Wednesday Night's Post that should have been posted Wednesday night

*This post was written while traveling on the bus Wednesday afternoon, but wasn't posted until today...sorry!*

We’ve snaked our way up through Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee (briefly) and have made it to our hotel in southern Illinois for the evening. Tomorrow, we once again get the pleasure of driving across the state of Illinois, which means we get to see (more) corn!

This National Youth Gathering experience has been a powerful one for our students. To see them engaged during Bible studies, talking openly with each other about how they processed keynote speakers and their presentations, seeing them flat out WORSHIP – the joy, exuberance, honesty and sincerity as they sung, clapped, danced and cheered during the mass events and concerts was incredible.

For these eight students to have the opportunity to experience such a remarkably different worship style, that was truthfully more akin to a concert in a major city was fascinating to me. Our worship services at Redeemer (and so many other LCMS churches) are so reserved and quiet, that I was uncertain as to how these guys would respond to the style of music the Gathering presents.

Give these kids credit. Instead of shrinking back and feeling overwhelmed or uncomfortable, from the very first night they pushed past any feelings of discomfort and went for it. Every song, they were all on their feet. Every song, they were all singing. Every song, they were participating and worshiping in the purest sense of the word. The songs and music weren’t just words to clap along to, but you could tell that these guys were connected with something more than a guitar hook or bass line. To have the chance to glance down the aisle and see them singing and encouraging each other was so memorable.

For every time that our high school students show up at worship, early, on what is often their only day to sleep in (Sunday), much earlier beyond their preferred wake-up time (let’s see how attentive you are Sunday morning If you haven’t gone to sleep until 2:30am on Friday and Saturday nights), then get criticized because they might have a dull glaze while they sit in the sanctuary, I wish the same people that sometimes criticize those students could have had the opportunity to see them worshiping in a style, at a time (8pm – not 8am church anyone?) and in a language that spoke to them. It was incredible.

I think the challenge, as is true for any conference that people attend, is how to successfully make the transition of taking the energy, excitement and spiritual growth that occurred on this trip and figuring out how I can encourage them to take the difficult step of making changes in their lives. Anyone can go to a conference, listen to a few speakers, have a few good meals, have some laughs and then return home. However, the people that are able to take what they’ve learned and figure out a way to make a change in their lives or attitudes are the people that end up making a difference in the lives of others.

These kids have been challenged to stop thinking that their story is only about them. This was a difficult for me when I was a student, and I didn’t even have the added reinforcement of my social media world getting constantly updated, liked and commented on six inches from my face on my phone.

When these kids never look up from their phones or never get off the computer, it’s because they feel their life can only be accessed through those media avenues. To get them to realize that their story, their life, is not about what they’re thinking or Tweeting, but rather is about how they can live in a manner that reflects Jesus’ love for them, and others, is our challenge.

Our challenge, as church leaders, parents and adult role models, is to encourage them to build relationships with each other so they feel comfortable attending church events, can pray for each other, are excited to serve others and to be the kid at school that refuses to participate in gossip, befriends the person that isn’t necessarily popular and are generally more concerned with other students’ well being than their own.

Now we just have to figure out how to do this.