An Open Letter to Trevor DeVage and Benji Maurer

Before this morning's worship at Christ's Church at Mason was finished, I determined to write a thank-you note to Trevor DeVage and Benji Maurer for leading an experience that challenged and inspired me. And then I decided I'd just let anyone read what I have to say . . .

Dear Trevor and Benji . . .

Thank you, thank you for the blessing of this morning’s “Easter in August” worship service. It touched

me in ways I didn’t expect and can’t explain, but I can tell you several aspects of the service I thought were very special.

• I loved the way you worshipped with us, Trevor. When you came to the center of the platform to sing

“The Old Rugged Cross” with us, when you closed your eyes and raised your hand in worship, it was almost as if you were leading us. You were with us in a way that can’t happen when you come onto the stage after 30 minutes of singing. Today you were a fellow-worshipper, not just the presenter-preacher.

• I loved the way you used that hymn as the lead-in to the first point of your sermon, without introduction or interruption. We were right there with you, from the first word.

• Speaking of that old hymn, thanks for including it, as well as a couple verses of “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” later in the service. Everyone was singing along, younger people as well as older. I loved the new accompaniments and the way the old hymn was combined with a contemporary worship song.

• I loved the energy in the room. It was a blessing and a challenge to see 30-somethings around me, men as well as women, singing and engaged. What a future our church has when we’re developing Christians like these!

• It was wonderful to hear the congregation singing with me (or listening to them sing when I didn’t know a song). The instruments accompanied the words and the melodies to make a powerful testimony.

• Thanks for surprising us a little with how the songs and other elements of worship all fit together. A gentle dose of the unexpected kept our attention, kept us anticipating. I wasn’t really ready for the worship time to be over.

• Thanks for teaching us a new song, with the promise to use it several times in the next weeks. It has such a powerful message. I’m looking forward to learning it and hearing our voices lift together as it becomes part of our shared experience at CCM.

I’m also looking forward to the combined services we’ll enjoy in September. I know you’re working harder than we can understand to craft worship experiences that honor God and point us to his presence. You achieved that for this morning’s worship. And I just wanted to say thanks.