Trusting the Holy Spirit

We were visiting Rob Leighton and his amazing family in Seattle recently.  He’s a friend whose opinion and ability I truly respect.  We were talking about the times when church has been special to us.  You know, those moments when you knew it was really God and not the music, lighting or program.  We reminisced for a while,  then sat there trying to figure out again what’s gone wrong with so many churches today where absolutely everything that happens is stage managed for effect and, of course, for our convenience as consumer Christians.   Finally, Rob said, “I think the real problem is that those leaders don’t really trust the Holy Spirit.”

I thought that was pretty profound.  As a pastor for over 20 years I have thought of that many times.  On the one hand there is no excuse for sloppy planning in a time of worship, but on the other hand… is it really worship that we are planning?  Worship is something the people in the seats have to do.  We in the congregation can’t expect people on the stage to worship for us and we just spectate like watching a broadway play.  But if we are really going to attempt to contact God through worship we all have to gear up for it and stop expecting an entertaining church show every week. We get uncomfortable when there is unbroken silence…or when someone in the crowd just does something spontaneous without permission.

That was the fascinating part of growing up Pentecostal.  We had a service plan for sure, but everyone singing their hearts out and then praying long and loud and worshipping with abandon was definitely on the schedule every week, especially on Sunday nights when there was no noon deadline.  I remember one night when a man stood in the back and asked the pastor if he could say something.  We all knew that would be ok.  This was a respected man in our church.  He stood up and said, “I just have to admit that I am not right with God.  I have these hidden things…” then he started to weep and walked to the altar and threw himself across it praying.  Then someone followed him…then another…all repenting. Such awesome conviction gripped everyone in that room.  Those were defining moments to me as a child.  I knew it was real and that something substantial was being done among us by God himself.  Pastors were more like worship moderators in those days, versus star speakers who command the real attention of the service so often today.  (They were all amazing preachers.  We just knew that the real focus was on lingering and seeking until God would break through and visit us.)

I bet you have some stories of your own.  Let’s hear them… and let’s wait on the Spirit and trust Him to lead us into all good things.