It's been a long time... a very long time since I've had an evening of lengthy, intimate worship with God.
I'm not simply talking about a church service of worship, where the # of choruses are pre-planned, and God isn't given any room to move, except within the confines of the "planned evening".
What I'm talking about is the deep, meaningful, intimate worship that comes with people gathering together to sing songs and let God join them and move them the direction He wants.
Most of you who read my blog are familiar with the "First Sunday Night of the Month Worship Service" that used to occur at Emmanuel EV Free Church in Burbank. I miss that.
During my one year at APU, Nathan Duke and myself started to meet at the firepit near the small chapel outside our dorm, and play music. By the end of the year, it grew into a weekly Tues. Night event with multiple musicians, and that over 70 people (on avg.) would attend. We'd just play what we felt, or someone would mention a song and we'd play that until we were lead to another song. If we didn't know the song, we'd pass along our instruments to others that did know it. It was awesome, and I still look back at that with thankfulness that I was able to be an intrigal part of that event.
I want that again. I miss that type of communion with God.
I want to plan an evening next month (or maybe the first weekend of March) to get together with others and just praise God for who He is. Not just another venue to have a church service with someone to preach to me. No, I simply want a time to glorify God with music.
I'm still figuring this all out, but I know what I'm after, and I'm willing to make sure it happens. My hope is that friends tell friends who tell more friends, until it's a group of people I both know and don't know, but who are interested in spending an evening together glorifying God.
My idea is one similar to that which we started at APU: People show up with their voices... and with instruments if they have them. This isn't a "i'll stand on stage and lead you" type of thing. This is a "we get in a group and everyone has something to offer" type of thing.
Have a guitar? Bring it. Have more than one? Bring em all so others can play too. Bongos? Sure. Egg Shakers? You bet. Just your voice? Perfect. A heart focused on Christ? An absolute must.
I miss it. I miss it a lot. Don't you?
My New Language
5 years ago
5 comments:
i do this with a group of women once a week on wednesdays...we come expecting only to move as the Spirit directs and to be obedient to Him. Anyone who desires brings music that they feel led to bring. We'll just pop cds in and out and worship the Lord for as long as He leads and intermitedly pray for various things, for one another, for whatever the Spirit leads us to pray...it's powerful and strengthening and a mutual blessing. I know Josh's folks' church in Torrence has a regular service called I.D.K. which stands for "I Don't Know" because they allow the Spirit to do whatever He plans. It is a must in every Christian's life, to be able to spontaneously gather to worship and pray together and corporately wait on the Lord...to linger in His presence together...and gather in expectancy. May the Lord minister through and to you as you seek Him.
I remember and miss both emmanuel and apu worship. The whole time i read your blog i just kept thinking yes yes yes. I'm in.
Those Emmanuel worship nights were some of the most memorable nights in more ways than one. If memories with friends and memories with hearg God speak! I would LOVE to be a part of this. I will be on egg shaker duty :)
You are not alone in this...there is actually a moving of the Holy Spirit across the nation in peoples hearts that are desiring to gather for the very purpose you desire...genuine, intimate, corporate worship. Keep asking God what He wants you to do with this desire! I'm excited;)
I do believe you have a rather PERFECT backyard just right for this sort of thing. Fireplace... cozy chairs... set and date and make it happen!
Post a Comment