The Glory in Duluth event last Sunday was gloriously collaborative. Not only between the different ministries who were ‘on stage’ but with the local circle facilitating the event.
There was some push back by other Church groups who had already organized events on the same day. ‘But they are at different times’ our friends offered. ‘Why not make it ‘a glory hop’.?
So they went in support of the first event who in turn promoted the second and so on. This co-operative disposition resulted in some miraculous reversals of attitude and action!
This spirit of ‘let’s set aside our minor doctrinal differences to unite around the essentials’ was a main theme of Donna Rigney’s ‘Tell it like it is!’ talk.
It reminded us of the ‘Come Together in Jesus Name’ days where the Spirit was poured out powerfully and indiscriminately in Ireland as believers chose to major on the majors. This ‘ecumenical grace’ waned as people retreating into ‘denominational’ camps and tried to ‘own’ this gift for themselves.
Our assignment on Sunday was to give folk a ‘warm welcome’ and so we began with our Irish hospitality number, ‘Come On On On In’ – a lighter fun song, we thought, to put people at their ease.
The gathering however would have none of it, and immediately all rose to their feet, hands earnestly uplifted to heaven in an appeal …….
“Come On On On In”
Later, many agreed, ‘The Spirit fell!’
‘I heard us singing it ……..as if it were an appeal from the land, urging God to come……And he did!’ was Donna’s comment.
Our final song, The King of Summer I featured a few blogs back. A local brother commented that there was then a profound ‘silent unity’ as we recognized God had responded to our invitation to come in and……
‘Sit yerself down’
This of course is my reflection but only in combination with each and every other participant with their own unique perspectives could it be recounted how by ‘truthing it’ and ‘in love’ we were made one.
This indeed is the ‘Glory in Duluth’ Jesus speaks of in John 17:22, ‘I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.’
On our way out of town, Dan from the praise band Shabach texted me this photo he had just taken in the city
………..a wink from heaven 😘
+ BOOM.
Back from Duluth we watched the latest Johnny Enlow Unfiltered. Interestingly this was episode 70. The number for glory is 1000. Adam died at 930, 70 years short of the glory, so 70 speaks of Restoration.. It points to God’s promise, “For as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord’ (Num.4:21)
Again in Duluth after proclaiming Jesus King and inviting him to come and take his place ‘in this place at this time,’ we had sung,’ Let your glory fill the earth ………from sea to shining sea…….‘til every eye will see’
It was at this same time that a ‘bombshell interview’ with Dr Jan Halper-Hayes ‘went viral’ The magnitude of this, on our way to this glory filled future, is at the heart of this presentation by Johnny. Here is the link.