This is our second newsletter to share with all our brothers
and sisters across our Franklin Conference churches. The task force is at work
trying to discern what God would want from us and have for us to call us
collectively into spiritual renewal. The
burden on our hearts is how easy it is for the church to fall into
comfortable routines and assumptions about itself that may or may not be alive
with God's Holy Spirit voice and power. While most of our churches have a
semblance of health and contentedness, is that really a sign of spiritual
vibrancy?
There are stories of
spiritual awakening and new life in our churches. However, it is our opinion
that these stories are too uncommon and too hidden to inspire the rest of us or
to create a culture of spiritual expectancy among us. It is our dream for
Franklin Conference that spiritual vibrancy becomes the norm in our
congregations so that persons are continuously changed into Kingdom followers
and radical disciples of Jesus. This is
not a "cookie cutter" dream where everyone becomes alike, but an "uncharted
journey" dream where all of us are challenged to encounter the voice and
hand of God on our lives for whatever that means. This will require confession,
repentance, openness, submission, and worship at a level that is uncommon among
us now.
We are soliciting stories of spiritual awakening from our
membership that we can share with each other. Please let me, Darrell Baer, know
if there is such a story in your congregation. Read the following story and
seek God for your own vibrant spiritual journey.
As a result of my "new condition" or renewal that I experienced in the
fall of 2005, I have just a little encouraging story for you. In November of
2008, I was traveling in India. We were in an interior village there having a
worship service outside on a Sunday morning. After we were finished with our
service, a Hindu family in a nearby house sent for us to pray for their little
boy who had a tumor and would need surgery. As we walked into the outside
living area of their house, there was a Hindu Priest leaving who had just
performed a ritual on this boy hoping to heal him. Pastor Jagannath asked me to pray for this little boy for his
healing and someone would interpret for me. I took this little boy and wrapped
him in my arms and prayed for God to come against the powers of darkness, and
for this little boy's complete healing. Then I asked God to put His mark on
this little guy to be a voice for this village and for the nation of India. Jagannath just told me the other day that this little boy was
completely healed and did not need the surgery. Praise God! I want to see him
when I go to India again in March. If I had not had that fresh touch from God in 2005, I would not have
gone to India to start with, and would not have had the privilege to pray for
that little boy. When the heart of God touches us in a new way, and we are
willing to be used by Him, He will do things in our lives that we would never
have dreamed of. Partnering with God is very exciting!
