As usual, our setup crew arrived at Cornerstone on Saturday and got the campsite ready for the rest of our group which would arrive on Tuesday evening the 3rd. However, before going into the particulars of this year's visit to Cornerstone (especially in light of the spiritual battles which took place during last year's trip), I would like to mention some of the changes we made regarding our camping equipment. Even though I have been camping for 45 years, and leading youth groups on various trips for the past 17 years, I am always learning better ways of doing things.

This year we made two major changes in our camping equipment. After 45 years of using Coleman fuel for both lanterns and stoves, I switched over to propane. Here you can see we still use our old stoves, but now I have added a propane adapter. For those of you real old-timers out there note that the Coleman stove on the left is over 50 years old. It has cast iron burners, and I still have the original brass fuel tank. 

But the main reason for switching over to propane was because of our camp shower set up. Don't get me wrong, the Cornerstone shower houses are great, especially when you consider the fact that for the vast majority of campers, Cornerstone is what would be rated as a class 'C' campground, and simply having shower facilities for this many people is a true blessing. But each year we have had solar showers rigged up so that we could take a quick rinse after swimming, or just whenever we felt really hot and grimy. This year however we went a little beyond that. 

After last summer's mission trip to the Navajo Reservation in the 4 Corners region of the southwest, which included a 3 day period without showers, I began looking around for something our group could use in order to extend our outreach time, and still maintain as much personal hygiene as possible. The result of my search was the propane heated, 12 volt powered shower system you see pictured here. We used a 30 gallon plastic garbage can on wheels as our water reservoir, and held the shower hose up with a 7' shepherd's hook lantern hanger. The rechargeable battery provided about 35 showers before having to be recharged in my truck's lighter outlet, and we kept the water reservoir filled by adding 2 or 3 gallons after each shower. Along with the porta potti which we have carried with us each of the past 5 years, we enclosed everything in the 'Quick Shelter Shower Canopy,' and were ready to go. (For those of you who are interested, each of these camping items can be found at www.cabelas.com. I have included this web company's web site, because we were so thoroughly pleased with both the shower itself and the shower canopy. Although some might consider it a little pricey, for groups of between 10 & 30 who do remote outreaches, I can't think of better portable system)

     Enough though about camping equipment. After we got everything set up we had a few days to relax and enjoy the quiet time before the crowds arrive. Below Shane (back to the camera) Angie and Dan, and Alice are enjoying the morning shade near the entrance to our campsite.

     As you may remember from reading our comments about last year's Cornerstone we came to this year's event prepared to engage in a significant amount of spiritual warfare. For two weeks prior to arriving our fellowship had taken part in a time of corporate prayer and fasting. In the event that this year's atmosphere was anything like that of 2000, we were determined to be spiritually ready. 

     Apparently many visitors from last year felt the same way, because it was evident from the even the first 'unofficial' day, Tuesday the 3rd, that the attitude of lack of respect for authority and inappropriate social interactions which permeiated last year's Cornerstone was not going to be tolorated this year.  While there were still some things which occured which were definitely unscriptural, they were done more underhandedly. It was as though all satan could do was sneak around this year. There is no question in my mind that prior to 'CS 01' a great deal of time was spent in prayer by both Festival organizers and Festival goers - not only for the success of the event, but in coming against the forces of evil which attempted to destroy the effectiveness of the Cornerstone outreach.

     Each year since our ministry began attending CS we have seen a marked increase in the number of small groups which have sprung up everywhere for the sole purpose of worshipping and praising God.
On Tuesday evening we hosted another one of our 'Praise Parties' at our campsite. When we began at 9:00 PM there were only 3 of us present. By 10:00 PM there were more than 40 who had joined in. Several people shared with us how they had been drawn to our campsite by the sound of praise & worship. Others were drawn by the very presence of the Lord. Before the evening was over, 4 young people had received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and their prayer language, and several others were completely freed up in the area of praise and worship. Some had never danced before the Lord before, or shouted or raised their hands, but when it was explained to them that such demonstrative praise and worhsip is found throughout the Bible, they openly and willingly abandoned themselves to this type of praise.
(For those of you who might like to learn a little more about this type of praise and worship, please take a moment and read the Bible studies we have posted on our site concerning these topics. 'Spiritual Warefare and the High Praises of God,' Chapters 15, 16, & 17 of our on-line book Needful Things.  If you would like more information about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, you may wish to read 'Baptism' or Chapters 2 and 3 of Needful Things.)

    Each evening, about from midnight on you could see and hear small groups throughout the festival grounds who were engaged in more intimate praise and worship. Even during the day small groups would just spring up. Here is one group which simply ploped themselves down on a couch that was across the road and a little south of our campsite.

Each morning, at 11:00 AM we had about an hour of praise and prayer at our sight. We used the front part of our area so that it would be easier for those who passed our way to join us.

     But then praise and worhsip was not the only music we had going at our campsight. Back in 98' Terah was serenaded for her birthday by some friends we had made at CS that year. This year, we serenaded Angie and Dan. Angie is with our group, and Dan is from Virginia. We first met him back in 97.' 

Speaking of Terah, on Wednesday the 4th she celebrated her 21st birthday. Evan gave here a softball glove for her present this year, so they were headed down to the area in front of main stage to play catch. By the way, Evan and Terah are getting married on July 21st of this year. They first met at Cornerstone in 96. If you want to see how God has moved in their lives over these past few years, log onto their web site.