It is congress-time for Salvationists and friends in Norway. It is good to be part of it. Like at most congresses in our territory over the passed 20 years I am “heavily” involved. Ever since my first personal experiences with congress in the early teens, I have both heard and verbalized comments about the event. In many ways there are parallels to the European Song Contest – “everyone” has a meaning about it. With regard to the latter, even those who seem to be indifferent to it still follow the program.
For a long time I was critical to the concept of congress. It was simply not spiritual enough. Then I realized that the congress is not merely a spiritual event, even though it intends to be such as well. It is created to meet a series of needs, and I believe it does.
It is:
* a place for old and new “friends”
* a place for musical inspiration
* a place for the whole family
* a place for laughter
* a place for tears
* a place for contemplation
* a place for a good, and sometimes even deep conversation
* a place for information
* a place for encouragement
* a place for good preaching
* a place for prayer
It is our movement’s super-market. I realize that what I once criticized was the fact that I thought I had come to a store which specialized in my particular needs and interests. When I arrived to a congress with such an attitude I left disappointed. At the supermarket, I can go to the sections to find the goods I need. I do that this year as well, but I am thrilled to see the shelves with all the goods the “congress-market” has to offer.
Thank you Lord for this opportunity!
A very astute observation, Jostein, my friend. Indeed, I recently read a vicious book review in which the critic seemed most concerned that the author had not written the "right" book, namely the book the critic wanted rather than th eone the author actually wrote. Keep it up, and how about another English entry before 2009 slips through our grasp!
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