Opening my big mouth
So I go to the sort of church where things are pretty free flowing. There’s a basic structure, but no liturgy. When we are doing the singing bit, after the talking bit in the middle, we’re encouraged to speak out if we feel inspired. Some people bring words of wisdom, some inspired pictures or illustrations. I like to pray out loud. If the audience/congregation like what you’ve said you get a hearty amen, or at least a few ‘yes Lord’s and some ‘mmmmm’ing. If there are unconvinced you get a short embarrassed silence.
If you know the sort of worship meeting I mean I’m sure this will be familar to you. If you don’t know what I’m talking about then you really should come along sometime – it’s better than it sounds!
Anyway, two weeks ago I pushed the boat out for me and spoke during the worship time how I though that dodgy footbridge that was built in London a few years ago was a good metaphor for how we can try to take steps in our Christian faith that seem to go wrong, and this puts us off growing spiritually in the future. Or at least that’s what I meant/tried to say. It was really convincing in my head before I opened my mouth.
Last week, not to be put off, I read out loud the scripture where Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life” and then prayed about how amazing it was to live in the good of never having to worry about death. I am still mostly convinced it made sense after what the preacher had said, but it pretty much went down like a lead balloon with the congregation. Luckily the musicians started another song straight away and no one seemed to worry.
The bizarre thing is that after both these less than stellar contributions someone came up to me and thanked me for blessing them with what had said.
So I want to thank those two people for teaching me to not worry too much about how I feel after I’ve opened my mouth. I try to be wise and thoughtful with the contributions I make, and I don’t want to take it lightly if I make mistakes. But I guess I’m not always the best judge with these things. There is sometimes I great calling to try, and then leave the results to God.
my crappiest contributions always seem to be the things that bless others more than things which seem to really resonate with me.. perhaps then it is an indicator that when God is speaking to us for the whole body to be strengthened, maybe we don’t feel so much about it, as when a word burns within us that we need to personally respond to? either that, or perhaps we simply have no ‘guage’ at all of where people are at and what they need to hear… .in the end though, God KNOWS..
Rob Mason
January 19, 2012
I go a similar church which is fairly free flowing with no formal liturgy. People are encouraged to speak out, read scripture, pray aloud as they are led during the worship time too.
From time to time, God too moves me to open my mouth. I have learnt over the years when I get something from God to ask myself some questions before I open my mouth. The questions I ask are: is this something personal for me? is it for someone specific? is it for the whole church? is it for now or for later? I get a very strong impression almost a compulsion if it is something for the whole church and in that meeting. Sometimes though I don’t always wait for the answers and then things usually seem to go down like a lead balloon.
Someone once told me not to be too worried about what and when to bring things as the good bits will stick and people quickly forget the not so good bits. The apostle Paul gave some instructions here in 1 Corinthians 14:26 – “Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.” (NLT)
Be encouraged to keep on speaking out. Ask God to sharpen the gift he has given you. In our church from time to time we get together the people who move in the gift of prophecy together to pray and see what God wants to say to our church. I encourage you to do the same.
Graham Crosbie (@grahamcrosbie)
January 19, 2012