Reflections On Saturday Night (for the last time)

Psalm 100:4-5
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good. His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Thoughts from what took place last Saturday night:

I have pondered all weekend what took place Saturday night at the Vineyard.

I wish to not make more of it than what it truly is, and, at the same time, do not wish to discredit it either.

You see, Saturday  night was like a big family reunion with cousins and aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters that you haven't seen in a while. As I moved around the room Saturday night, I knew who I was. I knew that my spiritual last name was "Vineyard". In one sense, we had friends of the family there, who'd come by to worship with us, and we had family there who stopped by to catch up, swap some stories about the good ol' days,and also worship with us. Funny part, as good as the good ol' days were....I'm totally jazzed about the good "new" days ahead for us.

I don't want to give the impression that the Vineyard movement is high and above other churches in the body of Christ. We're not. But I just was reminded Saturday night why I love being a Vineyard-ite. To me the room was full of our spiritual DNA....in my conversations with others, I heard phrases such as "Doing the stuff"......and references to the different styles of worship that are coming out of the Vineyard today. Some outside the Vineyard movement might not have understood some of what we were talking about, but it is merely a matter of semantics....as I believe every church movement and denomination has a language that reflects who they are, as well as what Christ has called them to.

I felt whole and complete Saturday night...
Put back together...

Almost like being given permission, by God, to be who He created us to be.

Dare I say it?

Saturday night was fun...
Simply fun....

I laughed when Raymond and the band played Swing #9.

I danced with my wife when Crispin Schroeder sang "It Will Be Alright".

And I cried when they led us in "Not Be Moved".

The entire evening was a gift from my Father.

His way of saying, "I like you guys. Now keep pushing ahead with what I've called you to."

Bill Jackson, in his book Quest For The Radical Middle made the statement that "you don't join the Vineyard through membership.........you just discover that is who you have been all along." Saturday night left me feeling that quote. The Vineyard is what I have been all along.

God on you...

mb