This weekend our team was tasked with tackling a very difficult subject:  “What is the deal with Homosexuality and Gay Marriage?” This obviously is a very hot topic both within the church and in the culture. Because of this we spent quite a few weeks having conversations around our approach both from a communication and creative standpoint.

We needed the message to be clear. The challenge and tension with any creative element was the potential for it to distract or confuse the core of the message that day. If our programming value is to enhance, we committed to guard against it. For this reason we made the decision to lean into two of our churches Core Values:

1. Come As Your Are
2. Transformation is the Expectation of Every Believer

Our team made the decision to afford our lead pastor more time to communicate than normal to thoroughly unpack the message. And instead of adding tension, we choose to conclude with a song to emphasize the point we believed, “Come As You Are” as originally sung by David Crowder.  The lyrics and tone of the song reflected the message we desired to resonate at the conclusion of our service.

Lyrics:

Come out of sadness From wherever you’ve been
Come broken hearted Let rescue begin
Come find your mercy Oh sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow That heaven can’t heal

So lay down your burdens Lay down your shame
All who are broken Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt Lay down your heart
Come as you are

There’s hope for the hopeless And all those who’ve strayed
Come sit at the table Come taste the grace
There’s rest for the weary Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow That heaven can’t cure

So lay down your burdens Lay down your shame
All who are broken Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt Lay down your heart
Come as you are Come as you are
Fall in his arms Come as you are
There’s joy for the morning Oh sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow That heaven can’t heal

So lay down your burdens Lay down your shame
All who are broken Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt Lay down your heart
Come as you are Come as you are Come as you are

Watch The Service Here:

Learnings:

• Sometimes the creative needs to be completely minimized in order for the theme of the day to be completely maximized.
• Don’t push for creative programming out of necessity. Know when the day needs to sit outside of your normal flow and elements. And then be content to go there.
• When faced with a tough topic, lean into your core values to serve as guideposts.

Sunday Set List:

Open Up The Heavens

Lord I Need You

Sinking Deep

Special: Come As You Are

O Praise The Name

Run Sheet:  January 31, 2016