Where has all the hunger gone?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 10:31AM I am sitting at my desk in my little home office here in Lomas de Zamora, Argentina. I finally arrived back home after almost 6 weeks out of the country--for a vacation in Thailand, and then ministering in the States for a few weeks. It was an amazing time!
I'm reflecting on a lot of the things I saw and experienced. My time in Thailand was perfect...restorative...peaceful...lots of down time with good friends. Then there was the South Texas District Women's retreat, which was nothing short of incredible! Actually, that's what drove me to 'blog' in this note...
A really popular fad in church circles today--at least in the United States--is a new format for this new generation--this new generation of seekers. The music is outstanding (I love modern/alternative worship music: Big fan)...the casual dress is right up my alley. The preaching and sermons usually have to be more polished, at least in terms of timing...something like 10 minutes 23 seconds (kidding). We can move people in and out in an hour. It's been labeled "seeker friendly".
All of that is fine. No one can take one of those elements and Biblically rip it to shreds. And if you know me, you know I love trying to think outside of the box. I'm not always successful at it, but open to it.
There's only one thing that bothers me. In a word: Experience.
I wholeheartedly believe that people are looking for something more experiential than just a spiritual 'download'. Think the original "MATRIX" movie...hook in, press a button, and all the info is downloaded into the brain--and it's a done deal. That simple. I mean--we are downloading information to people in our church services...we are offering it all in a tight little package, but where's the experiential part? I guess I have to put in here that I'm coming at this from a "spirit-filled" perspective...where our emphasis has always been on creating an atmosphere where people can ENCOUNTER the Presence of God, and have time to respond. Where we recognize the New Testament value and precedence of moving in the Gifts of the Spirit so that people's hearts are pierced and they become convinced that God knows them by name, and is out to win their heart, and change their lives.
For those that were at the South Texas Women's Retreat...what made it "awesome"? What made that first night so explosive? It wasn't the preaching (sadly--I was the preacher!!! ha!) (but I didn't preach!)...it was the ENCOUNTER that we had with God. I believe people CAME with a HUNGER for God. And I can tell you, that as the minister, I prepared from a place of deep HUNGER to see God really 'manifest' Himself in ways that would leave us doubtless that we had experienced Him.
I really don't mean to pick on the seeker friendly format...it's not the format's fault. I just feel like we've lost our hunger. I see a trend of trying to bend God around our culture in order to make Him more palatable. When, in reality (or at least in my opinion), I think people are SEEKING supernatural intervention. As Pentecostals or 'spirit-filled' ministers in a North American context--I wonder what we are looking for? What's the goal? I know...to see people have a personal relationship with God. Pat answer. But what is the 'ideal' that we envision if we could see our churches 'be' anything we wanted them to be? Do we even still envision people experiencing and 'enjoying' (ie wanting to spend time in) the very real Presence of God...maybe around places of prayer throughout our auditoriums/sanctuaries/family centers/campuses (or whatever other name we might currently use for 'place where we get together to worship')?
Where do the gifts of the Spirit fit into our format? Where does a searing Word from the Lord come into play--one that HAS to be spoken for there to be Divine intervention and grace introduced into someone's life? What place are we giving to miracles in our services and ministry? Do we feel more pressure to polish--or do we pleasure in the pressure to seek Him beforehand in preparation, to knock until God opens our mind to the specific Word that He has for that particular place and time and people? Are we even intentionally giving time for seeking God in our services--"seeking God"--altar ministry, free flowing worship, time to respond and receive personal ministry, etc.?
Do we still believe that "these SIGNS will follow them that believe" (Mark 16:17)? Do we have any sense of necessity that the supernatural should or even COULD accompany our pulpit and personal ministry (Mark 16:20)? Do we still remember what Jesus said, "Greater things than these will you do because I go to my Father in heaven"? Has that promise expired?
So...where has all the hunger gone? The hunger to see the miraculous--or to even ASK for it...where has that gone? Where has the hunger gone--the debilitating hunger of 'need'--the hunger that can quickly contextualize your life--when you are so hungry (ie personal need...loneliness...brokeness...the meaningless of life laying like a weight on your chest...relationship crisis, etc) that you'll do whatever it takes to find the answer...even if it takes more than an hour. Spiritual hunger--isn't it simply "spiritual dependence"...an expectancy of Divine intervention and Divine partnership (ministry)?
Where has all the hunger gone? May spiritual hunger and not spiritual or personal crisis drive us to 'want' to experience God...the 'living' God...the One who really does still intervene in our lives...the One who wants our encounters with Him to simply be the norm and not the exception.
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