When the Leaders Do This….
At any given service we should strive to allow those in attendance to find and experience intimacy with the Lord. The worship and prayer should invite the people and the Lord to come together in such a way that hearts are touched. And, the teaching of God’s Word should impact the thoughts and the lives of the people listening. These two elements are essential to a good “worship experience” on a Sunday.
If we bring these two elements together – intimacy and impact – we get a third component – “buzz.” It is electrifying to a congregation when the corporate ministry is both personal and powerful. For visitors – both saved and unsaved – it means that they are able to experience the presence and power of God in the midst of His people and have a valid encounter with God in a safe and welcoming environment. They are able to let their guard down and actually have their hearts touched by God the Father and hear God’s Word being applied to situations they face in their daily lives.
Of course, this does not come without a price. It means that the main leaders – worship and pulpit – must spend quality time with the Lord and in His presence preparing for the service. They must be in touch with God personally but also seeking His face for the service on Sunday so that intimacy and impact have an opportunity to happen. The leaders must lead when it comes to having their hearts ready and having prayed for and worked through what the Holy Spirit wants to accomplish at that special time each week.
It cannot be “business as usual” any more. Each service and each Sunday is special and unique. God wants to do something specific – focused for that time and specifically for those He knows will be gathering. So, we need to be creative and open to new ideas and approaches as we seek to experience Him corporately together.
To have “buzz” that is contagious and creates excitement and momentum we must start work on Monday to be ready for the following Sunday – praying, fasting, seeking God, and preparing our hearts and the content of the service. When the leaders will do this then the people will experience the living God, be touched and even transformed by Him, and return the following week for another encounter.
This means the key leaders of the Church may not be available right when you want them. This means you might wait a while for them to answer your text message, email, or phone call. This means your needs will not be the most important thing on their agenda for the day. This might even mean that they don’t show up at the church office until well into the morning or early afternoon. But, it also means they will actually be following their calling to lead the people of God…
A good worship experience on a Sunday does not just happen. It takes focus, hard work, and daily preparation. Even the people of God should be preparing their hearts on a daily basis for this time of personal and corporate intimacy and impact. The resulting buzz will last all week and touch many other lives.