Go on out to the lobby, go on out to the lobby…

Last updated on: November 5, 2011 at 8:51 am by Michelle Van Loon

Go on out to the lobby, go on out to the lobby… 2011-11-05T08:51:23-05:00 Michelle Van Loon

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On Thursday, November 3, about 350 leaders from northern Chicago churches and non-profits gathered for the 6th annual Christ Together Forum. The shot above was taken during the main session.

Well, that’s what we all call the time when we sit together in a big auditorium and pray, sing, hear some keynote messages and learn about some of the things the big “C” Church is doing in Lake County such as educating kids in underserved schools, feeding families, reaching out to their neighborhoods in creative and prayerful ways.

But those of us who work behind the scenes to pull together these “gathering” events for the local church have come to believe that the real main session doesn’t happen in an auditorium. It happens in the lobby before and after, and during breaks. People connect or reconnect in very profound ways. I had lots of great conversations in that lobby, including a great catch-up with a guy I hadn’t seen since I was 20 years old. Another guy I knew from my Trinity Bookstore days is now on staff at a local church, and he told me that he saw a man who’d mentored him when he was in middle school and was able to thank the man for his influence in his life. “It’s because of him that I do what I do today,” he said, a wow in his voice. These sorts of scenes were repeated all day long, dozens and dozens of times. Ministry partnerships incubated in that lobby, friendships were renewed and many reported that they experienced a palpable sense of kingdom joy at being together with so many other local believers for a day of inspiration and motivation.

This was answered prayer! In advance of these events, we have taken to praying specifically for those lobby conversations, and asked the Spirit to move among the people as they drink coffee and schmooze to the glory of God.

I have never been a part of a local church that prays regularly for the lobby conversations (also known as “Fellowship 101”) on Sunday mornings. I wonder how different things might be in some congregations and at some gatherings if we did pray for God to work in those spaces?

Faith

Previous Post

November 2, 2011

Book review: Bound For Glory

Next Post

November 8, 2011 Invisible no more

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Baggage Books Calendar Church and Ministry CVID Ecclesiology Everyday Christian life Faith Falling Upward From The Margins Housing Jesus Movement's Unintended Consequences Midlife Midlife Survey #1 Midlife Survey #2 Moments and Days Out To The Margins Pilgrim's Road Trip Regret Seminary Spiritual Formation Uncategorized What's A Nice Jewish Grandmother Like You Doing In Seminary? When The Heart Waits Writing

Select a Month June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: God spoke to Job out of a whirlwind.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE