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My Best Church Experience, Ever!

By Gordon Arnaut

As the chorus of singers on the podium started singing God is

Amazing, the soloista large, beautiful womantook the microphone
from the pulpit, and in a powerful, operatic voice, began singing as if
inspired by The Holy Spirit Himself. It seemed that the sound of angels
was reverberating through this spacious sanctuary. Yes, God is
amazing, I thought to myselfand so are these singers, this church
and this whole congregation.
I had heard from friends about Kanisa Seventh Day Adventist Church in
Toronto, but I was not prepared for thisthe warmth with which I was
received, from the moment I walked into the Church lobby, where I was
greeted by a lovely woman named Vanessa, to the brothers and sisters
in the sanctuary, sitting in nearby pews, who took the first chance they
could to welcome me, shake my hand, hug me, and wish me a happy
Sabbath.
I felt so at home here that I had the audacity to walk up to the
microphone placed in the center isle during Sabbath School, and added
a comment about prayer, paraphrasing from the book Revive Us by
evangelist, and assistant to the president of the General Conference,
Pastor Mark Finley. I would soon realize though, during Pastor Mitchells
magnificent sermon, that this congregation needed no lessons in the
power of prayer.
The politics of the world seeping into the Church, Pastor Mitchell
repeated several times during his memorable sermon. How true and
how sad, I thought. As a third-generation Adventist who had attended
Pacific Union College and Andrews University, back in the 1980s, I
remember well those days when we prided ourselves on being
outsiders to this wicked and horrible world. We did not want to be
worldly, nor absorb the popular culture, the talking points of worldly
society and all of its sophistry. No, we wanted to walk the narrow, hard
road as our redeemer instructed us. And we didat least those of us
whose hearts were really in it.
I could feel the power of the pastors admonition to return to our First
Principles. His sermon, obviously carefully and lovingly constructed,
hung together by a cohesive thread, delivering the message that we
must turn to the Holy Spirit to guide our lives and help us to survive as
Christians as we approach the End Times. He reminded us that our

Lord, as He bid farewell to his disciples and ascended unto Heaven,

promised to send in His Place. And he has kept that promise.
Yes, I could feel the Holy Spirits presence here at Kanisa. I dont have
to believeI know it. At one point in the sermon, I knew the Holy Spirit
was speaking directly to me and my own strugglethrough Pastor
Mitchells words. He said that he knows there is someone here, who is
carrying a heavy burden of grief, and all we need to do is to go to God
and put our hand in His, and all is well. Tears came to my eyes.
But soon the singers were back on the podium, with even more power
and beauty in their song than before. As the magnificent soloist took
centre stage, I looked up thinking the rafters might be shaking from the
power of her amazing talent. The accompanying instrumentalists were
tucked away, unseen, behind a short dividing wall, subtly adding
harmony and rhythm to the amazing singers, without getting in the
way.
I was amazed at the professionalism of the whole music ensemble, and
literally blown away by their incredible, divinely inspired sound. That is
what praise is all about, I thought, and something that is rarely seen on
such beautiful display. I have been to many great churches and huge
congregations. I have heard famous speakers and singers, but Kanisa
was truly specialthey achieved divine inspiration through their own
modesty and unpretentiousness.
And man was the congregation moved. Everybody was grooving to this
outpouring of heavenly music. They couldnt help but move subtly to
the rhythm of this heavenly song. Having grown up in mostly white
churches, Kanisa was a breath of fresh air from the starched collar
rigididity, the rituality, the seeming lack of emotion or inspiration the
part of those both on the podium and in the pews. How can the Holy
Spirit pour out His blessing under such stiff and formal circumstances?
But Kanisa was all about love, informality and loosening your tie so
that the Holy Spirit might find a comfortable, welcoming, easy chair in
your heart.
The friend who invited me to Kanisa, and who accompanied me there
had told me that it was a really cool and laid-back, no pressure
atmosphere. Now I have experienced it for myself. Everyone is there to
share the blessings of Sabath with one another, honestly and plainly.
Thats it. And isnt that the whole point of going to church?
Amazing how we forget the basics sometimes. Now I actually look
forward to Sabbath services, because I know at Kanisa I will find
welcoming, honestly smiling faces, hugging, handshaking, lots of

amazing music, preaching that is meticulously prepared and wrought

by hours of prayer I am certainand most of all, true brotherly love in
Jesus.