I suspect I won't be the only one who journals this, but let me tell you what happened yesterday...
As most of you know, our Elders surround the church every Sunday and just stand waiting to receive people for prayer during our invitation time. It's one of the sweetest parts of our service every week. People who visit often comment on what a loving and sensitive group of leaders/Shepherds we have.
Yesterday, we decided to turn the tables on them. We had the Elders and wives surround the church as usual, but then we asked the church to go to them and pray for them. Kind of a reverse invitation, if you will. We put in 5 songs thinking it would be too many so we had an option to skip the 4th if we saw no action being taken by that time.
What happened was amazing. Really, there are no words to describe it but I'll try.
People clustered around without hesitation praying for their leaders...Their Shepherds. Then they would move to another Elder, then another. The church moved in a beautiful motion for not only 5 songs, but a repeat of three of them, and still, they weren't really finished. There were groups, couples, individuals all going to their Elders and praying for them. The Elders were overwhelmed, emotional, grateful, humbled.
One of my favorite scenes, (at least the one I could make out through my blubbering tears), was Wes Schmidt in his scooter, holding out his hand for an Elder to stay there next to him so he could pray for him. I looked back over and a crowd had gathered around that scooter, kneeling, hands on each other listening to one of our precious patriarchs pray for Aaron and Joyce Watson.
I honestly think there wasn't a dry eye in the place. It was one of the most overwhelming things I've witnessed in a long time. This went on and on...There was scene after scene of precious moments, Godly moments.
God was all over...In every corner, every pew, every heart. It was amazing.
Please pray for us. Our Elders began a 40 day prayer vigil yesterday that will conclude the day after Thanksgiving. They are taking turns at the building if the church wants to come pray with them. They are asking God to show them what the direction of College should be.
Quite scary...Very exciting.
As most of you know, our Elders surround the church every Sunday and just stand waiting to receive people for prayer during our invitation time. It's one of the sweetest parts of our service every week. People who visit often comment on what a loving and sensitive group of leaders/Shepherds we have.
Yesterday, we decided to turn the tables on them. We had the Elders and wives surround the church as usual, but then we asked the church to go to them and pray for them. Kind of a reverse invitation, if you will. We put in 5 songs thinking it would be too many so we had an option to skip the 4th if we saw no action being taken by that time.
What happened was amazing. Really, there are no words to describe it but I'll try.
People clustered around without hesitation praying for their leaders...Their Shepherds. Then they would move to another Elder, then another. The church moved in a beautiful motion for not only 5 songs, but a repeat of three of them, and still, they weren't really finished. There were groups, couples, individuals all going to their Elders and praying for them. The Elders were overwhelmed, emotional, grateful, humbled.
One of my favorite scenes, (at least the one I could make out through my blubbering tears), was Wes Schmidt in his scooter, holding out his hand for an Elder to stay there next to him so he could pray for him. I looked back over and a crowd had gathered around that scooter, kneeling, hands on each other listening to one of our precious patriarchs pray for Aaron and Joyce Watson.
I honestly think there wasn't a dry eye in the place. It was one of the most overwhelming things I've witnessed in a long time. This went on and on...There was scene after scene of precious moments, Godly moments.
God was all over...In every corner, every pew, every heart. It was amazing.
Please pray for us. Our Elders began a 40 day prayer vigil yesterday that will conclude the day after Thanksgiving. They are taking turns at the building if the church wants to come pray with them. They are asking God to show them what the direction of College should be.
Quite scary...Very exciting.
No comments:
Post a Comment