Giving the Holy Spirit Room to Move Supernaturally
My girlfriend Robin has a double major in computer programming and sign-language. They're diverse fields, but they fit her personality really well. Anyhow, she was asked to translate a children's Christmas production at a little church in Taylor, MI; and this morning was the day. This being her first "gig," I went along to support her.
It was a small church as far as the building was concerned, but the sanctuary quickly packed out to capacity as the meeting neared its start time. The band started their first song, and everything seemed really traditional. I didn't see people closing their eyes, raising their hands, dancing, or otherwise posturing themselves for worship, but they sure did sing! With passion!
And then I was taken by surprise--before the last song was sung, a whole line of white-haired men in suits lined up across the front of the room, and another gentleman came to the microphone and read a series of profound scriptures about Jesus Christ. Then he invited everyone in the congregation who was sick or otherwise in need of physical healing to come forward for prayer while the worship team sang the last song.
And so, there was James 5:16 in action--people who were sick were going to the elders of their church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of Jesus Christ. It was awesome to see!
Now, admittedly, it's not like I saw people jumping out of wheelchairs; and I was a little bothered that the man who was deaf (who Robin was translating for) remained in his place. But it appeared to me that this was a regular thing they did at this church--and chances are that if the prayers were ineffective, the place wouldn't have been packed out like it was.
How often do we read something in the Bible and say, "Yes, that's what a Christian ought to do," and then we just keep doing things the way we've been doing them? This church read something in Scripture and applied it right there in their Sunday morning meeting! Now, I don't want to sound hard to please, but I've got another bone for you to chew on: what about the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians where He says, "You may all prophesy." Or what about all the other supernatural gifts of the Spirit of which "all of these must be done..."? Is there a way to implement more than just healing in a church service? Or is this just further proof that "church" cannot be confined to a Sunday morning meeting?
It was a small church as far as the building was concerned, but the sanctuary quickly packed out to capacity as the meeting neared its start time. The band started their first song, and everything seemed really traditional. I didn't see people closing their eyes, raising their hands, dancing, or otherwise posturing themselves for worship, but they sure did sing! With passion!
And then I was taken by surprise--before the last song was sung, a whole line of white-haired men in suits lined up across the front of the room, and another gentleman came to the microphone and read a series of profound scriptures about Jesus Christ. Then he invited everyone in the congregation who was sick or otherwise in need of physical healing to come forward for prayer while the worship team sang the last song.
And so, there was James 5:16 in action--people who were sick were going to the elders of their church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of Jesus Christ. It was awesome to see!
Now, admittedly, it's not like I saw people jumping out of wheelchairs; and I was a little bothered that the man who was deaf (who Robin was translating for) remained in his place. But it appeared to me that this was a regular thing they did at this church--and chances are that if the prayers were ineffective, the place wouldn't have been packed out like it was.
How often do we read something in the Bible and say, "Yes, that's what a Christian ought to do," and then we just keep doing things the way we've been doing them? This church read something in Scripture and applied it right there in their Sunday morning meeting! Now, I don't want to sound hard to please, but I've got another bone for you to chew on: what about the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians where He says, "You may all prophesy." Or what about all the other supernatural gifts of the Spirit of which "all of these must be done..."? Is there a way to implement more than just healing in a church service? Or is this just further proof that "church" cannot be confined to a Sunday morning meeting?
Labels: church, gifts of the Spirit, healing, prophecy
posted by Art Thomas | Sunday, December 09, 2007
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