The lowdown on meeting Jesus in a teen retreat…

“I’ve never felt the love of God like that before. I believe him but I’ve never felt him like that.”

“I felt so much peace.”

“It was like Jesus was in the center of the room. I knew his love. He made us love each other so much too.”

“It was powerful.”

These are quotes from kids about what God did in their lives during the Teen Spring Retreat hosted by the Anglican Diocese of New England. 72 kids and 26 leaders from New York to Maine gathered for a weekend at Pilgrim Pines to “Meet the Real Jesus.”

The theme was “Meet the Real Jesus.” How did Jesus break through to a guy who thought he was better than everyone else (The Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18)? How did Jesus uplift a guy who others thought was worse than everyone else (the blind man in Jericho in Luke 18)? How did Jesus save a woman who thought she was worse than everyone else (Woman at the Well in John 4)? How did Jesus redeem a guy who everybody agreed that they hated (Zacchaeus in Luke 19)? Sean began and ended the retreat. Bishop Drew and I took the middle talks. Volunteers leaned in. We couldn’t have done it without them.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He cuts through the balgona. Sean made us all relate to the Rich Young Ruler; we all consider ourselves good by comparing ourselves to others. Jesus goes right to the impossible thing for this guy: his riches,; Jesus demands goodness where he can’t do it. This is to drive the young guy to grace. You may have known about God your whole life, like the rich young ruler, but you may not know Jesus in your place of need. You do now.

You may have known Jesus, Son of David, God of mercy but you’ve been kicked around by others, by life like the blind man in Jericho. You have trauma. Jesus is not aloof; he is not unaware. Bishop Drew told how Jesus opens your eyes to see his help all around you. Jesus asks, what do you want? What are your deep desires? The more you know his love in your hurts, the bigger and bolder your desires get. You want wild desires? Wild answers to prayer? He’s daring you because he knows he will exceed them.

Jesus knows we are desperate to belong to someone safe, loving, strong. We want to be that person for someone else but we can’t until we have it first. Jesus sought out that woman who was locked in by her secrets. He cut through the bologna. I made a literal “Balogna Wall.”

Jesus cuts through the social bologna of ethnic prejudice and bloodline prejudice and speaks to a Samaritan on purpose. He cuts through gossip bologna and goes to a well in midday on purpose to seek out outcasts. He cuts through gender prejudice and speaks to a woman because men and women are equal in his family. He cuts through the bologna of her shame—her bad reputation, her fear that there is no forgiveness … he gives her his living water because his redemption never runs dry. He gives her a reason to live and Someone worthwhile to belong to. His love made her shame into her testimony. She is his messenger.

We literally threw bologna at our “Bologna Wall,” which had taped to it: “ethnic prejudice,” “bloodline prejudice,” “guys hating girls,” “girls hating guys,” “gossip,” “bad reputation” and “no forgiveness.” This is all the stuff Jesus cuts through to heal and redeem us. The kids got into it. They needed to let out the anger against all that bologna. There is no bologna in Jesus’ family.

Sean showed how Jesus invaded Zacchaeus’ lonely riches. Zacchaeus robbed people and was a teacher’s pet to the Romans. Jesus insisted that he be Zacchaeus’s guest and eat with him, which is always a sign of peace. Hurry, I must, today. He gave Zacchaeus no choice. This is called grace. No one deserves grace. That’s the point. It is a gift. Jesus sees exactly the kind of guy Zacchaeus is. When Jesus exposes your sin, he does so to forgive and transform. The Rich Young Ruler couldn’t love God more than riches. But Jesus can change our hearts. With Zacchaeus, Jesus does the impossible.

Jesus seeks and saves you the first time you believe in him. He does it over and over throughout your life because you are his. He has freedom for you.

The music! Justin from One Church teamed up with Sean and the music soared. Rebecca from St. Nicholas House led harmony. Kids joined the band. We all loved it from start to finish.

We played games the whole time! Table Surfing, Olympics, archery, ropes courses, and silly skits. These games had no point other than to laugh together.

Linda from Long Island and Jimmy from Queens (Sean and me) accidentally abandoned their friend Lewis from Australia (Bishop Drew) with the massive inflatable swan queen, Queenie. Lewis had learned to speak swan. They interviewed students and told stories. Everyone took home one of Queenie’s kids. Weird but it worked!

We made art. I had everyone bring up a (clean) old sock. As I collected them, I said Jesus takes your dirty, old “socks” and gives you his love and his forgiveness every time. Then they got a t-shirt. The volunteers said, “You are loved by Jesus” as they handed them out. The t-shirts had this printed on them: “L VED”. They had to fill in the “O”. I invited them to use tape to create a cross in the center. Of course, they could do much more too. Everyone did. Scissors got involved. They were very creative.

That night, at the “Untalent Show” Dance party everyone wore their shirts. They glowed with the fact that they are “LOVED” by Jesus.

Kids met the real Jesus. After the bologna talk on Saturday night, we had a time of worship and prayer. So many kids came up. So many leaders prayed for them. The kids got really blessed. On Sunday morning we were all so tired. Sean preached on Jesus loving Zacchaeus, music lifted us. We all woke up. I led a simple Communion service from heart. As I just walked everyone through what we do and why, the presence of God was palpable. I began to cry, so did Sean, so did others. Everyone came up for Communion. We ate His promise of grace, digesting that He is with us. Then spontaneously every single person linked arms. The whole camp joined together in a big circle. We just swayed and hugged and felt one with the Lord and one with each other. My youngest daughter said it was like Jesus was in the center of the circle, I felt his love. And he made us love each other so much. Sean felt the call to wait. Tahira, a leader from One Church, came forward and had a special prayer she wanted to pray over us all that the Lord is a redeemer. We just dwelt there. The Lord saved the best for last. Everyone came away saying, “That was powerful, that was the Holy Spirit.” He infiltrated the groups. He connected us. He opened up hearts. He went way beyond what we could try to do. We are very grateful. I want him to do it again.

Our crew from Long Island… and a few adoptees…