In 1972, Mike Huckabee — still in high school — followed the example of thousands of other young Americans. He went to a weeklong festival, waded through mud and listened to rock music. But the throng of students he was a part of was different from the youthful gatherings more often associated with the late 1960s and early 1970s. These young people were in Dallas for Campus Crusade for Christ’s “Explo ’72” — at “Godstock” rather than Woodstock.
It was the perfect trip for a young, conservative Christian like Mr. Huckabee, as Explo ’72 foreshadowed the subsequent emergence of evangelicals as a powerful voting bloc. The assembled students applauded a large contingent of military personnel and cheered the South Vietnamese flag. The Rev. Billy Graham read a telegram from Richard Nixon, and a survey conducted by a local newspaper reported that the students favored Nixon over George McGovern in the coming election by a ratio of more than 5 to 1. They also favored stronger penalties for marijuana possession and overwhelmingly believed that American attitudes toward sex were “too permissive.”
Godstock, however, was about God, not the GOP. Campus Crusade refused to extend an invitation to President Nixon, who dearly wanted to come.
Explo attendees listened to Mr. Graham, Campus Crusade’s Bill Bright and other evangelists who urged them to “change the world” by telling others about Jesus. On several afternoons, Mr. Huckabee visited Dallas neighborhoods, knocked on doors and shared the contents of Mr. Bright’s small booklet titled “Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws?” Mr. Bright’s message was short and simple: “God loves you, and offers a wonderful plan for your life,” began the tract, which identified Jesus as “God’s only provision for man’s sin.” It is hard to imagine a better training ground for electioneering. Though some Texans probably greeted Mr. Huckabee warmly, he also learned to persevere with his message and remain gracious regardless of disinterest or hostility.
Our Youth Group went to Orlando several times in the ’80’s for “Jesus Fest” events. These were only a weekend, not week-long.
In 1995, my family and I went to the [url=http://www.cornerstonefestival.com/]”Cornerstone Festival”[/url] in Bushnell Illinois run by Jesus People U.S.A. (JPUSA, for short) over the 4th of July weekend. Cornerstone now has an [url=http://www.cornerstoneflorida.com/]Orlando, Florida[/url] event every year, as well (but not in 2008 — see link).
And there have been others.
Every event like this that I’ve been to has been a combination of concert and teachings and workshops. Fantastic boosts to one’s faith. I wonder why they faded away, though? I’d really like to see a resurgence of “Jesus Festivals” across the nation.
I was a student in those days and remember calling my friends who were involved in the campus crusade, “Jesus Freaks.” Those freaks helped me and got me pointed back in the right direction.
I think the article paints a good picture of the Jesus Freak generation. The writer asks if Mr. Huckabee’s sermons risk offending nonevangelicals, and then attempts to answer the question, “But Mr. Huckabee utilizes both humor and a comfortable embrace of popular culture to avoid the stereotype of the dour fundamentalist.”
From whence comes this new desctription, dour fundamentalist?
reading this made me think of the extraordinary [url=http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/]Greenbelt Festival[/url] that atkes place annually in the U.K. Held annually since 1974, Greenbelt has grown from a music event, to which 1500 people came, to seeing crowds of nearly 30,000 with a much broader scope of arts, faith, and justice.
In addition to great music & arts, Greenbelt is also a venue for teaching and discussion around (but not exclusively within) the Christian faith, and has attracted a large number of famous Christian speakers, including Rowan Williams who is currently the festival’s patron.
However, it is not just about inviting Christians to speak. The festival welcomes anyone who the organisers believe ‘speaks for justice’, usually meaning that they are on the political left, and has recently had Anita Roddick, Peter Tatchell, Bill Drummond and Billy Bragg sharing their thoughts. Greenbelt sees itself as having never been shy of tackling controversial issues and providing a ‘safe space for honest debate’.
Undergroundpewster: Where have you been? Fundamentalist has been the “f” word of ECUSA for at least 15 years. OK, dour was more implied than said, but still . . .
How about the [url=http://www.taize.fr/en_article2785.html]Taizé Young Adult Meetings[/url], that draws over 10,000 young Christians per year?
How about either of the two Creation Festivals? We’ll probably bring 60 to this year’s Creation North East. I think they average somewhere between 80 and 100 thousand. Average age is 17 or so.
http://www.creationfest.com/ne/
Brian
Creation Fest is still going strong? COOL!
If Turner had been in the packed out (80,000+) Cotton Bowl himself that final night when E.V. Hill’s powerful, thundering message had everybody on their feet cheering and praising God, surely he would have found a way to include a couple lines about it in his WSJ online piece. It was one of the most electrifying moments in modern church history I have ever witnessed.
That week may have been a milestone, marking for all to see the transition of “the Jesus movement” from its roots in the counterculture in the late 1960s into the youthful mainstream. Evangelism was central to the movement, but it also left a lasting impact on music and worship styles in many churches.
w.w.
Library,
Yes, the two Creation Fests continue as strong as ever. There is continuing interest among our youth and so we’re off again this year. It’s exhausting for the adult leadership (!), but well worth the effort!
Brian