NYWC: Day 4

We just finished packing up the majority of our stuff for the last day at convention. We have to get up early tomorrow to catch our plane back to Denver, CO.

The last day was like all the others –- we only wish this week could last longer. Deanna and I had the opportunity to interact with Tic Long, one of the convention hosts and YS execs. We told him that the convention is our favorite week every year. He commented about my hair (he said that it looked like I had been "rocking out") and asked Deanna about her 1-Life Revolution experience (ask her about it). Then he welcomed us back for our sixth year next year.

I attended a great seminar on Creative Bible Teaching by Jim Burns, the founder of HomeWord, this morning and attended another one by Doug Fields on Developing Student Leaders in the afternoon. I can't wait to start applying some of the things that I learned this week into play at Elevate Youth Ministry.

This day was my favorite day of worship as David Crowder took over the general session worship times. What an incredible band and great lead worshippers. I got lots of good footage from side-stage and front-stage of several of the artists. (Enough, I hope, to make our friend Barry Edwards come next year.)

Ted Dekker read his newest book with a multimedia backdrop at the morning session and the true-to-life Sue Thomas from the F.B. Eye detective show spoke in the afternoon session. Shane and Shane did a short but powerful worship set.

The day ended with a big concert featuring the Canadian boys from Starfield and everybody’s favorite southern rocker’s, Third Day. KJ-52 was supposed to be there to perform, too, but the promoter said that he never called or showed up. We never heard anything more about it.

We ran into a new youth worker friend, Paul Kind, from Rapid City, too. He is a new youth pastor taking over a youth ministry position at a church which I can't remember the name of right now. (Sorry, Paul, if you're reading this.)

All in all, the week was too much for words. I feel refreshed, renewed, re-energized, and re-filled with passion for the calling that we have to Destiny's youth. I hope that we can bring more Team Elevate leaders with us next year. Thank you SO MUCH to all of those who supported Amy this year and our other volunteers in years past! It means so much to us!

Time for bed. Got to get up at 5:00 am. See you when we get back!

NYWC: Day 3

We started out the morning all splitting up into different workshops, which is what we normally tend to do at workshop time. That way our team gets three different workshops in one hour and a half period. I attended a seminar by a young man by the name of Chuck Bomar that started the collegeleader.org web site and ministry. He was a deep thinker, but really helped me get a first-timer's grasp at how to disciple college-age volunteers. Very cool stuff. Deep, but cool.

The morning general session featured a former pro football player turned youth speaker, Steve Fitzhugh. He was a big guy with a Pentecostal flavor to his preaching style. Very fun and encouraging. Steven Curtis Chapman was there, too but we’ve seen him so many times, we skipped out on him. Lunch was at a small Mexican restaurant with really good fresh fruit drinks and salsa, but not-so-good enchilada sauce.

We took a long afternoon nap to catch up and keep up with taking care of Mikella. Having her along definitely has kept us busy, so the two-hour nap was very welcome.

We took a walk to a far-away fish and chips place for dinner. It was worth the walk; good fried food – yum! We did pass by a passed out drunk on the way. I don't think it was the best neighborhood.

The last general session of the day was our last night with Chris Tomlin and his band. It was good to have them back with us again this year. We got to see them last year, but it was for only one night. Those guys really know how to shine the spotlights on God and lead a group into worship. I’m even more excited for the David Crowder Band tomorrow.

Louie Giglio also spoke at the evening general session and blew me away as usual. He used the best definition of worship I’ve ever heard: us in God’s hands and our life in His plans. Incredibly inspiring. Deanna and I actually spotted Louie taking an afternoon job earlier in the day. He looks like a really fit guy.

Afterwards, we stopped for a while at the late night comedy club with Taylor Mason, Thor Ramsey, the Village Idiot, and Darren Streblow. We bought a bunch of their DVD's so that Destiny can host another comedy night. I’m sad that tomorrow is our last day. We are going to have to miss out on the last day in order to make it to Colorado in time for the district convention. We are looking forward to that too, of course, but YS is very close to our hearts.