Unity in THE church

Can you imagine Jesus' perspective on last night?

People - people who were a good bit older than me - told me and other people like that told other pastors, that they had been in Powhatan their entire lives and had never seen anything like what they saw last night.  From what I could see, there was absolute authenticity in people's embraces and tears.  That room for those 90 minutes must have been as close to what it will be like in heaven as we've ever seen!

We had a great opportunity to allow he media to work in our favor, and they did.  Every report I saw on last night's news was positive.  As far as I could tell, there were no incidents at all from a security standpoint.  And I would estimate that roughly 900 people came.  

But those facts don't tell the story!

• Every speaker's unique style and message followed by someone of a different color to pray was a powerful visual and audible statement - things are not the same anymore!

• Every song that was sung exuded unity among a massive choir that was incredibly diverse.  The song selections ranged from heavy rock-style tunes to hymns to traditional gospel rounds.  Inside that choir were Pentecostals, Baptists, Mennonites, Methodists, Presbyterians, Charismatics, Episcopals, Lutherans, Non-denominatinalists.  They were white and black, multi-cultured and multi-racial.  They produced a sound that was unique and awesome.  It was a powerful visual an audible statement -  things are not the same anymore! 

• The video "A Thousand Questions" was a powerful moment that posed a powerful question setting up a powerful answer:  Here am I, Send Me.  It was God's ultimate message to us as a church.  Send us, in the name of Love.  Send us, in the name of Forgiveness.  Send us, in the name of Wisdom and Comfort and Unity.  We are your church.  Send us.  Things are not the same anymore!

• As the pastors, when we gathered on the stage and moved beyond racial boundaries to pray - it was clearly a powerful statement.  We are committed to lead our churches in a different way.  Things are not the same anymore!

• I has dinner after it was all over with my new friends, Pastor Greg Beechaum, Pastor Rick Stigile and their families.  It was obvious:  Things are not the same anymore!

In all my life, I've never experienced something like that.  It was such an enormous honor to be involved with it, and for PCC to be the host church.

There will be many people that Beth and I will personally thank, but I really want to acknowledge here the team from PCC that made this happen.  On 4 days notice, you moved into action.  You stayed all day, ate on your own dime, were back at the auditorium at 4, worked tirelessly all the way up to 6pm, tried to control the media, dealt with rapid fire questions, monitored the service, and stayed to the middle of the night to take it down.

You all are the silent heroes.  While Beth and I and the other singers and pastors are on the stage and then I am talking to the media in front of their cameras, you were greeting and parking, hauling things to the trailer, tearing down equipment, and generally working yourselves to death.

Can I tell you that I think you are the backbone of Powhatan Community Church?  I never one time heard one complaint.  I never saw a sour look.  What I saw were people committed to doing whatever it takes if God is calling.

I need you to know that I'm aware you went WAY beyond the call. I won't ask it often.  But I am the proudest pastor in the world right now.  You are the best!

Finally, many have asked when we will do it again.  I have a meeting Tuesday to discuss that.   The bottom line is that you can trust your pastors - we will not let this moment, or the opportunity, slip through our hands.

DVD's of last night's service will be available to every pastor when the edits are finished...about 2 weeks.  

Thanks for being there last night.