The reason why

For this - this is why we do all that we do :)

Found a blog of one of our Easter integrations who came on Sunday. I didn't meet her but the report I got was that she was all right, open to friendship, okay during service. Thought it was just another one of the 16 new friends we had. Just planned the usual integration outings and that was it, to me. Seemed normal as always.

But then things changed. I found her blog. I read it. It blew me away. She took a lot of pictures of our service (and it's quite funny to see a picture of one of the slides you did as part of the sermon slides...) but the most amazing thing was what she said about service.

Pastor Tan was so good.
Imposed shame, Innate shame, Inherited Shame.
I learnt that we are all sinners because of adam and eve.
He talked about Jesus on the cross and why he'd forgive our sins...

At a point in time, I was very emotional and touched by his words.
He prayed for all of us as we bowed our heads in prayer.

I felt really good after church service,
like as if a whole weight of burden was lifted off my shoulders
and a big smile was stucked on my face throughout the night.

Such a powerful reminder. This is why we do people work. This is why every week, we collate attendance, arrange who sits where for service, arrange who goes to pick up the new friends/integrations before service, sit with them, make sure they are okay and take care of them, take care of them after service, integrate them....
Sometimes it can be very routine and mundane but God today just reminded me why we do all that we do. Why we sweat blood and tears to have perfect services (or as close to perfect!) as possible -- because ultimately, just like how God touched this girl that Sunday, when we create the right atmosphere (both ops side and pastorally) for God to move in - God comes, and hearts are opened, lives touched, seeds sown,

If you are a leader in this place....let this inspire and encourage you, that what you do - it may be routine, simple stuff that we do every week, but it is so important. You are the wheels that hit the road every week.... why we pray, because we can do all these things but if God does not build the house we labour in vain....

If you are a member...let this inspire and encourage you. You are important! This is why we EV. Because when we EV and reach out, just like how God has changed our lives, we want God to touch and change our friends/families' lives too. And this is why we take that step to welcome a new friend in your CG, whether or not you brought the person. Because your friendship to that person may change their perception of church, from boring to welcoming perhaps. And the person will come back next week...

If you are an ops, worship team person....let this inspire you and encourage you, that though you work behind the scenes, it gets tiring, but the ops and worship team really pull the service together and sets the platform for Psts to preach with such anointing and for God to move.

When I read that blog entry, I vowed that I am going to keep praying for this integration till she encounters God, is saved, planted in church with us. I can just see her coming for service every week, writing in her blog things like "Today's service/CG/follow up like every week's is amazing...God just spoke to me....I love God...." etc. Won't that be cool?

So God, no matter what, this is the life I choose to live, a life sold out to You, to church, to people. Because even if it's only for one life to be touched, then it's worth it :)