Jim Murphy blessed the Charismatic Renewal in Vancouver once again with his simply, direct, gentle, yet inspired encouragement in the Lord to enhance the life at our weekly prayer meeting. He met with about 60 people on Friday November 19^th and about 70 on Saturday November the 20^th.

 

 

                  Jim Murphy with the Ladies

 

Before beginning the workshop Jim silently went about gathering a cross, plants and arranging sitting for the group, the music ministry and the leadership team that helped to turn the meeting room into a sacred place. He suggested that this is something we could all do for our meetings.

 

In his presentation, Jim was able to present information and wisdom about making our prayer meetings places of fun, joyful praise and deep worship of our God. He has that special gift to touch each of us and to bring everyone into participation and involvement in his teaching and in the worship. I believe we have all come away with a little more joy in our hearts and a little better prepared to give God worthy praise at our meetings.

 

Jim Murphy with the Gentlemen 

 

Friday night was more or less an overview of a good prayer meeting and the qualities of a praise leader. This is available on a two set CD pack. Unfortunately, two separate recording efforts failed us on the Saturday workshop. But gratefully we have included excellent notes provided by one of the participants, Melissa Lim (click to view).

 

“When leading a prayer meeting I stand up throughout” Murphy said. Jim takes his position in front of the gathered participants so that they can see who it is that is leading the meeting. This gives the members a sense of security that someone is leading and that it will be safe for them to participate. At the same time, Jim sees the group and is able to pick up on what he sees and hears the Spirit saying and doing in the group.

 

Jim also likes having a worship team of leaders near him at the front. These people can be consulted for input in the meeting and can pass on what they are picking up in terms of the Lord’s direction in the meeting. The discernment with the worship team, from the group and also with the music ministry is meant to be a seamless activity that allows the Spirit to keep flowing.

 

For instance, in a silence at the conclusion of a period of worship one member asked about a word she seemed to have. Her question was, ‘Is this just me or is it a word from God?’ Jim discerned this to be indeed a word from God. He validated it and invited the woman to speak it out. This was a powerful message for the participants but also a teaching on discerning God’s word and encouraging the manifestation of Word Gifts in the meeting.

 

 

Jim may be a loose and spontaneous leader but he is also very caring and careful. One of his by-words is; prevention is better than cure. In other words, if you take enough time at the beginning of the meeting and before a time of sharing to spell out who we are, what we do and how we do it not only will prayer meeting members be clear about what is expected and appropriate at meetings but if a person deviates from what is proper the leader can easily bring the person back on track. However, if there is not enough information and someone goes off tract a power struggle can ensue that can be harmful to the purpose of the meeting, that is, to worship God and listen to Him. People can feel hurt by such lack of preparation including those not directly affected.

 

It is said that as the leader goes so goes the prayer meeting. For that reason leaders, including music leaders, need to pray that they be more dependent on God and less trusting in their own abilities. This humble action of the leader puts God in charge at the meetings.

 

In this workshop with Jim Murphy, musicians were invited to join in hands-on. Gratefully, three guitarists lent their talents to the gathering. One person also brought several percussion instruments and many participants were able to use these to enhance the praise at the gathering. The musicians learned from each other and were pleased with having the opportunity to work together. We look forward to having more musicians at our next workshop. Who knows we may end up developing an Archdiocesan Charismatic Music Team.

 

 

Jim advocates for a close relationship between the leader and the music leader. The music leader must be in submission to the prayer meeting leader. Jim doesn’t like having set songs for a meeting. In the early days of the renewal songs were chosen by the leader as the Spirit moved. Now-a-days we have so many available songs that it is often hard for the leader to know all the possible songs. Murphy suggests that between the leader and the music leader a potential list of song be assembled prior to the meeting. He talks about 3 types of songs, gathering songs, praise songs and worship songs. A gathering song could be a lively praise song or an action song. He used the Filipino song ‘Build Community (Roll me over the ocean…)’. An older gathering type song is ‘Silver and Gold Have I Not’ and a newer one is ‘Waves of Mercy’. In these songs the participants are encouraged to join together to engage in some actions. Jim led a song with a marching beat and nearly everyone joined in dancing around the hall.

 

 

Jim Had the Group Dancing in the Aisles

 

The difference between lively praise songs and deep worship songs is only clear in the extremes of this type of song. In fact, many songs can be used in either praise or worship such as ‘Give Thanks’. Tongues can be manifested after either praise or worship songs. Jim advocates for focused prayer in tongues. Too often prayer meetings will just have a brief ‘obligatory’ moment of singing or speaking in tongues after a song. He pointed out that we can will to praise the Lord in tongues and if we really get into – things will happen!

 

Murphy had the entire group pray in tongues for 5 minutes. It was amazing that the participants who thought this would be an awfully long time to pray in tongues were surprised when he called time after the 5 minutes. In fact, many people wanted to continue praying in the Spirit – they did not want to stop.

 

Much of what was presented at the meeting could really only be experienced by being present. Because of this benefit of experiential learning, ARC is planning a third and fourth workshop with Jim Murphy. Jim Murphy visited the Renewal in Seattle three or four times a year for three years to help bring new life to their prayer groups. So, we too are planning to take advantage of Jim Murphy in a similar manner. Our next workshop with Murphy will be March 4^th and 5^th 2011. Let’s get ourselves, our families, our friends and our prayer meeting folks excited about attending and learning through participating in this next workshop. If his first two visits are any indication of things to come we will be nudged a little further in being inspired to bring new life, new joy and renewed manifestation of the spiritual gifts to our meetings.

 

Praise the Lord!

 

 

 A Prayer of Blessing To Send Jim Off On His Next Mission

 

Click here for notes circulated at the Saturday gathering.