TOUR • 2.17.08

Once again, worship band Spur58 ushered over 4000 students into the presence of the Lord.  Students praised the Lord with hearts, hands, and minds as songs like Ready to Love were played and sang all over the building.  Soon the Drama team took the stage for a skit called “FriendCity.”   The skit really hits home with students being a humorous depiction of how easy it is to present yourself as something you are not and how we find our identity in Christ.

Following All Things to All People, Dr. David Platt once again took the stage to bring God’s Word of Truth.  His scripture focus was in Matthew chapter 9 verses 35 through 38.  Dr. Platt made four points based upon this section of scripture.  He said that we should see the masses of people that are unsaved, without hope.  He said that today there are over 1 billion people on the planet who have never heard the name of Christ.  He said that Jesus felt their suffering and so should we.  He pointed out that each time the word “compassion” is used it is speaking of Christ.  In order for us to have compassion, it cannot be contrived, but must be gained through Christ.  Also, we should not have indignation for the people or lost of the world, but compassion.  Next, he said that we should realize their separation.  In order for this to happen, we must go.  They are sheep without a shepherd, they don’t know their lost state.  Lastly, we must refuse to live for ourselves.  We need to live our lives according to His mission and according to Who He is.  It is our mission to go and tell.

TOUR • 2.17.08

Our gathering began with spur58 leading another incredible set of worship that included songs like ­­­­I Fall.  Following Spur58 was a drama that looked at a teenager’s quick change from being a 12 year old to a young adult.  The performance took a dive into the different stages that are involved in the relation interactions that happen and how each teenager responds to their environments challenging students to think about their everyday surroundings and the challenges that interacting with their peers can cause.

The drama was followed by our speaker, Dr. David Platt, pastor at The Church at Brookhills in Birmingham, Alabama.  Dr. Platt started the talk by reminding us who it is we were worshiping.  He is the Alpha and Omega.  He is the Ancient of Days.  He is the Bread of Life.  He is Christ our Creator, Everlasting Father, Holy One, the Image of invisible God, Judge of the living and the dead.  He is Majesty, Mighty.  He is the power of God.  He is our Supreme Sacrifice.  We were reminded that we are totally dependent on Him for every single breath that we breathe.  Dr. Platt then asked that we turn to Luke chapter 9.  In verse 51 of this chapter there is a major transition.  Jesus resolutely begins His journey to the cross.  Dr. Platt said that the cross was not plan “B.”  The cross was God’s plan for our salvation.  After reading verses 57 through 62, he points out that is seems almost as if Jesus is trying to talk them out of following Him.  He said that very often we create a Jesus that looks and thinks like we do.  What we need, he said, is a Biblical Jesus.  We do not determine who Jesus is, He does.  From there he launched into three main points, characteristics of Jesus.  First, He is worthy of all of our trust.  We should not come to Jesus for what He has to offer us by way of heaven or even forgiveness, but to get God!  Second, He is worthy of all of our plans and dreams.  God calls us to mission with Him.  That mission supersedes everything else in life.  When we trust Christ, we have no rights.  He saves us to lead us.  He frees us from sin and wants us to lead lives according to His mission for us.  Lastly, Christ is worthy of all of our heart and all of our affection should belong to Him.  Dr. Platt told a story of the most memorable baseball game in which he ever played.  He used the story to illustrate that we should not get distracted when the game is on the line.  We get distracted by myspace, facebook, DVD’s, cell phones, and even church.  All in all, we should run after Christ with all our might.  We should run after Him because He is worthy!

Majesty, Forever I am Changed by Your Love is one of the choruses that joined Our God Reigns as the students began another gathering.  Before worship was a powerful presentation of trials and temptations.  All things to All People performed an insight into the battle of the mind and how scripture, prayers and reliance on the promises of God help us to break the chains of insecurity and the bond of complacency.  An original song by Spur 58 which declares “Jesus, Healer of Brokenness, Savior, the fixer of troubled souls, Redeemer, you’ve turned my eyes to thee, Mighty God, just and merciful.  You have taken my brokenness and made me whole again, You have taken my brokenness and made me whole again” continued to prepare students’ hearts for the hearing of God’s word. 

TOUR • 2.17.08

More than 4000 students from many churches entered the sanctuary of Bellvue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee to begin a weekend full of times with their old friends, opportunity to make new friends, and a time to walk out in another step of their journey with God and the Church.  Eyes were bright with excitement and the energy level was on max as the doors opened for students to begin an experience in God’s word.

The first gathering started with a powerful drama performed by All Things to All People that examines all the things we find our identity in.  The question was posed to the students “What is your identity?” which appropriately started us off on the path we continued down.  Spur 58 picked up where the drama left off with the song “I’m ready to love.”  The students joined Spur 58 in choruses like “Blessed be your name” and “ How great thou Art”.  The gathering continued with a powerful drama representation of Paul and Timothy—their lives and their relationship with each other. We saw the fire in Paul’s heart to spread the gospel. We heard him testify to what all he went through to give himself to that mission.  Intense. Timothy’s desire to follow in the same way was true, but his circumstances seemed overwhelming. We listened to him struggle with who he was and what he could do. We heard Paul respond: “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). We were also reminded of Jesus’ words: “My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

J.R. Vassar, Pastor of The Apostles Church in New York City, took the next moments to beautifully articulate the story of Christ, the long journey that man has taken from the Garden, how God has set in motion the opportunity for restoration, and the final plan to restore humanity to the unified state that it had with the trinity in the Garden.  Walking from Genesis to Revelation was eye opening and challenging.  Spur58 came back out to close the time with an intimate declaration: “Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts.  Let us not lift our souls to another.  Oh, God, let us be a generation that seeks, that seeks your face, oh God of Jacob.”  A wonderful night of hearing from God has pressed the students to find their place in God’s story.