Well, back in the saddle. Here I am sitting looking out over the red dirt of sunny Kalgoorlie having spoken last night to a screeming bunch of teenagers at Youth Together.
I flew up on a VERY small plane. Even the regular fliers were going “Why this small plane?” But I arrived ok to a very wet Kal. Sunny today though.
Ash, the bapo youth guy has put me up at his house. Indian family with REAL Indian food! Wooo imagine the smells I was burping as I preached last night…hmmmm yummy!
It was interesting watching a handful of kids down the front with eyes closed and hands raised during the worship, while 80% of the crowd sat and talked and ‘played up’ around the fringes. I wondered what was the difference at a 5000 strong Planet Shakers crowd, it ‘seems’ far more are connecting.
Is the ‘Spirit’ stronger there?
Is it just that they know how to ‘work the crowd’?
Better music?
Is it a ‘stronger annointing’?
Is it just that the numbers are bigger and it’s still 20% of 5000 that are at the front screeming and they make more noise than the 20 that were down the front last night?
Are we missing the mark? Trying to ‘make worship happen’ in this way?
Do we need to have a good long hard look at this style of event?
Even my preaching, for over 1/2 an hour I screemed and told funny stories to this 123 teenagers, they laughed and listened and …didn’t. I wonder what else I could have done as a ‘guest speaker’.
I think I tried to tap into the generational style with story and humour. But I was still left wondering if I was really doing something that would make a difference. I just trust the Spirit in this.
I did no altar call, rather I did an alter call. (Is that how you spell it? As in alter your direction) Whatever, I challenged them to ‘go’ not ‘come’ to the front. Go from here and live different, think different, act different. Don’t come to the front of a building to a stranger, rather, go and live markedly differently in front of parents, peers and teachers.
We went out to supper with crew after…Kalgoorlie at night…hmmm
Thismorning we had a ‘National Day of Thanksgiving’ breakfast with the local ministers crew and some politicians.
Lunch with Larry Gibb from the Bee Gees…oh no Senior pastor from Church of Christ Kal.
Afternoon Beer with Mark Gibb and his new wife Katherine (Chad Hardings cousin!). They are a great couple who I really connect with. I think they are right into some of the same stuff I am at the present, you know Downshifing, Voluntary simplicity etc. Low on hype, high on relationship. Looking fwd to being with them.
Late arvo leadership training meeting.
And the rest is blury at the moment.
Sadly I have not been able to catch up with Peter from 24-7, a real emergent church movement up here. We chated briefly at breakfast but not significantly. Never mind, next time.
See you back in Perth.
No Guarantees 
scott vawser is low on hype hey? i seem to remember getting busted by him for being low on hype when i was 18…my eyebrows raise with smugness 😉 -charlie
I am so grieved when I attened Youth avents, and I’m still yet to understand why my heart is so heavily burdened. Perhaps it is the seeming great lack of a deep revelation of Christ and His character. Not of the things He did or even of the freedom He brings each of us, but revelation for Who He Is! For if we do not ‘GO’ from here with a glimps of HIM, what on earth do we think we are going with??