Undignified Praise

Last night I hooked up with one of my high school BFFs at a big Rock & Roll party in Indep. Her name is Hope. And talk about someone that is full of hope and faith. On her car windows, in large type, she has the phrase "Keep Hope Alive". She is a hoot and I just love her--her and her fiery red hair. ; )

At the party, she invited me to visit her church this morning, the New Life in Christ International Ministries in Grandview, MO. I met her out there at 10:30. When I walked in the front door, I was immediately greeted by a couple of very friendly people that seemed genuinely excited that I had come. I signed in at the front desk as a visitor and when I told the lady behind the desk that I was invited by a friend, she asked the name of my friend and when I told her she said she knew right where she was. She got up immediately and took me into the sanctuary and offered me a seat by Hope. This wasn't the service though--this was a women's bible study group prior to the 11:00 service. Hope introduced me to many of her friends--her "sisters in Christ". I'm going to go ahead here and be blunt or what some may call "politically incorrect" and say that this was a predominately black church--Hope and I were quite obviously members of the minority group of about 6-8 white people. And yet, I don't know that I've ever felt more welcomed and part of a group than I did this morning at that church.

When the worship music started and 3-4 ladies started singing Gospel songs, I was blown away. These ladies could sing and the entire congregation was on their feet praising the Lord like nothing I've ever seen or been a part of before. Well, that's not exactly true, I visited a church in New Orleans during a missions trip there and they came close. I only knew one song, but that didn't matter--I could clap and I could move and I did--for about an hour. I even knew the last worship song we sang, Nobody Greater, one of my favorites. It was so exciting.

Then a minister came out, did some announcements and introduced the 5 or 6 new visitors, me included, and he told the congregation to make us welcome. They did! People were coming from all over to hug me and say, "God bless you for coming sister and we hope you come again". And they meant it. I was overwhelmed, to say the least.

And then came the offering. What an experience. We all held up our offering envelopes, waved them in the air as we sang a worship song about offering it up to the Lord. And it didn't end there. As the "captain" came down the aisle with a large basket with a purple velvet lining, each row passed their envelopes to the end of the aisle and shouted as loud as they could--hallelujah!, Amen! or whatever you wanted to holler as the offering song was also being sung. It was an event. It was exciting being a part of a group of people so full of joy and love for the Lord.

As if all of this weren't enough already--we had praised God beyond anything I'd ever experienced, and now we were also going to get a message from Apostle Rice and his wife, Doris. They were amazing--"on fire" is how I might describe them. Very exciting. My phone vibrated in my purse, so I checked to see who I might be getting a message from. I checked the time also--it was 2:00 p.m.--I had been there for 2 1/2 hours and it wasn't over. Incredible how time flies when you're caught up in an experience like this. When praising and thanking God is the order of the day--not the minutes ticking away on the clock.

As I drove home, a song that the WCC Gospel Choir sings came into my mind, Undignified Praise. Sometimes I think we've become too dignified. God doesn't care whether were sitting or standing or singing or shouting--He just wants (and expects) our praise. We let him have it today.

I am so glad that my dear friend Hope wanted to share this with me.



KEEP HOPE ALIVE!