Is that an oxymoron, or what? How can something be planned and spontaneous?
But we experienced planned spontaneity in our service this morning. Our worship team planned and practiced songs which would flow with each other and which would prepare people’s hearts for the Word today. At the end of the planned set of songs God showed up spontaneously with a powerful, unscripted, right-on-the-mark prophetic word for our congregation.
I did my very best to plan and prepare a message for this morning which would be timely, relevant, and applicable. At the end of my planned message God showed up spontaneously. A guest who had never been with us in a service before sang a song that God had given her two days earlier. The song contained the exact same words and phrases that were in my prepared message.
We planned. God showed up spontaneously.
I truly believe that if we had not done our very best planning, God would not have shown up so spontaneously. What do you think?
Craig T. Owens 
November 16, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Planned spontaneity is a beautiful thing. It is the spontaneous part that makes all the planning worthwhile. When God reveals himself in the service, it is like the fresh air we’ve been longing for. It makes every difficulty seem small and every dream possible. It is truly why we do what we do. We pray and ask God to break chains, set people free, unify hearts and empower us to reach the world for Him.
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November 16, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Awesome Craig. God is great!
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November 16, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I’m very happy for Bethel A/G because those are extra special appearances. God made us carnal, meaning with 5 senses. He grows us from glory to glory and He expects that we lean on faith and not fantastic. Nevertheless, those sweet, ‘unexplained except for God’ times are the ‘weight-bearing’ beams in our House, not foundation stuff but so stabling. I’m very happy for you!!! The freedom, unity and power Betsy talks about IS SO God’s heart, because we often behave bound, divided and weak. Be well pleased Pastor Craig, you and your team had been in tune with the Spirit during prepartion for today.
Kelly
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November 17, 2008 at 9:07 am
I was at the service Sunday, what a move of the Holy Spirit to have a service planed out following what God has put on your heart is a great thing but to be open to a change of order in the service is huge!!!!!
I was amazed and happy to hear from the Holy spirit at the end of the service. What really spoke to my heart was to see my Pastor be willing to set himself aside and let the Holy Spirt take over the service. I have only been to three Churches as a member I have visited a few and never seen a Pastor just let go and let God be God in a service.
Thanks Pastor Craig
TJ
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November 17, 2008 at 11:26 am
God is Good every where allllllllllllll the time
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November 17, 2008 at 3:03 pm
TJ,
I pray that we are always so open to allow the Holy Spirit take control. It is His church, and I just want to be a faithful steward. Keep praying with me, my friend, that God will find us faithfully prepared so that He can spontaneously show up!
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November 17, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Kelly,
I love those thoughts about foundations and beams… good stuff!
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November 18, 2008 at 10:22 am
Pastor Craig,
Just reading about your service brings me to tears. There is NOTHING that compares to the sweeping in of the Holy Spirit. I love the specialness of a service where I know that I know that I have been touched by His grace.
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November 19, 2008 at 4:28 pm
well, well- we pray and ask……and are blown away that God answers us! hahaha. yes, it is hard sometimes to be willing to set ourselves aside and let the Holy Spirit move. it is hard on both ends, but isn’t that what we’re lookin for? isn’t that whom we are seeking in all our efforts and preparations that He would so mercifully grace us with that fresh wind? and really, what have we to lose? we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. it is a sweet reminder that God is involved. He is watching. He is listening. How exciting that the God of the universe will visit a little church in burton 🙂
God is preparing your church for great things- the deep things of God- the outpouring of the Holy spirit, though you may not quite be ready for it just yet. he will stretch you and prepare you so when it comes you will be able to contain it and also to share it.
blessings to you all.
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November 20, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Indi
You have a great deal of talent .
Thanks for letting God use what he gave you.
Blessings
Tom
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November 20, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Reminds me of a song Jason Upton sings….
There’s a mighty river flowing
There’s a mighty river flowing through this place
and it’s full of passion,
full of power, full of glory,
It’s full of grace
Sorry, if the link below dosn’t work! IF Not go to the link directly below – or search Jason Upton – Mighty River, you’ve got to listen to it all the way and turn it up!
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November 20, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Ok, I have to share this… I was debating but now I’m just going for it!
God wants to move, God wants to reach down, God wants to hold some people in His arms and just love & heal them. At our Girls Sleepover during altar time, someone shared that they saw a waterfall flowing over the altar area where moms, leaders and girls were soaking up God’s presence. They also shared that there where streams/rivers flowing underneath the waterfall.
I believe God is waiting and wanting to pour His spirit out. But how bad do we want it? And at what cost? Are we willing to pray and seek God until we see Him face to face? Yea, I know this is a little extreme for some of you, lol! But I’m going on… Or do we give up praying after 1 minute? After not getting an answer when we wanted one? I have been challenged in the past months to kick up my prayer life, to go after God with passion, power and not to worry if I look silly or worried if people are going to get offended. Ultimately I have to answer to God. Am I living the life he wants me to live or am I living status quo?
I’m claiming that waterfall for Bethel A/G and the streams will be flowing in every area of ministry at Bethel A/G!
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November 20, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Great words, Jessica! I say, “Amen! Let it flow!”
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