(Writing to you at 40,000 feet somewhere between Tampa and Baltimore–on my favorite airline again: Southwest!)

Last week was a blow-out! At almost 50, it’s no longer easy for me to spend four days “camping” with 60,000 or so mostly teens and young adults. OK, I’m overstating it, since I didn’t sleep in a tent. In fact, I slept in a relatively nice room in a relatively nearby resort. (”Resort” is also relative. We’re not talking St. Thomas–we’re talking Raystown, Pennsylvania–which is very, well, Raystown.) Still, the folks in Raystown are very nice and the scenery gorgeous. Even at the camp–which is set up on an enormous farm in rural Mount Union, Pennsylvania, we set up shop in a booth under the pretty sturdy Arts and Crafts pavilion, thereby shielding us from the otherwise blazing sun and more than few thunderstorms.

If I’ve totally lost you, I’m talking about my time at the Creation music festival, now in its 30th year. I’ve been a frequent seminar presenter at Creation overt the last 20 years. I’ve even had a main stage slot a time or two. (I’ve been asked repeatedly over the years why I haven’t done more on the main stage (where audiences can top 50,000). I think it’s because Creation’s founder and my good friend–and board member, Harry Thomas, knows what I know; I’m not really a youth speaker. That’s a growing problem for me because my circle of people are getting older; some of them a lot older. So, Creation this year was my chance to sort of “study” youth culture to see how young people are thinking, looking at the “big issues” and expressing their spirituality–or lack of it.  I did lots of spontaneous interviews for audio and video. (Some will be posted here.)To say I learned a lot is a gross understatement.

One thing I learned is this younger generation is in one way no different from what was once mine. Young people today, like those 30 years ago, see things their elders don’t. They experience the world differently. They are exposed to new things, good and bad. As a result, while most are willing to consider general advice from parents, pastors and other older and more experienced people, in the end they want to make decisions and judgments for themselves. There’s nothing new about that!

One thing that isn’t OK for this generation is a lot of lecturing, scolding or even necessarily preaching. (Come to think of it, that’s not much different from my younger days either!) Ancients like me will get a lot further having “conversations” with these kids than pointing fingers at them and raising our voices. I’m ready to begin that conversation. Young people are our greatest earthly asset.

As much fun as I had this past week, I really enjoyed the aging but still masterfully talented and enormously creative Phil Keaggy more than anyone else. My little Keaggy anecdote: I once booked him for a big event in Washington. His plane was cancelled and his luggage lost. We finally got him on another flight, but while he was en route I had to go out to buy him a full wardrobe for his performance. I guessed at his size by looking at one of his CD cover photos. I got it perfect. He loved the outfit and still wears it!

Back later with more reflections on Creation and what I learned there. You should go next year. (They have two: East Coast and West Coast.) Register early and get a great discount: www.creationfest.com.

Rob

Summary of Day 2 of Creation: (Again, distinctly less spectacular than that Second Day of Creation so long ago) Still, what a day it was. Yesterday Kaitlin Mahoney and I interviewed hundreds of young and old here at what I call “the largest Christian refugee camp in North America.” We’ll webcast those interviews on National Pro-Life Radio (nplr.net) and later edit them for two compilation DVDs. One of those DVDs will have people answering the question, “What advice would you give to the two major presidential candidates?” My team will deliver copies of that DVD to Barack Obama and John McCain within the next couple of weeks.

Last night was memorable, as much for what didn’t happen as for what did. What did happen was a huge response to the evening message delivered by Ron Luce. He challenged kids on their lifestyles, then wound it up with a challenge to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Huge numbers responded, overwhelming the prayer tent. (BTW: The prayer ministry at Creation is being overseen by good friends and fellow church members Jacqueline and Tanie Guy.) What didn’t happen was the super-severe thunderstorm predicted by the National Weather Service. It threatened 60-mile per hour winds, hail and dangerously frequent lightening strikes. Just as the Newsboys were into half their set, the field was evacuated for safety reasons. I was all doom-and-gloom, having seen what a devastating storm can do at Creation. Kaitlin got it right–she prayed and asked God to keep the storm away. I thought she was being real “Pat Robertson” in praying away a storm, but I ended up the man of little faith. Kudos to Kaitin! PTL: We were spared the storm!

In addition to all the above, I met a lot of old friends at our booth yesterday. Nice to renew acquaintances, talk to many of our supporters and people who still remember my messages from years past. That always amazes me and keeps me very humble.

OK, today I help Harry Thomas with the morning communion service. He asked me to pronounce the blessing over bread and cup as Jesus did–in Hebrew–along with the historical and traditional Hebrew benediction God told Moses to use in blessing the people of Israel (Numbers 6:22-27). Given the current cultural climate in world, the continuing crisis in the Middle East and the growing concern for relations with Arabic peoples, I’ll also include a special blessing in that other great Semitic tongue–Arabi.

Back tonight with a Day 3 report!

Rob

The first day of Creation ended a little early for us. (Unlike that actual First Day!) My son, Matt, is here managing our booth in the Arts and Crafts pavilion. Kaitlin Mahoney is here, too. John Lofton and his son, Calvin, are staffing the National Pro-lIfe Radio side of things. (NPLR is the platform we’re using to webcast impromptu interviews with attendees. Watch for that tomorrow.)

Thousands of people are here. If you are, stop by our booth and talk to me on air about the things that really matter to you! For now, check out my video:

Creation: Day 1

I’m deep in the woods–I mean deep! I forget just how much of a camping experience the annual Creation music festival is. In fact, they have me staying so deep in the forest I was unnerved driving through the night into the resort hotel here. I’ve been so urbanized over the years I’m actually more comfortable driving through the worst neighborhoods of DC, than the darkened rural routes of PA! I’m here, though, and the resort is very nice. Looking forward to setting up my booth tomorrow where I’ll host live broadcasts over National Pro-Life Radio.net (www.nplr.net)

If you’re at Creation Northeast ‘08, stop by and check out our booth. If you’re not at Creation, why not change your plans a come? There’s still time to register for all four days, June 25 – 28, or just for Saturday, June 28. (I speak in Woods II at 3:00 PM!) The music is great and the scenery at Agape Farm is fantastic. There are lost of good speakers-and lots of good spirituality.

I entitled my seminar, “Juno’s Moment.” As you’ve already guessed, it’s built around the movie starring Ellen Page.

Watch here for news from Creation. I’ll post words and photos. Back later.

Rob

Last night was a great moment in American political history. For the first time a major political party chose an African-American for its presidential nominee, but it was even more than that. This African-American, whose mother was Anglo, is the son of an immigrant father who was also a Muslim. That’s a lot of barriers shattered by one campaign. The runner-up in the contest was a woman, so add that barrier to the fallen as well.

This development leaves me deeply conflicted. I rejoice in the shattering of color, ethnic, gender and even religious boundaries. I even like the age factor. I think of myself as young (at 49), so to look at Barack Obama at 46, I almost think of him as boyish—which in this case means he brings energy, vitality, enthusiasm and yes, even a little naiveté and idealism to the race. I find those elements attractive.

On the other hand, I have so many profound and unanswered questions about Barack Obama that I can’t be excited about the prospects of his presidency. For example, why does he hold so tenaciously to such extreme pro-abortion positions? His only reference so far to children in the womb is that they are a form of punishment for a young girl who makes “a mistake.” On abortion itself, he has backed every single pro-abortion bill that’s ever come before him. He’s made a public promise that his first act in office will be to push the most sweeping pro-abortion legislation the country has ever seen. In light of all the issues his campaign has focused on, is this really his proper priority?

Now, before I go further, let me quickly point out that I have nothing terribly positive to say about Mr. Obama’s opponent John McCain. I was highly critical of him in the early stages of the Republican primary campaign and those critiques still stand. Frankly, I don’t think either side offers much to the American people. I do think Barack Obama offers a great deal to his party. He has revived and strengthened it, increased its reach and its numbers, and brought it back into the spotlight. He brings celebrity power to the Democratic ticket and effectively ends the Clinton dominance in Democratic Party political culture.  I my estimation there isn’t much that extends beyond the Party’s well being.

At this point, I won’t be voting for either the Republican or the Democratic Party candidates. I’ll never say “never,” but at this point I don’t feel like compromising on second or third best. I will vote, however, because I believe it’s my duty as an American citizen and as a Christian.

I am coming to terms with my feelings about Obama’s win, though. I think it will take us a long way toward a truly color blind society and defeat stereotypes and xenophobia, and that’s a very good thing. His candidacy will empower blacks and leave the black community with a greater self-confidence, and those are long, long overdue.

For now, I will limit my engagements of the major party candidates to questions about their personal spirituality, concepts of right and wrong and what they will actually do about the things that I think really do matter most: The supreme human right, the Right to Life, for all Americans, especially the most vulnerable including the pre-born, the disabled and the elderly. I will ask about the sanctity of marriage (both Obama and McCain are against so-called “same-sex marriage,” but both are for “civil unions,” the legal equivalent of it.) Finally, and most important of all, I will ask them about their public acknowledgement of God. (In a strange twist, Mr. Obama seems much more comfortable with this point than does the ostensibly more “conservative” Mr. McCain.)

This will be a very different presidential contest from those of the past. Put on your seatbelts, we’re in for a very bumpy ride!

Rob +