Sometimes
some people try to do just a little too much while at Cornerstone. 
They simply don't take the time to relax once in a while. As a result
they fall asleep the moment they sit down. For example, we had invited Kevin
to join us for our traditional Saturday evening meal which consisted of barbecue
Chicken breast, long grain/wild rice, green beans and french bread.
Speaking of food, take a look at the fun Paco had making up his foil dinner on Wednesday evening. I believe that the eyes are a carrot slice on top of a slice of potato, while the smile is a piece of pineapple and the ears are apple chunks.
Beginning to fill up
We arrived on the Saturday before the festival to set up our campsite so that when the other members of our group arrived on Wednesday afternoon all the work had been done. During our campsite church service the next day we prayed that the Lord would send people into our site who were hungry for more of Him or in need of a touch from Him.
The moment we finished praying a brother came in who was looking for his son who had run away from home a few days before. After he shared his story with us, we prayed with, and for him. It seemed that it didn't take the Lord long to answer our prayer about our desire to minister His grace and love to others.
During the remainder of the week we were given dozens and dozens of opportunities to minister to the literally hundreds or so people that came into our campsite (not counting the 1,500 people who stopped by to pick up a copy of the evolution book). Sometimes it was a neighbor who was concerned about things that were happening at their campsite, sometimes it was a person that we had met on the festival grounds and had invited back, sometimes it was an individual whom the Lord had simply told to stop by our site, and on Wednesday evening it was the hundred or so people who took part in our 'Praise Party.'
On more than one occasion it was during a concert itself. In fact, several of the people whose names I mentioned earlier probably didn't attend more than 5 or six concerts each during the whole festival because they were so preoccupied praying with others or merely spending time with them and ministering to them as the Lord directed us to. And in several instances, once a concert began the Lord had them move off to the side and quietly pray about something they had just seen, or simply intercede for the musicians - that their music would touch the hearts of those who were present.
I guess I can sum up what happened best by relating what Angie said to me as we were returning to our campsite after several members of our group were baptized Sunday morning. She said, "You know Fred, when I came to Cornerstone this year I figured it would be my last year. But now I want to keep coming back as long as the Lord will allow me so that I can be used by Him to minister to everyone He sends to us." In one way she was right, this will be her last year at Cornerstone - as a festival goer - next year, Lord willing, she and the others whom the Lord touched will return as spirit warriors, servants of the Most High, and ministers of His love, grace and mercy.
Each year I have organized our group's trip, done all of the cooking and most of the cleaning up. Some adults back home have asked me what I could possibly get out of Cornerstone when I hardly even get out of our campsite. Initially, it freed up our kids so they could attend the concerts and other activities. But that was not the ultimate purpose which the Lord had in mind. Now, I am doing what I do because it frees up a group of spirit filled, on fire, sold out sons and daughters of the Most High God to minister as He directs them to. What do I get out of Cornerstone?
Can you imagine how, as a co-pastor and father of one of the young men that the Lord touched this year - how I felt when Angie shared with me what she did? My heart leapt for joy over what I had seen God do in their lives and in the lives of those they ministered to. Can you imagine the waves of joy I experienced on Wednesday evening when fifty or sixty young people stood in the drizzle & rain for over 2 hours continuing to worship and praise the Most High after we had to shut down the CD's and overhead projector we were using because they couldn't get enough of God? Can you imagine how awed I was as I stood there with them and watched more kids keep coming into the campsite to join them? Can you imagine how I danced with the angels who were rejoicing over the young girl who gave her heart to Christ that evening? Can you imagine how much fun it is to explain to a young Christian that that awesome sense of both joy and peace they are experiencing as they continue to press in during praise and worship is the very presence of God? Can you imagine how I, as a teacher of God's Word, feel when I see a group of believers take what they have learned, confirm for themselves that it is from the heart of God and then apply it with such astounding results?
As I reflect back on this year's Cornerstone I realize now that it was both a preparation and a foretaste of what God had in mind for those members of our fellowship who were also going to be able to take part in the Youth With A Mission's outreach to the Navajo indians which was to begin 2 weeks after we returned from Cornerstone 99. I would encourage any visitors to our site who have read this far to check out the report of our mission adventure. You can find it at:
One final reflection. While Cornerstone is about so much more than just the music, there can be no doubt that music is a major part of the event. One of the things that I have found heartening over the past few years is that the emphasis on worship has been steadily growing.
While the following may not seem to connect with the preceding paragraph, the guys from Dogwood stopped by Thursday evening to say 'Hi.' We first met them in 96 - our first year at Cornerstone - and they have stopped by each year to renew our friendship. I bring this up here because I was impressed that they began their concert with a song of worship. Awesome guys - keep it up.
