Sticks & Chisels 1.3

Last weekend, I got to take a group from our student ministry to a gathering of about 300 students and youth leaders for a great time of worship, challenge, and skiing. I know, I know... the proverbial youth group ski trip sounds like a bunch of fun (and it was), but I can honestly say that the skiing was not the highlight of the weekend.

Delusions of Pluto led worship for the weekend and did a great job drawing us into a musical celebration of God's presence. Both my students and adults were inspired to worship God and enjoyed being led by these guys.

Terry Davis of Greeley's Journey Christian Church  challenged us in what it means to be Salt and Light in the world today. Terry's a great guy and it was awesome to see our students responding to his call to live out the word of God.

On the way home, right after lunch, I was thinking I may be able to keep the noise level down in the van if I could get the students engaged in something all together. I pulled out my iPad, plugged it into the van's tape deck, and asked if they wanted music or a podcast. We ended up listening to Francis Chan speak to a group of leaders at last year's Unleash at Newspring Church (you can see video of the whole conference here). This wasn't a fluffy, stand up act of a podcast - it was Francis Chan poring over Scripture and pouring out his heart for Jesus and leaning into the courage it takes to believe like the people in the Bible did.

After a whole weekend of listening intently to God's Word, they wanted more! So for most of the rest of the ride, we listened to Mark Driscoll speak (from the same conference) about the idea that we won't be used greatly by God until we've suffered deeply for God. (Did I mention I was driving the van full of high school kids?) These students are going to change the world - even if it's one diaper at a time.