JTTurner.Net

Wow! We had the launch of conVerge Church last night and I am just stunned. I have never been a part of something so big in my entire life, something that I could feel God moving in and really working in…not to this degree anyway. There were just so many things that had to come together in such a small amount of time that I honestly thought it was going to be so much less than it was. I know I definitely thought that there was no way the music would have been together for this past Sunday. And, honestly, it wouldn’t have been done if it hadn’t had been for God. I know this may not fall into most philosopher’s and theologian’s definition of miracle, but, I have to say…this was a miracle. There is just no way it could have happened without Him. So, did it violate the laws of nature? I dunno…possibly…but, this is for sure, omnipotence was required to pull this off. So, thank God for all that He did!

What’s convicting about all of this is that I definitely doubted God and my place in all of it. Many, many times I thought to myself “people aren’t going to like this music, I’m not the guy who should be doing this, we cannot do this, I don’t have the time, I don’t have the talent…etc, etc.” Well…in truthfulness, some of that is true. I couldn’t have done it myself. But, what isn’t true is that I wasn’t supposed to be a part of it. God called me into this if for nothing else than to orient my life around mission. But He did more than that…He’s actually allowing me to use the talents He’s given me to make music that I believe answers a problem in the church. So, hopefully it will continue in this manner and I, and all the guys in the “band,” can remember to keep the point of the music focused on Christ and His worship.

If you weren’t at conVerge for the launch last night you really missed a great message. Steve did a fantastic job giving the “why” of conVerge…as in why are we here, in Lynchburg, right now? I am honored that I get to work with Him as the pastor of my church and that I get to see God develop him as a teacher of the word. February 10th should be the next step in his progression and the next step in conVerge as Steve lays out the “how” to living missionally. He was right on Sunday when he said that people in the churches want to know “how” to live on mission…and the cool thing is, I believe that God is going to use conVerge to show His followers how to do it. The church has left the question unanswered for so long now, that I’m thrilled to hear the answer and seeing people start changing the world by reaching people for Christ and training them to be disciples.

Gosh, there is so much more to be said…but it just seems that trying to put last night into words leaves a lot more to be explained. Was it a miracle? If I had to give an answer I would have to say…yes!

-JT