Ephesians 4:15
Instead, we will speak the truth in love...growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church.
Today, April 13th, is the official 3 year anniversary of Vineyard ReCovery.
In some ways, it seems like we started last month, and in other ways it seems like we've been doing this for a gazillion years.
Back in 2013, things were coming to a head in my life.
I was at Rapha, but I wasn't filling the role that God had called me to.
Instead, I had made choices that moved me out of being the pastor there, and into the classroom as a teacher/counselor. Not where God wanted me.
On February 8th of that year, what is now the VRC Worship team was asked to lead worship for the Gathering recovery meeting. Something unusual happened that night as we played. The music, the room, the people all had a familiar feeling to it. It reminded me of how our previous recovery meeting at the Vineyard felt. There was power and a presence of the Holy Spirit that filled the room that night. The next night was our regular service at the Church@Rapha. On this particular night, the message carried a lot of power as God used it to touch the hearts of those present. Then on Sunday Night, I spoke at Seth Barber's meeting and ministry seemed to be the focal point. Three nights in a row, three different things in each meeting was emphasized. Friday=worship...Saturday=the Word....
Sunday=ministry. On Monday morning as I was revisiting the weekend, it suddenly dawned on me that I had never done three services back to back to back in the entire time I had been a pastor. With that realization, I was filled with a desire to come back to the Vineyard. It was almost a feeling of homesickness. I still turn in my journal to the entry of that day, reading the prayer that I had written. "Oh God...I want to go home. I want to return to the Vineyard. I want to do what you created me to do."
Long story short, that set everything in motion.
I resigned from the teaching slot...
Got permission from the powers that be at the Vineyard to use the room on Saturday nights. Gathered up the core leadership from the Church@Rapha and explained what God was leading us to do. They were all on board with this move.
It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't been or isn't a part of what we're doing exactly what VRC is all about. First off, in all my prayer before we had our first meeting, God began to direct me in how this was going to work.
#1 -- In no uncertain terms, God told me that this was His meeting. I was to stay out of the way trying to run it. I was simply called to filled the role as pastor and facilitator. Got it! Stay out of the way.
#2 -- It was going to be a small meeting as far as numbers go. What we found out over the course of meeting is that we were to focus on "THE ONE". The one person who shows up and needs God. It may be for healing...it might be for salvation...it may be just a reassurance that God is real and cares for them. No matter what, we were to be about the one.
#3 -- Even though we were to be a recovery meeting....And even though we believed in the 12 steps....Our message was to be about the "POWER" behind those steps.In other words, we are all about Jesus.
#4 -- We were to be a people who loved as Jesus did (er...does).We're not to excuse sin or condone it...but we are called to love and point the way to Jesus.
#5 -- VRC is about growing and becoming spiritually mature in Jesus.All of us! Not just the people who are still in addiction. We allHave this call on our lives. If we are not growing then how can we lead anyone to Christ?
Every week we gather, we are expecting God to come and meet with us.
We come expecting...
We worship with expectation....
And each week, He does not disappoint.
If you're free this weekend, drop by and join us as we celebrate this 3rd year anniversary.
love to see you...
God on you...
mbb
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