Testimonies:
I could not deny what was happening at New Life Church. In all of the hoopla and “craziness” there was good fruit. People would wail and hit the floor, lie there for a while, and get up…different.
Testimony time became my favorite part of our meetings. Folks would get up and share what Jesus had done in their lives. For the most part these were not people predisposed to run up to the microphone or seek attention. Often, this was the only time they ever came to the mic or spoke to the congregation. And we’re not talking about testimonies like, “I used to feel kind of bad but now I feel a bit better” or “Before, I couldn’t bend my arm like that, but now I can bend my arm like this.” These were full-blown (sometimes scandalous) confessions that would turn your ears red if you weren’t looking into the face of someone who was completely free and changed.
Case in point:
There was a particular lady who, to me, always looked as if she was in pain. She had a flat affect and furrowed eyebrows. She had no physical energy whatsoever. She seemed to have no life emanating from her. Other than noticing she looked pretty life-less, I didn’t really pay any attention to her. She just happened to be one of the zillion people at church. One Sunday morning when testimony time rolled around she and her husband came to the platform. She took the mic and began to speak. She very plainly told us all that she had been depressed for many years, that she had an affair with a younger man, had become pregnant and had lost the baby (I couldn’t tell if it was by miscarriage or abortion.) She told us she wanted to die, but couldn’t put enough energy together to end her own life. She said she prayed and that the Holy Spirit moved in her, that the guilt and pain were removed and she experienced forgiveness She confessed all to her husband and he forgave her as well. She was delivered. Then she smiled and was unrecognizable. She had big bright eyes and a tremendous smile full of bright white teeth. She looked “new.” He husband stood beside her during her testimony. He was the strongest man in the room as far as I was concerned. He had this air about him that seemed to say, “That’s right. This is my wife. And if you have something to say, come and get some.”
Dessert:
We had many testimonies just as astounding. People came from around the region. Pastors from surrounding churches would come Saturday evenings so they could be filled and not be “on-duty.” We had an extensive prayer team that would specifically pray for people and lead them in “deliverance” sessions. There were many people. The worship times were protracted and moving. It was a great, great time. It was especially humorus (at least I thought it was) when it seemed the Holy Spirit would sweep through and you could see waves of people collapse or start laughing or both.
On one particular song ( I can’t remember the name of it) everyone in the room from the very front to the very back (maybe 400+ people) were jumping in unison. It was like being at a Rock Concert. It looked awesome.
I asked the Lord about what was happening. I didn’t doubt Him or what he was doing. And I wasn’t questioning His ways. I just wanted to know Him better. I had been diligently seeking His voice and I believe He gave me and answer.
Most of the folks at New Life came from pretty “legalistic” churches and backgrounds. They believed God’s approval of the was “conditional” (how you acted, what you believed, how you dressed, what you avoided or indulged in.) They viewed God as Right and Just and All-Powerful and generally cranky.
It was like this…
You had a bunch of people who were always fed bland food. Bland meat and potatoes. No sugar. No salt. No pepper. They were just force-fed proteins and the like. They were never told about dessert. Some folks had heard about the mysterious dessert, but their leaders and teachers told them dessert was bad and wrong and bad for them and they shouldn’t eat it and God didn’t like dessert and meat-of-the-Word and all that…
Then God shows-up and leads them to a dessert buffet full of cakes and cookies and pies and puddings and Rice-Crispy bars and brownies, ice cream w/every topping imaginable and warm fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts (insert you favorite dessert here__________) and He not only says, “Have a bite.” He says, “Taste and see that The Lord is good!” and he opens it up 24-7. Like Scrooge when he encounters the Spirit-O-Christmas-Present who says, “Come and know me better!” then he flies Ebenezer to all these Christmas parties full of food, dancing and wine.
These were folks who experienced real freedom and the giddiness of first love. Love makes people do foolish things, sense goes out the window, and we just don't care what others think.
The word we used a lot was "Undignified." "Dignity" is a very important, proper, Southern concept. We threw that out the window as well...and had a food fight!
chris
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