Recently I had a booth for the Peoria Prayer Center at a conference. This conference is called “Equip” and seeks to do just that for the people who attend, equip them.
On the first day of the conference I meet the people who were around me with their booths, these were the other potential equipping and supporting ministries. Thier was the children’s evangelists who starting throwing gold coins from his booth whenever he did not have people to talk to. He slicked his hair back, wore a dark jacket with a red cross on the back. He also gave away Jelly Bellies that tasted like dirt, worms, rotten eggs and worse things in his ministry.
Next to the evangelist was a middle aged woman in a three piece suit, neatly pressed, hair in place, great posture and offering music for children to sing the scriptures to. Her display was neat and orderly and she would never think of removing a piece of it to flick it on the floor for entertainment and attention.
Behind me was a young lady running a home for needy and delinquent children. She said that in her ministry this conference was like a vacation. She hardly talked and read a book most of the time. Friendly, loving and yet ever much enjoying time to read. Across from her was an older man selling books. He wore a vest sweater from the 60’s, recounted most every transaction and could tell you hour by hour how things were going in comparison to last years sales.
Then there was me. A middle aged overweight man holding a book in his hand, flicking candy back at the children’s evangelist, always being cautious not to offend the well dressed lady and allowing others to straighten up my table as it got shuffled around. Yet our diversity was nothing compared to the people who attended the conference.
There was the youth pastor in shorts, elongated goatee and piercing, the lead pastor in suspenders, belt, and pants tucked in boots and carrying a grocery bag for supplies. There was the lady in a gym suit that made you wonder if she knew she was in public, the pastor’s wife missing teeth and the normal biker types with tattoos, long hair, silver teeth, nose ring and wife dressed in tight leathers hanging out by his side.
I hope that I can share with you in words what I saw, it was wonderful, beautiful, close to holy. It was the bride of Christ dressed in her Saturday garments. She was out in the world seeking to find another who knew of the one she loved and could help her know Him more. The Bride is enlightened with diversity, reflecting the creativity of God in dress, personality and passion. I got to stand in a holy place and see the wonders of God pass by as the redeemed from varying traditions, cultures, background glided past. It was like a little picture into heaven. We will probably be busy in heaven for a hundred years just getting use to all the different people there.
I’m glad I get to stand with the righteous ones, the pierced ones, the farmer and the professional, the goofy and the godly. As these two or three gathered in His name, He was there.
On the first day of the conference I meet the people who were around me with their booths, these were the other potential equipping and supporting ministries. Thier was the children’s evangelists who starting throwing gold coins from his booth whenever he did not have people to talk to. He slicked his hair back, wore a dark jacket with a red cross on the back. He also gave away Jelly Bellies that tasted like dirt, worms, rotten eggs and worse things in his ministry.
Next to the evangelist was a middle aged woman in a three piece suit, neatly pressed, hair in place, great posture and offering music for children to sing the scriptures to. Her display was neat and orderly and she would never think of removing a piece of it to flick it on the floor for entertainment and attention.
Behind me was a young lady running a home for needy and delinquent children. She said that in her ministry this conference was like a vacation. She hardly talked and read a book most of the time. Friendly, loving and yet ever much enjoying time to read. Across from her was an older man selling books. He wore a vest sweater from the 60’s, recounted most every transaction and could tell you hour by hour how things were going in comparison to last years sales.
Then there was me. A middle aged overweight man holding a book in his hand, flicking candy back at the children’s evangelist, always being cautious not to offend the well dressed lady and allowing others to straighten up my table as it got shuffled around. Yet our diversity was nothing compared to the people who attended the conference.
There was the youth pastor in shorts, elongated goatee and piercing, the lead pastor in suspenders, belt, and pants tucked in boots and carrying a grocery bag for supplies. There was the lady in a gym suit that made you wonder if she knew she was in public, the pastor’s wife missing teeth and the normal biker types with tattoos, long hair, silver teeth, nose ring and wife dressed in tight leathers hanging out by his side.
I hope that I can share with you in words what I saw, it was wonderful, beautiful, close to holy. It was the bride of Christ dressed in her Saturday garments. She was out in the world seeking to find another who knew of the one she loved and could help her know Him more. The Bride is enlightened with diversity, reflecting the creativity of God in dress, personality and passion. I got to stand in a holy place and see the wonders of God pass by as the redeemed from varying traditions, cultures, background glided past. It was like a little picture into heaven. We will probably be busy in heaven for a hundred years just getting use to all the different people there.
I’m glad I get to stand with the righteous ones, the pierced ones, the farmer and the professional, the goofy and the godly. As these two or three gathered in His name, He was there.
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