Grace and peace to you, church. I pray this finds you well.

If you were worshipping with us at The Woodlands Campus on Sunday, March 16, you likely experienced something that those present will never forget. Just as the 11:00 a.m. Traditional and Harvest services were underway, a sudden power outage left us without lights, sound and screens.

But something else happened.

As I was just getting into the heart of the message on our Lord’s Prayer, the lights went out. And in that moment of sudden stillness, someone in the congregation shouted what may become one of my favorite church rally cries: “Keep preaching!”

And so we did.

No lights. No microphones. But for the next several moments, the message still went forth. The Spirit still moved.

It was one of those sacred reminders for me that, while electricity may flicker, the power of the Holy Spirit never goes out. Transformers may fail, but the transforming presence of God never will. And on that day, we didn’t just talk about the power of God — we witnessed it in a fresh and humbling way.

Friends, with each day of Lent we draw closer to Holy Week and the celebration of Easter Sunday. I’m reminded of how often the enemy has tried to “cut the power” — on the cross, in the tomb, through trials and suffering. But still, the Light broke through. Still, the stone was rolled away. Still, Jesus rose.

This morning as I write this, I’m thankful for the lights, sound systems and technology that help us create beautiful worship experiences each week. But more than that, I’m thankful for a church that knows and remembers: The true power isn’t in the building, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

May we all continue to lean into that power as we prepare our hearts for the most powerful story ever told — Christ crucified and risen again.

God is on the move. And nothing can stop Him.

With hope and expectation,

– Mark