I long for. . .

I bit of random thoughts that I have roaming around in my head. I have a dream. A vision. A goal. A deep longing. There is a longing in me to have worship change. The gatherings, the sound, the sight, the organization, the vehicle, the feel, the experience. I long for worship to be more than music. I long for a time when gatherers will recognize worship for more than something they sing and stop referring to the music portion of gatherings as the "worship". I long for an environment where it is okay to dance and flail about as I worship and not worry that someone thinks I'm out of line or possessed. Where it's okay to lay prostrate on the floor in humility and not be a distraction to half of the gatherers because they can't stop staring at me and wondering if I'm still alive. Where it's okay to sit quiet and still while everyone else is loud and moving about and not have to worry that someone thinks that I am being resistant to the Holy Spirit. Where it's okay to stand when everyone else is sitting and sit when everyone else is sitting. I long for a worship environment that truly welcomes every type of person. And where the prettiest and most popular people open their arms to the EGR's. Where there is not a target audience. Where a homeless man could feel comfortable to worship right next to "Santa Rosa Sam". I long for a time when gatherers will not sit in neatly measured rows. When people will stop straightening and restraightening those stupid chairs. I long for a time when we sit in a circle or on floor cushions or mill around. I long for a time when those people who play instruments will not be in the spotlight. I long for a gathering that uses other forms of expression to worship, maybe even leaving music out for a time! I know, I know--you might as well nail the doors of the church closed. I long for a time when you could ask a child to sit down and paint a picture that illustrates "God is great" and they would create a beautiful masterpiece of worship. I long for a time when doubt is welcomed and saying "I don't know" is not a disappointment. I long for a time when the "nonessentials" of our faith honestly become "nonessential". I long for a time when state is removed from the church. When I can be trusted to listen to the Holy Spirit and make a mature Godly decision. I long for a time when what I've heard from the Holy Spirit is not doubted because it's different from what you heard. I long for a time when followers of Jesus become Kingdom Seekers. When we begin to focus on Jesus words and leadings. I long for a time when doing things differently is invited instead of brushed off. I long for a time when compassion, peace, and love will rule our relationships. I long for a time when we will start doing what we hear. I long for a time when the followers of Christ take seriously the new society that Jesus wants to create in this world, not after the second coming. I long for a time when followers of Jesus do just that--follow Jesus. I long for a time when worshippers will look to the Holy Spirit to teach them, not humans. I long for a time when church "out of the box" does not merely mean having church outside for a week. I long for a time when we open our lives up to others and really become friends, not just church acquaintances. I long for a time when we adopt "practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty" as our motto. I long for a time when we start seriously listening to brand new believers and how they view things because they have not yet been tainted by the church culture. I long for a time we focus more on the "thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" than the "deliver us from evil". I long for a time when everyone will be welcome to worship alongside us, including "sinners". I long for love to rule our lives and our worship.