PASSION

I went to Y.C. for the first time this year. It was really interesting actually. It was just what I had expected in some ways, but my reaction surprised me.

Firstly, I had goosebumps; sitting in that auditorium, gazing out at the masses. 16,000 (ish) people gathered in a single large room. The main lights were out, and only the stage lights, spot lights and glow necklaces highlighted the many shapes of humanity. Many with arms outstretched, heads bowed... waves of people moving with the rhythm of the music... it was somehow really beautiful... awesome... and literally sent shivers up and down my spine to think that not one of these thousands could escape the mention of Jesus. Each one has now, very definitely, been introduced to him and is without excuse.

One thing that frustrated me no end, however, was the choice of speakers. In this place with thousands upon thousands of ears listening and eyes watching, I saw the 1st speaker manipulate God’s word... taking things out of context, misquoting, and in the end manipulating an emotional response from the audience. It seemed very much like the purpose of his talk was to pad his “speaker” credentials. (I gave a talk at Y.C. and thousands upon thousands of youth stood up and responded to the alter call. I would estimate 80%) After the heinous “alter call” he quite unabashedly hocked his book. ( a great deal just for us. $30, instead of the regular $50). I can’t tell you how upset that made me and maybe even a little afraid for him, after all he has to give an account for that to the one with whom it really matters.
Various speakers throughout the weekend seemed to fall victim to this same temptation. I wished someone organizing the event would have been bold enough, and strong enough to call them on it, right then and there. To apologize and set things right. To say to them “be quiet, be still” and stop that mighty “wind”. Really that’s what it seemed to be, a lot of smelly hot air, dressed up as a prophetic word, or a timely sermon.

Today, I was reading in Jeremiah (ch.28) and it reminded me of the YC situation.
...Hananiah ... a prophet from Gibeon, confronted Jeremiah in the Temple of God in front of the priests and all the people who were there. Hananiah said:
2-4"This Message is straight from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel: 'I will most certainly break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Before two years are out I'll have all the furnishings of God's Temple back here, ................ God's Decree. 'Yes, I will break the king of Babylon's yoke. You'll no longer be in harness to him.'"

5-9the Prophet Jeremiah stood up to prophet Hananiah in front of the priests and all the people who were in God's Temple that day. Prophet Jeremiah said, "Wonderful! Would that it were true—that God would validate your preaching by bringing the Temple furnishings and all the exiles back from Babylon. But listen to me, listen closely. Listen to what I tell both you and all the people here today: The old prophets, the ones before our time, preached judgment against many countries and kingdoms, warning of war and disaster and plague. So any prophet who preaches that everything is just fine and there's nothing to worry about stands out like a sore thumb. We'll wait and see. If it happens, it happens—and then we'll know that God sent him."
10-11At that, Hananiah grabbed the yoke from Jeremiah's shoulders and smashed it. And then he addressed the people: "This is God's Message: In just this way I will smash the yoke of the king of Babylon and get him off the neck of all the nations—and within two years." Jeremiah walked out.
12-14Later, sometime after Hananiah had smashed the yoke from off his shoulders, Jeremiah received this Message from God: "Go back to Hananiah and tell him, 'This is God's Message: You smashed the wooden yoke-bars; now you've got iron yoke-bars. This is a Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's own God: I've put an iron yoke on all these nations. They're harnessed to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. They'll do just what he tells them. Why, I'm even putting him in charge of the wild animals.'"
15-16So prophet Jeremiah told prophet Hananiah, "Hold it, Hananiah! God never sent you. You've talked the whole country into believing a pack of lies! And so God says, 'You claim to be sent? I'll send you all right—right off the face of the earth! Before the year is out, you'll be dead because you fomented sedition against God.'"
17Prophet Hananiah died that very year, in the seventh month.
Scary huh? What Hananiah said sounded, like something God might say or do... but it was false. He wasn’t listening to God. It seems to me like he was looking for a way to gain fame and recognition and to do so credited God with his own words.
I am happy to report that most of our youth (and the youth from various churches where I know the leaders) were particularly bored during these particular speakers talks and didn’t listen overly well anyway... but what a shameful waste of an amazing opportunity to just speak clearly the truth of God’s word. Who are we to dress it up, and act as if it isn’t enough on it’s own.
AND ... praise God for those brought in to lead worship. Tim Hughes was excellent, and his workshop on worship was so good. Really blunt, real truths, real life examples and testimony. The crux of it being, who are we to lead public worship, if we fail to engage in private worship.
Leeland also had some really good things to say about our need to worship and give God our focus ... food for thought; and a welcome reprieve from all the stale air wafting from the stage.