I’m sitting in a dark church this evening, listening to musicians practicing. The singers and musicians fill the huge church to the rafters with glorious praise music. “What a powerful name it is…the name of Jesus Christ my King…The heavens are roaring the praise of your glory…”
I remember my dad, almost two decades ago, walking me across the bare dirt where this church now stands. His eyes shone as he told me about the vision to build a church on this land that would allow people to worship here. He said he felt led to use the gifts that God had placed in him to serve on the building committee.
I lived out of town, so before tonight, I’d stepped onto this same church’s land only one other time, when I went inside a smaller building for my dad’s memorial service 17 years ago.
Today’s the first time that I’ve been inside the massive auditorium. And I can’t help but think of the gleam in my dad’s eye as he described the building that would spring up on the weedy dirt.
My eyes well up as I realize that God is giving me a full-circle glimpse of the outcome from a small step my dad took to be faithful. When God asks us to offer our insufficient gifts and talents for His purposes, we often don’t see the outcome. We just have to choose to step off into the dark holding tightly to God’s hand.
Tomorrow, on my dad’s birthday, over 4,000 pastors and leaders will come to this spot, and for three days they’ll attend a leadership conference that will teach, encourage, and empower them. It’s being held here in this church that used to be just a gleam in my dad’s eye because so many leaders wanted to attend that the conference outgrew the original church’s location. I’m so thankful for this meeting place for believers to gather together and lean into the mystery of God.
It’s good to live nestled so close to God that we feel His nudges and dream big dreams. We create a legacy for those who come after when we take small faithful steps that align with our values each day. Each choice to follow God (or not) matters. We offer what we have to Him. It’s up to God to do the miracles.
Please join with me in praying for the thousands of pastors and leaders attending this training and for others in leadership. Pray that our spiritual leaders will learn, be encouraged, and connect to God in a fresh way so they can share that hope with their congregations and ministries.
With the music I’m hearing right now and anticipating it combined with the over 4,000 faith-filled, all-in Christian leaders singing in this auditorium tomorrow, I’m expecting the experience to be just a taste of the praise choir that awaits us in heaven. My dad is the one up there grinning and singing baritone.
Stories of people faithfully taking steps to follow God and how God responded in amazing ways are happening all over, even while political arguments have been tearing our country apart. God is on the move in many mighty ways. Will you add your story below to encourage others by sharing how you’ve seen God moving in your life or your part of the country? Or if God has allowed you to glimpse a full-circle outcome from a step of faith, please share that too.
Update 5/6/17