Sometimes I look around the city of Providence and wonder why so few people are interested in attending church. Even last Sunday morning I was driving down Broadway and observing how the restaurants and cafes and gyms were overflowing with people. It seems like most people would rather sleep in or just read the newspaper in a cafe than attend a church. It got me wondering why.
Perhaps with many people they have attended churches in the past and found nothing spiritually invigorating. Part of me wants to just blame them for having closed hearts, but I also feel inclined to take responsibility. I have a hard time believing that everyone not in church on a Sunday just has no interest in knowing God. I believe that when churches are full of life, people will be attracted into them.
I say this simply as a reminder to us that this is what we want Ren to be. We want every gathering to be marked by the tangible presence of God. We want the love of Christ to be felt. We want the newest person who may be unfamiliar with the things of God to feel drawn toward the Father. I love that we have a beautiful space and a good website and talented musicians. Some say I'm an interesting speaker. But these things are not enough to awaken the thousands of people in our city. It's going to take nothing less than the electrifying presence of the Living God in our midst to captivate hearts.
I'm saying this to encourage us to bathe our gatherings in prayer. Prayer is what unlocks the outpourings of grace. Prayer is the greatest way we express our dependence on the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to come on Wednesdays 7pm and on Sundays to pre-service prayer at 9am. These are opportunities to call out to God together. But also be praying daily all day for God to move powerfully when we gather.
As someone once said, "no church is greater than its prayer life". It is my dream for Ren Church that from the lead pastor to the youngest believer we would have a deep hunger and thirst for more of Christ expressed through unceasing prayers. I dream of hundreds gathered in a symphony of passionate cries to the Father. It is this kind of praying that will result in Ren Church becoming like a fountain of living water that many will be drawn into to discover the joy of intimacy with God.
–Pastor Scott A.