You can call me spiritually insensitive. You may think I am irreverent. You could even believe that I am unconcerned about spiritual preparation. But I was energized and prepared for worship by the enthusiastic banter and the occasional peal of what I would describe as hysteria or at least unbridled laughter heard on Sunday morning, prior to our sanctuary service. There is a very legitimate school of thought that believes the moment prior to the entrance of choir and worship leaders is a time to be quiet, reflective and somber. For some, this is a non-negotiable. You “pipe down” and prepare for worship. This is not what we do at Poplar Springs. The moments of preparation are conversations with folks we haven’t seen in maybe a week. It could be a time of re-engaging with a friend you haven’t seen in quite some time. Maybe you invited a friend and they showed up, even though they knew who the pastor was! Anyways at Poplar Springs, it’s a welcome back party every Sunday and I love it. That’s why we don’t, for the most part, have a greet your neighbor segment in our worship agenda. If we did a time like this at a later point in our service the party would start all over again!
Its called Koinonia, a Greek word for a very special, caring, empathetic, Christ centered, spirit filled fellowship. Its not a surface membership in a club or organization. Its sharing our lives together as a family in Christ. It is a gift of God through the power of The Holy Spirit. It is all about the sweet spirit abiding in the people of God as we worship, learn and grow together. Koinonia is the product of a church doing it right. Which is, by the way, my sermon topic/ series for January 2020. I will be sharing what I hope to be God given insights found in Acts 2:42-47. Read this passage and pray for me as I prepare messages that will hopefully assist us with celebration and challenge us as we try to get it right.
Poplar Springs is a special congregation with a gift for making people feel welcomed and a part of the family. We are experiencing Koinonia. Thank God for it and by all means do not take it for granted.
God Bless,
Andy O.
704-300-0062