Secret Santa Worship (Blog) Day – thank you!

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The morning after the night before!

And a heartfelt thank you to all who took part.  Those who wrote, obviously, but also those who read and commented.

“Secret Santa Blog Day” began life as a suggestion to write a post about “worship” and have it published on another’s site.  The writer would have no choice in which site it is published, and the publisher would have no choice of which post they published.  Sort of like the workplace “secret santa” (which has presents) – but in this case with “posts”.

But almost all the authors who initially volunteered were already connected with Church Set Free.  So the theme of worship was moved to this blogsite – and the “anonymous secret” element was dropped – and the name for the day evolved into “Secret Santa “Worship” Day” – and along the way a few more bloggers volunteered (they may call it “were ensnared”).

And, then, yesterday – ten posts went up.

All of them written independently.  None of them edited or changed.  Ten ordinary human-beings writing as they were moved to write.  Their only guidance?  That one word: “Worship” – and their own relationship with “God” and “church” (or whatever all that “stuff” means to each).

If you have read them all you will have noticed many differences.  And one common thread running throughout all –

L O V E

Love in relationship.  Love in living.  Love in being.  Love in connecting.  Love as worship and worship as Love.

L O V E.

That common thread blew me away!

Because this word “worship” seems (so often) to be just another “and do this” when it comes to God stuff.

You turn up on “Sunday”, and you worship together.  And then you go home again. Worship done.  God done.  For another week. All the guilt attached to the weekly attendance (or not).  All the routine that is worship (or not).  All the “we all know what worship is don’t we” (and mainly do not).

So on a personal level – to see others write about worship was very helpful … but to see what they wrote “worship IS” to each … ?  That was truly amazing!

It was my privilege to be part of yesterday –

Thank you  – writers … readers … commenters … sharers – and everyone who “connected”.

((hugs))

Paul

 

25 thoughts on “Secret Santa Worship (Blog) Day – thank you!”

  2. Yeah…that was good stuff yesterday. The common theme running through posts written by ten different people was amazing.

    I’m actually going to be a lazy blogger for a few days, as my morning and evening posts for the next few days are going to be reposts of our ten posts. Gonna extend Secret Santa Worship day out for a bit.

    🙂

    Oh..and apparently many people have not ever played Secret Santa at the office! As Don said, I think some of my readers thought I had joined a Santa Claus cult! But, that worked out pretty good, as explaining it all to them got them over to read.

    Paul, you did so great with this. It’s great that God has blessed us with those with vivid imaginations, otherwise the rest of us would just plod along being our boring selves. Thanks for all of this.

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  4. Brother, I don’t want to be the one who said, “I told you so,” because I didn’t tell anyone anything! But — When we as a people, and it doesn’t matter if we are shoulder to shoulder in a building, allow the Holy Spirit to have HIS way, you will ALWAYS find HIS theme throughout all the various articles or gifts being used! When I first started witnessing this way back when, like most young men, I was blown away by the “supernatural” nature of it, but as I have aged and (hopefully) matured in the Lord, it has become a comforting blanket of assurance KNOWING (as opposed to just believing) that our GOD IS in control!!

    This is why I believe online ministry/service is so very, very important and should not be taken lightly or considered just a “hobby” ministry (as I have been told) but rather just another great and far reaching medium in which to spread the gospel, encourage brothers and sisters, and to urge one another to “good works” where we live!! This medium is a miracle of these days we are in and the Lord, I believe, reserved it for this time! The Bible tells us that in the last days there will be apostasy, the actual turning your back on what you KNOW to be the truth; but it also tells us there will be a great revival, the reviving of the knowledge of the Truth and the confirmation with miracles the Truth of the Word of God!!

    So my brother, EMBRACE this medium as only those called to do so can! The Word also says that our God will give us the desires of our heart; that doesn’t mean He gives us what we want, but rather what becomes a desire in our heart is the GIFT that God has placed within us!!!

    I thank you and the “staff” of CSF and I certainly THANK and GLORIFY my Lord and Redeemer for the opportunity to be a part of such a growing and widespread “movement!” Don’t be surprised over the next few weeks of what you hear the Holy Spirit accomplishing in the lives of the readers! Remember, we do what we are asked to do and the Holy Spirit accomplishes the results that HE wants!

    Just as a side thought, I have this posted by my computer and have for years:

    RELIGION says: I do the work, I get the credit and God accepts it.

    CHRISTIANITY says: God does the work, God gets the credit and I accept it!

    God bless you my dear brother and I so look forward to working with you as the Lord leads more and more!!

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    • Roland, thank you for validating my own thoughts about sharing the Gospel online. No, it’s certainly not a hobby – it’s a way we spread His love and grace to all nations. Think of how many Paul (the apostle) might have reached if he’d had this technology, and if the seven churches had Skype. 😉

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    • Roland … I get told off here for calling you that – “He is PASTOR Roland, Paul!” 🙂

      There is the fragrance of the Lord in your words. His perfume in your paragraphs. There is something in the way you write that just grabs something inside me and hugs. Can the Lord in you hug the Lord in me? I can’t think of another explanation.

      And your comments come at a very apt time for me (and that is no surprise). You have mentioned before the value in online ministry (and the “hobby” perception of many). Right now I am being pulled towards real people ministry (by real people of God). What one might call a “tension” between this “hobby” and “proper ministry”. Where that tension moves me in Him and these real people … your words cause me to ponder anew. Thank you.

      Working together as the Lord leads? Now that IS a fun thought! 🙂

      And I love your “says” thought. That one is going up right now! Thank you – for now!

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      • Brother, Pastor is a title only, that started when I pursued online ministry. I am a minister of the Gospel for you never retire from that, but I am still involved as much as I can be in local ministry. I have been a Pastor of ‘brick and mortar’ churches as well as associate pastor and assistant pastor. The title I love most is Brother!!! For it holds a deep and intimate meaning in Christ and His disciples! I could tag on Reverend or some such title but I don’t like that very much. Pastor denotes a shepherd, someone who leads sheep, in other words goes out in front of them. Christ is the Great Shepherd, any of us can only be an under-shepherd, but it DOES come with grave responsibility before the Lord! To those much has been given, much is expected and yet — He is the one who equips us to be able to give back!! You will always be a dear Brother in the Lord and it wouldn’t mean any less without the Title. Brother, the title is for the world, NOT my brothers and sisters already in Christ!! Love you Paul and you follow above everything else, what the Lord is placing in your heart; test the spirits to make sure they are from God, but walk in FAITH for it is the one thing that pleases, especially pleases our Heavenly Father!!!!

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  5. So lovely to be in worship. Paul, thank you for carrying our conversation into action; it was a lovely day to sit with God and with those who wrote, getting a glimpse into each, intimate relationship. Feeling quite blessed today.

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  6. What a wonderful day of fellowship and worship it was!! Reading everyone’s unique perspective on worship was like unwrapping a Christmas present 🙂 Thank you again for all you did to organize it and for allowing me to participate! (((hugs)))

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    • Julie – that you volunteered was brilliant! That you wrote such a wonderful post was superb – and now your comment: the icing on the cake! Thank you!! ((hugs))

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