Day 4

[Paraphrased by Melody]

Worship with Jeremy Riddle was this morning. It was incredible. It’s awesome when they say, “Sing out in the Spirit,” or, “Sing it out in your own words.” People begin to sing, and to harmonize. Just to listen is insane. With all the worship leaders there, it sounds like legitimate music, when the instruments fade away and it’s just singing. Harmonies are everywhere.

And when they pray, they don’t talk right away. They just…wait. On the Holy Spirit, they wait. And then, over on the right, someone will begin to sing. Several people. It moves throughout the room. It gets thick. Someone else will begin to shout. People are speaking in tongues, singing out. And it swirls around you, almost a tangible movement.

The “barbecue at Kathy’s house” was this afternoon. Everyone was there. Including, the one, the only, Chris Quilala.

He wasn’t expecting to get much time with Chris Quilala, just about thirty seconds. So when he walked up, he stumbled around for what to say. Thirty seconds isn’t a very long time.

“What’s it like?” Chris looked at him strangely, and he went on. “What’s it like to have all this popularity? Do you know…what you mean to people?”

“Well,” said Chris, “we started out as a youth band. And in my mind, that’s kind of all we are. We’re just the youth band. It keeps us grounded.”

Raymond went on to tell him just what Jesus Culture has meant to our family. How it was the instrument used by God to bring us to the Holy Spirit. How without it, we would never be where we are today. We never would have listened to that preacher or this one, or read this book or that one. Jesus Culture changed us.

Tears welled up in Raymond’s eyes as he talked. He didn’t mean to cry or get emotional. But his voice cracked as he spoke, and, to tell the truth, he felt rather dorky.

He had only expected thirty seconds. He got a long time. So long that people began to gather around them, just hovering and drinking in Chris’ words. Raymond said it almost felt as if he and Chris had a connection. As if they could talk for hours. “I almost asked him if I could be his friend, for his phone number or something,” said Raymond. “And I still might if I get the chance to talk to him later on.”