First Summit Session

The first session of the Summit was tonight, the session on Evangelism, and the whole summit is talking in the context of "What have we done? How has it worked? What do we need to do differently?

The schedule was re-arranged somewhat. Arthur Blessitt opened things up with entheusiasm, and Chuck Girard (of the band Love Song) followed up with a wonderfully candid conversation. Trevor represented the "alternative people": goths, punks, hardcores, ravers, metalheads, "retro-hippies", the "global nomadic youth" movement. He emphasized that we've focused on friendship evangelism, and now we only have Christian friends. His emphasis was that we need to rely on prophetic evangelism, or Spirit-led evangelism, or intentional "divine appointments."

It's interesting that we acknowledge the need for the power of God to bring anyone out of darkness into light, but we often overlook signs and wonders - what John Wimber used to call Power Evangelism - to bring the message of hope. Jesus certainly did! Just almost every time He taught the Word, he also healed someone (or many) or cast out a demon or six or something.

That concept was echoed by Cindy McGill who uses healing and prophecy at her Burning Man outreaches (I love her model!) and Matt Sorger who has tremendous success emphasizing the glory of God's presence. Preaching the knowledge of salvation worked for my generation; it does not work for the current one.

This Evangelism session ended with the main speakers praying for and imparting to those among us that feel called to a ministry of evangelism, and those prayed for the rest of the congregation.

Thanks for your prayers for impartation, for clear direction, for Trevor's health, encouragement, and for his speaking.

Oh yeah: I put a bunch of links in the last post: connections to many of the key people and groups; but I forgot the link for Promised Land Fellowship that's sponsoring all this. It's here. They're cool people!

Prophetic word for my generation

This is a prophetic word declared by Bob Jones over this movement, though not perhaps over the specific days that we'll be in San Francisco. This carries the heart of part of what we're praying towards:

The youth are gonna come in without number. It's started, you’re not gonna be able to stop it. But they will fragmentate if some of you over 50 don’t get behind them. You’ve got the wisdom of pain and failure behind you; that is really important to impart to this generation that is about to come forth. You can motivate and direct, but one thing you must not do is get in front of them.

Another very important part of the over 50’s is that they are the Joshua generation that’s gonna cross over. You’re gonna cross over before they are. And those of you that have been worried about dying young at 85 or 90 or 100, if you get behind this you’re not gonna die you’re gonna have something to look forward to live. So it really is important. I’ve sent those that have retired and they didn’t re-fire, and they weren’t here long. So it is really healthy for the over 50’s to get something to live for, get behind, fire-up and finance.

The over 50’s has got to scratch to finance it. Sow it in to the youth, sow it into your grandchildren and great grandchildren, because they’re gonna be around. So you over 50’s get a vision for living.

Down to the Wire

We're coming down to the wire. In about 36 hours, we'll be leaving for the Summer of Love Summit.

I spent the last weekend camping with my extended family. Several groups among them serve to sharpen my focus for this trip with their questions. They don't speak Evangelical Christian-ese, so I have to translate my expectations into actual English for us to communicate. That's good, but it is somewhat difficult for a trip like this.

Well, first of all, we're going there to repent on behalf of my generation for fumbling the ball when God started pouring out His presence in the '60's. Then we're going to plan for ways to help the next generation do better. Then we're going to party with the hippies and with Heaven. I didn't discuss the growing feelings of a specific prayer assignment once we get there: how can I? I don't know what it is yet!

Today, we're praying for clarity, for solid relationships between us as we travel ("iron sharpening iron" doesn't always look pretty, does it?) , for a minimum of distractions with directions or travel arrangements, etc. Focus, David; focus.