surfing on the daylight glass
It's 10:30 p.m, January 1. It's the first night of Passion '07 and I'm standing in the Go Center looking at the worship art graffiti. If you've never been to Passion, the Go Center is the result of the Holy Spirit meeting IKEA and pronouncing it good. Big graffiti banners fill the center, where students write and draw their love to Jesus.
I'm about to go to Leeland Mooring's late night worship. I love Leeland Mooring, as one of my own sons. I'm drawn to how he is consumed by God. His big love for Jesus. He is a bit o' the Gaelic tempest, with his Scots red hair; his fire fueled by the Holy Spirit.
Leeland leads worship for this generation with a heart that breaks for it. I am amped that he is at Passion. I talk to a student beforehand who is from Montgomery, Alabama and he tells me, "I think Leeland could be Jesus Christ incarnate."
"Oh no no, please don't say that," I say.
It's apparent to me idol worship is alive and well - even at Passion. A lot of these kids are new in their faith and have a hard time seeing past the people on stage to Jesus. I don't think they are actively trying to idol worship, I mean, I didn't see any golden statues built to Leeland or David Crowder in the Go Center. But they want so badly representation in the flesh of Jesus Christ. They want to be consumed. We all do. And really, it made me sick to hear this guy say this about Leeland.
My soul wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5
I've never seen Leeland lead worship before, and I'm struck by how he stretches his arms out over the crowd as he sings, his hands in fists. His guitarist is doing the same. Their prayers are for this group; I believe they are wanting badly to see God's strength, His Spirit imparted to them.
I look around and see some who are worshipping. But I also see people texting one another, taking pictures of Leeland, scanning the crowd for friends. What in the kookdom is going on. The first night of Passion feels like warm up, a testing of the waters.
3 a.m. Team 6 is in the Omni ballroom where we hold our late night intercession. This is the first time my team has prayed together, we are strangers to one another, and it's 3 a.m. Good times with Jesus. Some of us may be in pajamas, but these are serious intercessors. There is a lot of love in the room as Jesus brings it.
As dawn approaches, we ask God to do a new work in the hearts of these students. A new day. A new beginning. A new connection. An awakening like no other.
That evening Francis Chan speaks in the main session. It's a wake-up call. "Do you really want to know the will of God for your life? Do you really?" he asks. "If the God in heaven could send your body anywhere He wanted to, do anything He wanted to with it - would you really want to know?"
It's wipe out. And it's His hand that brings it, so look out enemies of Jesus. People are jumping in the water. They are not looking back. They are hearing the call. With hearts open wide, they are seeing the sea before them; it's daylight glass surfing with Jesus.
I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall,
when God grabbed and held me.
God's my strength, he's also my song,
and now he's my salvation.
Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs
in the camp of the saved
"The hand of God has turned the tide!
The hand of God is raised in victory!
The hand of God has turned the tide!"
Psalm 118, vs. 13-16 (the Message)
I'm about to go to Leeland Mooring's late night worship. I love Leeland Mooring, as one of my own sons. I'm drawn to how he is consumed by God. His big love for Jesus. He is a bit o' the Gaelic tempest, with his Scots red hair; his fire fueled by the Holy Spirit.
Leeland leads worship for this generation with a heart that breaks for it. I am amped that he is at Passion. I talk to a student beforehand who is from Montgomery, Alabama and he tells me, "I think Leeland could be Jesus Christ incarnate."
"Oh no no, please don't say that," I say.
It's apparent to me idol worship is alive and well - even at Passion. A lot of these kids are new in their faith and have a hard time seeing past the people on stage to Jesus. I don't think they are actively trying to idol worship, I mean, I didn't see any golden statues built to Leeland or David Crowder in the Go Center. But they want so badly representation in the flesh of Jesus Christ. They want to be consumed. We all do. And really, it made me sick to hear this guy say this about Leeland.
My soul wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5
I've never seen Leeland lead worship before, and I'm struck by how he stretches his arms out over the crowd as he sings, his hands in fists. His guitarist is doing the same. Their prayers are for this group; I believe they are wanting badly to see God's strength, His Spirit imparted to them.
I look around and see some who are worshipping. But I also see people texting one another, taking pictures of Leeland, scanning the crowd for friends. What in the kookdom is going on. The first night of Passion feels like warm up, a testing of the waters.
3 a.m. Team 6 is in the Omni ballroom where we hold our late night intercession. This is the first time my team has prayed together, we are strangers to one another, and it's 3 a.m. Good times with Jesus. Some of us may be in pajamas, but these are serious intercessors. There is a lot of love in the room as Jesus brings it.
As dawn approaches, we ask God to do a new work in the hearts of these students. A new day. A new beginning. A new connection. An awakening like no other.
That evening Francis Chan speaks in the main session. It's a wake-up call. "Do you really want to know the will of God for your life? Do you really?" he asks. "If the God in heaven could send your body anywhere He wanted to, do anything He wanted to with it - would you really want to know?"
It's wipe out. And it's His hand that brings it, so look out enemies of Jesus. People are jumping in the water. They are not looking back. They are hearing the call. With hearts open wide, they are seeing the sea before them; it's daylight glass surfing with Jesus.
I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall,
when God grabbed and held me.
God's my strength, he's also my song,
and now he's my salvation.
Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs
in the camp of the saved
"The hand of God has turned the tide!
The hand of God is raised in victory!
The hand of God has turned the tide!"
Psalm 118, vs. 13-16 (the Message)