I’m still actually lost for words to describe what happened in our church services yesterday, so I’m not going to try too hard.  I’ve also not got a lot of time, but if I don’t do this now, it won’t get done.

Music
All the music was great today – band was tight, AM harmonies & feel were great, the Ablaze guys in the PM (singers) are getting better musically while their enthusiasm still makes for a powerful time – it’s all about the heart. The music set the atmosphere for what followed today, and I don’t think anyone saw it coming…

AM
1. Let God Arise (Tomlin)
2. The Freedom We Know (Houston/Hillsong)
3. Lead Me To The Cross (Fraser/Hillsong)
4. Redeemer (Murgida/Harbourside – ours again, this is the first song we’re recording next month)
5. Now Is The Time (Delirious?)

PM
Walk-in (which is something we never do, but today we did) : Fire Fall Down (Sampson/Hillsong)
1. Run (Houston/Hillsong)
2. This Is Our God (Morgan/Fielding/Hillsong)

Worship+
1. Fire Fall Down
2. Mighty To Save (Morgan/Fielding/Hillsong)
3. Let It Rain (Farren)

Message
Both AM & PM planned messages were scrapped. Our pastor had a vision early Sun AM and re-wrote his messages. This never happens. They were based on the four horns outlined in Zechariah 1; the things which hinder God’s people from seeing/hearing/walking in the vision He’s planted in our hearts…that doesn’t even begin to explain the message really. People were getting convicted and dealt with right there and then during the preaching. It will be on TV (as all our msgs are) in a few months, but that doesn’t help non-’Oz’ers. We might get a decent website with podcasts, etc someday.

Service Summary
I know I’m not doing a good job of this today. There is too much to explain and too much going on in my head. The total time we were at church yesterday was 8 hours…yes, eight. Sure, that includes pre- & post-service, but that’s still about 3 hours more than usual. Why? Because the Holy Spirit moved, there were prophecies, baptisms (which almost got forgotten because of the move of the spirit), people dancing, people weeping…it was…wow!

During these times (which basically took up most of the AM service), we free-worshipped over the bridge of Redeemer – for, um, 80 minutes, I think. I really don’t know, no one was clockwatching, hardly anyone left. Our pastor had to tell people to go home eventually. No-one wanted too.

We came back for the PM service a couple of hours later, with probably double the number who are usually at that service. The ministry / Worship+ time was … um … wow. That’s all I can say, truly.

Funny Moments
More pastors linguistic anointing:
1. Apparently, you can cut down on words by combining metaphoric and methodical into metathodical.  Who knew?
2. From Zechariah 1:21, the logical conclusion is that we should be Holy Ghost Terrorists (cue raised eyebrows, laughter and “did he really say that?” whispers).  This brought to mind Manic Street Preachers’ debut album Generation Terrorists…that’s how my brain works, everything is linked back to music in some way. 

Also, the 2nd week of the video intro was hilarious.  We practised it really well, but for the service, the tech guys started playing it before we gave the signal, so the band had to RUN to get setup so there wouldn’t be an uncomfortable gap after the end of the video intro. It was actually great for the energy of the opening praise songs, and no-one tripped on a cord or anything! Amazing  :)

Next week, we should have our new MacBookPro running the visuals – hallelujah – which will mean Diane will be stepping back from the music team to lead that for a while uintil everyone is trained up…so she might be permanently stepping back, in other words

Annoying Moments
1. We had two new Sennheiser Evolution G2 mics (and one more is still on order). Lovely. I set the levels perfectly (no really, I did) and practice was great. Then, we get out on stage for the service and the gains had been taken OTT. Why???
2. I spent the evening service down at the sound desk making sure everything was a little less earbleedingly shrill. I’m convinced our willing sound tech volunteers are deaf as well as well as having even less knowledge than my inconsiderable knowledge (?!).  I do love’em though

For the first time in…actually, I have no idea, let’s just go with ‘ever’…I was sick for our AM service today. Diane wasn’t very well either. So we slept. Still don’t like missing church for any reason (I really miss it when we’re on holidays, etc), but especially since it was one of the rare opportunities to have both of us in the congregation worshipping together since neither of us were in the team for this morning. Ah well…

I love that our team has grown to the point where I could quite literally not be in it at all if that was the direction we were heading (we’re not). I would surely (and sorely) miss being part of the worship team – the group who lead the church into God’s presence each time we meet. Just being the Music Director wouldn’t be ‘right’.

However, we were well enough for the evening service, which was great. Here’s the rundown of both anyway :

10.00am
Break Free (Hillsong)
You Deserve (Hillsong)
Lord Of Lords (Hillsong)
With All I Am (Hillsong)

and yes, as I’ve said before, we do a lot of Hillsong. There are many reasons for this – one of them being that they produce great music for contemporary churches

The morning service was dedicated to presenting our Connect Group program for 2009. I’ll have to get a copy of the presentation and the message!

5.00pm
Tell The World (Hillsong)
Stronger (Hillsong)
What The World Will Never Take (Hillsong)

The message was by one of our Forerunners ‘young adults’ pastors – titled “You’re a supernatural”, and about living our lives in the expectation of opportunity for the supernatural power we have through the Holy Spirit to be used any place any time. Heavily inspired by a recent trip to Melbourne for the Jesus Culture conference. Absolutely awesome message, and very real – no posing or preaching, just sharing real life desires and struggles and God using us anyway – when we let Him.

This set the atmosphere for a powerful time of soaking praise – yes, I do mean that and not soaking worship…

Worship+
Healer (Planetshakers)
Let It Rain (Open The Floodgates of Heaven)
Awesome God (Mullins, but our version with lots of rapping – yes, that’s right
What The World Will Never Take (Hillsong)
Tell The World (Hillsong)

A real power time tonight, and it was great to see some of the younger teens (sub-16) leading us in this. I love the diversity our Worship+ ministry brings, and the soaking praise style tonight – while a little ‘unorthodox’ – was certainly what I needed personally to be lifted out of the place of illness and weakness I’d felt in the morning. All praise to God, always!