Weekend Rewind

I have been so thrilled with the last two weeks of church. The series, "God at the Box Office" is really connecting with people.

Here is what is most thrilling! Last week after speaking about the fullness of the Holy Spirit and empowerment for the mission, I asked a question. "How many of you have been filled with the Holy Spirit in that past and experienced the evidence of speaking or praying in tongues, but you have not prayed in the Spirit for years?" Between the two services about 7 people responded and they were all re-filled with the Holy Spirit. People were so touched that they prayed right through the 30 minute fellowship time between the two services and many stayed late after the second service praising God and remaining in his presence.

This Sunday I spoke on healing and we had three testimonies of healing that morning! Two in the first service and one in the second service. In the first service the entire congregation was involved in the altar call and response, either being prayed for for healing or praying for someone. Every pew was empty!

The other great thing was that in our services we have been experiencing the spontaneity in worship that only comes from following the Holy Spirit. Our worship is contemporary, but that no longer sets us apart from many other churches. What sets us apart is that we as Spirit Filled people follow the Lord spontaneously when he directs. We are not limited to, or tied to, a traditional order of service or liturgy, not even a Pentecostal form of service.

We know that God directs us in planning our services. I have seen it over and over again in the way the Lord will direct Tony in selection and transition of songs and in preparation for preaching. God is not pleased with laziness and unpreparedness. However, he retains the right to break into our services as he wills. Sometimes the first service may be a bit different from the second and God meets needs that we could have never planned to meet, and may have messed up if we had prepared.