Well, that was fun.

Last night was Immersion's first ever Miracle Night and, by the sounds of it, God showed up in some very cool, very tangible ways:

Spiritually
Emotionally
Physically
Financially

We want to capture some of the pictures of what God did and is continuing to do after last night.

That's why we'd like you to post your God stories in the comment section of this post. You can post anonymously if you'd like or you can tell us who you are - either way we just want to know what God did/is up to in your life after last night!

So come, share your stories... Tell one, tell all! Bless you...

"They triumphed... by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony!"

In the words of Mike & The Mechanics, "All I need is a miracle/All I need is you."

Immersion is having its first ever Miracle Night this coming Thursday. What's a Miracle Night? Well, we're going to ask God to show up and do... well... miracles.

Blind eyes would be opened.
The bondage of debt would be broken over the lives of young adults.
Depression and anxiety would be healed.
Unbelievers would become believers in and followers of Jesus Christ.

Those, good people of Des Moines, are miracles. Events that do not happen in our normal, everyday level of existence... But maybe could and should (and if we're real honest, we want to have happen in our lives on a regular basis).

Now, some of you might be conjuring pictures of a televangelist with cuff links and slicked back hair, placing his hand on the forehead of a poor, old woman in a wheelchair and saying something like, "and now, be healed in the name of Juh-hee-sus-uh! And for only a $1,000 love gift, you too can be healed in Jesus' Name! We now accept credit and debit cards!"

Oops. Did I step on anyone's toes?

Something struck me as I was preparing for my message this week: Jesus thinks very highly of us.

Jesus thinks highly of us because he’s God. If Jesus is God and God is Jesus and Jesus not only loves us but actually likes us, then that would mean that God feels the same way about you and about me.

God honors you (Isaiah 43:4).
God calls you “very good” (Genesis 1:31).
God, in fact, loves you (1 John 4:9-11).

I think this struck me so hard because I wonder how many people really believe this? Christians included! Most of us - if only subconsciously - believe that God is mostly mad at us and is really disappointed with our lives. He’s standing in heaven with a long, flowing beard, checklist and clipboard and a sharpened #2 pencil in hand, constantly checking our behavior, scribbling on his checklist and clucking his tongue whenever we goof up.

My question is simply, “who would want to follow a God like that?”

Not me.

Luckily enough, that’s not the God of Scripture and it’s not God the Father of Jesus Christ. Even as I write these words, I can feel a weight being lifted off of my shoulders... God is not mad at me!

Would you take a moment during your day and ask yourself the question, “how do I think God sees me?” Then ask yourself a second question, “how do I see God?” Those two questions, G.K. Chesterton says, are “the most important beliefs” someone has.

God is good. Good is God. God says we’re “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Any questions?

For those of you who don't know, I (Justin) am finishing up my last few years here at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN.  So when I'm not hanging out at Immersion, preparing a sermon, attending meetings, or goofing off, I'm usually doing some form of school work in order to get my Masters of Divinity.

I'll be up here for the next two weeks.  In the meantime, here are a few pics from my life at Bethel:

My friend, Michael.  We call him "the Pope".

My bed. That window was open all night.  Those Pepsis are frozen through.

My desk.  Where I don't study.

My roommate and our closets.

And finally, not hard at work.

Greetings to you all this Monday morning... Hope all is well with you!

We've been mulling over this notion of a "Miracle Night" here at Immersion. Wild, I know.

I've been thinking about how the real spiritual gifts of God have been turned into this concept that is so completely bizarre to our modern sensibilities. The notion of God breaking in to our here-and-now, natural world has been turned into something that's only for televangelists and, let's just say it, "weird-o" Christians who handle snakes and drink poison.

I think God wants to change that. I think God wants to use Immersion to change that. Can you imagine Immersion being a place where you can be chatting with a friend over a good cup of coffee one minute and then watching a person rise from the dead the next? Not only that, but the fact that the person rose from the dead is almost an expected reality rather than remain an object of lore.

Let's be honest, most people do not need to hear another sermon. I've said that to some of our leaders here at Immersion, but it's true. I take what I do very seriously - it's a huge responsibility to preach and teach the word of God. But young adults don't want to hear more dead words falling from the mouth of a dead pastor. We, as Christians, are meant to live in power and might. It's supposed to be the norm, not the exception.

So, be ready for some new things I think God wants to try. As staff, we will navigate those avenues faithfully and to the best of our abilities. The rest is up to the Spirit. Are you ready to come along? Will you come expecting miracles? Will you come expecting the unexpected? Will you leave the stoic, dusty pews of religion and enter into the lush and vibrant Promised Land that God has for the people who love and cherish him?

Man, updating this thing is really hard sometimes. Any of you other people with blogs know what I'm talking about? Honestly...

Well what to tell you all about the inner-workings of Immersion? Didn't Sarah do a great job last week? I told her afterwards that I wanted to run home and immediately get into the Secret Place with the LORD, do some fasting and praying and getting in the Word. Awesome job, we're so blessed to have her on board here at Immersion.

Speaking of fasting, Sarah mentioned that she hated doing it and also mentioned I did as well. Misery loves company, and it's true - I absolutely hate fasting... physically, anyway. There's nothing worse than an empty stomach, except maybe belching with an empty stomach - and belching with an empty stomach that only has a multivitamin in it... Gross. I remember once when I was in high school and we were doing two-a-days for football. I took a Centrum before the AM practice and didn't have time to grab breakfast. I get to practice and start to sweat my brains out, thirstier than all get out. Then I belched. First of all, I was dangerously thirsty. Secondly, the aftertaste of a vitamin and bile-laced belch was almost enough to make me throw up on the spot. Thankfully I didn't and saved myself further embarrassment than that which was already due to me for trying to play football.

At any rate, we're excited for the final week of Immersion's mission statement. Make sure you check it out in person or on the web, beimmersed.com. We'll be talking about how to speak and live and act out the Message of Christ in a culturally relevant way.

Peace to you on this day...

Justin