One of my favorite memories was when leading a youth worship team and we were having our new youth pastor speak that evening.. but God had other plans. During the worship, God started speaking to and thru me. It was an incredible message that had kids age 18 and under crying out to Jesus.. literally. Some of the oldest boys were curled up in the fetal position on the floor just crying. Anyone who tried to come to the stage or was on the stage couldn't stand up. The new youth pastor was walking towards the stage and fell to his knees crying. My whole worship team ended up face down on their knees crying out to God. I was having to hold myself up by leaning on a grand piano as God spoke thru me. The sound man tried to come to the stage, fell on his knees and cried. The sound man and new youth pastor ended up crawling to the steps to get a microphone and through sobbing tears tried to invite kids to come to the front for prayer.. but no one could speak except in broken up words and no one could stand. I had a great view from the stage as this light green hazy misty fog appeared, stretched out and just hovered above the kids in the sanctuary. The spirit of God was present and it was evident! It was truly amazing and I've longed for another encounter with the Lord like that ever since. It's made it very hard to attend dead churches because once you truly experience and have a God encounter, nothing else compares to it.
I think so many times churches get wrapped up in presenting by way of a time frame that we don't leave room for God to enter let alone for a God encounter. Sometimes we look at our watches and are already contemplating where we are going to lunch or who we want to invite to lunch after the service. But what about inviting Jesus into the service and truly having church? Church isn't just about fellowship with others.. it's about fellowship with Jesus! I wonder how many God encounters we would see in our churches today if we simply invited Jesus into His own service? I wonder how many lives would be changed just like mine was that day, if people were given the opportunity in church to have a God encounter?
Listen church.. if we truly want to see what Jesus can do in our lives and in the lives of others, we need to stop playing church and actually Be the church. We need to start praying during church services and inviting Jesus in through our worship. We need to stop being afraid of what we truly need and want, which is more of Jesus and less of ourselves, and we need to stop living for ourselves and start living a life that pleases our Savior.
To be Christian is to be Christ-like. We cannot be double minded and expect our lives to reflect the life of Jesus. We can't be selfish and make services all about an agenda and time frame so we don't offend others. We have to be Jesus minded and Jesus centered. Truly think about this a moment because Jesus pressed this message on my heart and while I know it's cliche'.. Ask yourselves, "WWJD?" (what would Jesus do?) if He came to Your service this Sunday? Would He overthrow the tables or would He invite the Holy Spirit in to just hover over His children? I think that depends on what we choose and on what we allow Jesus to do in His service and churches today. I personally choose to invite Him in for a God encounter!
