Saturday night my daughter and I went to church; Southeast Christian Church. Southeast is a big church, a mega church. It runs like a well-oiled machine. You pretty much know what is going to happen at all times because that’s the way it has to roll. But Saturday the lights went out at Southeast Christian Church and nothing was predictable.
When we arrived yesterday evening we were unable to go into the sanctuary due to a power outage. The people were being told to stand out in the hallways. From that point on it was a totally different service than I’ve ever attended.
For King and Country were the music guests this weekend. They continued to set up on stage as some of the lights came on and we were allowed to enter, though they flickered and went out as we took our seats.
As we sat in the mostly dark seats in the sanctuary the church attendees, approximately 45oo, spontaneously broke out singing Christmas carols. It was a special time, reminding me slightly of the scene in Elf where the crowd stated singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town to help get the white bearded man’s sleigh in the sky.
When Dave Stone, the senior pastor, came to the mic for the second time to announce that the rest of the service would pretty much take place in the dark, and unplugged for the band, he suggested we sing one more song while we waited…the same song collectively this time, and in the same key. When he asked the crowd what they wanted to sing I heard a few people shout Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He chuckled and stated that this would probably never happen again so why not?
It was history in the making as I pulled out my phone to record this well known mega church sing this traditional Christmas song the night the lights went out at Southeast Christmas Church.
It was a special service in many unexpected ways. Have you experienced the unexpected lately?
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