In 1983-84 we began attending a church where the Holy Spirit had begun a fresh move. Regardless of the different tenures of leadership through the years, it was a church with a consistent history of anointed worship. And during this season God moved powerfully there yet again. You could feel God's presence within the sanctuary. I will never forget one church lady, Ms. Nan, who recently passed a few years ago. The first time we met was when I heard her voice weeping behind me at the altar.  Her dear heart was moved at all the young people at the altar praying. We made regular visits to that altar. Every time there was an altar call, the kids were down there just crying and praying. Ms. Nan was always there too, laying hands on shoulders, praying heart-felt prayers and hugging the kids. And many adults joined us there too. The youth leader would close the church late at night because we'd sing and pray till 3 am in the morning for loved ones; And then go to school the next day. We'd pray after school and witness the best we knew how to others. The youth group quickly grew to over 100 kids.

"Every time there was an altar call, the kids were down there just crying and praying. Many adults joined us there. The youth leader would close the church late at night because we'd sing and pray till 3 am in the morning for loved ones; And then go to school the next day."

It wasn't just the youth. Many more adults came to worship. The Holy Spirit moved upon people and the church quickly grew from a couple hundred to over 1200 within a year. Quite a number of those were people who had been saved, not just Christians who came from elsewhere. Objectively in retrospect, there was much to be desired when it came to being better grounded in the Word and developing real leaders - meaning prayer leaders. We lacked for much in those departments. But for nine months the presence of God moved. It was nine years later when we realized we had missed God. Over time His presence was felt less and less, even though the crowds were still coming. We built a building, formed a vision and watched people come and go. But now the budget took precedent. The church was dying in spirit, but we didn't notice because of the pride of comparison.

It is a hard thing to not compare and be puffed up; To not be taken with the numbers of service attendees rather than those consistently in prayer meetings. I remember the pastor heralding the season by declaring that "There's no place like this place any where near this place. This must be the place!" Had it been a one time, light-hearted statement with deference to God's presence, it would have been harmless. But he'd say it every Sunday for months as our proud congregation joined in. It became our haughty motto and unwitting death knell. We were already dead and didn't know it.  We were riding a wave already passed and the pulpit, took precedence over the Throne of Grace. We were producing proud Christian activists, not people of prayer. Ichabod, the Laodicean, had come to rule. We focused way too much on the subject of the power of God and His deliverance capability rather than the Heart behind the power; Nor on His reason for wanting to deliver: His deep love of people and even more, the deep love the Father has for the Son and the Son the Father.

"In retrospect, what is most grievous is the loss of real friendships, which rather than being founded on the Cross and bathed in His love continually, were instead sacrificed on the altar of 'ministry'".

"Seeking" prayer meetings became a thing of the past. Business meetings increased. Like Tolkien's ring of power, we had a growing "ministry" to protect, market and manage; A machine. The machine drove us and became the point of reference for all things though we claimed it was the Word of God. The heart of Christ and the fellowship of love dwindled. We socialized rather than fellowshipped. Our excitement moved from the Heart of Calvary to the prideful and prayerless civic organization we dared to call a church. We were gradually moving from worshipping God towards worshipping the idea that we worshipped God.

We developed niche "ministries" and gained other congregation's members; But few new people were being saved. There were some very anointed services during those nine years, but their impact was limited by our complacency. We were busy consuming data, but not seeking corporately. Like scientists, we studied Biblical principle and process at the expense of purpose and passion. (The purpose is to know Him and the passion is to please Him by making Him known. And He is best known at the foot of the Cross; A place we must strive to stay)

It's Time For Families to Worship Him Together