I had an interesting experience up at Harvest Farm this morning. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Northern Colorado ministry scene, Harvest Farm a faith based addiction facility in Wellington where the residents work with crops and livestock a part of their treatment. It is not an easy life. You literally live on a farm, so you are up with the sun to do backbreaking chores and take care of the animals. On top of that, the residents are battling addiction, so they are constantly fighting multiple battles at once. It is difficult to provide for people going through this, but I must say I was impressed with the facility and its resources for its residents. It is a place of hope and I was honored to be there to support a good friend who is graduating from the program. He has enough experience for two lives, and I am absolutely amazed about how God is working to transform him. Or as he put it so well "God didn't lead me here to fix my old life. He made me a brand new person." It was riveting!
I also found myself transfixed by the community he was speaking to. Now, when you think of a graduation ceremony, you might assume that we were in an auditorium full of graduates and bunch of well dressed people. That was definitely not the case. Instead, we were in the farm dining hall at 7:45a with 100+ men dressed for work (i.e. overalls, boots and junky work shirts) and finishing a hearty breakfast. The graduation was actually not an official event per se. Rather, it was a simple announcement that my friend had completed the program before he was given time to speak. It was a ceremony with minimal pomp and circumstance, but I don't think I will ever forget the reaction his fellow residents had to his speech. They watched with rapt attention. No one said a word. There were look of envy, happiness and sheer pleasure as the residents watched one of their own reach the storied hallmark. In this, their own stories were clear. They had come from similar backgrounds and were ecstatic about the progress God had in one of their comrades. And I hope that, from the look in their eyes, that they were eager join him someday.
All things considered, it was definitely a worship service. The elements were all there. God was present, all were in community and the Good Word was preached. Yet, it was unlike any worship experience I have ever had. But why? Was it the setting? No, I have been to church camps before and worshiped in a similar rural atmosphere. Was it the content of the "sermon"? No, I have heard testimonies like his before. Although his was by far one the best. So what was the difference? Why was it so powerful? After a lot of thinking, I think it was the "congregation" that made the difference. But why? What was the difference between them and the people who normally attend a church? Perhaps it was their background; the different family dynamic, or some of their life choices. It could be, especially on a superficial level. But when it comes down to it , is there any difference between them and us? They were broken; just as I am broken; just like everyone on earth is broken. However, I think the signs of their brokenness were more apparent, just below the surface, while we try our best to hide our issues.
All too often, I think we out in the pews take our forgiveness for granted. We overlook our common brokenness and the commonalities we all share. This is not to say we need to revel in our sinful past, or use it as a club to beat ourselves into a constant state of fear. But what if we remembered that we are always a work in progress and that we should be desperately trying to live into God's kingdom instead of our own? If we walked into church with that in mindset, what would happen? I think we would again find our worship as stimulating as a Harvest Farm graduation and our lives couldn't help but be changed. There is so much we can learn from them, so let's keep an open mind, amen?
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