Learning to Linger

By Tim Keller, Lead Pastor

Monday morning Cheri and I headed to our favorite diner to enjoy our typical Monday morning breakfast. Because of my schedule the past few weeks it was going to be our first Monday breakfast together in nearly a month and we were both looking forward to it. With Monday being my day off, our weekly breakfast is a time to relax, go over our schedules for the week, and discuss topics that present themselves. On any given Monday we’ll talk over the previous day’s ministry, our three boys, what we’ve been reading or the latest sports headlines. Some days we’ve been known to sit for an hour after eating, just talking and listening to one another.

Not this time.

When we arrived at the diner this particular morning we noticed that the host was wearing a coat. Within seconds we understood why. There was no heat in the place. We were seated in a booth by an exterior wall and immediately Cheri felt cold air coming through the window. So we moved to a different table, kept our coats on, and made the decision to stay and order breakfast.

We managed to review schedules before our food arrived. We ate quickly and then exited briskly. The food was adequate; unfortunately what was missing was the proper atmosphere for lingering. We couldn’t wait to get out of the restaurant.

Over the past few years the elders at CAC have been led by Holy Spirit to work at creating an atmosphere in worship that invites lingering in God’s presence. We’ve attempted to make some changes to the flow of the service in order to create space for God to work in hearts that are responsive.  Our mantra is “Learning to Linger.”

Learning to linger means that we enter a worship service expecting God to communicate with us on a personal level. We listen attentively for Holy Spirit to teach us, encourage us, call us to action and invite us to go deeper with Jesus.

On the side of those planning and preparing a worship service, it means intentionally planning for Holy Spirit to speak and simply giving Him space to say what He wants to say.

We’re seeking to set the thermostat at a level that will encourage individuals to linger and drink in the presence of God. You are invited to come along and linger with God, appreciate a cup of coffee with Him as it were, and enjoy His presence.