B E H I N D / T H E / B A R

We spent four nights together this week, praying together over the vision God has given RiverChurch for the future.  We are moving forward into the destiny that He has prepared for us, with great confidence that He is going before us.  I also believe He is sending people to come help us.  The path we are heading is unconventional.  Its not pretty. In fact it can sometimes stink, literally.  But we believe God is showing us a need, and He’s asking us to respond to it.  So we will go.  Here’s a recap of our last night of prayer together.

Who Will Go With Us?

Matthew 9:38 – “therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Isaiah 6:8 – “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

For four years our church talked about going, doing, reaching, serving, but never fully tapped into that until recently.  I could waste time in telling you at the disappointment I’ve found at the number of people who sat and talked with us and agreed that we should do all of those things, but when it came time to actually put feet on our words, they were nowhere to be found.  But I’d rather talk to you about the people who got up and went out, actually doing what we’ve talked about for so long, Being the Church.

We have people serving faithfully every week at Saturday Church, not because they have to, but because the get to.   Whether its transporting supplies to our venue, preparing and serving food, sitting with people from a completely different set of circumstances and talking to them like a real person, or sweeping the floor after everyone has left; people are putting feet to their words.

But the opportunities to do more continue to open wide in front of us.  There are more opportunities to help prepare and serve food.  There are opportunities for people to stand in prayer and intercession for the countless prayer requests and practical needs we have every week.  The door to make disciples is wide open, as we are praying for people to sit with new believers right there on a Saturday night over a cup of coffee and a sandwich or bowl of chili and talk about relationship with Christ in real time.

Jesus nailed it when he said the harvest is great, we’ve reached a point in our gatherings on Saturday nights, where every space to sit or stand is taken.  We’ve got more unbelievers coming than we have committed followers of Christ,  but we need more people to come and be part of what God is doing in our city.  I’m praying for more people to respond to the call that God is sending out over the city of Chattanooga, to go be the church.

Prayer Focus

– For more people to step up and serve

– For people who are coming to faith now, to find their place in the body, to advance the kingdom.

– For other like minded churches, groups, and organizations to join us in advancing the only Kingdom that matters, the Kingdom of Heaven.

For more information on how you can be involved check out our opportunities page over at RiverChurch.me.

Here’s a song that’s kind of become my anthem lately: