Every Friday night I have the privilege of leading a community-wide prayer meeting for young adults. It’s the highlight of my week to watch young people praise and cry out to God for their city!
Last night I decided to snap a few pictures to share. Enjoy!
I started podcasting my Thursday night teachings at The Furnace Midwest.
The focus is on going deeper and learning how to lead others there too.
If you have iTunes, and would like to subscribe to the podcast, you can do so by clicking here.
If you don’t have iTunes and would just like to listen to the audio files, go here.
Enjoy!
I’ve been re-reading “The Ragamuffin Gospel” lately and found that author Brennan Manning may also be a believer in the Invisible Church. In the book, he echoes what I shared in my first post “A New Blog”. Here he is paraphrasing Henri Nouwen:
“Besides, as Henri Nouwen notes, the greatest part of God’s work in the world may go unnoticed. There are a number of people who have become famous or widely known for their ministries, but much of God’s saving activity in our history could remain completely unknown. That is a mystery difficult to grasp in an age that attaches so much importance to publicity. We tend to think that the more people know and talk about something, the more important it must be.”
How hugely liberating that is! We ALL have an opportunity to make an impact for The Gospel! You don’t have to be well known, educated, or have any sort of “public ministry” to do something great for God! YOU right now, just as you are, can do something of eternal significance and you don’t even need a degree, a headshot, or a mailing list to do it!
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;” – 1 Corinthians 1:27
God, thank you for making us foolish and weak. Amen!
Every Friday night I lead a community prayer meeting for college-aged young people. It’s often times a powerful experience of praising God and crying out to Him for our homes, our community, and the next generation. There’s something about being surrounded by all that raw passion, as the praise team plays and the group unashamedly demonstrates their love for God, that I never get tired of.
A few weeks ago, a young girl came to the meeting and introduced herself to me. As we talked, she explained to me how she really loves God but felt awkward with outward demonstrations of praise. It was unnatural for her to lift her hands, dance, and shout. I told her that was OK and that there was nothing wrong with giving praise to God in a quiet manner.
Tonight, at our meeting, I felt a particular leading from the Holy Spirit that He wanted to do a work of freedom in the group. The majority of our meetings are very outward focused as we intercede for the community and our nation, but tonight was different. God wanted to do something in us. There was shame, guilt, addiction, and other chains that needed to be broken so we could go out from there and help set others free.
During our time of praise, I caught something in my peripheral vision. Around the corner, out of sight from most of the people in the room, was the young girl I met a few weeks ago. And she was dancing! As the praise team played, “Halleluia, Halleluia, King of Kings, Lord of Lords I am yours” She was swaying to music with her hands in the air and her face lit up with redemption! I looked and knew she was experiencing the love of the one who loves like no other. It was her and The Savior and all else was strangely dim.
What a beautiful thing to see The King dancing with His daughter. I have to admit, it inspired me. Where, in my friendship with Jesus, could I benefit from stepping out of my comfort zone? And what a stirring I felt to experience His intimate touch.
So thanks Invisible Dancer. You helped me experience God tonight, even as you experienced Him in a new way!
Oh, and in case you were wondering, a lot of people were set free tonight from the things I mentioned earlier. It was awesome!
I saw these pictures taken by photographer Brian Cowen and decided to share them.
There’s something about the image of passionate praise that moves me. Especially the humble, sincere, “Your lowest point is greater than my highest point” kind of praise.
I often wonder what praise will be like in heaven. Our expressions of it here are so inadequate when it comes to giving our appraisal of an all-powerful, universe creating, ever reigning, forever loving God. I’m sure it would blow our minds if we caught a glimpse of it. However, when I see pictures like these, I think what we have for now is pretty cool…
