I've been back in Lancaster for a couple of days, but there is more to say about last weekend in New York. I think it was the first time I was with a european group in New York, without being one of the leaders. Technically I did take some responsibility, but everything was already well organized from my friends at the Stockholm Gospel festival.
At one time I was talking to the swedes about when I visited a catholic church in the south of Germany. I remember that at that church I had to accept that God presented himself in a way I could not understand. Because I did not understand the language, the format of the service was unusual for me and it was difficult for me to understand why we did certain things in the service. But I noticed that many people were blessed by it.
In Brooklyn last weekend we were also at a service where I had to accept that God presented himself in a way that was too different for me. The swedish group sang two songs in the service, right after the local worship team had done a few songs with us. The worship team sounded great and they were very good at leading us in music before Christ. Then the swedish singers did one of their best performances on the trip, under direction of Magnus and Anki. After that I did not understand what happened in the service. But I am still glad that I did not let that confuse me too much.
We have different ways of expressing what we believe in. Atheists like to say that religion causes war, conflicts, division and so on. But that's not true. Some people, usually men with lust for power, use religion as an excuse to manipulate, argue, fight and destroy. But that's done by people, not God. It will always be like that. Therefore it is good to be remembered that those of us who believe that there is a God also need to be aware that we have different ways of understanding God's presence in the world and in our hearts.
At one time I was talking to the swedes about when I visited a catholic church in the south of Germany. I remember that at that church I had to accept that God presented himself in a way I could not understand. Because I did not understand the language, the format of the service was unusual for me and it was difficult for me to understand why we did certain things in the service. But I noticed that many people were blessed by it.
In Brooklyn last weekend we were also at a service where I had to accept that God presented himself in a way that was too different for me. The swedish group sang two songs in the service, right after the local worship team had done a few songs with us. The worship team sounded great and they were very good at leading us in music before Christ. Then the swedish singers did one of their best performances on the trip, under direction of Magnus and Anki. After that I did not understand what happened in the service. But I am still glad that I did not let that confuse me too much.
We have different ways of expressing what we believe in. Atheists like to say that religion causes war, conflicts, division and so on. But that's not true. Some people, usually men with lust for power, use religion as an excuse to manipulate, argue, fight and destroy. But that's done by people, not God. It will always be like that. Therefore it is good to be remembered that those of us who believe that there is a God also need to be aware that we have different ways of understanding God's presence in the world and in our hearts.
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