Have you ever been priviliged to catch a glimpse of heaven? I am not talking about a Paul-like or John-like experience of being "taken up into the heavens", but a real flesh-and-blood look at the kingdom on earth as it will be in heaven. Well this past weekend I had the opportunity to visibly see and experience what the writer in Revelations described in chapter 7, verses 9 and 10.
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Over the weekend I flew out to the St. Louis area to participate in the Installation and Particularization of New Life Presbyterian Church. The weekend celebration was just awesome. The church is a picture of what is being described in Revelations. It is a church comprised of about 50% white and 50% black members. It has an African American Pastor (only the 9th African American led church in the PCA) and the session (group of elders) is made of of two whites and one black. The worship time was special too. It had a wonderful blend of traditional hymns as well as more "soulful" music, along with very solid Biblical teaching.
What is a Particularization of a church? For those of you not associated with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), let me explain. When the denomination wants to "plant" or "start" a new church, that church is designated as a church plant. It receives all or part of its budget from either the "mother" church, or the local Presbytery, or both. Anyway, after a time period (usually 3-4 years), it should be at a particular number, strength, and maturity to be "particularized", or set on its own. Anyway, that is what New Life Presbyterian Church did this past weekend.
What does this have to do with "seeing a glimpse of heaven", or better yet, "racial reconciliation"? Everything. Let me explain. New Life started as a mission church 9 years ago under the leadership of Reverend James Williams. He is one of only 27 African American pastors in the PCA. The church plant had many struggles, and yet Pastor Williams pressed on, sure (most of the time) that God was in this. In fact, at one point, there was a movement to "shut it down" because of its slow start. However, through perservance of the pastor and the members, God, in His providence and His timing, saw this work bear fruit. And in His timing, God provided the opportunity for this church to be "particularized". The reason I believe God has blessed this work is because of its focus on working with the poor locally, its vision for world missions, and its heart for racial reconciliation.
In fact, this weekend, besides being a celebration of "particularization", was a witness to the work that God is doing in their church through racial reconciliation. I believe it is a work that God wants to do not only in that local church, and not only in the PCA, but also in world missions. John McGuire, of the ERACE Foundation, was a guest also this weekend. He stated, "Racial reconcilitation is not just a PART of the Gospel, it IS the Gospel." After reflecting on this, I couldn't agree more; the Gospel is ALL about reconciliation - with God and with Man.
Another guest, more like the MAIN SPEAKER, was Rev. Carl Ellis. He is an African American pastor, formerly of a PCA church, who now heads the group Project Joseph. He spoke three different times, and each time I grew to appreciate and understand the whole idea of racial reconciliation even greater. It was an awesome opportunity to sit under the teaching of not only an excellent scholar, but also an excellent communicator.
To say the least, the weekend was an awesome experience. It gave me greater insight to the work that God is doing in His church. He desires that man be reconciled to himself. He also desires man be reconciled to one another. The church must work towards greater reconciliation so that we can model the glimpse of glory that we will experience for eternity. If we are going to spend eternity worshipping together around the throne of God, then we better start getting used to it now.
Hi Tim,
Wow! How encouraging to hear all that God is doing in your midst, in our midst. You know I, as an African American, have a strong desire to see racial reconciliation take place within the PCA. Praise God for a glimpse of heaven, praise God for a glimpse of His desire to see the body of Christ as one. Sure do wish I were there. Thanks for sharing your heart!!!
Posted by: Barbara | February 12, 2004 at 10:27 AM