I will miss church

There is something different about the way Haitians worship. Uninhibited. Unabashed. Unprogramed.

Yesterday in church, I wanted to soak in every feeling and emotion and never, ever forget what was going on in that moment. Ever have those moments?

I wish I could have taken a picture or video (cause you know my skills at making a video) to show you all- but you will have to settle for a poor description of a truly spectacular sight.

Our pastor John Mchoul, is NOT your normal pastor. I think he would take pride in me saying that. He is from Bahston (like me) with the wickedest accent I have heard in a long time (yet a Yankees fan- boo). He and his wife have lived here for 21 years and ran many different amazing ministries. He has crazy, uncombed curly hair and wears the exact same worn blue polo every week and chastises men from the pulpit who wear ties. He is  spirited-filled and you can usually find him on his knees, forehead to the floor during worship. If not on the ground, he is jumping up and down high in the air, eyes closed, arms extended to Jesus.

This Sunday he preached barefoot because he kicked off his shoes during worship. Shouldn't we all do that? Kick off our shoes during worship? I am fairly certain this was unplanned- but he called all the men up to the front of the sanctuary spur of the moment and asked them all to start praying for their wives, children and for them to be strong men of God. Haitian style prayer is everyone praying at the same time- crying out to God all at once. Then he stopped in the middle of it and made everyone swap places on the stage and start again. What a sight- to see men on their knees, holding hands, desperately praying for each other. A normal practice for John is to turn to the worship team and ask them to play a certain unknown song, repeat a certain song or he just starts signing This Little Light of Mine at the top of his lungs. I smile to myself thinking about a worship leader in America reaction- What?? We haven't rehearsed that song! Not in the program John! 

This Sunday, after the mens prayer, we went right into singing Gloria in Excelsis Deo. You know, Gloooooooooooooorrrrrrrr-iaaaaaaaa. That one. I used to love that song when I was little. Well, I am standing there singing this Christmas song I have sung my whole life (literally meaning Glory to God in the Highest) watching these men. Frumpy missionary men- you  know the type. Unstylish, uncool missionary men jumping, raising their hands to God Almighty, holding each others hands, hugging, eyes closed tight screaming Glllloooooooorrrrr- iiiiiaaaaaa at the top of theirs lungs. Pure joy and admiration filling the room. Haitians, Americans, young, poor, black, white, all screaming, dancing, clapping like no one is watching. Praising God as if they was no one else in the room. You would have thought we were at a concert or something. I never want to forget that moment.

I want more church services to be unprogramed, spontaneous acts of the Spirit. What would happen if we threw away all structure of a Sunday morning and started from scratch? Worship SHOULD be like dancing with no one watching, singing in the shower, unfiltered love. Worship SHOULD be an act of prayer, desperation, repentance, thankfulness. It SHOULD be like you are at a rock concert. If you were to sing a love song to your beloved, would you stand there stone faced singing from a hymnal? (nothing wrong with hymnals- but you get the point) Sometimes I wonder why I sing and dance my heart out to, "All the Single Ladies, All the SINGLE LADIES!!" yet I stand up straight and narrow in church.

All that to say, I am going to miss Haiti and the purity of their church. No fancy lights, no high tech sound, no well-established, well-read pastors who have written books- just purity. (again nothing wrong with those things per se, but come to Haiti first and then we will talk...)

Watch out Grace Chapel I am coming back, kicking off my shoes and dancing down the aisles.