About 600 campus disciples of Jesus gathered in the mountains near Asheville, NC from February 28 through March 2 to study the book of Hebrews, fellowship, sing, laugh and pray.
Highlights included:
DEPTH: The teaching and preaching were deeply rooted in Jesus and His standing as GREATER. We learned together that Jesus is greater than the prophets, the angels, Moses, Joshua and the Levitical priesthood. Furthermore, Jesus is greater than our doubts, our sins, our weaknesses and our guilt. Not only is Jesus greater, he became like us, one of us, suffered, was tempted and therefore gives us every reason to relate to Him, to trust Him, to wisely surrender to Him. It makes sense, therefore, to fix our eyes on Jesus and persevere…not a passive perseverance of seeking safe harbor and barely hanging on…but a confident perseverance that boldly sails on into the storms of life with confidence…because Jesus is greater!
WORSHIP: Hours of songs were lifted up to our Lord who is worthy of praise. The mountains and valleys of Asheville rang with shouts of praise, songs of adoration as God was exalted from our hearts in unity.
FELLOWSHIP: Gamecocks from USC joined with Tigers from Clemson (five in a row, ouch), Bulldogs from UGA reached out to Gators from Florida, Tarheels from UNC laughed with Wolfpack from NC State, Vols from UT embraced Commodores from Vandy! Disciples of Jesus from Kennesaw State, Georgia State, Savannah State, Georgia Tech, Tuskegee, Shaw, Costal Carolina, College of Charleston, Auburn, Mississippi, Alabama, NC Central, UNC-A, UNC-C, UNC-G, UNC-W, etc., were all captured on camera by Jack (Barnabas) Fredrick being happy, loving, serious, funny and hilarious. These students devoted themselves to the teaching from Hebrews and to fellowship, to the food and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe and not much sleep was had. Chants rang out from meals together. All the believers were together and had every joy in common. They shared rides with anyone who had need. Over the weekend they continued to meet together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of one another. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were baptized in a very cold mountain stream!
A warm and grateful shout out to Lady Brooke and Sir Tim Kidwell from Nashville, TN and Lady Michael and Sir Alex Allred from Asheville, NC, along with many others, for much hard work, smart planning, supporting and serving us all during this mountain top gathering. Thanks to Angel Martinez for bringing some ‘Sonshine,’ fire and zeal from DR in the Caribbean (brother, Angel, next time bring some sunshine and warm weather, please.)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” – Hebrews 12:1-2
