Kokomo Tribune photo by Tim Bath.Friday night and Saturday morning, 900 students, 300 parents and 100 volunteers shared in a world-class offering centered around helping students appropriately navigate sexual situations and cyber pitfalls of our day (that we don't even know exist).
Guest speaker, Katie Koestner, shared one of the most powerful stories and teaching that I've ever heard. She was on the cover of Time Magazine as her date rape store brought national attention. She's a subject of an HBO movie and has appeared on Oprah, MTV, Larry King Live, CNN, NBC News, Good Morning America et. al.
As she shared her personal story (with just the high school students) you could have heard a pin drop in the 1,000+ seat auditorium at First Church of the Nazarene on LaFountaine St.
At the end of the night a worship band comprised of vocalists & musicians from different churches led a powerful worship set. The energy and intensity reminded me of being at BigStuf in Panama City FL. At the end of the night, there was a non-manipulative offer for kids to come down who might need prayer, guidance, whatever. Many kids did. It was powerful...
Saturday morning Koestner led an eye-opening talk on how parents can lead in this digital age that many parents do not understand. I consider myself computer savvy and literate--and I was amazed what I learned about the permanency of everything we text or share on a cell phone or post on the internet. I had no idea...and you probably don't either.
Last week I spent 2 days at the AND Conference that was all about missional movements. This week I was part of one. What's a missional movement? Read on:
1,300 people came together for something powerful and life changing; yet it had no paid leadership. It was 100% volunteer. The information would have made a profound deposit whether one was a Christ follower or not. Two volunteers raised $18,000 to make this happen.
I was impressed. I was thankful and honored that Stacey Tice asked Sandra & I to be on the spiritual team. I was moved by the huge amount of volunteerism that it took to pull it off. That meant a lot of people were doing a lot of recruiting and a lot of people were saying yes. That's powerful. That's missional.
Tip o'the hat to the blush Board of Directors: Janay Martin, Teresa Devaul, Deb Austin, Kara Gingerish, Susan Heaslip, Jennifer Habig, Deoanna Holland, Amy Pate, Evelyn Sherwood, Erin Shultz, and Stacey Tice.
My advice? The next time you see something happening in our community sponsored by blush, highly consider going, inviting others, and getting your kids there. I strongly sense God in this missional movement.
Campus Outreach Services, Katie Koestner exec dir
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