Jesus Culture Conference 2011 (Brisbane)
That’s Kim Walker, and sadly Chris Quilala’s face is blocked by someone’s hand. hehe
They didn’t allow us to take pics so this was taken at the end of the Conference, when they ended with a celebration praise song.
It felt so surreal! The worship sessions felt like in the DVDs/worship videos..so amazing. I think they really live up to the name of their founding church – Bethel. Such an amazing sensitivity to God’s presence, and the pursuit of it is perfectly exemplified. I really wanted to talk to Kim Walker at the end of it to share my own testimony with her, but she disappeared 😦
The funniest thing was, we were praying for Kim Walker to be healed that day because Janelle attended the session on Friday and told us that Kim Walker was sick. But when we arrived at the Conference, Kim Walker was there! 🙂 And she didn’t seem sick at all! Even if she was, we couldn’t really tell coz her voice was exactly like in the CD, but live.
In the beginning it was hard for me to worship coz 1) I didn’t really know the songs and 2) I was semi-distracted by Chris Quilala and Kim Walker and the whole ‘WOW I’m in the same room as them! They’re just a few feet away!”. Anyway soon after I got over it and was able to just focus on God. It was easy, coz they sang some of the songs I held close to my heart last year – My Passion (from the new album, Come Away), Your Love Never Fails (from “Your Love Never Fails”), and Dance with Me (from “Consumed”). The reason why I wanted to meet Kim Walker was to just tell her that she has been doing a great job, and that I personally have been touched by her own ability to worship God and love God so deeply. Many times I find myself wanting that same heart that pursues God with everything that I am and just find it so comfortable and so captivating, and Jesus Culture/Kim Walker helped me want that. I wanted to tell her that they really live up to their church’s name, and that they played a big part in my life last year. Now I might just type them an email to relate that.
Awesome worship aside, the main theme of the Conference was about revival. I don’t know what’s going on but it really seemed to be in line with what I have been reading about, what I had thought about for Judah 2 this year and just something that has been in my heart recently. I think Joseph also shared about revival in Judah 2 last year. I missed the first session coz it was on Friday night but I heard that it was a great message – also about revival. During the sessions, the speakers shared a lot of testimonies – theirs or people they knew.
Things I learnt:
- The first session was actually a workshop; I attended one about Words of Knowledge and how to receive/give them (by Jerry Niswander). I learnt that God can give words to me for people through the most subtle-est ways that could be easily dismissed, and I need to seek God more to know His voice. I also learnt that I already possess ALL the gifts of the Holy Spirit because God has equipped me with the Holy Spirit; I shouldn’t wait til I am good in a gift/area before I start exercising it.
- The second session was more like a time of intercession. The original plan was to go to the city for evax, but there were flood warnings for Friday so they canceled it and decided to have a time of intercession for the nation and state. This only added to what I had already witnessed and felt greatly in my heart since the flood. When we were cleaning up St Lucia after the flood, I was just so amazed by the strong community spirit that was displayed. I really thought (and started to think from then on) that sometimes, because we are foreigners in this land, we have a way of seeing the locals with prejudice, maybe because sometimes in the media they are portrayed a certain way or maybe we have had (ugly) personal encounters with a very small group of them or just that we jump to conclusions and stereotype them a certain way. I have personally witnessed and come to know that Australians are helpful, friendly and really nice people. They offer really good support because of their love for community and their state/nation. As we prayed for Australia, Queensland and its leaders/people of influence, I sensed a greater love and consideration for this country that I am in. I think God was also telling me that He took away a reason to go back to Brunei (for this season – not too sure how long for) so that I could focus more on the being here and fulfilling His will for me here. I think God just gave me a greater heart and sense of responsibility for Australia.
- Third session, two words: Secret place. This sort of added onto the second session where there was some sharing in the beginning and in between, basically about how prayer shifts the atmosphere and culture of a city and a nation. Solid foundations are important to stand firm and last the distance, and one way to build a strong foundation is via prayer in the “secret place”. Matthew 6:6
One particular incident I will never forget (and sorta still am shaken about it) is when I was praying for Carol as she responded to the altar call to be released from whatever it was that was holding her back and making her feel powerless. I just started shaking uncontrollably and my hand that was on her back just kept shaking/tapping (Eunice called it vibrating) and I felt tingling on both my hands. (Carol later shared with me that she felt something warm) I knew it wasn’t me because it has never happened before and it was something I couldn’t stand that I just started sobbing uncontrollably (like an ugly cry but more) and crying out to God almost like I was in pain (but I wasn’t – it was more like a heart pain/burden). Even til now I don’t know how to put it in words but I know for sure it was God using me. At the end of it all, I was thinking – I asked God to show me His glory, for more of Him, for an encounter, and I got it!
I believe so much that this is just the start of greater things to come. Didn’t I tell you that 2011 will be bigger and better?
Amen!
Beautiful Soul 