I've been wanting for a couple of days now to write my thoughts on what God has revealed to me in the midst of what many would call tragedy at New Life Church in Colorado Springs. For those of you who don't know, I was born and raised in Colorado Springs, and this church is less than 5 minutes away from where my parents live and where I lived in high school. I've been to many of their services over the years; in particular, their student services, and I still have many, many friends and people I know that belong to this church. News from there hits pretty close to home. When the news of former pastor Ted Haggard hit over a year ago, I wrote these thoughts on it which you can find at this link:
And over a year later and a shooting occurring at that church last week, God has once opened my eyes to what He is doing in it, and also what He has been doing over the last year. It amazes me what these things are, but even further still, it amazes me that what I see only scratches the surface.
I was still in San Luis Obispo when the shooting happened and heard about it from John and also my best friend at home who is heavily involved in this church. It was interesting because if I had been on a normal holiday schedule for coming home, I probably would've been at that church that day. However, I wasn't, and I do understand some of the reasons why now, but those I won't get into. When I arrived home last Wednesday, I was hearing things firsthand from people and also was placed into the environment in which this event happened. But it really wasn't that clear until I was driving to do some holiday shopping one day and drove by another church, on which they had their marquee "New Life, we are praying for you!"
I broke into tears when I saw that, completely overwhelmed at it and it came to me that God is uniting the Body of Christ in this event. It's not just in Colorado Springs, but so much further than that. I think in our human tendencies as American churches we get caught up in pride and identify ourselves with the name of a church and the things that are happening there, when above all, we should be identifying ourselves with the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ surpasses all church walls and all divisions that we impose upon it. I see that happening with this, and it's an incredible thing to see.
As I meditated on this, I realized something else. What many would consider a tragedy, I believe God is using it as restoration for a wound suffered a year ago by the falling of Pastor Ted. After that event, New Life was thrust into the limelight not for what it truly is, a part of the Body of Christ that looks to Him alone as a leader, but rather another American church that had a leader doing immoral things, showing hypocrisy. Sure, people seemed to give praise to how the church staff handled it, but for the past year, that is largely what New Life has been known for. The shooting that occurred last week seemed to begin to thrust that out of the limelight, and the press has something else to focus on. Yet God remains sovereign over all, and in the midst of all of this press coverage, people are seeing a church that truly seeks out Christ and Christ alone. People are seeing something real, not a religion that tries to act or hide, but a people deeply in love with their Savior and looking to Him alone. They are seeing a humble leader in the new pastor, Brady Boyd. They are seeing a people respond by praising and forgiving, not out of fear or hatred towards the event.
And as I spoke with my Godmother who attends this church about this, she said that the theme of the church over the last year has been "Overcome." God has laid this on their hearts for quite some time, and they are overcoming in tremendous ways.
I went to New Life on Sunday with John and found myself taken away by the presence of God in that place. This church and this part of the body of Christ are overcoming because they are and have been looking to the One who overcame first, the One who says that we would have troubles in this world but to take heart for He has overcome it. Surely He reigns supreme! I believe that Christ has made Himself and is the center of that church, and with that said, all glory be to Him!
I strongly encourage you to watch this, at least the first 5-10 minutes of it. It is a video of the service on Sunday and reeks of the Spirit. Witness for yourself what God is doing and who He is!
Glory be to Him!
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