Sing like you mean it

The Dunamis Gospel Choir came to my church last Sunday night.

As I walked into the building – slightly on the late side – my ears were embraced by the sound of young, tender voices.

That didn’t last long, because the chorus suddenly kicked in and the volume skyrocketed. The stage was filled with young, smiling faces; faces that were singing their hearts out.

Song after song graced the place, with completely different vocal arrangements for each. There were solos and a cappella harmonies galore. These kids could sing and they weren’t afraid to show it. There were African drum beats, scintillating saxophone notes and delicate flute twiddles (sorry, I don’t know the technical term).

Then all of a sudden, the choir members filed off the stage and sat down! I was gutted…

But it wasn’t over – they were just clearing the stage for a dance performance. Now I already knew these kids could sing, but I had no idea they were about to wow us with their moves too. Suffice to say they pulled it off.

Another musical selection followed, with a powerful sketch and some great poems thrown in for good measure.

But it was the final section that really blew my mind. Several of the songs literally gave me shivers up my spine; not only were they talented, these kids’ voices (and instruments) were powerfully anointed.

I should add that throughout the performance, members of the choir took it in turns to share a bit about their past and the difference the choir, its founder Daniel (‘Pastor D’) and getting to know Jesus had made in their lives.

Among them were ex-gang members, kids who had been badly treated by parents, and young people who had had substance abuse problems – some of them were as young as 12.

At the beginning I assumed they were all from Christian homes, or had at least become Christians before they joined the choir. But as the evening wore on (or glided by, more accurately), it became clear that this was an ongoing work.

These kids didn’t give polished ‘testimonies’; their stories were raw and from the heart. They were genuine, and they made me cry. In fact, they made most of the audience cry… and they even made each other cry. It was beautiful to see how much they rejoiced in each other’s victories and turnarounds.

Pastor D had clearly selected a group of kids who had basic musical talent and who needed to be part of something that was bigger than their own lives; to give them something to work towards and develop into; a family where older guys lovingly embraced younger guys and girls stood hand in hand rather than backbiting and tearing each other down.

The genius of his vision is that by including them regardless of their beliefs, this choir is transforming people’s hearts from the inside out. Indeed two of the choir members had come to Christ in the two or three days leading up to the event and another that very night. (I actually heard since writing this from Pastor D that this figure is closer to seven!)

I’ve never, and I mean never, seen kids who were happier and more fulfilled than these rough-around-the-edges teens from East London.

I’m not going to say every note was perfect, that each changeover was absolutely seamless or that the words spoken were breathtakingly eloquent. I will say, though, that I was moved beyond all expectation by the work that was being done in their lives, and by the way it was spilling over into the lives of others.

As they spoke out what God had done in their lives, they reaffirmed to themselves what they believed. They encouraged their friends and fellow choir members. And they blessed everyone in the building’s socks off. I just wish all Christians were as beautifully honest and open to the Holy Spirit as they were.

Mark my words, these kids will be at the helm of a new generation of great preachers, singers and performers. The legacy Pastor D is creating will be far-reaching and impossible to quench.

Acts 1:8: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.

What do you go to church for?

I had lunch with a close friend this week and the conversation somehow wound its way round to church.

She’s taken a break from it for the last few years but is thinking about going back. There’s one thing stopping her though: she feels like a hypocrite.

She explained that she wouldn’t be going to turn back to God, but for the sense of community church life brings. Coming from a family where the door is always open to friends, she misses the social aspect and the values it teaches. But she feels a bit uncomfortable about the praise and worship side of things. And while her husband supports her in everything she does, he is worried church members will make her split up with him if she starts going.

I personally think she’d get a lot out of church, both from a social and a spiritual point of view, and it’s probably her own reticence that will act as the biggest obstacle to her enjoyment of church itself. I’m also 100% sure no-one would try to split up her marriage – it’s a God-ordained institution (and he’s lovely!).

Anyway, my problem with church is the complete opposite. It’s only when I’m worshipping God that I feel completely free. It’s the social side of things that I struggle with. I’ve been known to sneak in as the first song starts, sit alone at the back and sneak out as the invitation for tea and coffee goes out.

I’m horrible at small talk and blush embarrassingly when I feel awkward. I’m also bad at recognising people I’ve spoken to before, so I’m always wary of asking questions I should already know the answer to! What if someone asks me something and I don’t give a holy enough answer? What if they invite me to something when there’s football on?!

I have been working on this, and the friendship groups I’ve built up in various churches over the years have been incredible. But I still get incredibly nervous when I go to a church where I don’t know anyone.

Like last week…

I made it inside through a maze of doors and was confronted by a host of indistinguishable older ladies: similar shape, hairstyle, fashion sense, glasses. They were invariably named Phyllis, Ann, Joyce and Edna and were all immensely friendly (one even invited me to lunch after the service… but there was football on).

The service itself was fine, although there were a few awkward moments. Phyllis/Ann/Joyce/Edna did an exercise with the kids involving a map cut into pieces and ‘hidden’ around the room. This went horribly wrong when one little boy grabbed a pile and refused to bring them to the front. (Hilarious.)

Then we were split into small groups to pray for the church’s missionaries, something I’m used to, but is still a bit awkward if you’re a visitor. The mood was significantly lightened when another little boy broke free of his parents and started attacking the piano (and our ear drums). Stevie Wonder he was not.

Finally, a guest speaker approached the microphone. Now I’m not saying middle-aged, leather-jacket-wearing Cockneys can’t be good preachers… but this guy wasn’t. Moments of greatness were interspersed with loud and repetitive cries for us to “get desperate for Jesus”. And I’m pretty sure he offended some of the Anns and Ednas when he said he wanted to see some “life back in this place”.

I resisted the urge to run away immediately after the service – in fact I spoke to another Joy and a young couple, all of whom were lovely. But it’s still the social side of church that I struggle with the most.

Whatever it is that puts us off, though, there are so many advantages to church. We get to worship our Heavenly Father. We develop relationships that are more like family than some of our own families. And we can then collectively take the love of God into our communities; representing Jesus to those who would rather stick pins in their eyes than go to church.

Every church has imperfections, and many of us find aspects of church difficult. But after 29 years of going, I’m convinced the pros far outweigh the cons.

I’m definitely looking forward to being back at my own church this Sunday, though!

Hannah’s dilemma

 Photo credit: PinkStock Photos

Sometimes the Bible seems far removed from the reality of our daily lives. I’ve just read Ezekiel and it made me feel a bit like I was swimming through treacle at times.

But the more I read the more relevant it becomes. The story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1, for example, is interesting and helpful to any woman.

So what’s the story?

Well Hanna is married to Elkanah, but has to share him with his other wife Peninnah. To add insult to injury, Peninnah has a brood of kids – often considered a mark of God’s blessing – while Hannah is unable to conceive.

There is one consolation for poor Hannah; her husband seems to really love her (1 Samuel 1:4 and 8). But this isn’t enough to fill the void of childlessness, particularly with Peninnah continually rubbing her face in it (1 Samuel 1:6). She often wept and went without food because she was so downhearted (1 Samuel 1:7).

But life changes for Hannah following a ‘chance’ encounter with Eli the priest. Eli initially thinks the weeping woman has had a few too many, but soon realises she is just overcome with grief and is silently crying out to God. The priest tells her to go in peace, saying “may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him” (1 Samuel 1:17).

And God does exactly that. It’s not long before she’s holding her very own son Samuel (meaning ‘God has heard’) in her arms. But the story doesn’t end there. Hannah had made a vow to God that if she should be blessed with a much longed for son she would “give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:11). And that’s exactly what she does.

So what does this tell us about God?

1. He hears our prayers (Psalm 28:6)
2. He gives us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4)
3. He sometimes allows us to suffer for a period so that we draw nearer to him and give our lives and futures into his hands
4. He brings important people in to our lives at just the right time
5. He is gracious – Hannah went on to have three sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21)

What does it tell us about Hannah?

1. She is a normal woman who desperately wants a thriving family
2. She persists in prayer, even though she is barren “year after year” (1 Samuel 1:7)
3. She believes what Eli tells her and stands on his word in faith (1 Samuel 1:18)
4. She fulfils her vow to God and gives him great thanks and praise for answering her prayers (1 Samuel 1:24-28; 1 Samuel 2:1-10)
5. Her faithfulness results in the ascendancy of an awesome man of God who powerfully influences Israel’s history (1 Samuel 2:26). He goes on to become a great prophet and judge, and is tasked by God to anoint both Saul and David as kings

So what can we learn from this?

1. God’s timing isn’t always the same as ours. We need to keep pressing in until we get an answer to prayer
2. We should surround ourselves with wise people who can reassure us with the Word and bolster our faith (Proverbs 13:20)
3. If we make a promise to God we should fulfil it (Deuteronomy 23:21; Ecclesiastes 5:4)
4. We should be extremely thankful for everything God has done in our lives, and for the things we believe he is going to do (Psalm 100:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
5. We should expect great things – Samuel far exceeded Hannah’s expectations

If you don’t know what your ‘Samuel’ is, what your heart is really yearning for, ask God to reveal it to you. Then keep your eye on the prize and wait patiently for God to bring it about. And when he does, make sure you pass on the good news.

The power and impact of our testimonies – however insignificant they might seem to us – is often much greater than we think. If we just keep what God in our lives to ourselves, we are potentially robbing others of similar blessings. Part of our thanksgiving should be telling people just how incredible he is (Isaiah 12:5).

Read more about powerful women of God - some from the Bible and others who are alive today - in the next issue of Liberti magazine.