When I was younger I attended a Baptist church. It was through AWANA in that church that I placed my faith in Jesus Christ. I will never forget my leader, Roger Bolander, for allowing God to use him. Roger is now the pastor of Rogers Park Baptist Church in Rogers Park, IL. While attending the church I grew up in we often did responsive readings as part of the worship service. Yes we really were a baptist church. Of course being in the 3rd grade I just thought these readings were part of the way church was done since they were in the back of the hymnal. As I got older and attended different churches through college I began to ask, “What happened to the responsive readings?” I really missed them. I grew to appreciate the responsive readings as a way of praying and communicating with God.
Unfortunately we have not used responsive readings too often in our student ministries here in our church. It is something that over the course of the next year I hope to implement more. Not to become a completely liturgical youth service but to share with them another way of communicating with God. I was reminded through an email from Youth Specialties I receive today of a responsive prayer for Easter. This prayer comes from the book The Book of Uncommon Prayer by Steve Case. You can buy it here. The reading is below;
The disciples saw him arrested, beaten, and die.
Jesus came back!
The saw him wrapped in rags and placed in a grave.
Jesus came back!
His enemies said, “There! That should take care of that!”
Jesus came back!
Centuries of leaders have tried to say he was never real.
Jesus came back!
Denturies of leaders have tried to put him in a box.
Jesus came back!
They tired to limit him.
Jesus came back!
They tried to dillute him.
Jesus came back!
The tried to drown him out.
Jesus came back!
We, too, have pushed him away.
Jesus came back!
In our actions and words, we have betrayed him.
Jesus came back!
We have screamed at him in agner.
Jesus came back!
We have used his name in vain.
Jesus came back!
Time will not see him fade.
Jesus came back!
With the Father and the Holy Ghost, he will live forever.
Jesus came back!
Amen.
syp
