Pressing into the Heartbeat of the Father: Restoration Songs and Prayer

Pull me a little closer
Take me a little deeper
I want to know Your heart
I want to know Your heart

This is a note of reflection I read from this past Sunday:

“God met me during the sermon last Sunday, highlighting things that he is doing and wants to do in my heart and in my life.  Often in my life with God, God’s presence causes tears to flow pretty freely.  Which is what happened [Sunday].  David’s call to us to experience God’s power stirred my heart.  Then we paused in silence and sang a song and my heart continued to be stirred.  I really wanted to go up for prayer.  And I really wanted tissues :).  I knew there would be prayer at the end, so I waited and went in search of tissues.  Then the kids came back and there were announcements, and by the time it was time for prayer, I was busy wrangling kids and thinking about the next thing.”  

Yep!  I experience the same thing, and I think many of you do as well.  Because of the breadth of ways that we desire to worship on a Sunday morning, it can often feel like we do not have the space needed to listen and respond to the things God stirs in us.  Restoration Songs and Prayer is designed to be a space for this very thing.

This Saturday night at 7:30, we will seek to listen to the Holy Spirit communally and individually as we ask the Lord to reveal more of his heart to us.  We will use Scripture, songs, prayers, and art to help us listen and respond.

Here are some thoughts from some folks who are coming:

“I’m looking forward to making music with people because through this art form, God speaks directly into people’s hearts. Our common wants and needs, sorrows and repentance, as well as thankfulness and joy become transparent through lyric, melody, harmony and rhythm. As we listen and respond to music together, we feel connected to each other.  And if we listen carefully, we will most certainly feel Our Father’s connection to us. What more could any of us ask for?”

– Evan Pollack

“I’m looking forward to worshipping with people because I LOVE the way Resto does music, and I’m excited to have an extended period of time to worship the Lord in song with my church family. It’s great to sing together on Sundays, but I often find myself wanting more, and I’m grateful to have that kind of opportunity through the Songs and Prayer night. I appreciate the diversity of types of music and how thoughtfully the team weaves together songs and sets.  I’m also looking forward to how the Spirit will move through corporate and individual prayer and for the time and space to share what we’re hearing from the Lord.”

– Liz Jones

“I was somewhat interested in the upcoming songs and prayer service until I heard from Matt Hoppe that there will be painting… now I’m 100% in!  I’ve never painted during a church service before so I’m excited to try it.  There will be a table set up with small canvases that you can paint however you like, whether you want to experiment with colorful brushstrokes while listening to the music or paint an image that comes to mind. There is no pressure to “like” what you paint – you can take your canvas or leave it. Come create with me!”

– Emily Wade

If singing and painting just aren’t your thing, I know that many of you like football.  While I tend to be terrible at sports analogies, and I recognize sad feelings at the Vikings’ loss (Nathan), last Sunday I feel that Rev David threw a long pass to the end zone when he called on us to ask the Lord to come with power in our lives, and we have an opportunity to head to the end zone this Saturday to continue asking and to dare receive the blessing and revelation of his power together as we lift the Lord high in praise and adoration.

Listen to David’s sermon again, and come this Saturday night to ask the Lord to reveal himself to you.  

Maybe you need him to come in power.
Maybe you need him to speak to you in a still, small voice.
Maybe you need a prayer team to help you ask for healing, deliverance, or that other difficult thing.
Maybe you need to respond with a new song or a prophetic painting.
Maybe the Lord will give you a word to share with his worshipers that will edify the Body.

Bring a Bible.
Bring a journal.
Bring a voice ready to praise the name of Jesus.
Bring a heart, mind, and will that desire to press into the heartbeat of the Father.
Bring hands that are needing to be blessed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to go out and do his good work.

We’ve been created for this pursuit…the pursuit of his kingdom.
How great is God’s love for us!

– Matt

Though it is later in the evening, if you have children, they are welcome to join us; or as the person who made the opening statement said to me, “That’s worth a babysitter!”

If you are on Facebook and think you’ll come, click here to let us know. 

Click here if your curious about the type of things we’ll be singing.