Psshaa... PSSHAAAAAW!!!

Turn up the intensity! Psshaa... PSSHAAAAAW!!!

That's one of the expressions we learned at the middle school retreat at Hidden Acres last weekend. Evidently, that's what it sounds like to turn up the intensity (it's also required that you make a motion with your hand like you're turning a dial).

Sam and I led five students from Grand at the retreat which combined forces with Cornerstone, Ames E-Free, and West Wind in Des Moines to bring over 150 middle schoolers to Hidden Acres for a weekend of fun, chaos, and spiritual intensity. I had a blast getting to know the boys from GABC better and Sam led the girls in their small groups. The weekend was nothing short of incredible. Here's a timeline of how it went down:

Friday Evening:
Arrived at C-Stone at 5:15 to a chaotic hoard of pubescent adolescents. It took time to get everything sorted out but eventually all of our kids made it on to buses to head to the camp.
Due to weather problems Jeremy Kingsley, the speaker, couldn't fly in until late Friday night. So, rather than a message, we had an extended worship set and headed to small groups. (By the way, a HUGE thank you to Anthem for doing worship - that makes 3 retreats in 4 weekends for them. Keep rocking for the Lord!)
Small groups were a good "get to know each other session" and after that we had games in the gym.


Saturday Morning:
First teaching session led by Jeremy. Really good. I could tell he is passionate for the Lord. He talked about Jesus being more powerful than the wind and waves and the following story about the demon possessed man falling on his knees before Christ. I learned that "Legion" (which was the name of the demons in the man) likely meant that he was possessed by 3,000+ demons because legion was a common term in those days referring to groups of 3,000-6,000 soldiers. All 3,000 demons when they SAW Jesus ran to Him and fell on their knees before Him and begged for mercy. It's sad how I tend to have such a calm and feeble view of Jesus. The reality is that He is more powerful than we can conceive. He alone is worthy of us falling on our knees before Him, begging for mercy.

Saturday Afternoon:
Second teaching by Jeremy was about our reputation. He taught about how Solomon was known for three things (wisdom, wealth, and women). He pointed out how only one of these things pointed to God while one could go either way and the third one was downright evil. (I'm not saying women are evil, but that having 1,000 wives is evil.) The questions He left us with were:
1) What are you known for that you wish you were not?
2) What aren't you known for that you wish you were?
One thing that came to mind for me was my being known for not bein a decicive decision maker. Part of being a leader is being a decision maker. I feel like I've grown in this recently, but it isn't yet part of my reputation.
The teaching was followed by small groups, games, and then free time for the rest of the afternoon.

Saturday Evening:
Jeremy taught about persecution. He gave an excellent Gospel presentation and we witnessed the Grace of the Living God as 15 or so middle schoolers fell on their knees to give their life to Christ! Praise Him! After this, he called anyone who wants to live more boldly for their God to fall on their knees before God and ask His forgiveness and grace. I was definitley part of this group and so were about 120 or the students there. It was an incredible time of worship and prayer.
Jeremy's teaching was from Acts 5 where the disciples considered it joy to be beaten, imprisoned, and flogged because they were counted WORTHY by God of being persecuted. Jeremy told some stories about his father who was a preacher in a small Wisconsin town when Jeremy was growing up. He talked about times when his father was taken from the house by men in the town and beaten up in the front yard. Jeremy also told about his experience in middle school when he wore a shirt that simply said "Jesus" and was kicked, punched, and spit on in school because he wore it. These stories astounded me, but even more astounding was their family's response to the persecution. They stayed where they were and kept doing what they did. They did not move or seek lawsuits. They KEPT DOING WHAT THEY HAD BEEN DOING because what they were doing brought God glory. They considered it joy to be persecuted for His Name!
When I realized this I was brought to tears. I bawled and bawled because I realized that I do not have that kind of faith. Would I stay in my town if my sons were coming home from school with black eyes week after week because of their faith in Christ? I don't think I would. But I should.
It says in 2 Timothy 3:12, "In fact, everyone who wants to live a Godly life will be persecuted." A couple of key things Jeremy pointed out:
1) the verse starts with "IN FACT".
2) It's not "maybe", "might be", or "could be" persecuted, but it says Godly men and women WILL BE persecuted.
How much am I being persecuted for my faith? I don't think I necessarily will get beaten for it, but am I willing to be beaten for it? Am I willing to face verbal harrassment? Am I living my faith so boldly that, in fact, persecution will come? Will I flee from it if it does come?
This awesome message was followed by small groups in which we had great discussion about what it looks like to follow Christ at school and how God works through prayer (one of Jeremy's sayings was "When men and women work, men and women work. When men and women pray, God works." True dat.)
Finally, the night was capped off by a costume party where kids dressed up was what they want tobe when they grow up. We had music, games, and prizes. Good times.

Sunday Morning:
Jeremy's final session. The parents came out to have the session with the kids, which was a cool idea. It gave me a chance to talk to the parents about what God had done over the weekend in their children's lives. Jeremy preached on humility and following Christ's example in that. We must not think we're above certain jobs or tasks because the King of the Universe, Himself (the same one who a legion of demons bowed down to), joyfully got down on his knees to wash his disciples' feet.

God moved majestically at the retreat. Absolutely incredibly. He is an awesome God with awesome plans to use the students who dropped to their knees before Him this weekend. Please pray that those students would remain on the narrow path after returning to the temptations and pressures of life at school with Godless friends and/or families.

Psshaa... PSSHAAAAAW!!!