Last night was our last Catch online Zoom revival meeting for this year, and it truly lit a fire among those in attendance. If you weren’t there, the good news is, we have it on demand as soon as we can figure out how to make it available to you. With each guest we’ve had, from Barry McGuire two weeks ago, to Randy Stonehill last week, to Paul Clark last night, there was a readiness to be voice of Christ to this century’s generations, and especially to the Millennials. We all believe that God is on the move by His Holy Spirit. It’s not going to look like the Jesus Movement of the past, but it’s going to have the same passion, and that’s why those of us who were leaders in that movement are so excited. We’re excited about finding a new audience; we’re excited that the Holy Spirit is alive and well in spite of all the chaotic voices in the world right now, including the church; and that’s why we continue to be excited about focusing on the gospel of welcome — grace turned outward — to everyone everywhere as the message for the age.
Speaking of the Jesus Movement, it was exciting to have a number of support elements from those early years in attendance last night. There were at least three radio people who played the music, a couple record company execs who recorded it and the publisher of CCM magazine (Contemporary Christian Music) that reported about the whole industry. And they were all in support of addressing a new audience.
One of Paul Clark’s stories that resonated with me involves his collection of ancient guitars which he showed us and played. One was a 1926 Martin, the other was a handmade beauty made from wood from a huge California Sequoia that had fallen into a river and stayed trapped under water for over 150 years. Paul pointed out something remarkable about these instruments, that if he picks one up after not playing it for a long time, it sounds dull and dead at first, and he wonders if the wood has lost its ability to resonate the way it once did. And then, every time, after playing it for 20 or 30 minutes, he said the whole guitar actually “wakes up.” The very tone changes as it comes to life.
Is that not a perfect picture of what we all need? We need the Lord to pick us up and start playing until we wake up and resonate anew with the Holy Spirit. That’s just the wake up call we’ve been praying for to ready us to participate in the next move of God among us.
Another thing I wanted to share with you from last night was what Paul called his life verse. It comes from the Book of Revelation, and it is a three-legged stool to build your life on. “And they have defeated him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die” Revelation 12:11.
Three things. The blood of the Lamb, which of course is the good news which covers our sins with the blood of Christ. Our testimony: that living, ongoing testimony that is our own personal story of how we came to experience that forgiveness; and finally, the fact that we are not afraid. We will fight to the finish. We will not give up. We do not love our lives so much that we are worried about losing them. Instead of sitting in fear, loneliness and isolation, we are living fully with abandon. We are living a life worth dying for in the present tense.
There you have it. The good news, the good news through my story and yours, and the fact that we live with nothing to lose. Doesn’t matter what generation you’re living in, the life of Christ is now. The adventure is waiting for you to carry the prophetic message forward. Go!
On Tuesday, December 21, the longest, darkest night of the year, we will be having a Longest Night Service at 6pm Pacific via Zoom. If you are facing this Christmas a little less than merry due to unfulfilled expectations, financial stress, dysfunctional family or the recent loss of a loved one, this service is for you. We will have a time of sharing, encouragement, prayer and comfort with special music provided by Bob Bennett. And if you are merry or just curious, you can come too! Let us help you make it through the longest night of the year.
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