Who are you stuck with?

I am knee deep into an article I had planned for my post for today. It is not flowing. It is not morphing in the way that I originally intended. I can see it’s potential. I am just having a difficult time writing it today. I am stuck, yet I want to post. I want to write to help others. I want to write in the name of Jesus.

What am I writing about? The topic is: Where you harmed in a safe space? Here is what my prompt was for my article I have not finished:

This Sunday our pastor did not preach. Instead? The congregation had the sermon. A woman stood before us ready to sing. Before she started singing she started speaking. Speaking from her heart. This woman is in my opinion, the best singer our church has. She is legally blind and struggles with various health issues. However, what can she do? SING. Often she will speak to us from her heart before she sings. Sometimes it’s Scripture. Sometimes its words of encouragement. Sometimes it’s both. This past Sunday she related to us with the simple problems of life. First she related to us as both woman and man. Making sure to state that she is speaking to both when it comes to being organized and thinking we got it all together. After making sure the kitchen was completely clean, all the counter tops wiped off, the stove top wiped clean, all the dishes done and put away, she had gone to bed. Only to come down stairs in the morning to find the cereal box opened and not resealed. She found a dirty bowl on the counter and not washed out and put in the sink. She related to us with simple frustrations of life. Then she spoke about singing as a Ministry. She then had someone read Mark 11:20-26 -> Faith and Forgiveness.Then? SHE WENT OFF! With Prayer. She spoke to us from her heart. She lifted our Leaders to the Lord. She lifted our problems to the Lord. She lifted up our church in His name. She lifted our church community to the Lord. She proclaimed what our church should look like – just like Jesus. She asked for repentance for our church. She asked that our leaders and our church would rid themselves of conflict and seperation. She asked that our church enjoy the fruit of the Spirit that is from God. She gave thanks for our church. She asked for protection for us and our church from the hands of satan. She asked for His forgiveness, for us ALL. Most of all, she praised Jesus for the hope he provides, and who we are in our church. She praised Him for His LOVE. She asked for the Word of Jesus to be spoken in our church IN VICTORY. Then she sang – The Sea of Forgetfulness.

When she was done, a woman shot up in the back to speak.

After this, our pastor stood before us claiming he was not feeling His message was appropriate based on the direction our service was headed. He wanted to follow Gods plan for us. He then went on to apologize to our congregation for his misgivings in his inability to be a good shepherd for our church. He knows he struggles with reaching out to his congregation and he admitted so. Then he asked us for our help – to which the congregation replied for the next 40 minutes. Individuals stood before our church and proclaimed thanks to Jesus for our church and our community using their story in various ways to deliver the message – THANK YOU LEADERS. THANK YOU CHURCH. THANK YOU JESUS.

From the heart.

Has this ever happened in your church? This has been happening in my church a couple of times a year for the past 11 years we have been part of this church. From what I understand, this has been happening in our church for much longer – over multiple pastoral leaderships. It tells you something about the leaders our church chooses. It tells you something about the community we have in our church.

Who are you stuck with?

I am stuck with a wonderful church community that is a safe space and loves and supports me and my family. I am stuck with a church community that chooses safe leaders that have humility to stand down and allow their church community to lead TOGETHER. I am stuck with a safe church who chooses leader that LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

I AM STUCK WITH A SAFE CHURCH THAT LOVES JESUS.