This was my first experience with Dare 2 Share, an evangelistic encounter designed to get teens involved in witnessing to others, sharing the gospel. You could say that I was a bit apprehensive about joining our youth leaders in an overnight trip to Lincoln, Nebraska, with over forty adolescents. On the other hand, you could say that I was nearly terrified but that would be, well, at least a slight exaggeration.

The two-and-a-half hour bus ride wasn’t too bad. Not getting more than three or four hours’ sleep that night in a motel was a foregone conclusion. A moment or two here and there of potentially embarrassing juvenile behavior is an accepted aspect of the adventure. All part of the deal. But then, there was the other part.

Nearly six thousand of us came together in the Pershing Center in downtown Lincoln. The worship band, the speakers and the drama group brought more than enthusiasm; there was a clear and convincing focus on Scripture and ample evidence of sincere conviction. This was more than a pep rally for Jesus; it was a weekend of genuine Gospel.

Standing with this multitude, thousands of voices lifted together, hands raised in reverence and adoration, I was willing to lose myself, to let go of my focus on me and my worry about the kids. In those moments when our praise brings us to the point to where there is nothing else in the world but us and Jesus, we worship.

We encounter heaven.

H. Arnett
2/20/12