The Intangible Side of Worship
John Killinger
Prayer sensitizes us to the true meaning of worship. The person who spends time within the divine circle of companionship never enters the hour of worship without being sensitive to what can occur there.
—John Killinger
Several years ago I was preaching in a small Tennessee church. From the minute I entered the sanctuary, I felt a spirit there I hadn't felt in many sanctuaries. The prayers, the music, and even the silences were extraordinary. I feel sure that I preached over my head—that my own spirit was measurably quickened and deepened by the unusual sense of worship prevailing in the minister and the congregation.
Later, I commented about this to two laymen.
"I hope you know," I said, "what a rare and exhilarating kind of worship you enjoy in this church."
They smiled knowingly at one another. "Have you seen The Cloisters?" one asked. I wasn't sure what they were referring to—surely not the assemblage of monastery remains brought to New York by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
"The shed up in the woods behind the preacher's house," one of them added when he saw my perplexity.
I had seen the building, but I didn't know it by the name they used.
"That's what the preacher calls it," they said. "It's where he goes to pray. And sometimes he takes some of us there, too. He goes up there every Saturday evening to pray for our services on Sunday. His wife says sometimes he stays two or three hours."
The mystery of the great worship services suddenly evaporated.
It was not a large congregation. They had no dynamic, colorful song leader. None of the cues were evident that usually indicate an exciting, impressive service of worship. But the most important ingredient of all was present: the minister and his people were prepared spiritually ...
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