I got to church before 7 yesterday morning because I wanted to make sure everything was ready to roll. I went to ask Jeff what Scripture he would be using that morning to put it in the computer, and he told me to come into his office. He said he felt like he needed to change his message and follow God to do something that scared him to death: provide an open mic for testimonies of how people were experiencing God in our congregation.
I sat down.
He asked my opinion on this matter. My concern over on the spot testimonies is threefold: 1) I’ve been in these kind of services where no one gets up and says anything (especially when there are hundreds of people in the room with you), or 2) Some people use this time to air dirty laundry – they feel the need to confess but someone should have told them they don’t need to confess that explicit of details, or 3) They have a message for everyone else but themselves and use this time to say how much better they are than everyone else.
So since I am normally very wary, I asked him some tough questions concerning how close he has been walking with Jesus lately. I asked him if there was anything overwhelmingly sinful in his life. Was he loving his wife? Was he being a good father to his kids? He replied he had and that the last few days as he had been praying, it had been an incredible worshipful weekend.
I said then that I trust whatever you think God is saying. See, when I have been far from God, I have learned not to trust what I am thinking or feeling. But when we walk close with God, its easy to discern his voice. We prayed, and trusted that God was going to speak through his people in all three services.
And he did.
It was amazing. I am thankful for the messages God gave us. I am thankful for the obedient messengers. And I am thankful that I serve a pastor who not only listens to God, but follows him. What a Sunday.
Today, we worshiped to these songs:
- Friend of God – Israel and the New Breed
- Glorious One – Fee
- I Stand in Awe – Mark Altrogge
- My Savior’s Love (I Stand Amazed) – Passion Band
- Closing of the Service – Improv Worship (it changed from service to service)
Hope to see you next week. You never know what God is going to do in our midst.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
T-rav… solid. indigestion is never a good indicator for intimacy with the Jesus.