Comments on: Preaching with Power 4 (Final) http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/ Let these stones be a witness to what we have done here this day. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:54:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rev. Michael http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/#comment-7926 Rev. Michael Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:48:20 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/#comment-7926 Art, I agree. Circumstances require the time constraints. By the way-I have always been impressed with Skelly's cooperation with other culture/language groups in sharing the facilities for worship. My only wish was that we could have found some way to occassionally come together as one group for worship. You are correct though...cold, dead worship doesn't improve just because it is longer. Interesting note regarding those that feel that worship is too long. I agree with your assessment of where that comes from...worship style. I still long for true, authentic worship that isn't bound by clocks, rumbly tummies, tired tushes, or the like. Eternity is going to be GREAT! God bless you and your ministry. Art,

I agree. Circumstances require the time constraints. By the way-I have always been impressed with Skelly’s cooperation with other culture/language groups in sharing the facilities for worship. My only wish was that we could have found some way to occassionally come together as one group for worship.

You are correct though…cold, dead worship doesn’t improve just because it is longer.

Interesting note regarding those that feel that worship is too long. I agree with your assessment of where that comes from…worship style.

I still long for true, authentic worship that isn’t bound by clocks, rumbly tummies, tired tushes, or the like. Eternity is going to be GREAT!

God bless you and your ministry.

]]> By: Billy Edwards http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/#comment-7924 Billy Edwards Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:28:00 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/#comment-7924 Art, Great post. I genuinely appreciate your candor and your desire for power from God. May we all chase that. I, too, wrestle with the question of HS power and human oratorical skill. I have preached great sermons, but with no power of the Spirit (that I sensed), and yet God used them in the lives of people. I chalk it up to the power of the Word, even when the messenger is flawed. My take is that God gives both the gift of preaching as well as the ability to speak. We should allow God to use both...and we can do that by remembering Who it is that gives both us gifts and abilities. I think we ought to develop our ability to communicate effectively, but we need to rely on the Holy Spirit in that development, in preparation, and in delivery. At the end of the day, all I can say when lives are changed and when conviction or encouragement happens, is...God can hit a straight lick with a crooked stick. But my job is to trust His Spirit and power - not even to trust the gift or ability, but to trust Him. Thanks for making me think about this again. Art,
Great post. I genuinely appreciate your candor and your desire for power from God. May we all chase that. I, too, wrestle with the question of HS power and human oratorical skill. I have preached great sermons, but with no power of the Spirit (that I sensed), and yet God used them in the lives of people. I chalk it up to the power of the Word, even when the messenger is flawed.

My take is that God gives both the gift of preaching as well as the ability to speak. We should allow God to use both…and we can do that by remembering Who it is that gives both us gifts and abilities. I think we ought to develop our ability to communicate effectively, but we need to rely on the Holy Spirit in that development, in preparation, and in delivery.

At the end of the day, all I can say when lives are changed and when conviction or encouragement happens, is…God can hit a straight lick with a crooked stick. But my job is to trust His Spirit and power – not even to trust the gift or ability, but to trust Him. Thanks for making me think about this again.

]]> By: Art Rogers http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/#comment-7921 Art Rogers Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:53:58 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/#comment-7921 Michael, Actually, I have no problem with a longer service, so long as the people are caught up in the worship. I have had several tell me that they have no idea that it was that long - they never looked at their watches. My primary concern is our commitment to let the other congregations have the worship center at a certain time and our complete failure to do so. On the other hand, there is the very real principle that the mind cannot comprehend what the seat cannot endure. Some have complained about the length of the services, but they are the older crowd. Interestingly, the folks that were here when you were. My take on that is that they aren't personally drawn to the choruses that we do - about 55% of our music - although they support it in an effort to reach younger generations. As a result, they grow weary of songs that they don't enjoy and are ready to move on. We have the best blended service I have ever seen, but this is one downside to blending: you can't hit everyone all the time. (Of course, it out weighs the negatives isolating certain generations by style, IMO.) Of course, I could be wrong. Michael,

Actually, I have no problem with a longer service, so long as the people are caught up in the worship. I have had several tell me that they have no idea that it was that long – they never looked at their watches.

My primary concern is our commitment to let the other congregations have the worship center at a certain time and our complete failure to do so.

On the other hand, there is the very real principle that the mind cannot comprehend what the seat cannot endure.

Some have complained about the length of the services, but they are the older crowd. Interestingly, the folks that were here when you were. My take on that is that they aren’t personally drawn to the choruses that we do – about 55% of our music – although they support it in an effort to reach younger generations. As a result, they grow weary of songs that they don’t enjoy and are ready to move on. We have the best blended service I have ever seen, but this is one downside to blending: you can’t hit everyone all the time. (Of course, it out weighs the negatives isolating certain generations by style, IMO.)

Of course, I could be wrong.

]]> By: Rev. Michael http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/#comment-7919 Rev. Michael Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:28:23 +0000 http://www.twelvewitnesses.com/2007/08/20/preaching-with-power-4-final/#comment-7919 Interesting...I assume by your comment "...which is way out of hand" means you think a 90 minute service is too long. I find that very interesting. As a former member that is all I knew. In fact, the services used to be even longer a few pastors ago. Since that is all I knew I go crazy that my present church desires a worship service that is less than one hour long and complains when we go 70 minutes. I long for a group of people that don't want fast food worship services. Maybe I'm the one that is wrong. Maybe it will always be a point of contention between me and every church I serve. I hope not. I know it wasn't the main point of your blog today but it was very eye opening for me. Thanks. Interesting…I assume by your comment “…which is way out of hand” means you think a 90 minute service is too long. I find that very interesting. As a former member that is all I knew. In fact, the services used to be even longer a few pastors ago. Since that is all I knew I go crazy that my present church desires a worship service that is less than one hour long and complains when we go 70 minutes. I long for a group of people that don’t want fast food worship services. Maybe I’m the one that is wrong. Maybe it will always be a point of contention between me and every church I serve. I hope not.

I know it wasn’t the main point of your blog today but it was very eye opening for me. Thanks.

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