"Open"
Sunday night was a wonderful time together with a few of our people at Creekside. We have begun on the third Sunday evening of each month a time of worship and fellowship that is great. We did not really call it anything at the beginning (October). We just announced that if any of our adults wanted to come together for a time of open worship and fellowship we were meeting. The number is small, which for this particular thing is a good thing. We now call it simply "OPEN." That is what it is---a time to be open with God and one another.
During this gathering, we open the floor to anyone who would like to talk, pray, share, sing, praise---you get the picture. Last night it was like pulling teeth to get the sharing started. Usually, once it gets started, it is a really good thing. I had given up hope of getting anything started and had even asked one of our shepherds to lead a prayer thinking this was going to end the night. After this prayer one of our young adults shared an experience he had at a charismatic church in the past.
To give you the really short version, his story led him to tell of the preacher at this church nearly touching his head and he fell backwards not knowing what had happened. He shared about being skeptical about this kind of thing in the past and had settled in his mind that nothing would happen to him if he just requested prayer. He said that he felt "led" by God to go forward and then this happened to him. This kind of story told to predominantly "c of c" people in our area usually yields bad fruit, if not immediately, soon afterward.
The really good part of this whole blog comes next. I was so impressed with our people's response to him. They shared so many encouraging things. No one tried to explain to him how an experience like this could not have come from God or that is was all emotionalism. I really appreciate one statement that was made. Someone said, "Who am I to limit what God can do?" He also said that he knew people who, if someone raised the dead, they would claim that he wasn't really dead to start with.
No matter how one feels about another's story, I hope that I can learn through this that I don't have to be the judge of other people's experiences. I also do not want to ever be guilty again of limiting what God can do in this world! That is a freeing thought and feeling.
During this gathering, we open the floor to anyone who would like to talk, pray, share, sing, praise---you get the picture. Last night it was like pulling teeth to get the sharing started. Usually, once it gets started, it is a really good thing. I had given up hope of getting anything started and had even asked one of our shepherds to lead a prayer thinking this was going to end the night. After this prayer one of our young adults shared an experience he had at a charismatic church in the past.
To give you the really short version, his story led him to tell of the preacher at this church nearly touching his head and he fell backwards not knowing what had happened. He shared about being skeptical about this kind of thing in the past and had settled in his mind that nothing would happen to him if he just requested prayer. He said that he felt "led" by God to go forward and then this happened to him. This kind of story told to predominantly "c of c" people in our area usually yields bad fruit, if not immediately, soon afterward.
The really good part of this whole blog comes next. I was so impressed with our people's response to him. They shared so many encouraging things. No one tried to explain to him how an experience like this could not have come from God or that is was all emotionalism. I really appreciate one statement that was made. Someone said, "Who am I to limit what God can do?" He also said that he knew people who, if someone raised the dead, they would claim that he wasn't really dead to start with.
No matter how one feels about another's story, I hope that I can learn through this that I don't have to be the judge of other people's experiences. I also do not want to ever be guilty again of limiting what God can do in this world! That is a freeing thought and feeling.
posted by Keith Davis at
8:26 AM
4 Comments:
Muz would have said, "Cecil, why are you wearing a woman's shirt?" Inside joke and I don't wear women's shirts.
Keith, you're dead on and God bless the folks at Creekside. I find it ironic when one of God's creations makes the statement, "God can't do ____________." (fill in the blank)
Makes me want to say mtyhct.
By
cwinwc, at 10:07 AM
There was a time, ohhhhhh there was a time.... I really don't miss the days when we saw our job as rebuking and correcting. I much prefer the days of seeing our job as loving and lifting up. We seem to be more willing to admit we may be wrong about some things and less willing to restrict what our omnipotent God can do.
Maybe we're finally growing up.
By
Thurman8er, at 10:14 AM
In these, and many other situations, I'm always mindful of Romans 14, especially verse 4
"You cannot judge another person's servant. The master decides if the servant is doing well or not. And the Lord's servant will do well because the Lord helps him do well."
Interesting how we want this spirit when it comes to our activities and involvement and are less inclined to extend the same spirit to others.
By
Anonymous, at 1:04 PM
I love Creekside so much, yall's openness. How I wish I could find that here.
I used to be one of those who judged and said that's put on (as did Mom). Have come to believe that God is capable of anything and can and will use anyone He chooses to accomplish what He wants. Amazing how one who(as Greg) was raised in 'the church' always knowing there was a God but never KNOWING GOD until many years later. I almost said growing up in the church but, I didn't start 'growing up'in the Lord until my late 40's.
I have a friend who claims to have the gift of prophecy and I have witnessed too many things in her life to doubt that this is true.
Ain't God great!
cbgahs (sing praise to Him)
By
Three C Farm, at 9:13 AM
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