You Can Go Home!



I went home last night.

Back to Gadsden Vineyard.

I don't get to go back as much as I would like to, but last night was just what the doctor ordered.

I don't know if I can put into words what is running around in my heart and in my brain this morning but I'm going to try.

Gadsden Vineyard is the church that ordained me.
It became my home back in 1994 and offered me a place where I could learn to "do the stuff" as John Wimber called it. John believed that everyone got to play in the Kingdom of God. Everyone was empowered through God's Holy Spirit to pray for the sick...cast out and break off demonic spirits and yes.....(egad!) even see the dead be brought back to life. (I'm still working on this one). Bill Jackson, in his book Quest For The Radical Middle, made the statement, "You don't join a Vineyard, you just discover that's who you have been all along." I whole heartily concur with this statement.

So my roots run deep in the Vineyard family, and who I am, spiritually, is found within the DNA of the heritage and legacy God has given this church family.

Being at Rapha, it is hard for me to find time to go back to the Vineyard. This Week I had an encounter that I know God set up to get my attention.

I was in my office on Wednesday afternoon when someone knocked on my door. It was one of the RA's telling me that I had a visitor. Visitor? I wasn't expecting anyone. The man stepped into my office and introduced himself to me and wanted to know if I had a few moments where he could share with me. He sat down and began to tell me about this devotional book he had written. I was taken with the fact that the man was very humble and wasn't self-seeking for attention or platitudes about this book. He was a retired Baptist Pastor and was now writing and traveling around speaking. His history included addiction and even though the devotional wasn't geared toward people in addiction, his view was that we are all in recovery from the fall.

One thing lead to another and he asked me about my story. When I got to the part about Gadsden Vineyard, a smile broke across his face and he said,"John Wimber!" I asked him how he know John. Turns out that back in the 80's, as a younger Baptist pastor, he had wound up a conference that John was speaking to. He went on to share how he'd never seen anyone who had the heart John did. the man was totally taken by the laid back approach to ministry and prayer and the way the Holy Spirit came upon people who were being prayed for. The man shared story after story about John and he kept in contact over the years. We talked a little while longer and then he left. I sat there fully aware that God had set this meeting up and it was for my benefit.

Last night, I returned to Gadsden Vineyard to worship. Diane Thiel and her husband led a worship service that was incredible. I didn't get to stay for the entire time, but what time I was there, God refreshed me. Sitting there, in that room, I remembered. Memories of things God had spoken to me. Memories of promises that He has kept. Memories of who I am as child of the King. Memories of the mandate of the Kingdom of God that rests on every believer. I remembered! Sometimes you have to go home to remember.

As I walked from the building, across broad street to my truck, I was filled with a renewed sense of gratitude. "Thank you Father, you knew I needed that!"
God is like that, isn't he?
He knows what we need, long before we do.

God on you....

mb