there are so many reasons why lucas leys is abso-freakin’-lutely perfect to be our ys spanish guru. but here’s a great example:

the most popular worship band in latin america - rojo - was playing in the general session this afternoon. they’re really fantastic, and they rock the house. and people know their songs, so the singing was very loud. you can picture the scene — 1200 latin youth workers, moshing, jumping, worshipping. then, after too few songs for the crowd (they were begging for more), the band steps off stage, and… a classical choir, in tuxes and formal dresses, with a chamber orchestra (all of whom were ready and set-up on a side-stage, start singing a gorgeous hymn. while this band had been fantastic worship, this move not only validated the worship of those were weren’t connecting with the rock-and-roll worship, it also deconstructed the hero-worship and cult-of-personality that often surrounds modern rock worship (in north america, and very much so here in central america). the crowd hushed. the mosh-pit stood still. slowly, people began to sing along. the room was filled with absolutely stunning hymn singing.

ah. lucas gets it.

i followed all this as the speaker in this general session (maybe lucas doesn’t get it!). i talked about the quicksand we in the church so easily step into by believing that conformity is a good thing; that our churches often act as sand-paper, trying to produce sameness and niceness and complience in us. but god made us unique and odd and strange, as a gift to the church and the world, and we each need to embrace that.