"You've changed things...there's no going back now" declared the Joker to Batman in the film the Dark Knight.
This is exactly how I feel as I contemplate going back to work on monday morning after an extraordinary week at the youth event simply known as Kidderminster: extraordinary in more ways than one. There were spiritual battles fought, especially in the first couple of days as a large number of leaders and assistant leaders felt under spiritual attack. But through the stress and disquieting events of those initial days came fruit and blessing later in the week as God answered prayers and ultimately victories, no matter how small were beginning to be won.
Many of the young people who went were carrying such a great deal of emotional or pyschological baggage that it broke your heart. I felt so privileged to be co-leading the prayer team and be able to listen and support a lot of those young people. God taught me a lot about the power and importance of prayer throughout the week. I saw young people blessed by prayers, as well as laid out in the Holy Spirit and not to mention grow spiritually as I taught them of the many facets of prayer. I praise God for the experience he gave me during those 5 days as well as the wisdom and equipping needed.
Wednesday night and Thursday night was particularly powerful and one of the greatest sights I witnessed was two young boys who gave their lives to Christ on Wednesday evening dancing before the Lord. To see such joy and freedom in them filled me with the purest kind of joy. Yet there were some who for them unfortunately the week was a struggle. My own small group of year 7 boys found it particularly hard to get a long without arguing and fighting and for them the messages given in the morning and evening meetings seemed like an inconvenience more than anything else to their free time. For them it seemed like the Gospel was too bright to see and too loud to hear. Yet God is good and I give thanks and praise that they were there and will continue to pray that seeds may have been sown and that they would come to fruition.
I also give thanks to God for the many friendships I was able to cultivate and deepen with my fellow leaders of all ages. We were able to have fun and I appreciated being able to come along side them to encourage and to grow together in Christ. There were a couple of running jokes throughout the week that uplifted and tickled our senses of humour.
The challenge now is to continue to meet the spiritual needs of these young people through small groups and at Seventh Hour our evening service on a Sunday. My own prayer will be for those young people who struggle to maintain a steady Christian walk of faith throughout the year, outside of the 'Kidderminster bubble'. The concept of the 'Kidderminster bubble' is both curious yet real. The reality of Kidderminster is very different to the reality we face throughout the year. The support these young people receive at Kidderminster is so much more accessible than at any other time of the year. For some reality is a difficult home life; for others it is being hotseated at school or college for being the only Christian in the class; yet others it is learning to walk with God and listen to Him amidst the distractions and temptations of this world. And it is the nature of reality, which is so subjective and personal that captures my imagination. No two person's perception of reality will be exactly the same. Notwithstanding the constant is the love of God toward all of us. What ever we may be dealing with God is sovereign and His grace is abundant. Jesus died for the multitude of sins in the world. Jesus lived and breathed so that the Father could see life through our eyes. That is a comforting thought. Whatever we are going through or dealing with God understands and cares because He has seen and felt our pain personally. God's covenant stands forever - Jesus is able to save all those who come to God through Him.
