Coming together… for God. Gathering in the same place with the primary purpose of connecting personally with God is a bit weird, isn’t it? Sometimes we get so caught up in God during worship it’s like we become oblivious to what is even happening in the room. And sometimes it’s as if every individual in the whole room is caught up in their own personal encounter with God. If the main purpose is our personal connection with God, then why gather with each other? And if our purpose is to be together (horizontal), then why are focusing on interacting with God (vertical)? It is corporate or personal? Is it collective or individual? It is vertical or horizontal? Yes.
This is the power and beauty of corporate worship. Something unique happens when we’re going vertical and ministering to the Lord TOGETHER. It’s called being a priesthood. We can be priests individually, but we can’t be a priesthood unless we are together. His presence manifests among us in profound way as we are “priesting” through corporate worship & prayer. Cities and regions are impacted profoundly when this kind of ministry is happening.
But it makes sense actually. This is the culture of heaven isn’t it? When we look at Revelation 4-5 it’s clear that the focus is on the throne – God himself. Everyone is together, but everyone has aimed their attention and adoration towards God. This is not a time of fellowship. But it’s also not individualistic worship either, is it? Something is happening among the crowd of living creatures, elders, myriads angels and multitudes of worship. They are experiencing a moment together, but they aren’t there for themselves. They are there for God.
Holy Spirit is wanting to teach us to minister to Him as a priesthood, and the enemy is NOT happy about it. Satan knows that as God is enthroned in the Church’s day & night worship & prayer, that the principalities and powers are dethroned. The devil knows that it’s the royal priesthood who brings the kingdom of God to the earth. He knows that priestly ministry leads to kingly ministry. So I believe the enemy is working to discourage the Church from what the Holy Spirit is inviting us into.
Yes we need the secret place. That is our primary place of cultivating intimacy with the Lord. Yes we need fellowship and healthy relationships. It’s vital. But there must also be space for our corporate ministry to God through worship & prayer.
Sometimes our church gatherings take on such a horizontal emphasis that believers never learn to minister to the Lord with worship & prayer. Others put such as emphasis on our INDIVIDUAL relationship with God that they de-emphasize the power of our gathering together as the Church. Let’s try to avoid these extremes and carve out space to go vertical together.