More God Stories From Knoxville

Our Knoxille World Changers have been busy! We received an update today on what's been happening over the past few days. Here's Jackie Heberle's message:

"Tuesday night was a concert of prayer - a special, contemplative worship service with dim lighting and luminaries. The cross they'd nailed their sins upon the night before was emptied of the paper, but the nails remained. There was music, but the worship leader led from off stage. There was a guided time of adoration, confession and supplication, and then a very special time of prayer. Each adult was assigned a certain amount of youth to focus on. The adults went to each student and they were affirmed and prayed for. It was very powerful and emotional for the students as well as the adults.

Wednesday's schedule included a half day of work, and then free time at the river. Students went tubing or swimming, had a chance to relax, and that evening had dinner in Gatlinburg. We are grateful for your prayers, e-couragrams and support - it means a lot to us. We feel the prayers."

Another great story comes from adult leader Joe Sposa. Joe, his wife Angie and her son Tanner Iglio are all serving in Knoxville together this week. On Wednesday night, Joe brought his work boot to the church group devotion time to show the team. It was ratty and literally falling apart - the sole was coming off the upper part of the shoe.

At the work site on Wednesday, Joe was duct-taping his boot together so that he could continue working. One of the local church members who is providing food for the World Changers teams saw him wrapping his boot. Later that afternoon, that same local resident showed up at the work site with a brand new pair of work boots. For Joe.

Joe said, "I came knowing I'd be helping people but never knew I'd be blessed. Just when you think you're helping someone, somebody comes along and helps you."

He brought his ratty boot that had been exchanged for something new to show as a powerful symbol to the PCC World Changers team.

Matt Turner is one of the college-age leaders helping on this trip. Matt is one of our worship leaders at PCC; he called in tonight to report on his experience with the worship and teaching time they are experiencing each night.

"It has been tough for me this week in worship. I hadn't felt the spirit and I was really uncomfortable, and I didn't know why. We've got this hillbilly preacher from the middle of the woods and it's been different, but I've spent some time talking to him and I realized that he's got such a loving spirit. I've learned so much from him this week, and I finally realized that I've been uncomfortable because God wanted to tell me something. I think he wanted me to think about how we do music. You know we're really focused on music and excellence - that's what we do - but it's the Word that saves. Music is important, but it's just a vehicle for the Word. I've just been reminded how we need to be in a worship state of mind each Sunday.

I've really been surprised by all this; usually I hear God through worship - I'm usually such a worship freak! But this week I was uncomfortable - and I think it was God trying to really show me something. We've HAVE had awesome worship this week, with a lot of good people."

The theme for this week's mission is "Set Apart" - reminding the participants that they are set apart as people of God. Matt is one of three young men on this trip who will forever remember this week because they've chosen to imprint it permanently - not just on their hearts, but on their skin.

Don't worry - those who chose to step out in this way were all above the age of 18!

Thanks for your continued prayers for our team. They'll be home on Saturday!