My Worship Revolution

Wow.  Long day today.  Led worship in the morning.  Also gave the message.  Jumped in my car and drove to SoCal (in 5.5 hours…impressive) to be with one friend in particular, but several as well walking through some horrible stuff.  Spent lots of time with people praying in homes tonight like I haven’t prayed in a long time.  It’s now almost 3 am, and I’m finally about to sleep.

I’m assuming this is blogable as it was announced at Revolution Church.  If I’m mistaken, I’m sure I’ll be told and you won’t see this post for long.
Some of you have joined me on this blog in the past year, while a number of you started reading when I was at Revolution Church.  This is a faith community I was a part of for over 2 1/2 years, coming onboard 9 months into it’s existence.  I still am intimately connected with many people there.  It is a family I love dearly, and while I know I am where God has called me, I have also had days of missing them intensely.  I love them a lot.

And now their world has been turned upside down in so many ways.  This week it was announced that the pastor, a former friend of mine, has left his wife to be with another married woman from the congregation.  I caught wind of the situation early on Friday, and in many ways it has consumed my thoughts and my energy this weekend.  As the title of this post suggests, the three major emotions to hit right off the bat were anger, hurt, and oddly enough, hope.

Angry that two people could be so selfish.
Angry that the body of Christ gets another black eye.
Angry that a ministry that so many people, myself included, have poured so much of their heart and soul into is being severely damaged by the choices of a few.
Lots of anger for an unrepentant, uncaring "friend" who seems to have lost his mind.
Anger that there are Christians young in their walk closely involved whose faith will be challenged in huge ways.

Hurting for the multiple kids from both families who are losing their parents.
Hurting for a husband and a wife who really are, in this case, two of the most amazing people you’ll ever meet.
Hurting for extended family involved who I am very close to.
Hurting for a faith community that is going to have to walk through a very dark season.
Feeling personally hurt in some weird way that a man I trusted and called a friend and a partner in ministry would be capable of the things he’s doing.

Yet in the midst of all that, I also feel hopeful.
I have hope because I know Christ is still on the throne.
Hope because God is in control, even when things seem like things are spinning out of control.
Hope as I watch that church family rally around the innocent family members to care for them.  To watch their kids.  To pray for them.  To love on them.
Hope that as this church goes through these trials they will come out the other end far healthier and stronger than they ever were before.
Hope because I see a leadership team already in place that loves Jesus and is going to lead incredibly through this crisis.
Hope that what Satan means for evil, God will use for good.

Revolution family, stay strong.  You are an amazing community where God is still at work.  Revolution was never a movement about following one man, it was always about following one God.  And He’s still God.  Trust in Jesus.  I truly believe he will use this in mighty ways.

And the rest of ya, please say a prayer for that community.  That God would bring about restoration and healing in the lives of that church and the families involved.  Thanks a ton.  I know the leadership appreciates it.