I walked into a God-gathering (Gg) while in college and was instantly transformed as I heard ordinary people tell about their experiences with Jesus. I have never been the same. To this day I still get tears in my eyes when I tell people about how my life was changed in that God-gathering. (Check out this Facebook page: God-Gatherings Led By The Living, Resurrected Jesus Christ) 

A God-gathering is a meeting where (2 or more) everyday people come together to each one listen to God and then speak what God tells him, resulting in a divinely orchestrated time in God’s presence. God-gatherings are open and unprogrammed. (They look somewhat like AA –Alcoholics Anonymous– meetings.) God-gatherings let go of human control and allow God space to work. God-gatherings expect and rely on the direct intervention and leading of God as a present reality. 

God-gatherings express the joy of knowing Jesus in practical & personal ways rather than in theological & theoretical ways.
–Talking and teaching cannot fully convey the amazing sweetness of daily following the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. People must experience it for themselves.
–“If you cannot explain the sweetness of honey to someone who has never tasted it, how can you describe the delight of God’s joy and grace to those who have never experienced it? –Gregory Palamas (1296-1359)
–God-gatherings create a worship environment where people can experience the living Christ working in and through everyday people.

Jesus longed to gather His people in Jerusalem, but they “were not willing” to be gathered unto Him and His active and direct control. I believe that Jesus’ heart and desire in the 21st Century is still to gather His people in meetings, not led by human programming or agendas; but actively and directly led by Him! Are we willing to set aside our need for human control and be gathered together in meetings led by the living, resurrected Jesus Christ? It’s time!

After writing this blog post, I saw this Facebook post by Salvation Army Col. Janet White Munn:

You have one instructor, the Messiah.
Matthew 23:10

You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
No one but you knows what the future holds.
We pray for patience and guidance as we wait for you to reveal your plan.
Amen.
‪#‎MoravianPrayer‬

Her post inspired me to ask these questions:

–What if when we gathered for worship, instead of just listening to human instructors, we actually took the time to wait, listen to, and actively obey in the meeting, the Messiah — the living, resurrected Jesus Christ?
–What if instead of following a human program, plan, or presentation in holiness meetings (church); we instead waited for Jesus to reveal His plan for the meeting?
–What do you think?

See for yourself! Experience a God-gathering every Sunday morning at 10:45 at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, TN 37207.

Last night (after having written this blog post earlier in the day) I was surprised by an unprogrammed God-gathering in Nashville.
–My wife and I attended the 20th anniversary banquet for Global Foundation, a Middle-Tennessee based missions organization, held at The Cookery – Nashville on 12th Avenue South.
–To our surprise, it was an unprogrammed God-gathering. Rather than focusing on one featured speaker, everybody present was invited to share “God stories.”
–It was amazing. As prompted by the Spirit, a dozen or more people shared spiritual insights and/or powerful and moving testimonies about how they have seen the living God work. There was also time for people to pray with one another and time for praise and worship. It was a beautiful night.
–It was so refreshing to see the participatory format that we use at The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center in Nashville, TN and at Hart Street Worship at Trevecca used in another setting. Meetings are always amazing when everyday people are encouraged and allowed to show and tell what God has done!