A Private Conversation

I found myself in an odd situation this past Sunday. The sermon that I preached was very personal and had a strange impact on me. This was such an occasion of preaching where I found myself having a deep discussion with Jesus, while the conversation doubled as a sermon for the congregation.

In fact, I found that this talk with Jesus served as a bit of a healing moment for me. I hope this doesn’t sound as though I didn’t prepare for the congregation. The truth is, when I wrote the sermon, I had no idea that it would produce such a personal, therapeutic energy when delivered on Sunday.

The congregation was smaller than usual, due to Women’s Camp, and this, somehow, gave me the comfort to share private parts of my life that I rarely share.

Some of you who are partners with me at Charlotte Temple commented on how I was at the pulpit somewhere around 11:12 or 11:15 a.m. Someone said, "Unless Johnny gets long-winded, we will be finished by 11:30." On any other Sunday and with any other sermon I would say, “I was long-winded.” However, the conversation carried me away into a place that I’ve never found myself while preaching.

I found myself privately conversing with Jesus in the presence of many witnesses. Ironic!
Thank you Charlotte Temple for your gracious patience.

Signed,
Finally "Home"

I Have An Idea!

I have an idea! What's new, some of you may say. Well, lots. Today is new, the cloud I'm looking at right now is new and, Tilden and Stephanie getting married in a few hours is new. I am so honored to be in Charlotte as their corps officer during this wonderful occasion.

Anyway, back to my idea. Here's the idea...Let's all get along. Let's have fun as Christians and love each other and everyone else. That's it. That's my idea.

Blessings,
Pocket Johnny

Don't Tell Me what you THINK worship is.

What is worship?
Is it falling on my face before the Lord?
Is it giving myself to the Lord?
Is it listening to a sermon, singing songs, and hearing Scripture read?
Is it coming to church?
Is it Bible Study?
Is it thinking about God?

Don't tell me that it's all of these things, because it's not!

Worship is intimate connection with God. It is nothing more and nothing less than that.

Worship is not a one hour meeting on Sunday that includes all of the elements of a normal program.
Worship is not announcements, singing, sermons, or reading Scripture.

Don't try to convince me otherwise. I don't buy anything that has been passed down to Christians as part of an organized, programmed ritual being worship. All of the elements of Sunday are merely lures to worship, but not worship. They are means to an end, not an end in themselves. Worship is worship; singing is singing; sermons are sermons; Scripture reading is Scripture reading.

"Ezra opened the book in full view of everyone, because he was above them. As he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people held up their hands and said, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground." Nehemiah 8:5-6

Worship is an intimate connection with God!