When God shows up, well thought through plans, transitions, and service elements go out the window.
When God shows up, the planned worship songs turn into spontaneous songs of response to God moving.
When God shows up, the sermon gets cancelled.
When God shows up, individuals find themselves waist high in water wearing their Sunday best.
When God shows up, you run out of baptism towels.
When God shows up, your 16 planned testimonies and baptisms turn into 36 professing Christ and proclaiming His Lordship!
When God shows up, you have to start planning more testimonies and baptisms for the following week.
Not only is that what happens when God shows up, but that is what happened at my church starting this past weekend! We have been crying out to the Lord for His manifest presence in worship. We have been holding high the truth of God's Word and boldly articulating the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And we have been noticing a harvest of souls among adults and students in our church.
Sunday, God showed up.
As we worshiped in the 11:00 service, hearing the Gospel and salvation stories of 16 followers of Christ obediently stepping out in baptism, my Pastor stepped up and spontaneously opened the door to anyones heart that might be being affected by their stories.
People started moving. Emotion was in the room. Tears of joy filled worshipers eyes. Tears of brokenness filled sinners eyes. New stories were being born, bold declarations began to unfold, and our youth pastor's toes were getting wrinkled from baptizing people for so long!
We were all simply following the Spirit's lead in the service. Singing when we needed to respond, speaking when we needed to speak, and intently listening to all the different stories centered around the only saving story.
Jesus.
Jesus changes lives.
Praying that the Lord continues to move mightily in our church, and praying for those who have stepped forward to proclaim Christ as they begin to walk with Christ and be discipled. We are continuing next week, and continuing to seek first the kingdom of God.
"But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you." ~1 Corinthians 14:24-25