Our church is moving, so this Sunday will be our last worship experience in our old space.

The chairs will already be packed up.

Our pastor has given me permission to speak about the extraordinary worship we've experienced three years running at Territorial (see links below) as an introduction to worship. One of the most freeing things about Territorial worship was that we shoved the chairs to the side and didn't let them get between us and God. Danielle Strickland encouraged us to kneel if we sing that we kneel, bow if we sing that we bow, raise our hands if we sing that. In short, to make worship a whole body experience. When we do that we naturally have a greater connection to the One we're worshipping. He created our minds, hearts, voices and bodies and communication is only 7% words.

If you're in the area and want to experience worship without chairs come join us: Westchester Chapel at 4 Lyon Place, White Plains, NY. We meet at 11am. If you're outside the area please pray the the Holy Spirit visits our community in a fresh way.

For reports on the revival that goes on up north at the Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts (TSOMAGA) check out the following posts:
TSOMAGA '04

TSOMAGA '05

Aug

Sept (scroll down to 9/5)

TSOMAGA '06 (scroll down to 9/6 and keep scrolling)

TSOMAGA Blog

I didn't get any pictures of worship without chairs this year because, well, I was worshipping. The picture here is one of the prayer stations on Thursday night, which was wholly dedicated to worship and testimony. It went on for hours with intense peaks and rests.

There's now an article online which highlights how the Spirit moved last summer during the Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts near Toronto. Click here to download the PDF.

For my postings on the event go to my archives for August and September.

David Ivany is Territorial Youth Secretary for the Salvation Army. He works with youth and youth workers across Canada and Bermuda. He's grateful both nations are a part of the same territory since he's required to make visits!

I just found some of my students from the Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts (see August 26-September 5 on my blog) on David's site: StartTheRevolution.blogspot.com. I can definitely recognize nine, right there in the front!

Pray for my students and for David, that planted seeds will be watered and bear much fruit.

There was a knock at my door. I was up fairly late doing final edits to the film element of my students' performance tonight, for which we'll be bused into Toronto. I was fulfilling our theme for the week by being "deeper" in sleep than I usually am at that time, and I thought, I'm missing the bus! Instead, one of the faculty members wanted to share how profoundly the enacted prayer we prayed for her on the first night had been answered through the week! What an awesome way to start the day.

Last night was Elective Night, and one of the featured electives was the one for children of faculty. They did an enacted prayer (pictured here) for us. The prayer was that the children could help us adults taste and see and hear, touch, and smell that the Lord is good!

This afternoon I'm flying to Toronto to perform The Revelation, teach, and direct at the Salvation Army's Territorial School for Music and Gospel Arts. Last year it was AMAZING. Click here for my reflections on last year's event: Territorial '04.

This year the director of the program, Len Ballantine, is expecting even greater things:

The news is good. We will have at least 145 delegates plus faculty at Territorial this year! That is a significant increase over last season and the third year running showing an increase. While we know its not just about 'numbers' the stats do tell us quite a bit:
1. Music and the Arts continues to provide a relevant point of contact with the current generation.
2. The young people must like what's on offer.
3. They are spiritually hungry and we believe the 'buzz' is bringing them in.
4. The Lord has seen fit to honour our prayers and add to our responsibility. We accept the challenge.

I'll appreciate your prayers all week.

I had the privilege of initiating the first acting track at the Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts for the Salvation Army. The chaplains for the week, Danielle Strickland and Stephen Court, led us step by step into an all out revival! I've been studying and praying for revival since college and this was the real deal! They taught us to worship with complete abandon. Danielle had us throw the chairs to the side so that they wouldn't hinder us from connecting with the Lover of our souls. I told Joyce after worship on the second night of the week that I had experienced the highlight of my year, but it kept building. Thursday night was opened to praise and testimonies. The first student shared that he had a sexual addiction. When he put the microphone down he was smothered with students and faculty lifting him up in prayer. We were praising and confessing all night. Many deep hurts, addictions, and sins were shared from the stage, but many went to the only chairs in the auditorium, which were set up in the shape of a cross.

This kind of radical connection to God has had lasting impact. A couple of students allowed me to share their testimonies:

Well, I came to Territorial a bit unsure as to what it would be like. I'd always been interested in dramatic arts, but high school drama classes had turned me off it (too much theory and history!). The idea of using drama as a form of ministry really intrigued me, tho, so I chose that as my main stream. And I'm glad I did, because it was an unforgettable week for everyone. We met Rich, the Drama instructor, and went through introductions and auditions. He was the funniest guy I've ever met, and as I got to know him and what he brought with him, it was so cool because he showed us all that a bunch of strangers can come together as a group and create some powerful works for God and His glory. We all had a blast and it was a really fun time.

After leaving Territorial, I really felt that God had brought me there for a reason, and I'm looking at ways to bring some of what I've learned into our Sunday morning services. I'm also signing up for drama lessons at the conservatory here. It was really hard the first few days back from Territorial... I had gone from eight days of the most God-loving environment I'd ever been in, to a world that just didn't care. On the way home from the bus station alone, I saw people stumbling around drunk, police breaking up domestic disputes, and filthy language that I hadn't heard all week. Quite a shock... but these are God's children too, and with everything I've got from the past week, I need to help try and bring the gospel to them too...

--Tommy


I've allowed myself to praise and worship what ever way I want to, and it's allowed the youth of the corps I attend to feel like participating more as well.. I flick on my worship music, and just sing along- I burst out with prayer out LOUD at odd times, it's INCREDIBLE...

--Ray