This was an amazing learning experience for me. It came in the most unusual way and at a totally unexpected time.
Tonight, Church on the Move hosted the first of 8 "Celebrate with Family" Christmas Services - and for an opening night it was a huge success! The building was PACKED before the auditorium ever opened and people just kept coming. It was the single biggest crowd we've ever hosted in one service. For me, It was an unbelievably exciting night.
Certainly the most incredible part was after the service had started. I had been all over the building watching different things and after my main work was done I slipped into the auditorium to sit with my wife, her parents and our 6 year old son. I was just going to soak in the rest of what is easily the most moving production we have ever done. I had seen it all several times through as we rehearsed and I was looking forward to watching with my son and sharing a nice family moment.
As I sat in the middle of the crowd, I began to notice something amazing. First, I watched my son as he laughed and sang. Then, I watched as a family sitting in front of us tapped each other lovingly and pointed out different elements that obviously meant something to them. I watched as untold numbers of people raised their hands as we sang and others put their arms around the person sitting or standing next to them. I watched my son fold his hands and sink his head deep into them as our Pastor prayed after maybe the most moving moment of the night.
I've seen all this before. I've seen it hundreds of times. I've seen music effect people and I've seen God touch hearts as someone speaks into their life. But, tonight I noticed it from a vastly different perspective.
The difference is that tonight I saw what was happening. What was really happening, right in front of me. Not just because I was personally invested in it and I wanted to see something great come out of the time and energy we put into it. Not as a promoter or even a fan. I wasn't looking for anything amazing, I was just watching. All I was doing was watching as a spectator. I was simply looking at what was happening around me. The results were undeniable.
I saw preparation, planning, prayer and a group of people who put their heart and soul into something be touched by God and turned into something amazing. One man who was fresh from a tour of duty in the Army was among the many who were moved so much that they made a radical life choice to follow a God they have never seen into a life long journey without consulting their advisers. They didn't ask anyone's opinion or look for someone's approval. They acted on something so deep and profound that moved them so much they couldn't help but respond.
As a pastor I'm always amazed at that moment. The moment people see God in such a real way that they give their life to Him. But, tonight I saw it in a totally different way. I saw music, drama, video and the Bible work together in an amazing way. I saw a service that allowed God to be seen by different people at different moments. It was remarkable.
As I had my arms over my little boys shoulders, I couldn't hear his words because of the music, but I could feel as he began to sing during the last song. I wondered, as a daddy, what was the moment he saw Jesus tonight? What was the moment that he knew in his heart that God is real? I know what that moment was for me tonight. I know that moment was different, but no less real for others.
It was one of the craziest things I've ever seen. The Gospel unfolding right in front of me. The story of Christmas that keeps happening everyday. God coming to meet us in the middle of our world, in the middle of our celebration. That was unexpected for me. I should have known better, but I guess I needed to be reminded.
I learned again tonight that God is always reaching for us - whether we're reaching for him or not. More importantly, I was reminded that God wants to reach through us, our talents, opportunities and relationships to others who have yet to see Him so clearly as we have. In 5 days we are bringing unsaved and un-churched guests with us to this same service. My prayer is that they will see God so clearly that they will never be able to deny that on that day He reached into their world and touched their hearts. My prayer is the same for countless others that will sit in those seats and hear these same words.
My heartfelt thanks go out to my Pastor, Whit George, Andy Chrisman, Angie Woods, Chris Munch, Adam Bush, Andrew Dale, Kenneth Weston, and on and on. Thanks for using who you are to give God a chance to show Himself to others. Here's to another 7 services like tonight!
My God and Savior, may they see you in us.
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