The Exodus Pattern

What is missing in today’s American church?

We’ve got the good music. We’ve got the comfortable chairs. We’ve got the programs, the lighting, the teachings even! We even have good coffee now! But what is missing? Not what, but who?

The Holy Spirit fire that was present in the Israelites wilderness journey is what inspired them and fueled them to keep going. Today, we have the beautiful buildings (tabernacle and its furnishings) We have the ministry teams and systems and curriculum. (priestly ordinances and sacraments) We have the awesome worship music (Levites were dedicated to incredible musicianship) Yet, we find one thing above the tabernacle. One curious, notable, obvious thing… the fire. The pillar of fire and cloud by day was unable to be ignored. It roared with holy thunder and separated God’s people from every other people. It demanded a respect for holiness - something we could use in today’s church culture! It spoke of God’s desire to be near, present, available.

What do we today in America’s churches? We leave out the Holy Spirit. We think it could be “too weird.” We think it may scare people away. We think it could be too chaotic. Yet what if the one thing you’re ensuring is left out of your worship services is the one thing that people are craving … the real and almost tangible presence of God!?

Let us come to a place where we invite and expect the Holy Spirit to speak, to move, to inspire, to breathe life? Will it be surprising at times? Yes. Will there be a mess to clean up on occasion? Yes. But what is the trade off? A church that is ALIVE.

Don’t confuse volume with power.

I like volume. In my past life (and still on most Fridays on my day off) you can find me in the studio cranking up the guitars and drums. I like volume. I like passion. Pathos is good. Ethos is good. But many in the charismatic circles have conflated the Holy Spirit’s moving with the volume of the music. You hit the right chord change just loud enough, you feel it. Or do you? These are things that I just want us to wrestle with. Volume isn’t bad. I like our volume around 88db to be exact. However, I have felt the Spirit’s nudge more often in the gentle prayers of a prophetic moment with a friend or the seclusion of just me and my God, than in the group setting. Again, I am all for “getting into it” and letting our soul (mind and emotions) worship the Lord. David danced and it made Michal angry. But David didn’t dance just because he was in a culture where that was normal and expected. It doesn’t say “David danced every Sunday as the music increased on song two.” The Bible indicates that David danced prompted by the Spirit giving him overwhelming joy in the reality of the ark being returned.

Let’s dance.

Let’s invite the Holy Spirit.

His breath. His voice. His fire.

If we do, we’ll find the Holy Spirit igniting people into their Kingdom calling and the gates of Hell won’t be able to stop what the Lord does!