Where's the Beef - NO, JOY!!

Bear with me, I am going to really sound like an older generation... When I was growing up our youth group was very upbeat and exciting and fun and lively and intoxicating at times!! After all my youth pastor, Ergun Caner (erguncaner.com) was the best and so much fun. As I have said many times before, his passion was such that all I wanted was his Jesus!

Then I moved on into college and things were still upbeat and fun and exciting and all I wanted to do was get married and serve the Lord. Very common at my college... So now I am here, 33 years old and involved pretty heavily with the college kids at our church. I am blessed enough to have the best of the best over to my house on Thursday nights and so I know I am a little skewed in my thoughts here, but stay with me.

We have started going to the college "service" because of the energy, excitement, and awesome worship. I love to be around people that seem to want to be at church and are very real about worship. They worship in much different way than I am used to , but that is great. It is neat to see in a group one dancing, well sort of, and one just sitting somberly. It is like they are not influenced by one another. But here is my older generation concern. So much of what I see is wonderful and uplifting to the Lord and honoring Him, but it seems like much of the focus is on the depravity of man. Oh now hear me out, without Jesus I am depraved, I am lost, and joyless, and much worse than pitiful. But even some of the songs we sing are just so lowly and a bit negative. So I ask where is the joy...?

Again, I know I am of a different generation, but here is the one thing I ask myself if there is any correlation... I am hearing of so much depression and loss of joy and hiding from God because of guilt, and just down and out individuals. And I am hearing it much of the guys. Is there any correlation? Yes, I know, I am probably crazy, but it is just a thought.

Will I continue to go to college worship - you bet cha! I love it and it is exciting and it is such a welcome change. But I just said it was a little down and less than upbeat - well, just a tad, but here is the other thing, it is reaching kids. They are doing a mighty work there and things are happening. All I am really thinking is just the way things were when I was younger. It has changed a lot, which is fine, but just an observation and wondering if there is any correlation!

One thing I would be remiss if I did not say is THESE KIDS HAVE PASSION. One way or another, they feel. And that alone is a reason to continue to come to this service!! You do not get that with adults. So I will come for their honest devotion and passion and I hope to always bring my smile and His joy!!