Truth is...

Being shocked or getting shocked is not usually considered a good thing, but John Koenig, in The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, has come up with a different perspective.

ecstatic shock n. a surge of energy upon catching a glance from someone you like, which scrambles your underground circuits and tempts you to chase after that feeling with a kite and a key.

From ecstatic, deliriously happy + static shock, a charge of potential energy that builds up invisibly until it sparks across the air.

Take away the inferred romance, and I have an instance of ecstatic shock to share with you.

It was a week in June, spent on a college campus in Michigan, cat-wrangling a group of high school students among a crowd of their peers. Church youth groups from across the tri-state area had gathered for a week-long conference of Bible study, singing, group-building, and powerful preaching. As a youth minister, I had taken my group of teens to this particular conference in order to experience it alongside the church group and youth minister (Rick Smalling) who had the most influence on me in choosing vocational ministry as a career path.

Late in the week, at the close of an evening worship service, the atmosphere was electric. Scores of teens were streaming forward to give their lives to Christ or to commit themselves to Kingdom work. Everyone around us was standing and singing, their voices full of celebration. In the middle of the noise and movement, Rick glanced back over his shoulder. Our eyes locked for just a heartbeat, but in that instant, I experienced ecstatic shock.

I felt it in my chest first  -  an almost painful swell of joy that made my breath catch and my tears flow. The thought thundered through me:

How wonderful is this  -  that we get to be here, in the middle of life-changing decisions and pure joy? And not only that  -  I get to share it with YOU, my best friend in the faith.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...My words still fall short of capturing the depth of emotion that swept over me in that sacred pause. It was as if Yahweh whispered, “This is what you were made for.” My hope is that you walk so closely with the Spirit that, now and then, you are shocked by a joy too deep for words.

      

In 2006, Felps, Mitchell, and Byington published a paper in the journal Research in Organizational Behavior with the catchy title, "How, When, and Why Bad Apples Spoil the Barrel: Negative Group Members and Dysfunctional Groups."

The truth they discovered still rings true almost 20 years later.

They divided students into teams of four and gave them 45 minutes to solve management problems. The best team would receive a monetary reward.

What the students didn’t know was that some groups included a “plant” — an actor instructed to play one of three specific roles:

• The Slacker – lounged back, feet on the table, glued to their phone.
• The Cynic – interrupted with cutting sarcasm: “Are you serious?” or “You’ve clearly never managed anyone before.”
• The Pessimist – muttering that the task was hopeless and the team couldn’t possibly succeed.

What they found was that even when the other three members were capable and motivated, the negative behavior of just one person dragged down the group’s overall performance by 30–40%.

Their conclusion was striking: a team’s effectiveness depends less on how many strong performers it has — and more on whether it carries even a single toxic presence.

The LinkedIn post I learned this from had some words to say to HR departments and corporate executives, but I would like to encourage you to think about the implications for your local church community.

And more specifically, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you whether you might be a slacker, cynic, or pessimist, and pray for a transformation to happen.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...one bad apple really can spoil the whole bunch. But that sounds kind of pessimistic. Let's all strive to be good apples: fresh, growing, and contributing to the health of the group we are in.

      

For the past eight weeks, we’ve been exploring the debut solo album (What a Day) of Phil Keaggy, one of the true pioneers of Contemporary Christian Music. With his crystal-clear tenor voice and unmatched guitar artistry, Keaggy has won the admiration of fellow musicians and listeners alike  —  whether or not they share his faith.

How fitting that this final song arrives the week before Thanksgiving. Its melody glides into the soul like a soft breeze crossing a meadow, stirring both peace and gratitude. More than a song, it feels like a psalm.

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...The idea of greeting each new morning with a peaceful song of praise is great, but hard to live up to. Maybe I should program my alarm clock to play this song.

      

The penultimate song on Phil Keaggy's debut album, What a Day, is "Hallelujah".

That is also the complete lyric.

If ever there was a "churchy" word that should feel strange on the lips of any non-believer, hallelujah is it. I mean...it doesn't even come out of my mouth all that much except when singing a song or reading a psalm.

It is actually a Hebrew word...a compound word, to be exact...formed by combining hallel, meaning "to praise" or just "praise," and jah, verbal shorthand for the personal name of God, Yahweh. (For a post about Yahweh, click here.)

So hallelujah is more than just a word expressing praise and gratitude to God. It is also an invitation  -  even a command  -  to lift up one's voice in recognition of the awesomeness of the creator.

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...Considering how much Yahweh loves me and forgives me and provides for me and guides me and, and, and ... it's a shame my mouth doesn't form the word hallelujah more often.

      

Take one part Psalm 1:1-3.

How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Add a cup of John 15:13.

No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.

Season to taste with "Amazing Grace".

Was blind, but now I see.

Mix well and cook over a sweet overlay of guitars, and you've got Phil Keaggy's "Now I Can See".

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...While being a Christian involves looking at facts and making decisions, there is certainly an emotional element and a personal benefit. I'm not just recognizing Jesus' authority or adhering to a list of rules. I am being transformed into a better, wiser, more joy-filled person.