Abide
On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.––1 Corinthians 14:3
Sometime, you can ask me about my definition for prophecy, if you want, but that’s not the main reason I’m sending this email. The main reason I’m sending this email is that we have said for a couple of years now that we think our second most important gathering we have together is our nights of worship and prayer we call “Abide.” We gather and spend extended time fixing our eyes on Jesus together in song, prayer, and words that encourage, console, and build up. I always imagine it as something like what was happening in Acts 13:1–3. Go read that passage (it’s only three verses) and get excited to come and watch God equip and send his people through worship.
Our next Abide is coming up on November 20. There is a meal before (5pm) and childcare for ages 1-8. These nights are about as good as it gets for my heart, in watching the body go hard after Jesus together, lift his name high, and minister to one another. But, I thought for this email I’d just list out the reasons you shouldn’t come, and if you don’t find your reason in this email–-you should probably plan on coming.
You shouldn’t come to Abide if:
you don’t really think extended worship time is a good thing
you don’t really think prayer is important
you don’t need any encouragement or upbuilding from other believers
you don’t really want to encourage or upbuild other believers
you don’t want any Acts 13-type equipping or sending to happen in our church
you don’t think the south cities we live in need a unified, on-mission church to reach out with the love of Christ
you don’t feel a need for dependence on the Lord
If any of those apply to you, then you definitely should not come (or maybe you really should!). But all pastorally loving sarcasm aside––we’d love to see our nights of Abide continue to grow, as we seek to continue to live out our identity as a family in Christ trying to grow in our love for God, our neighbors, and seeing disciples of all peoples made. Extended worship and prayer is vital to that. It’s why we scheduled Abide into the ministry year, with no other programming for that evening.
