Author, Gordon MacDonald

Some of my readers, (you know who you are, ha, ha!) have asked the continued blog that failed to publish from the National Worship Leaders Conference in Austin, Texas, so here it goes.

WORDS FROM THE WISE…

The General session speaker for Wednesday afternoon was Gordon MacDonald.

“When we lead people into the presence of God, we better know what we are doing. We better know where we are taking them and how will they leave.”

Great statements, sobering statements. This gentleman was a great communicator.

Gordon MacDonald

He focused on Psalm 73, consider the wicked and how they prosper. It wasn’t until David entered into the Sanctuary that his perspective changed from the “world’s way of thinking” to a Godly perspective. It was when he entered into the Sanctuary that he became “centered”. So many of the people who we are called to lead are coming from the realities of this world, we must ask ourselves; is our Sanctuary a place where they find their “center”?

Pay attention. How well do you know your audience?

MacDonald painted a great picture of an all too typical church; the ladies in the choir pointing and commenting, under hushed tones, to one who is dressed inappropriately for their church, the couple behind them relishing in the latest church gossip and a preacher who’s preaching is so out of touch with his church that you conclude; you could have found more peace by sitting on the deck, listening to Mozart and reading the Wall Street Journal.

NEVER let them leave without giving them hope.

He went through each generation with general questions, but relevant questions that they may be asking themselves. 20’s are asking if they are chosing the right carreer. 30 somethings are asking questions relating to their young family. The 40’s and 50’s are beginning to ask what they are going to do when the children leave. The 60’s generation, who are facing retirement, are asking who am I? What I do no longer defines me. The 70 year olds are asking another set of questions, “Do you know who I was”.

We have so many different people to lead into God’s presence, it is imortant that we are led by the Spirit of God in our song selection as well as our delivery and most importantly our preparation; to be sensitive to His leading.

I thought of all the situations and generations that sit in my church. That is the brilliance of the Living Word. The Holy Spirit speaks to every generation, every situation through His life giving, hope restoring Word!