The Open Door

It is Sunday night after Thanksgiving and I am rejoicing in the glorious times of worship that I have experienced today. As you may be aware, I preach just about every Sunday in a different Georgia Baptist church. I love doing that. It is one of the great joys of my service among Georgia Baptists.

Our churches have been very generous in their invitations to me to come and preach in their worship services. Of course, as any preacher can tell you, sometimes the preacher needs to be a part of the congregation and participate in the worship service rather than lead the worship service. All of us need, from time to time, to get our batteries charged. Furthermore, it’s good every now and then to sit and worship with your family. This Sunday I had that privilege both Sunday morning and Sunday night. It was wonderful.

I am a member at North Metro First Baptist Church in Lawrenceville where Dr. Frank Cox is pastor. As I sat in worship today and listened to my pastor faithfully preaching the Word of God. I was truly blessed and inspired.

I am grateful for a pastor that diligently studies God’s Word so that he might faithfully feed the flock on Sunday. My pastor does that. Without a doubt, he spends hours upon hours in his study. His sermons are expository and richly illustrated from life experiences. His sermon on King David this morning was the finest sermon I have ever heard on the subject. I was blessed; I was challenged; I was inspired and deeply moved.

At the conclusion of the worship service this morning I thanked my pastor for pouring himself out for our church on a weekly basis. I am very familiar with the personal sacrifice of sermon preparation. Someone has suggested that it is not unlike the experience of giving birth to a baby.

The delivery of the message is the conclusion of a long, prayerful, and thoughtful search of the heart of God. Sermons live, like those I have heard today, when they are delivered with passion and speak to the everyday challenges and needs being experienced by the congregation.

The music in our church is consistently outstanding. I cannot imagine that the glorious songs of heaven could be more beautiful. Keith McBroom and our choir and orchestra also give clear evidence of hours of preparation for the Sunday worship services. I have never been able to hear our choir and come out of the experience chill-bump-free. Most of the time my eyes fill and my soul rejoices in the greatness of our Lord.

It’s rare that I am able to attend our church as a worshiper, especially on Sunday night. So many times I am getting back to town as the evening worship service is beginning or is in progress. Tonight was different. I was able to go to Sunday night worship, and it was glorious.

While some churches have cancelled Sunday night worship, our church has kept a strong Sunday night worship service. In fact, one would be hard pressed to distinguish between what happens in the choir loft and on the platform Sunday night from Sunday morning. The choir and orchestra were absolutely packed this evening and the music was a sacred offering of praise to God.

We do not do Sunday night lite at our church. The people come in great numbers and Frank’s messages present as fresh and challenging a word as Sunday morning. Tonight we had Baby Dedication as we always do on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We dedicated about twenty babies to the Lord. It was a meaningful time for the families represented as it was for the church family.

As I reflect upon today’s experiences at my church, I am thankful to be a member of a vibrant, alive, evangelistic, discipling, Bible preaching and teaching church that believes that a rich quality of a healthy church is worship that inspires.