This week our High School group from Grace flew down to Daytona Beach, FL for this year's Student Life
@ the Beach. This is a return trip for our youth group after having such success last year. I have to admit...there's a bit of jealousy on my part. I mean really...can a High School youth really appreciate being a part of worship led by Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio along with Delirious? and DecemberRadio? Actually...I think they do. That's why they went back this year. Check out the picture of Grace's own Youth Pastor Jim Williams on stage before 6000 people getting his "Youth Pastor of the Day" ribbon. How cool is that?!?
My First Camp Experience
I remember my experience as a High School junior at my first "Christian" youth camp. Not being a follower of Christ, nor actively attending church...I was very skeptical of the whole thing back in 1990. My skepticism was fed the first night of our worship gathering. Not being experienced at all with Christian music, apart from Michael W. Smith and hearing of Amy Grant, left me with a "geekdar" that could smell cheesie music more than a mile away. And that night my "geekdar" was off the charts.
You see, as a youth, intentions did not matter to me. If you wanted to reach me, you had to do it within the first hour. I cared about authenticity...I witnessed several of my "christian" peers getting drunk, getting stoned, picking fights with others (including picking fights with me)...and this was the chance for a Christian organization to redeem it's religion in my eyes. And this organization failed...
When the man in leather pants, long blond flowing hair and torn shirt walked onto the stage with his Ovation acoustic guitar (sorry Ovation players...this guitar always sets off my geekdar...still does)...I was ready. Show me something cool that relates to me...I'll even listen to a song with lyrics about God...but...when the first chord started (it was a C chord...I remember because it's burned in my mind)...and the rhythm was familiar...back and forth between a C and F chord...then the lyric:
"Well I guess it would be nice...if I could touch your BIBLE oh no not everybody has got a BIBLE like you."
Oh yes...you read correctly. Sung to the tune of George Michael's "Faith", this Christian rock singer sealed his and his religion's fate in my mind. While all the kids screamed and danced, I looked around thinking to myself...organized Christianity is NOT for me. Am I the only sane person in this lot? Thankfully I was proven wrong by friends who came from the same place as myself. People who knew the difference between a religion and a relationship. I've got more High School "Christian" experiences I might share here one day.
So as our students continue this week on their journey with the Lord, I'm praying for those students who were like me. Skeptical...waiting for the hypocrisy to show up...tuning in their "geekdar"...
Send a Grace student an email
Student Life has an awesome tool on their website. If you'd like to send an encouraging email to a student this week, log on to this page right here. Wouldn't it be cool for a student to rcv a note from someone at their church just telling them they've been prayed for? If you'd like the name of a student and attend Grace, shoot me an email at [email protected] or click the "email me" link below my head on the upper right column and I'll get a name for you. Keep in mind, notes sent before 3 pm will be given to the student that evening. After 3 pm and it goes to them the following night.
Visit the camp page for pics and daily updates:StudentLife.com
Recent Comments