Gosh, I have not written anything here for awhile, frankly, because I haven't had anything to write! I am not one of those who write something every week, or  even, every month! I am retaining this blog space, however, for the purpose of worship topics, and it's an awesome subject; a subject about which I am passionate. I am an amateur guitar player and small group worshiper/leader.

I read several articles this morning, the day before 2014, on worship. I was truly wanting to find a better way to deal with different personalities in a home group we have, and possibly, children, which are there only on occasion. But I want children in our home group, so I often over prepare for that inevitability.

Fortunately for all of us, there is the INTERNET! I intended only to find articles about interruptions and how to deal with other issues that might cause a lack of reverence, or a lack of focus. I did not "grow up in church" except for army chapels, so I'm not totally informed. However, I had enough experience to know the difference between, say a "dead" church, and a vibrant one. Sometimes, in my experience with different churches, after the Lord transformed me in my late teens, I found that a church was vibrant in one area and not another, like Bible study or worship. Still, that made that church tolerable,because when I married and started a family,  that church was where we were attending and our family needed something like that for that time in our lives.

However, I am concerned about how to lovingly  handle some situations in a home fellowship. I know that home fellowships are not as formal as regular "not in someone's home" gatherings. There is a place for both. I truly "heart" home fellowships because that is where the heart is! I also love large worship gatherings but I like the intimacy of the home gatherings. I've been in some very structured home gatherings that were Bible study oriented and some that were more prayer oriented. I have been in some home fellowships that were not structured, really, at all, but the presence of God "taught" me how to "behave". That to me is the ideal situation.

But we must be prepared for reality, because we live in a toxic culture. I read a shocking  article about organized interruptions to church services. See link here:http://rturner229.blogspot.com/2012/06/family-policy-council-bill-will-prevent.html. I hope I never have to deal with this, because it is definitely civil disorder and not just a "demonic interruption". But Yeshua was prepared the day this happened.

 Luke 4:30-37But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 

And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.  And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, - Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. 

I don't know what Yeshua would have done in the situation that these folks found themselves in, but I'm sure that it would be difficult for most folks to prepare for something like this.  Even if you had policemen in civilian clothing, they would be overwhelmed by a group as large as was in this church.

Obviously, a church setting is vulnerable to disruptions because the doors are "open" to all.  That is how people like that take advantage of that venue to make a "statement" and direct hateful and offensive messages to folks they don't agree with.

It is traumatic and can disturb one's "peace". So, walking in the Spirit, like Yeshua, is the only way to counter things like this, in our toxic society.

But back to worship, and the components of good worship, and how to avoid interruptions. I read one article that talked about the length of worship services. This fellow was in the Ukraine and talked about how their services last about 120 minutes compared to American services that last for 60-90 minutes. It was an interesting article because the same church goers that don't like "long" church services, will sit throught 150 minute movies. The article had a chart. Go here to read this article:http://sukofamily.org/the-problem-with-short-worship-services-in-the-church/

I actually have no problems with long services because I know how long it takes to cast off worries, and concerns and feelings of rejection, and distractions that interfere with really allowing God's presence to fall on me. I love International House of Prayer in Kansas City  http://www.ihopkc.org/, because it is a mission base for worship and prayer and they are NOT IN A HURRY. Trust me on this. They can sing one phrase for an hour. Who cares? If that phrase is what God wants to sink into your spirit and it takes an hour, who's going to argue with the Chef of the Universe about the length of marinating time that is needed for His meal?

I still don't know how to handle some things in a home fellowship, during worship, which is that particular time when we decide to focus our thoughts, our voices, our bodies, our instruments on who God is. We think about who God is, according to the scriptures and who God is, according to our own history with Him, and who God  is, according to how others have experienced Him, and who God is, according to the nations, and many other ways to relate to this awesome God. He's so much bigger than me. So much bigger than you. We've got to get to know this God. He's worth it.  Let's give Him space. Let's give Him time. Let's give Him ourselves.