Sacred Gathering|Tuesday Night

Our third night of the Sacred Gathering was incredible. The rainy weather could not keep the crowd away and once again we had a full room for our final night of the Sacred Gathering. While the event and calendar dates of the Sacred Gathering have come to a close, what God has done during these three days is only the beginning of a wave of movement in his body called FBCSmyrna. Following the old saying, "beginning with the end in mind," the end of the evening was moving as dozens of people came forward to pray with our staff and other leaders. Their prayers were prayers of crying out to God for needs they had in their life to others who were sharing life-changing commitments God has led them to during these three days of praying, fasting, and worshiping in community.

Here are some highlights from the third night of the Sacred Gathering:

-Jeff Lewis began the evening with a couple of powerful thoughts for us to focus on, mainly to move our attention to living intentionally for God’s purposes. A couple of quotes: "When we say global [reaching the nations] we don’t mean outside of our community [Smyrna/Middle Tennessee]; the nations doesn’t exclude America. We don’t separate, we are to be about local and foreign at the same. No false dichotomy here." "Everyone who claims the name of Jesus Christ, is to live strategically and intentionally according to His global agenda both locally and globally, simultaneously."

-Next, we watched a video called "The Heart of God" that had a list of powerful quotes about God’s heart for the nations.

-We then moved into our first worship set. Some of the songs were: You are Holy/Prince of Peace, Holy is the Lord, Hosanna, & The More I Seek You.

-Then, Jeff stated that God desires to bless his children and referenced Genesis 1:28 and Ephesians 1:3. Not limited to salvation but also in practical ways. He then directed us in some alone time with our Father thanking Him for how He has blessed us. After our time of thanksgiving, Jeff quoted Psalm 67. Then Jeff pointed out, "God has blessed us so that we might participate in reaching the nations. It is the foundation of why God has blessed us. Jeff then led to us to ask and listen to God by saying, "Father, how I am to use these blessings to reach the nations."

- We then spent time in our prayer huddles praying personally for God to use our skills, abilities, etc. that He has blessed us with to engage the domains for society (Arts/Media, Business/Economics, Education, Gov’t/Law, Healthcare/Medicine, Religion, Science/Technology, Sports/Entertainment, Family) He has placed us in. In that domain God has placed us in, we are then to live intentionally to disciple nations, Matthew 28:19-20 (not just make converts). That is our "ticket" to engage society in that particular area, to use our marketable gifting that gains us entrance into the domain to reach people and disciple nations. He directed us to pray for God to give us strategy, desire, intentionality, relationships…to live out Christ. Jeff said, "If we think ministry is an excursion we do every now and then, we do not understand the strategic calling of Christ and how we are to live intentionally everyday of our lives in response to His commissioning." Jeff prayed what I thought was an amazing encouragement that God has not sent us into the world as individuals but as a church (together with others).

- We then had a prayer time over our staff and leaders. This was a powerful time as people prayed over the leadership of our church, out loud simultaneously. Following that, Jeff led parents to stand in the room and for the youth/children in the room to pray for the parents in their task as stewards of the children God has given them.

- The next movement was a time of worship and response. As I said earlier, people throughout the room moved to pray with staff and others to share how God was leading. The time of worship was inspiring and exciting as you could see the heart’s desire of our people to praise God and follow Him. During the worship set we sang The Potter’s Hand,  We Fall Down, Revelation Song, and All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises.

-The night ended as Pat encouraged our congregation saying this is just the beginning. Next, he led us to pray for Dr. Ken and Faye Hubbard. Dr. Hubbard was pastor of FBCSmyrna for many years and is now battling Alzheimer’s. This past week doctors told Faye that Dr. Hubbard would have to move to a full-time care facility. We stand today on the shoulders of Ken and Faye Hubbard for their faithful leadership and service to God’s Kingdom and Body. Read more on Pat’s blog.

-Jeff closed our time as we considered the revival God was stirring in our church. He said, "Revival is when God awakens us to His Transcendent nature and to the reality of our condition before Him that results in confession, repentance, and restoration resulting in authentic worship, obedience to the prompting of the Spirit and Word of God, and engagement in His purposes among the nations." He said many of us have been through part of the definition but that is not the end…the end, is to walk out the doors obedient to the Word and Spirit and engage others/the nations for Him. What a mouthful but what a definition of a Godward life.

It is amazing to think about the movement God during these three days and all that was birthed in us. I am excited for my own life and for my church as we are more sensitive to the prompting of the Spirit. I am overwhelmed as I anticipate looking back in the months and years to come and realize all that God began during these three days. Sola Dei Gloria.