I have had two responses to the testimonies I've heard in worship services. Perhaps yours have been the same.
a) Moved. Afftected. Inspired. Often accompanied by tears.
b) Frustrated. Distracted. Bored. Always accompanied by disappointment.
And so, as a worship designer, I have been reticent to include testimonies unless I heard them ahead of time and, if at all possible, they were on video. I can imagine how controlling and arrogant that sounds. Inasmuch as it is, I confess to you and repent.
There have been two passages of scripture that have challenged me in recent days, and which make me think maybe I (we?) should reconsider how and how often we use some sort of testimony in our worship celebrations.
First, in John 12 some folks are crashing a dinner party in Bethany because Jesus is there. No surprise, right? I imagine that was a fairly normal thing, which explains why Jesus often "withdrew" to get alone with His Father. The surprise came for me in verse 9: "Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead."
People came to see Jesus, sure, but they also came to see Lazarus... to hear the story. Can't you hear them? "Dude, what was it like to be dead, then alive?"
And honestly, isn't that was everyone's testimony is? It is sharing what it was like to be dead, then alive! If not a testimony of salvation--from spiritual death to abundant life--than in any particular part of our journey where Jesus has rescued us from our dead lives and raised us to new life. And if people would come to hear Lazarus point them to Jesus, perhaps they would come to hear those in our churches point them to Jesus too.
There's another passage that I first noticed when digging into the worship song "Overcome." It's in Revelation 12, verse 11. Oh my. The word "and" here is just astounding to me!
They triumphed over [the accuser]
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.
Really? The blood of the Lamb is surely all we need for salvation. But triumph came through the blood of Jesus AND the words of testimony. Holy cow.
Powerful, isn't it?
So I have a renewed desire to dig til I find testimonies, to find ways to use them, and to watch for how God will use those words...for triumph, for making much of Jesus.
How about you? Are there some specific ways you include testimonies in your worship gatherings?
One of the most powerful services we experienced recently happened when the "scheduled order of worship" was at the end! A lady felt compelled to share a testimony during the announcements. Someone else shared, then someone else. Before you knew it the altar was filled with people praying! It was amazing!
ReplyDeleteGod is always at work; we just need to give Him credit! Steve Hall
Good word, Steve. Thanks!
DeleteIt can work gloriously. But I also witnessed a 95 year old lady, matriarch of the church, ramble on for 40 minutes on a mother's day (was supposed to testify about a mother's influence), and because of her age and station in the church, no one dared interrupt. I doubt visitors to that particular service ever came back.
ReplyDeleteIt must be the responsibility of the worship facilitators to gently but appropriately protect the congregation while still giving opportunity for them to be of encouragement to each other. Video is the best way to do this I think, but having it written out and pre-reading it sometimes works, if you trust the folks.
Agreed, Harvey. In other cultures, not so much. But the North American church is so time conscious that we have to have some level of control--but the tension I hope we manage, rather than the decision we make--is that we keep looking for the very best way to tell the very best version of every story that should be told. I love a mix of video and live, but that's hard to pull off. And not every story/storyteller is the same. Yes?
DeleteThanks for the good word, my brother!
True. It's too easy to throw out the baby with the bath water and eliminate good testimonies, solos, or presentations in the effort to avoid bad ones. But we do have to be careful of the "American Idol" effect - oh, that person is such a gifted story-teller/singer/artist! I feel called to do that too! Enthusiasm is great, but even better when steered toward natural God-given passions and talents, and as you say, not every story and story-teller is the same!
DeleteWell, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it...
Our testimonies are our proof of belief. Some people have a hard time believing in what they have not experienced...I went to a church one time that had one wednesday night service a month set up for Testimonies. They allowed anyone who wanted to share speak...now as you can imagine..not everyone there would benefit from every testimony shared..but IF ONE person is changed by a testimony..it is all worth it. Christians really need to remember that God comes first..we are a selfish group of people..expecting church to end by a certain time...and grudging someone to speak of what God has done for them. Thinking of only ourselves, our time and our lives...not often thinking that the service we are sitting in..could be the last for someone around us..or maybe even ourselves. We really need to get God centered and make him Number 1 after all the church belongs to him.
ReplyDeleteChristy, I love your heart. I really do.
DeleteAnd yes, those of us maturing in our faith-journey can surely remember those things. I'd just also say we be considerate of those not as set on maturing yet--and those who aren't yet walking with Jesus at all. So let's find more ways to share more testimonies, no doubt. But I do think we have to remember the massive variety of people in the room on any given Sunday.
Thanks for sharing, my friend!