Once you pass the test, you don’t have to take it anymore.

A friend of mine called me from out of state with a dilemma.  He is a worship leader at a rather traditional church and ran into an issue with the minister of music (MOM).   My friend felt a “move of the Spirit” to take the worship service in a different direction.  Well, MOM did not like it and told the friend never to do that again without first getting MOM’s permission.

My friend called and said, “Bruce, how shall I handle this?”

I told him that, first of all, the Holy Spirit does not come to control us and MAKE us do something.  The God who gives us a choice to trust Him or not, also gives us the choice to obey Him or not.  So, let’s get off of this trip that whenever the Holy Spirit is moving, I am now out of control.  This is certainly a prescription for disorder in the house of God.   (Read I Corinthians 14:32)

Then, I went on to say, that if you are playing on a team, you’ve got to play by the coach’s rules or find another team.  If MOM wants you to get permission before you sing a different song, or whatever, then get his permission.  Or, find another team.   The only challenge with finding another team is that you will have to take the same test there.   The test being, are you willing to let go of your religion, opinion, and personal agenda for the good of the team.   No matter what your motive, or how pure it is, the team can’t function with a different set of rules for each player.

Now, I don’t know if I agree with MOM’s approach.  But, that’s not my point here.  The point is, my friend had a test to pass.  This was his opportunity to show God that he would abandon what he felt (or even knew) for the sake of the larger good at the time.   Turns out, he had never passed this test.

So, my final counsel to him was this:  Once you pass the test, you don’t have to take it anymore.   The moment you learn to abandon what you think, in service of another, doing it the next time won’t be a test, but a matter of discipline.

What’s your test?

Pass it.