In my role as More Than Music Mentor , I have the opportunity to connect with a wide variety of churches - the different segments . I may not have heard , seen and experienced it all quite yet , but I suspect that the breadth of my experience is wider than most people ’ s .
I have benefited from many years as part of traditional , middle of the road and contemporary Baptist churches , Pentecostal / Charismatic churches , home churches as well as years with theologically Reformed churches . I ’ ve learned a great deal from each experience - including a fair amount about God ’ s presence . There ’ s been some stylistic and theological “ whiplash ” on the journey , sure , but I see no real need for the divisions I observe .
I very intentionally think of myself as being a member of the capital “ C ” Church . I don ’ t feel that I belong to any one denomination or segment . I try to find meaningful connection with all denominations as much as I am able . I love our rich diversity .
So , I ’ d simply like to share some of my thoughts and observations and maybe even suggest a way of speaking about this topic that I find useful as I navigate the pedagogy of this touchy topic . I try to use a lexicon around the subject of God ’ s presence that ( I hope ) shows appreciation and respect for our diversity yet helps us discover that we have more in common with each other than we might otherwise realize .
When I speak to my friends and colleagues of the opposing teams on this subject , they all would agree that God is omnipresent . That He is present everywhere and at all times - with everyone and all things . We need only look to passages of scripture like these for assurance of that truth :
Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them ?” declares the Lord . “ Do not I fill heaven and earth ?” declares the Lord . ( Jeremiah 23:24 NIV )
Where can I go from your Spirit ? Where can
I flee from your presence ? If I go up to the heavens , you are there ; if I make my bed in the depths , you are there . If I rise on the wings of the dawn , if I settle on the far side of the sea , even there your hand will guide me , your right hand will hold me fast . ( Psalm 139:7-10 NIV )
So do not fear , for I am with you ; do not be dismayed , for I am your God . ( Isaiah 41:10a NIV )
God has said , “ Never will I leave you ; never will I forsake you .” ( Hebrews 13 : 5b NIV )
Even though I walk through the darkest valley , I will fear no evil , for you are with me ; your rod and your staff , they comfort me .” ( Psalm 23:4 NIV )
And even though we read and believe that Jesus the Christ ascended into Heaven and is now at the right hand of God the Father ( Acts 7:55 – 56 , Romans 8:34 , Ephesians 1:20 , Colossians 3:1 , Hebrews 1:3 and many more ) mysteriously , wonderfully Jesus is present with us as He promised .
“ And surely I am with you always , to the very end of the age .” ( Matthew 28:20b NIV )
Furthermore , Jesus promises to be present in a special way when we gather in His name .
“ For where two or three gather in my name , there am I with them .” ( Matthew 18:20 NIV )
While there are some differences in Biblical interpretation and experience from one Church segment to another , all would agree that God is present in a particularly potent and essential way through the gift of God ’ s Holy Spirit :
“ And I will ask the Father , and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth . The world cannot accept him , because it neither sees him nor knows him . But you know him , for he lives with you and will be in you .” ( John 14:16-17 NIV )
So , the Spirit of the living God is in me . And in you . In all of us for whom Jesus is Lord ! This helps me make sense of New Testament passages that declare the incredible , overwhelming information that my body , by His Spirit , is a temple in which God Himself dwells ! He is present in me and all of my brothers and sisters who make up His one true Church .
Don ’ t you know that you yourselves are God ’ s temple and that God ’ s Spirit dwells in your midst ? ( 1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV )
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit , who is in you , whom you have received from God ? You are not your own ; ( 1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV )
Yet I often hear statements that can sound very much like they are contradicting , not only the omnipresence of God , but also the essential indwelling of God ’ s Spirit in the body of each Believer ! And these statements are often associated with musical worship .
“ Let ’ s invite God ’ s presence as we begin to worship .”
“ When we repeated that bridge , God ’ s presence fell heavily .”
“ God showed up in a mighty way when we …”
“ At this event , we ’ re going to wait on God and spend time in His presence .”
I think I know what is meant when these types of statements are made , but people who hear these types of statements can come to the incorrect conclusion that we are only in God ’ s presence some of the time , under certain conditions . Is this a message we really want to communicate ? Surely we want our congregation to know that God is present - and is with them - everywhere and always !
But there ’ s more …
There are many popular “ worship songs ” ( more
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