A LITTLE SPICE FROM GINGER : One service — One God
Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008
One would be hardpressed to find an individual in Siloam Springs who hasn't heard our one greatest urban myth.
Perhaps "urban myth"is too harsh a term. "Urban possibility"might be closer to the mark, since no one really knows the truth. But regardless of its moniker, the story goes that Siloam Springs was once in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most churches per capita.
Some swear it's true, some say that it is indeed nothing more than a myth. Regardless, Siloam does have quite a few churches.
Even our name - Siloam Springs - has a Christian heritage. In the Bible, Jesus sent a man who had been blind from birth to bathe in the pool, and he was healed. I wonder who first decided to name this town after that pool, and why.
But even besides our name, or our population of churchattendees, or the number of churches in our community, Siloam Springs is indeed a Christian community.
I know there are those in our town who are not professing Christians and those who don't appreciate our spiritual heritage, of course. But it is very precious to me and to many others.
A couple of weeks ago, a large portion of the "Church of Siloam Springs"was able to gather as one body. It was called the One Service, and if you haven't heard of it already, you have probably been under a rock for the past two months.
A sort of precursor to the One Service happened earlier this year with the One event - a gathering of several community youth groups for a one-day spring retreat. But even though we had a great time playing Capture the Flag, and even though the sermon was good and the worship was amazing, it couldn't compare to the electricity of the One Service.
Not electricity. The presence of God.
I was able to participate in the One Service in a special way, as part of the choir. The moment I heard there was going to be a choir, I knew I wanted to join.
We met several times to practice in the weeks leading up to the event, gradually "honing and toning"our voices to blend beautifully. The music portion of the service was spearheaded by Reece, the minister of music at First Baptist, and Ryan, the worship minister at Community Christian Fellowship. Both worked incredibly hard and did beautiful jobs.
Sitting in practice was almost surreal, and the surreal feeling was exponentially larger on the day of the One Service.
Despite forecasts of rain forcing the service to move indoors, the day dawned clear and bright and beautiful. Everyone in the choir arrived at 8: 30 to practice and work out a few logistical issues. Standing on the risers, I was surrounded by people I knew and loved.
Some went to my church, some didn't. And though I knew that all these people were Christians, the concept of worshiping with them, with everyone together, seemed foreign and strange - but powerful and very, very right.
Once every chair in the Health Complex was filled, and then the standing room along the walls was taken, and then a ring of people were spread out along the rails of the walking track, the service began.
Before the first song had ended, it was clear that God's people in Siloam Springs were about to embark on a spiritual roller coaster.
The final song before the sermon was "How Great Is Our God. "From my position in the choir, I could look out over the rows of chairs and faces, sprawling out over the whole gym.
And I couldn't help but think," This is how it is meant to be," God's people worshiping together, as one body, with one purpose, and one Object of our praise. Not every hand was raised outwardly, not every eye was closed, but I have no doubt that every individual in that room was singing to one Person.
Dr. Chip Pollard, the president of JBU, was requested to speak at the One Service. He quoted C. S. Lewis's introduction to one of his most famous works," Mere Christianity."
Lewis referred to Christianity as a hall out of which doors open into several rooms.
If I can bring anyone into that hall I shall have done what I attempted. But it is in the rooms, not in the hall, that there are fires and chairs and meals.
The hall is a place to wait in, a place from which to try the various doors, not a place to live in."
"If men were angels," said James Madison. He was referring to government, but I believe his words are applicable to the Body of Christ, as well.
If men were angels, if men were not fallible and weak and prone to argument, we could stay in that hall. But we aren't.
Within the Christian minority, we are split up into doctrinal factions, fault lines of baptism or Calvinism or speaking in tongues keeping us separate.
But two weeks ago, those fault lines were blurred as Christians worshiped as we were meant to worship. Praise God for the hall.
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