Sounds fun phil, I love it.

         We've tried opening up the service a lot more.  I've told 
you about the services that we have that we called, "spirit led," not 
because other services aren't, but because we can't think of a better 
title.  The people share then how God is working in their lives or a 
scripture that God has laid on their hearts.  They even pick out all 
the music, so that is fun.  Unfortunately, in a larger group though, 
you do sort of have to keep an eye on things.  We have people who are 
very spiritually immature, if they are christian at all, and they try 
to treat this type of service as if it were open mike night down at 
Joe's bar and grill.  Oh yes, we've had a few attempts at 
questionable jokes, which, to be truthful, I wouldn't have found very 
funny even if they had been told at Joe's, so there you go.
         I know, we all need to remain humble and keep a spirit of 
repentance, but most of our people won't bow to do that.    I don't 
mean that they have to do it publicly.  Let's just say that there are 
things that we know that are going on that  individuals aren't 
willing to give up.  It's so sad really.
         Anyway, I do like the idea of house worship.  I think that 
that was God's original idea, but I do still enjoy praising God in a 
large group setting.  I just can't seem to fit a pipe organ into my 
living room.  Actually, we don't evedn have one at our church, but 
they do sound awesome, you have to admit!
Kathy


At 04:53 PM 6/25/2006, you wrote:
>Kathy,
>
>I discover I still do a lot of repenting myself regardless of where
>everybody else is spiritually.  In fact, I like it because it brings me
>closer to the Lord and brings healing into areas of my life I never dreamed
>were there.  We ended up with a total of four but whose counting.  Church is
>pretty informal for us but everyone, regardless if I have something to teach
>or not, are welcome to speak up and talk any time.  It makes for a good time
>together because then it isn't just me telling everybody how and what to
>think but I get to learn from others, too.  Someone asked me the other day
>how long before our meetings on Sunday do I prepare.  I laughed because some
>days it is the whole week and some Sunday, I prepare nothing because the
>Lord gave me nothing.  That usually means others have important things to
>share we need to hear.  I used to spend 30 to 40 hours a week, years ago,
>preparing just one sermon.  Now sometimes it all happens in 5 minutes and I
>never do anything as complicated as I used to when preaching years ago.  In
>fact, I rarely raise my voice now and unfortunately, I have no pulpit upon
>which to pound.  That I miss.  I have been noted to throw my notebook,
>however.  That happen more than once but one time, I got so angry, I threw
>my notebook down on a coffee table sitting next to me.  It knocked off a cup
>of remaining cofee and spilled on to a lady's dress.  I didn't care because
>I was throwing her out of my house anyhow.  I was her pastor years ago and
>she is notorious for standing up and literally trying to take over a preach
>or teaching service.  She was so wrong this time, I made her leave.  I
>would, even to this day, been over backwards for her to help her but when
>someone attempts to announce the Bible isn't true in my own house, I get a
>little worked up.  It was, and is, the only time anyone stood up to her
>lying spirit she used to use to take over meetings.  I would have bodily
>picked her up but she, fortunately, left on her own.  Yes, I've seen her
>since then, she has been in one of our prayer meetings, and I even hugged
>her.  In fact, I actually love her, but the Enemy doesn't like that sort of
>love so he stirs up horrible trauma and woundedness in this lady's life so
>that she reacts publicly.  Other than that, I'm as peaceful as a mouse and I
>have never beat up anybody.  Well, I was pretty mean to my little sister but
>we won't go there.
>
>Phil.
>
>
>Phil.