Heaven Came Down

“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:12-17)

I have been in ministry for over 30 years, and over the course of three decades of ministry I have experienced several worship experiences where the Spirit of God fell. I have seen several over the years who were filled with pride, controlled by the lust that sin produces, and headed to a sure and certain Christless eternity, broken and remade by the Spirit of God. I have had worship services where the power of God was visibly present. However, last Wednesday night I had something of a “Mount of Transfiguration” experience.

First, let me give you a little history. Our south campus has seen incredible growth in the 15 months since we opened. God has blessed us with many that have come to personal faith in Jesus Christ, many who were disenfranchised with church in times past, and many attendees who are exploring the claims of the Gospel. Our growth has brought to us a ready supply of needs for our church to help meet. After much prayer we have addressed those needs and have created a “ministry team” composed of servants in each area of our ministry to enable us to continue bringing excellence to our schedule each week.

Then, we have added several to our leadership team and have refocused our energies into a “Servant Leadership” team that will focus solely on the spiritual needs of our members and those who regularly worship at EaglePoint. Our goal as a servant leadership team is to invest in our people, and pray specifically for their needs.

Last Wednesday eleven of us gathered in the prayer room of our south campus for our very first meeting since we expanded our number. I began the meeting by reading from John 13:1 where Christ expressed “the full extent of His love.” Jesus left the table and washed the feet of His disciples. He modeled humble servanthood and charged them to follow in His footsteps.

I asked the group assembled in our prayer room for the privilege of washing their feet. I took the pale of water and towel that were prepared in advance, and proceeded to wash their feet. God began to stir my heart while I washed the feet of men that I have grown to love so much. God so gripped my heart that I could not even lift my eyes as I went around the room. Then, the Spirit of God just fell.

Suddenly, one of the men left the room and, after a few moments, came back with another pale of water and towel, and proceeded to wash feet. Tears began to freely flow from our faces as we realized this was not a typical “Baptist” meeting. Every man took their turn, washing and drying, hugging and expressing love one for another, removed from the outside world, totally engulfed by the power of God.

Now I am used to giving in ministry, but I am not the best when it comes to letting others serve me. God taught me the value of seeing His hand in the lives of other church leaders and the joy of being a servant. For almost 90 minutes we were caught up in something God was doing, and we never wanted it to end! I understand why Peter, James and John wanted to stay on the mount in Matthew 17. I wanted the rapture to come so that I could go from my own “upper room” into His eternal presence.

As I drove home at the end of a really long day I was overwhelmed by the mega-awesome power of God and the way He is preparing the hearts of our servant leaders of our church for the great days that lie ahead. Jesus reminded us that “spiritual foot-washing” is hard, and sometimes dirty work.

Yet, great blessing comes when we model Him before the watching world!

Carl Jung told of a man who asked a rabbi, "How come in the olden days God would show Himself to people, but today nobody ever sees God?" The rabbi said, "Because nowadays nobody can bow low enough." Jesus emptied Himself, and became a servant. What about you? Are you willing to empty self and emulate the Savior? Are you willing to get low enough?

Serving Him and You,

Dr. Derek