And we did JUST THAT! How amazing is God?
He is and was powerful enough to create the Heavens and the earth:
Mighty enough to move mountains:
Gracious enough to forgive us for our sins that separate us from Him:
Loving enough to send His only son, Jesus, to die for us so that we could have eternal life:
And thoughtful enough to put us in the midst of other believers so that we can be the hands, feet, eyes, ears, and bodies to further His kingdom. This is a Night of Worship.
The week leading up to this event I was very sick with bronchitis and a stomach virus. I was on steroids, antibiotics, and was using a multitude of other remedies. I didn't mention this to those in attendance, because I didn't want to put any focus on me. I was going to do everything I could to get better and not let anything stand in the way. As I lay in bed like a complete invalid on Labor Day my Mom came up to my room to ask what I needed. After reviewing my detailed list of a specific kind of cough drops, flavor of gatorade, and brand of soup, she was probably sorry she asked. But I was not going to let my sickness stop me from carrying out His calling.
It took me over a week before sitting down to recap this unbelievable evening. Did that really happen? It is never something I'll forget or "get over." Rather, it was a life changer. A total life changer.
How do I put into to words what the Lord did that evening? While I can't recreate it, I will do my best to describe and summarize how He moved.
One of the first things I wanted to mention in my welcome to everyone was the gratitude from the bottom of my heart for the army of people it took to carry out this project. Our church staff was so gracious to trust my vision and ideas, and each of the musicians and vocalists were faithfully there for each practice, some even traveling from out of town to do so. They were open and willing to give of their time and talents so generously, and it was truly an honor to serve alongside each of them.
(L to R) Jon, Ashlyn, Mike, Crissie, Michael, Becky, Steve, Katharine, Daniel & Carl
Also to thank was the technical team: Mike, Drew, and George. They were in charge of the sound system, video, and Pro Presenter. Pro Presenter is a powerful media tool for worship that allows you to have moving backgrounds behind the words on the screen. Mike sent me detailed notes on the slides he saw fit to capture the message of each individual song. Every background was different and creative and served as a compliment to the accompanying lyrics. These three did a tremendous job, and their expertise and dedication did not go unnoticed. They are the propellors on a boat. You might not realize how hard of a job they're doing, but you would surely notice if they weren't there. Smooth sailing is the goal, and this team of professionals was tremendous.
We had a final rehearsal the day before, and everything was copacetic. That's one of my favorite words. Use it in a sentence this week!
Another very important factor is promotion. You've got to spread the word in every way possible. Create an event on Facebook and release promotional videos, have an article written for the local newspaper, use word of mouth, put messages in church bulletins, newsletters, and even the outside church sign, make announcements, post flyers in schools... The goal is to utilize every avenue you can think of to reach people who might otherwise not know that our arms are open and welcome to receive and worship with them.
The thank you notes were written and gifts were wrapped, the practices were over, and that evening it was all about putting our hard work and efforts into the hands of the One who created us. He was about to show up in a mighty way.
I love effects, dramatics, and production, so I put together a half hour looping video of scripture, CS Lewis quotes, etc while people were arriving with songs by Kari Jobe, Colton Dixon, Matthew West, and others playing in the background. I wanted people to get in the worship mode well before we began.
There was a countdown three minutes before the official start time, followed by the lights dimming as an intro video played.
This video is much more effective when seen in person, but here are a few screen shots.
And then, it was time to begin.
The most important part of our preparation was prayer. Who are we going to share this with, Lord? I prayed that prayer months in advance, and as I looked out into the faces of everyone there, they brought life to my prayers. I asked everyone to free themselves of any distractions, as this was a sanctuary, both figuratively and literally. I asked them to open their hearts to what He would do, because it was no accident that they were there that night. The Lord knew we had all lived our lives up to that point, and he saw fit to unite us in worship. And so we began.
We kicked off with Hillsong's "Desert Song," "Lord, I Need You," and "Here I Am to Worship." Then the congregation sat. Before and after each song I spoke about the meaning of it, etc.
Of the twelve songs on our set list, three of them were by All Sons and Daughters. This is an awesome guy and girl duo on guitar and piano with whom I became totally enamored when I saw them open for Chris Tomlin a few years ago. Several people from our church went to his concert at the Civic Center, and when we heard those songs performed I'm pretty sure I turned around and said, "Michael! We HAVE to do some of their stuff!"
Tomlin 2012 flashback
And so, the rest was history. We sang, "I Am Set Free" next, and I encourage you to look up these songs, listen to them, and focus on the lyrics. I think you'll really be moved.
Then I talked about one of my favorite attributes of Jesus: His healing power. I mentioned that I knew there were people present who had lost a loved one too soon to an illness or accident but that we must trust God's plan and realize that as believers we are promised to one day have a perfect body. Sometimes Jesus chooses to heal us on this side of Heaven, and sometimes He waits until we get there, but for those who He does choose to heal here - those people are set apart. They have personal testimonies of God's healing power.
I told everyone that they were about to see interviews from three very special people who were willing and courageous enough to share their personal testimonies about healing: Ellen, Lacy, and Rene'.
They talked about physical and spiritual healing. Ellen and Lacy are now cancer free, and Rene' was hit by a truck at the age of five while riding her bike. She stayed in a body cast for three years, had multiple operations, and was unsure if she would walk again...but she is healed and has three beautiful children many years later. These powerful testimonies serve as reminders of God's faithfulness.
Then I sang one of my favorite songs, "Healer."
While carefully selecting the order of songs and who would do what I knew from the beginning that I wanted a four part harmony, a cappella rendition of "It is Well." This wonderful team agreed to sing it.
The congregation stood (appropriately) for "The Stand," followed by Ashlyn and me leading "Revelation Song." I told everyone that I was so thankful to be able to freely worship the Lord in a safe place, where so many others in the world aren't able to do that.
Michael and I sang one of my all-time favorite songs next: "All the Poor and Powerless" by All Sons and Daughters. It is just electric and a charge to everyone to "shout it and scream it from the mountains" that He is God.
And Hannah - one of Ryan's cousins who I recruited to sing and have wanted to sing with for a long time - joined me for "My Redeemer Lives."
Then came the time for anyone who needed to let go of something, give their heart to Jesus, or pray over their family the opportunity to do so. But before we got into that song I wanted to let everyone know that Jesus wanted the hearts of each and every person there. We can't hide from God, and salvation is not about just meeting Jesus once and continuing to live our lives however we want. We are called to daily surrender our lives to Him. Believing IN Jesus is important, but walking with Him and having a relationship is vital. Do you really know Him?
During the invitation time we sang "Holy Spirit" with choruses of Shane and Shane's "Vision of You."
We closed with "Your Glory/Nothing But the Blood," another incredible All Sons and Daughters song, and everyone stood at the end.
Our beloved Pastor Cullum said a few words before we ended with one last chorus of "shout it, go on and scream it from the mountains, go on and tell it to the masses that He is God."
THAT. ACTUALLY. HAPPENED. For months every spare moment was spent editing videos, preparing scripture, praying, promoting, practicing, and adding new elements to make this evening the most unique and special worship experience possible. And through Him- and only because of Him- it was an overwhelming success.
I tried my best to speak to everyone that I could. So many wonderful people throughout the community were there to share and witness the hand of God move in a mighty way that night. But worship is not just something you attend and then leave. True worship is lived 24/7. It's in the way you treat your coworkers, handle frustration, and treat your spouse after a long day of work. Worship is a calling when no one is looking but Him.
Thank you to Lexie Johnson for doing my hair and makeup at Alexis Reid Hair Salon & Merle Norman Cosmetics AND to Benton Henry for doing a phenomenal job with the photography.
Because many have asked, yes, we are in the process of editing audio and video and making DVDs! It is a lengthy process that could take several weeks, but we are on it, and I will let everyone know when they are available.
Three of the most special days in my life are as follows:
1) Our wedding day on June 4, 2011
2) Holding Emerson for the first time on October 29, 2013
And 3) Leading a Night of Worship on September 13, 2015: a humbling responsibility to a sanctuary of people who were eager and willing to listen to Him speak
My soul is aching to do this again, and my head is already swirling with new ideas. When you answer God's call and let Him use you to carry out His plan- it is the most unbelievable blessing that you can imagine. No matter your role in the body of Christ it is equally as important. Think of a car and all the parts that are vital to run it. Yes, the engine is a key component, but there are so many behind the scenes - er, under the hood- details that can be easy to overlook...but they are just as important in making the car run. Don't sell yourself short- use any abilities He has given you for His glory, and live your purpose every day. He will reveal it to you.
I don't know what the Lord will ask of me next, but my answer is already, "YES, I'LL DO IT!"
No comments:
Post a Comment