A Solemn Assembly

From the Tennesse Baptist Convention's website.

Solemn Assembly: Fewer and fewer believers seem to be familiar with the term and even less have ever participated in one of these most holy sacred times of consecration and renewal. There are no less than twelve in the Old Testament. They were more than a service, in fact none were less than a day in length and most were several days. The emphasis was not on the ceremony or the ritual but on repentance and consecration. The call for a Solemn Assembly was first and foremost a call from God to His people to return to Him. They focused more on the sins of the corporate body of Christ than on the individual believer. The call for Solemn Assembly carried with it a strong warning (Isaiah 1) about making a Solemn Assembly into a mere worship service or ritual that was void of true humility, repentance and consecration. A Solemn Assembly is a call from God to His people to return to Him. It is like the cry to the church of Ephesus in Revelation to “Remember – Repent – Repeat”. Because of its very nature it involves: A seeking of His face; A forsaking of sin; A humbling before the King of kings; A confession and a consecration; A renewal of covenants and commitments; A cry for help and a cry of hope; and it is a repentant heart that drives all those who participate.

The Tennessee Baptist Convention desires to assist our churches in answering the need for Solemn Assemblies. We live in a time when true revival and awakening is desperately needed in our nation and among us as a people of the King of kings. We must return to Him with all of our hearts. We must ask for His searching of our hearts and we must respond to His Spirit with hearts of repentance. We must consecrate ourselves. Our Lord deserves nothing less from us and the lost world needs for us to be salt that has not lost its savor.

From me:
Not only is the TBC encouraging local churches to have solemn assemblies, they are hosting three during the month of January. The first one is THIS Tuesday night, January 8, at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church in Nashville. Get directionsThe service begins at 7:00 and will last a little more than an hour.

I hope several from Hilldale will be able to attend with me. I'll meet you there.