Last night

Last night started off as any typical Sunday night would. Around 4:45 students began flooding the hallways of Charter Oak Church, and another evening of Student Ministry was upon us. First came the Junior High programming, which was awesome...We've been discussing spiritual warfare in our current teaching series, and, to get the conversation going, we've started each night with a different kind of war. Last night was a marshmallow war. I bought 1,000 marshmallows, and we had an all out free for all in the Christian Life Center. There were marshmallows EVERYWHERE! Seriously, it was so cool...next came the small group time. They were so focused in their small group discussions that I was nearly in tears. Then came the teaching time, and we laughed and laughed at one another as we focused on the concept of being "real" with God in our prayer lives. It was a good time. In fact, it was so good that I was getting really excited about the Senior High program that was about to begin.

The Senior High program began with the same marshmallow war...which was quite an experience for all as during a quick dodge I tore my pants from the zipper all the way down to my knee...seriously, I nearly "freed willy" in front of our entire Senior High group....I didn't have a second pair of pants available at the time, so let all God's people thank Him for duct tape! Anyways, after the war was over we began the praise and worship segment of the evening, and that's when things went to a whole new level. What I mean to say is that when the band finished the last song that they had planned to play, some of the students asked if we could keep singing...I felt the Lord nudging me to do it, so I continued to play. And, wow...words can't really capture what happened over the course of the next hour. In fact, I've spent the better part of this morning just trying to relive it in my head.

As I continued leading worship, students began approaching the altar and the cross on stage. Other students began to gather in groups praying and laying hands on one another. There were tears. There were shouts of praise. There was dancing. There were people just laying on their face. There were students thumbing through their Bibles. There were students gathered around the foot of the cross that was on the stage. AND THERE WAS JESUS...healing, ministering, touching, liberating, loving, saving, encouraging...it was pure; it was holy; it was beautiful, truly beautiful...

I watched as Keeks hugged the cross. And then Bree hugged and held Keeks as she hugged the cross. I watched as a new girl who was in church for the first time ever accepted Christ as her Savior...a fellow student guided her through the sinner's prayer...think about that for a minute...a fellow student guided her through the sinner's prayer...Hallelujah! I watched as one student took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and threw them in the trash. And I watched as the entire group of Senior High students endured the glorious ruining of Jesus. It was absolutely ridiculous in a very good way.

When I went home after it was over, I received 124 text messages over the next 2 hours from different students who had been there. They were expressing their awe and love for Christ. What a night...

If you were there last night, then this post has probably stirred some passion in you, and I just want to warn you to be on your guard. As we've been studying in All Out War, your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. And you've got a HUGE bullseye on your chest right now because you are riding such a Jesus high. Get on your knees; get in the Word; get ready. Don't be surprized if this week turns sour. Just remember everything we've been discussing...cling to the cross and cling to Truth. Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world.

Grace and Peace to you.