1:17-18 (open the eyes of our hearts); Ezekiel 36:26 (give us new hearts, remove heart of stone and replace with heart of flesh); and Eph. 3:16 (that our inner man/being will be filled and strengthened with His Spirit); alot!! We want to fix it with the latest program/concept - whatever idea we might have, but God has to do some serious heart surgery before the 2nd service is something His children won't want to miss. Praise God! I see/hear some evidence of His stirring our hearts/spirits to seek Him more!
Another prayer is based on a line from How Firm a Foundation...the dross to consume and the gold to refine...that God would do this in our denomination. We don't like to address, or even admit to the "dross", but the dross -whatever it might be for various congregations and some denominationally, needs to be recognized and "consumed". I am not referring to the 2nd service as dross, I believe that would fall under the gold that needs refining!
Bless your hearts with more of Him!
Posted in: Let's Keep Thinking about the "Second Service"
Bless your heart, Ken... Thanks for being in agreement... praying in one accord is powerful..
That's awesome that you helped Mitch with 3 Trees... God is using that gathering place in amazing ways... I understand Mosaic (CRC) in B'ham is going out on the streets one service a month, and I also just heard a praise report about Bellingham Christian Center (non-CRC), who started going out on the street on Saturdays to share the gospel with people, and have led over 40 people to the LORD since the beginning of the year... PTL! He's on the move (and getting us to move, which can be like moving a mountain sometimes)
In Him...Bev S