Road Trip

I'm writing a day later than my plan because I didn't have a good chance to think and post last night. I was busy enjoying a weekend at Ocean City with 500 youth and adults of the Delaware-Maryland Synod. It was a really energizing (and tiring - how do you like that paradox?) weekend of leading a small group, spending time with Zion kids (always a good thing), and experiencing way more hip hop than my comfort can handle.

I'm reminded of my recent experience with Tiger McLuen in which I was told that many adults are no longer "hip, cool, and relevant." If I had doubted Tiger (which I hadn't), this weekend proved his point. Do I like hip hop? Nope, never have. Yes, I have listened happily to the occasional catchy song (Gangsta's Paradise comes to mind) but I don't make a habit of listening to it. In fact I retreated to classical music and Les Mis when hip hop began to dominate pop music in the late 80's and early 90's.

I did learn a few important things this weekend (other than my rapid aging - reinforced this morning when Kurt Cobain was referenced during a message and a high schooler leaned over to me and said, "Who's Kurt Cobain?).

1. No matter if you like the music or not, worship with 500 people - especially when they're mostly under the age of 18 - is fun and meaningful.

2. Despite evidence to the contrary, young people crave relationships with each other and adults who care about them. They can learn to seek "radical friendships" that mean more than how many friends you can amass on Facebook.

3. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. NOTHING. And with that power comes great responsibility.

I really didn't mind listening to Agape all weekend as I was able to enjoy some very deep songs and a creative way to spread the gospel. I even enjoyed looking completely ridiculous attempting to dance. The best part of it all was knowing that for at least one weekend, each of those 500 people knew that God would hear them rejoice (and again I say rejoice). And maybe, just maybe we'll be able to find that joy in the regular world, Aight?