A Fresh Voice

I mentioned this at Crossroads yesterday, but it's worth saying again.  I vividly recall long conversations Leslie and I would have late at night as we were pouring over books like Rediscovering Church by Bill and Lynn Hybels.  One of the recurring themes of those conversations was a holy discontent we shared over the idea of single pastor, single communicator, single voice ministry.  We laughed as we imagined the eyes of attenders glazing over as the hypnotic drone of single voice ministry lulled them into sweet repose.  We carried our imaginary service to the absurd as we envisioned ushers who would patrol the church aisles like flight attendants, handing out blankets and pillows to those who desired to enhance the quality of their rest.  And our eyes burned with hot tears - not from laughter, but godly sorrow - as we realized how paralyzing, inwardly focused, and all too common single voice ministry actually is.

That is why, from Day One, realizing the importance of involving others in every aspect of the service, we purposed to do it. Holy inbred conversation Batman, can you imagine a world in which my voice - as lead pastor - was the only one you ever heard at church? Kill me now if it should ever be that way, because death would be far less challenging to live through than the abject boredom and ultimate un-listenability of one man's voice droning on and on, ad nauseam.  Give me a fresh voice! To welcome people, a fresh voice!  To lead us in worship, a fresh voice! To show us how to connect, a fresh voice!  To encourage us in generosity, a fresh voice! To bring a relevant message that leads to clear next steps in God, a fresh voice!

So, it is no small deal for me and Leslie when we hear the fresh voice of any of nearly a dozen platform communicators at Crossroads (add them up yourself).  It is like fog clearing in the presence of the morning sun when I hear a fresh voice.  I begin to glimpse what God meant when he seared the vision of multiple-voice ministry deep in our hearts.  And when the chorus of communicators bring their unique timbre to support our purpose of connecting people to God and to each other...it is music to my ears!