I’d like to introduce you to a good friend of mine named Chet Todd. His parents and my parents pastored in the Church of the Nazarene on the Kentucky District during our early years. He’s got one of the best senses of humor and consistently makes me laugh out loud with his jokes and wit. He’s now a lead pastor at Wellspring Church of the Nazarene in Evansville, IN. I’ve invited him to join in as a regular author and contributor to the site as his insights are sound and frequently challenging to me and call me to a higher maturity and discipline in my own faith. I believe things he has to say need a broader audience, so I’ve hopefully given him a platform for that here.
Here’s a little taste of his writing from an old post of his on his own blog site.
The music was rockin, the worship inspiring, the sermon challenging. There was coffee, (Starbucks none the less), donuts and greeters to make me feel welcome. The church information was highly visible and it was obvious a lot of planning and effort went in to making it easy for people to get involved. Everyone was friendly and inviting. They did everything right. One thing was missing; the Awe.
Now don’t get me wrong. As far as churches go this one appeared to be “happening”. I’m not criticizing this fellowship of people. I believe their hearts are right. I believe they want God and are seeking Him; and there were moments that I was inspired and moved with emotion. But I want more.
Where is the encounter that transforms? Where is the heaviness of presence that moves worship beyond mere sentiment and feeling? Where is the divine anointing that once characterized the people of God?
The God I have served my whole life; the God I have preached about for twenty years; the God that I want my kids to experience is a God that is so much bigger than what is encountered in the average church service. I want…no, I need to encounter the Healer. I need to encounter the one who spoke the storms away; the one who’s gentle voice brought demons to their knees; who’s words mastered the un-masterable. I need to encounter the Living God; not the clichéd figurehead that exists in our splintered American religious kingdom.
