the Awakening: Not your Ordinary Missions conference

This time of year, Ireland is about five hours
ahead and twenty degrees (Fahrenheit) cooler than the Mid-Atlantic
region of the U.S.  Just outside of Dublin, in the town of Clondalkin,
over three hundred members of the World Race family met for four days
(August 30 – September 2, 2010) at the Green Isle Hotel and Camac Valley
Campground to worship, rest, pray, learn and have fun.

This was the World Race’s second annual Awakening, and this gathering lived up to its name.

We believe that the Holy Spirit lives in each of us who believe and
follow Christ.  When such people are gathered, the presence of God is
amplified, which is what happened.  His presence electrified the
environs, permeating through everything that went on.  

Jonathan David Helser and his band led worship biblically – in Spirit and in truth
and in the manner of David, who danced with all his might before the
Lord.  Just as a piece of music is dynamic – ranging from pianissimo
(very soft) to fortissimo (very loud) and everything in between – so
were the times of worship.

There was a good amount of standing on chairs, declaring loudly the
promises of God, and jumping and shouting, approaching the throne of
grace with boldness and confidence.  There were also moments of quiet,
waiting and listening for the Lord, kneeling face down to the ground in
humility.  In the midst of praise there was also petition and
intercessory prayer broke out – even over the internet (thank God for
technology!).

Michael Hindes, Andrew Shearman and Anthony Chapman taught during those worship sessions.  They may or may not have ruffled some feathers while teaching on:

• Life at its best = you at your best + Jesus as His best + the church at her best
• The ways the earth groans for the sons and daughters of God to
  realize their identity, mature and fill the earth with the knowledge of
  the glory of God
• What it means to be adopted into the family of God and receive
  our inheritance, getting on with the “family business” a.k.a. the
  kingdom (some of Andrew’s messages are also available here)
• The old and new covenants, that the church today has been living
  a newer version of the old covenant. (Fuller versions of Anthony’s
  messages: available here)

Seth Barnes, Allison Johnston, Caroline Crawford, Jimmy McCarty, and Jonathan & Melissa Helser led workshops during the Awakening.

• Seth showed some ways to turn kingdom dreams into reality.
• Jimmy shared with some Racers what life after the World Race might look like and tips on how to navigate through that transition
• The Helsers shared some of their heart and story with worship
  leaders and had them find their sound and open up the wells of their
  soul.
• Allison and Caroline demystified prophesy and facilitated some practice of the prophetic.

And just as life on the World Race isn’t always super-spiritual, there
was also a good amount of fun and play.  Racers played kickball and
Capture the Flag which were fun, but not many participated.  Instead,
most of them focused on rehearsing for the Dance-Off, the much
anticipated inter-squad dance competition of the Awakening.  

Complete with some Irish river dance, an homage to traditional Ugandan
dance, a parody of a robbery set to MC Hammer, hip-hop, the compulsory
Christmas song, and the Maori Haka, the N Squad (January 2010) easily took first place.  The L-Squad (October 2009) and P-Squad
(July 2010) took second and third place, respectively.  Even the
alumni, who represented all past World Races, got to flash their dancing
prowess.

Wednesday night after the evening session, World Racers — like Michelle Euperio, Matthew Rock, Kirsten George and Rachel Hurt
— danced, painted, poeticized, and sang, offering their art as
worship.  For a couple nights and days, photography was exhibited
(artfully orchestrated by Ashley Huizenga – from Africa!), a powerful and poignant display of the places and people God puts on the hearts of World Racers.