This year's Encounter '08 was held at Christ Church, Nashville ... and wow ... was it ever an ENCOUNTER!The thing I appreciate so much about Lindell Cooley and the Grace Church/MMI staff is that they truly minister to the LORD ... first; modeling for worship pastors and worship leaders/musicians the very "thing" that we should be focused on ... the heart of the Father.
Not our performance. Not our "worship gig". Not the attendance in the sanctuary. Not the coolest/most hip "worship set" list.
The Father's heart. That is our #1 priority.
I love Pastor Lindell's motto for Grace Church: God is more important than people; and people are more important than stuff.
This should be heeded by pastors and church leaders of any-size congregation in America! We are so easily being entrapped in the corporate "bottom-line result" mode; and, that can be a heartbreak to the LORD ... especially when He gets "lost" in the mix!
Thanks, Lindell and staff for an AMAZING encounter with the LORD, and with other worship leaders from across the nation who love to rest and refresh in the Presence of the Holy Spirit.
I look forward to Encounter '09!
