I believe the Lord has taken us on a journey. When ya'll were crazy enough to vote me in last year, Carie was teaching an adult sunday school class, Sundays at 9am. Then John led us thru a special study. They both demonstrated a special teaching gift.
One recent Sunday Morning I came in and said, 'what next'? Keith Sr. said, 'I been reading some Jim Cymbala lately', and I suddenly remembered an amazing teaching dvd I had on prayer by Jim...
So, after we devoured his thoughts we felt the Lord leading us away from 'just another class' to a time of prayer and communion, pre-service weekly.
We are blessed with many times of getting together and 'spurring one another toward love and good deeds' in each others homes and in the church.
Ya'll have probably already figured out I'm not very committed to programs. I don't want to just go thru the motions and do what has always been done. I want to hear from the Lord and do His will whatever that may look like day to day, year to year. I have no problem letting classes, programs, activities come and go ('fail or succeed' is the wrong way to look at it)...
So, this is what is in my heart (this is what I pray this pre-service time will look like)...
I take Jesus' teaching on prayer very seriously. I know prayer meetings can be very dangerous! To avoid any pretentious religion...We will first have a quiet time of prayer where individuals will be encouraged to find a quiet place to pray in the sanctuary. This will not be a structured time. Then we will gather together in a circle to share any thoughts the Lord has placed on our hearts, maybe some words from scripture. No one will be asked to pray aloud unless they are comfortable doing so. We will throw in our mustard seeds of faith for a short time of corporate prayer and then go about welcoming faces to church. The Communion elements will simply be available for those who feel lead by the Holy Spirit to partake as a family or individual, etc...
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