God keeps moving through young people who will shape our future

It happened again—a moment in time, suspended in worship, but this time with 100 junior high students.
It’s not supposed to happen with this age. They are supposed to be rowdy, have short attention spans and be ridiculously funny. But it did happen during the Jesus and Me—or JAM—summer camp at Mount Wesley in Kerrville July 1-5.
What happened? Worship.
It’s really not hard to define—just a face-to-face encounter with the Living God; an awe-inspiring time of singing, praying, hand-raising, heart changing; a moment in which the “Church of Today” is taking one step closer to becoming the “Church Who Shapes the Future.”
And it wasn’t necessarily the last night of camp that was awesome! It was, let me think, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night. And, by the way, Thursday morning!
A bunch of junior high students, joined by a staff of older teenagers, worshiped the Lord. They let down their guard. They stood up in praise. They jumped, yelled, cried and prayed. They moved me to tears, laughter and joy in the most unexpected ways.
As we sang “From the Inside Out” by Hill Song United and original music by University UMC worship leader Mark Swayze and then heard God’s word from University Associate Pastor Ryan Barnett, lives were impacted for eternity. (That might be an understatement.)
One adult said after witnessing the closing worship, “I was moved to tears.”
Another said, “Thank you for loving my kids.”
A third added, “It looks liked you’re really onto something here.”
Yes, I said, “I think it’s God.”
In the midst of another junior high conference summer camp—as Max Lucado says—God came near.
The bonds were set free, and hearts were surrendered. Young people said “yes” to Jesus’ call upon their lives.
So it happened again. Do you hear that, pastors and lay leaders of our conference? It happened again, parents, trustees and cabinet members. It’s happening again and again and again.
It’s a powerful movement of God through a generation of young people who are stirred up and passionately
in love with God.
It happened again, and it’s not just my eyes that saw it. At least 100 more people can share a similar story.
Just ask them.