Awakening- The Music

The music at this conference was unique and awesome.  The very first night we had the gospel band of Bobby Perry (who also spoke this year). The second day we had our own P Marco & The Czar do a rap set, and This Beautiful Republic and Aaron Gillespie tore the place apart with huge Rock- and a Real message. Friday we had one of the most sweet times of worship ive taken part of- seriously i didnt want to preach.  The awakening band (groundZero’s youth band) were incredible this conference.  They worked soo soo hard leading up to the conference and never complained. 

 

I feel like we targeted walls that need to be broken in New England.  I heard one kid say during TBR’s concert “Dude, i cant believe this is at a church man”. I couldnt believe it either.  Our church has come a looong way. Passion was infused in the rock that night.  

The Czar killed it! He has this song “After the Pain” that brings me to tears almost every time he does it.  Its so real and you can see his brokeness before God.  I remember commenting to my friend “huh. its like he has actually gone through actual pain” It was so relatable, and as a youth- i appreciate that. 

God really showed up in every genre, in every session.  It was awesome to see the gospel, worship, rap, and rock all blend together to show a picture of Christianity. No one judged the music, no one was legalistic (if they were they missed out- and missed the point).  No, these teenagers didn’t judge merely by looks or sound- they judged by content, and there was some incredible content (life changing really) to the music at Awakening 08.  

Awakening- The Youth.

My God! Well, it seems i have been a bit late to the blogosphere about awakening. Pastor Mike, and Steve Patton beat me 2 it (awesome reads). Honestly, i cannot believe the amazing things God did during awakening. I know God has given us a unique vision for a conference that centers around diversity. God himself took our plans and turned them into a reality. God wove a gorgeous tapestry of Christianity though the speakers, worship, and message. This year, was incredibly different than last. Last year it seemed everyone was there to check the event out. This year it was different. We were starving. The youth. The youth leaders. We were desperate for change. Everyone sucked in worship, teaching, community not because it was the cool thing, but because it was needed to survive- at least thats how i felt.

The youth that attended this conference were incredible. It was awesome having more time in between sessions (we only did 1 morning session), because so many youth from all different churches were able to chill together. The atmosphere was incredible. Before every night session- people were lined up in the lobby chanting, yelling, and jockeying for position before the flood. Once inside- people were leading cheers as Muse was blaring overhead (one youth group even began a wave). The youth were incredibly engaged- sucking up every word a speaker had to offer. They pressed in hardcore to the worship led by their peers.

The very first night the youth FLOODED the alter after Chris Hill preached (an amazing word). You could feel the hunger in the atmosphere immediately from night one. The night w. Aaron Gillespie was AMAZING (more on that later)- where the youth were literally able to gather around him as he sang his version of Amazing Grace. Earlier that day The Czar (Steve Patton) absolutely BROUGHT IT w. his amazing ability to engage people with his Rap (he was so rea- he rapped about pain like he has actually experience lol)- i liked it and im a rockhead.

There were youth from all styles, ages, and races hanging out- walking to 7/11, worshipping on the grass. It was amazing. I could not be more proud of all the youth that attended. I’ll be blogging more about different aspects (The Music, & Speakers)

300

So today (April 2nd) we have gotton our 300th Registration for Awakening Conference! God is opening some HUGE doors down here for the unchurched to attend the one night event with Aaron Gillespie, and it is my prayer that 100 souls are added to the kingdom because of that night alone.

I am praying that the registrations continue to come in and that youth pastors and teenagers continue to promote this conference to their youth so that absolutely no one will miss out! i am semi-relieved accounting to the fact that at this time last year we had 68 registrations, I pray God continues to inspire people to spread the word, and that many youth are impacted.

Continuing to dream Big,
Jordan B

My God Justifies…Conferences.

You know. its about that time where im getting on and strapping in to the emotional roller-coaster. Every phone call, every conversation, every plan brings me all over the emotional scale. I go from super excited for the conference with a feeling of readiness and assurance that God will bless it simply because a church i called informed me that they will be registering soon. Then i plummet to a feeling that all this work is for nothing and we wont even hit the 600 of last year because of the stupid New England mentality and begin cursing out youth pastors and churches because someone hung up the phone on me (which is ironic..because our very christianity calls us to love each other..and to hang up the phone on another christian..well i just find that funny- even more ironic is that i justify flipping out at them. which is equally unloving). It also bothers me when a youth pastor tells me he MIGHT bring a COUPLE of youth IF he can. Which kills me personally because i work every night till 10 to put together something for people who genuinly need it, but they are seemingly apathatic and satisfied with 10 youth. Our thinking is so incredibly small. Then! i remember that all this work is for that very youth pastor, again…ironic. Last year i remember this feeling.  I remember going into the day of April 17th. The first day of our first conference, and all we had was 198 people registered.  My desperate prayer that entire week was “God justify the work of those who have given our lives- please justify us”.   It sounds cool now, but coming into a massive event that 4 entire months of ones life has been given into already looking like a failure: hurt. It honestly sucked. So it was 4 PM on the day of the conference.  I was sitting down in my office close to tears, and thinking “Well, at least we tried. At least we took a run at the giant that stood in our way”.  Im serious. I still stand by that statement. That no matter what wouldve happened. At least i was the kid that was so far out there for God that if he didnt show up- i was going to look like an idiot, and then the moment came. My friend came to my office (cubicle) and said “dude, they might need your help upstairs theres like 300 people up there trying to register”.  Now im gearing up for a conference double the size and im going through the same feelings all over again, but this time i have not forgotten- My God Justifies.