Today was my 5th and final time speaking here this week in India… I think? I still have one more day left and who knows what Johnson has in store for me? But I digress.

Anyway, it took us about an hour and a half to reach the small house church in Metteli where we would be worshipping and when we arrived not many of the members were there. So, we went in and sat down in the room where we would hold our service and overhead was a ceiling fan that a Hindu man had donated and installed for them the day before just for my arrival. You see, the house was very, very hot and they were afraid the visiting American would melt. And believe me, I might have b/c even with the fan, it was pretty unbearable. And so we sat, my seat directly under the fan. And slowly, the members began to arrive. As they filed in through the door, each one came and greeted us and then returned to take their seat on the floor. In fact, the only 3 chairs in the whole place were ones given to me, Johnson, and Grace. Everyone else, even their pastor sat on the floor, everyone including children, nursing mothers, crippled people, the elderly, everyone sat Indian style unless we were standing up and singing.

Oh yeah, and there was no carpet and no pillows and the service lasted more than 3 hours. Did I say it was hot? Man, was it hot! At points along the way it made it hard to stay focused, but overall, the experience was really wonderful!

It had all of the elements most worship services might have, but a few things that stood out to me were the following:

  • At the time of the offering, people not only gave Rupies (Indian Currency0, But they also brought a chicken and rice and other goods to be auctioned off and with the sale of the goods, people who didn’t have much money would still have a way in which they could give. It was really a very creative and inspiring way to teach everyone that they had something to give. Below is a picture of the Chicken or hen or whatever it is that was auctioned off later after the service for 200 Rupies.

  • During the entire time of the worship service the children sat with the adults and not once at any point were they talking or doing anything that would in any way be a distraction to what was going on. For 3 hours they sat and listened and actively, reverently participated in worship.
  • During one of our worship sets, we moved into a time of prayer and the laying on of hands and praying for people: some sick, some crippled, one even possibly demon possessed woman received healing prayer and while there didn’t seem to be any immediate changes with anyone, it was a very powerful move of the Spirit among us.

  • And finally at the end of the service, each of the children came forward, and if they were too young to walk, their mothers brought them to Johnson and I to have us lay our hands on their heads and pray a blessing over them. It was such a genuinely sweet expression of their desire to have God’s blessing in their life. It was really very touching for me to see and to participate in.
  • As always, I couldn’t have been treated better by the body of Christ in The Union Church in Metteli. The hospitality and blessing I have been given while in India has been overwhelming!

As for my talk, I don’t know if I was able to communicate through my interpreter (Grace) in a way that was all that compelling. It really is very tough when you have to start and stop to get into any kind of rhythm or flow. But whether they will or won’t remember anything from what I had to say to them. I will certainly remember them b/c what I received felt far more weighty and profound than what I gave.

It was a great day. I learned a lot and I am continuing to feel God at work in me in ways that I hope will bear fruit with you when I return

 

Advertisement