Wednesday, June 20, 2001
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Wednesday, June 20, 2001 |
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It happens in the Big Apple ... and it can happen here, too By REV JOHN HATCHER I know in my business it's supposed to be "believing is seeing." However, this past Sunday, I can say, "seeing is believing." As part of a wonderful 10th Anniversary gift from my church, my family and I attended two church services, one in Times Square and another in Brooklyn. The Bible says that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. I saw it Sunday. So, let me give you just the facts, ma'am. Times Square Church is located in the heart of Broadway, across from the Gershwin Theater. Their scheduled Sunday services are 10 a.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. We arrived 45 minutes early for the 10 a.m. service and discovered within 15 minutes of our arrival the main floor was packed. They ended up seating an overflow crowd in their annex serviced only by a video screen. Their main auditorium, including their balcony, seats about 3,000 people. Think of it: in the heart of some of the worse filth belched from stage after stage, 9,000 people are attending Sunday church every week. For about 45 minutes, the massive choir led the congregation in singing the latest contemporary praise music to the time-honored, "Leaning on Jesus." Then, for 45 minutes we heard a solid Bible message that didn't miss any punches. Senior Pastor Carter Colon wasn't seeking to please his listeners, but to please an awesome God. As he gave a traditional altar call at the close of the service more than 300 people packed the front of the auditorium. And all this happens four times each Sunday. By the way, Times Square Church was founded by David Wilkinson of "Cross and the Switchblade" fame. Next, later that afternoon, we got real proud of ourselves as we negotiated the New York subway to make our way to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, which conducts four services on Sunday, packing out the auditorium which seats in excess of 2,000 people. Although the widely popular Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir ministers on Sundays, the Tabernacle leaders declare that their most important service happens Tuesday nights when they gather for prayer. Get this: you better arrive an hour early for the Tuesday night prayer meeting if you want a good seat. Imagine that. Prayer meeting. Usually, the least attended of our services. But Pastor Jim Cymbala and his wife Carol discovered years ago that there was "power in prayer." Imagine that! So, they placed prayer as priority (after all, Jesus said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."). We thought we had arrived in time for the 6 p.m. service, but discovered they were presenting again their Easter pageant. We got in back of the line, some two blocks from the entrance of the church. Waited. Finally, we were seated on the very back row of the balcony. The pageant was absolutely powerful. We wept and laughed and rejoiced. No Broadway show could compare. Truly, the best show is at God's House. As we left the church to find our subway entrance, another crowd was winding around the block. Now, a final reflection: we are cursed with our blessings. Far too much, far too soon in life; for too many comforts for far too many ingrates. Many of the folks who pack these auditoriums travel more than an hour by train, live in apartments often without air conditioning, and probably never make it out of New York City. It really doesn't matter because they have a little bit of heaven on earth with thousands every Sunday giving praise to the Lamb of God. "Oh God, let it be here. Send an un-quenching thirst for your presence and power. Send an un-ending hunger for your Word and its call for righteousness." If God hears New Yorkers who talk so fast, surely God can hear us southerners that talk a bit slower. Let's pray!
The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville. |
