Description
Setting
Sunday, November 13th, 2011 I preached at the Southern Hills church of Christ Sundown service here in Abilene. The worship service was in a chapel room with about fifty individuals. The pulpit minister who invited me to speak was present along with a few of the elders of the church. The environment was a more intimate and relational other than the environment in the bigger auditorium. Within the larger auditorium where the church worships in the morning, one can easily be lost in the crowd.
The Action
Due to the fact the demographics of those in the audience were seasoned, the song selections were more traditional. Occasionally, the worship leader invited us to stand while praising God in songs. There seems to be no physical expressions from the members. While preaching, the audience was completely silent; however facial expressions of smiles and head nods informed me that they understand and agreed with the message.
The Speech
The worship service was led by the men and some of the elders of the church. The elders had more of the leading roles within the worship service. During the welcome, various prayers, song service, and shepherd’s prayers an Elder repeatedly made reference to the theme of my message: hope. As the audience were preparing and expecting a message that focused on hope, every man that lead in an aspect of worship made reference to the hope that we have in Christ.
Reflection
As I reflected on my visit to the Southern Hills church of Christ, I notice that the church seeks to invite everyone to experience life in Christ. Whether one is theologically conservative or liberal and whether one is a regular church member or is unchurched, Southern Hills opens their arms to everyone. As a part of their mission statement, Southern Hills seeks to be God front porch. They seek to invite all to be a part of God work in the world. The small group that met at the Sundown service opened their arms to me and invited me to be a part of their family. They invited me to experience life with them. Being away from home, I appreciated their open gesture because it gave me an awareness that Abilene can truly be a “home away from home.”