Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable (rational) service.
Day 2 of the conference.
Usually, my experience has been that the second day is always somewhat of a let down. You've gone through all the opening hoopla and activity. Everyone has had a chance to acclimate themselves to what the coming days will hold. So Day 2 is usually not as high energy and, excuse the term, spiritual as the opening session and the closing session. Such was not the case for this conference. If anything, Day 2 was a time where we were able to reaffirm ourselves and our commitment to the Kingdom.
I think the one thing that I appreciate about Carl and John is the fact that they do carry around a lot of our history as a church movement. I mean, these two guys were there at the beginning of the Vineyard. And they do share their stories freely. But that is not their focus. They aren't on some kind of nostalgia tour to "Remember The Good Old Days Of Vineyard." They are about continuing our call to the Kingdom work God has placed in us and at our doorsteps.
John spoke Friday morning on the industrialization of worship. How it has become big business and a money maker. John's heart is to see worship stripped of the mindset that it is entertainment, or people gathering to watch some band on stage worship. Worship, according to John, is to be sent from the stage to the people. The goal of worship is not to write a hit worship song, get it recorded and make a boat load of money. The goal of worship is to express to God our love for Him. John went on to say that he travels a good deal to other Vineyards and conferences, and that the current state of Vineyard worship is as healthy as he has ever seen it. That the younger worship leaders are seeking council and mentoring from the older leaders on how to be true to what worship really is.
Friday afternoon found us gathered together with John and Carl kind of doing an impromptu, off the cuff question and answer session. What was suppose to last about 50 minutes, turned into two hours of interaction. It was incredible to sit and listen to these two in a give and take time of sharing. They would never openly say it, so I'm going to say it for them. There is a lot of wisdom sitting in those two chairs. Vineyard Value personified. Low key stories of the power of God at work. No hype in their language or voice. Lot's of humility and a kind of "God would use me?" attitude.
For the Friday night session, Carl taught from Romans 12. What a sacrificed life truly looks like. Very personal stories of God working in his life over his life journey to where Carl is today. Carl is going to have to leave today (Saturday) his father in law died Friday night, so Carl is flying back to California to be with his family. We got a chance to bless he and John for the incredible gifts they brought to us in this conference.
The past two days have been a reconnecting to the call that Vineyard has been given. To recognize that we, as a church movement, cannot be everything to everyone, but we can occupy our little corner of the Kingdom. We can "DO THE STUFF" and see people healed. People delivered. People saved. As far as I am concerned, why would I want to do anything short of that.
Don't forget....
Vineyard Recovery Church will be on the road tonight. We will be meeting at Rapha Treatment Center / 677 West Covington Avenue / Attalla. We will be cranking up at 7 p.m / Seth Barber will be speaking.
Thanks to Richard Moon for all the photo's, and once again earning the award as Sound man of the Year.
God on you...
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