Paradise '08

Mark just sent me info about a huge and very different gathering of Christian students planned for next year. I've never heard of anything like it. The idea is to draw young believers from around the nation to the geographic center of the U.S. for several hours of pure, undistracted, marketing-free worship of Jesus.

Here's part of the organizers' vision for what participants will experience near Paradise, Kansas on Sunday, May 25, 2008:

• As they arrive, they find a grassy field in middle America extending one mile in each direction.

• In the center of that field stands the foundation for a throne. The foundation is immense in size and regal in appearance.

• Circling the foundation are thousands of students. With lifted faces, many can imagine the ultimate throne in heaven. In their mind’s eye, majestic God sits enthroned with the risen Christ at His right hand and the glorious Spirit descending on them.

• With Christ the King as their sole focus, students sing and proclaim praise to Him; they ask for personal and national cleansing; and many receive from Him specific callings for their lives. As never before, they awaken to all His supreme glory means, they adore Him as their King, and they arise to join Him in the greatest adventure of their lives.

• Nothing is sold, no artist or speaker appears, and no performance stage is erected.

What a huge idea this is, to imagine that students and youth groups and college kids would travel all that way to gather in one spot -- only for worship of the King. The event's leaders promise that, in addition to zero product/personality marketing during or after, registration money will be used only to cover costs and any left over will be returned. Whoa. There's already quite a varied list of "advocates" for the event. I'm intrigued. We'll keep you updated as we get more info.