Barn Stormers

The Barn was quite the worship experience. I would have to say it was our best one to date.

I don't remember a time when I have ever felt so alive. The Spirit was SO present. After some hard rock praise, we settled into a set of worshipful ballads. We prayed, watched a vid, wrote love letters to Jesus and then ended with some songs about self-examination. We sang my original "ALIVE" and at the end we do a long ROCKED OUT part with a lot of yelling. There was so much energy, you could feel it, taste it, touch it. It was something far bigger than us four guys, and our forty some youth... it was something sublime.

We were so pumped and felt the urge to worship more. So we played an extra four songs. It was absolutely the best day of my life as a youth leader-emergent church guy... it was just right. Not us... Spirit, worshipping with like-minded believers, glorifying God. It was just awesome!

There was this really awesome moment at the end of the service when I called a girl named Amanda from the crowd to say our final prayer. I have heard her pray before at a SPAW in Harlan and I remember that the Spirit was upon her and that she had the gift of corporate prayer. So I called her up. It was a good thing. As she prayed... WOW! I was blown away. I almost fell over! I don't have any idea what she said... except that she called for revival in our youth communities... I remember a fire shoot through me when she talked. AWESOME! Later, Joel (our drummer) said, "WOW! So that chick can PRAY!"

Sometimes I feel that if we could just empowered these strong youths- these Christ-followers-these Champions of the Gospel, we would be so much farther ahead as a body of believers. Can you imagine my Megan, my Amanda, my Ashley, my Emily O working up with the other 'On Fire', no fear Christ-followers? LOOK OUT DEVIL! REAL WARRIORS COMING THROUGH!

More and more I see this as my job. I am an encourager of youth champions, to prepare great workers for the Kingdom.

Lord, work wonders through this little emerging group of faithful servants. Let us reach out and touch the lives of the world inwhich we dwell just as you have changed our lives by dwelling richly inside of each of us. AMEN!