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God Rock
By Steve Beard

In the wake of the Woodstock music festival in mid-August 1969, the late New Testament Professor Robert Lyon of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, believed that there needed to be a Christian response to the generation-defining event. Nine months after Woodstock, he was joined by 1,200 people in the tabernacle of the Wilmore Holiness Campground for the first Christian rock festival in America. It was advertised as “two days of music for less than the price of one album.”

The question arose from the recently-departed grandfather of Christian rock and roll, Larry Norman (1947-2008): “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?” Of course, he was repeating the sentiment of William Booth (1829-1912), founder of the Salvation Army, who raised eyebrows when he used brass bands and borrowed “worldly” tunes.

Thirty-eight years after the first Ichthus, an entirely different generation still flocks to unusually quiet Wilmore—home of Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary. “Ichthus was born with the passion of John Wesley’s message of new life in Christ. We simply added the electric guitars, drums, and turned up the volume,” says Executive Director Jeff James. Judging from the vans in the vast parking lot, United Methodists make up a large percentage of the attendees. “Youth groups from more than twenty states have made our festival a destination point,” reports James. “So many collegians and seminarians attend as students, go into ministry, and return with their youth groups. They keep passing on the torch to the next generation.”

The crowd these days can no longer fit in the tabernacle as they did in 1970. Over 18,000 young people attended the festival held in mid-June on the Ichthus Farm on the outskirts of Wilmore. They experienced dynamic teaching, heartfelt worship, loud music on four stages, and a massive communion service. Though the event hosted dozens of musical artists such as Skillet, MxPx, Family Force 5, Casting Crowns, The David Crowder Band, and Kutless, the focus has always been on encouraging its attendees to a deeper relationship with God.

“Our student-aged population is moving in spiritual pursuit,” says James. “Ichthus became notable because as other festivals came along, we stuck with primarily teaching as a mainstay. And instead of having people merely speaking from the stage while we’re changing out band equipment—all the business stops.”

Throughout the weekend, the concessions close and the music stops so that young people can flock to teaching tents to learn about issues such as discipleship and abstinence from pre-marital sex. “I make my youth go hear the speakers and devotions because that’s a really important thing,” said Matt Johnson, director of youth ministry of the Nicholasville (Kentucky) United Methodist Church. “They bring in really good speakers, the worship bands are good, the devotions this morning were excellent, so I make them go check that stuff out too.”

For the target audience of Ichthus, music remains the common vernacular. “For the kids, they talk about concerts,” says Johnson. “You hear about concerts all day. ‘Oh so-and-so’s here.’ ‘I saw this show last night.’ So they’re really excited about stuff like that. They also like to be together, hang out—and eat! You’ve got these guys who have the whole camp kitchen set up and feed us. But the kids are really excited about the music.”

In recent years, Ichthus Ministries has branched out to incorporate more ministry opportunities for young people. They initiated inner city missions in nearby Lexington, as well as Eastern Kentucky missions with the Christian Appalachian Project. Through the Ecos project, Ichthus began recycling and promoting green ethics. “Those things are a way for young people to get an avocation or a vocational touch in their lives—something that will put them in active service and maybe make a difference in the way that they choose their path,” says James.

In addition to the prayer tents for ministry opportunities after each of the speakers, there is also a special tent where men and women prayed during the entire event—24 hours a day. “There is a prayer movement going on in this generation. It is not preceded by radical revival so nobody knows that it is there with the magnitude that it is,” reports James. “Because we have a three day event we have a 24-3 prayer. We believe prayer makes a difference at Ichthus. The prayer tent is basically keeping an outpost there for kids who are interested in the prayer movement or have heard of these things going on to actually have a touch moment.”

For many in attendance, Saturday’s communion service with 18,000 people is the most moving moment of the weekend. “I probably don’t understand it any more than I understand two people taking communion,” said James, “but I do know this, the sole mission of the church is to become the body of Christ. This is our time to stop and say I am part of the body, I am part of Him.”

For some, the Ichthus weekend will begin a great adventure with God. For others, they will be challenged by the thoughts and lyrics of the artists. Still for others, it will be just a great time to hang out with thousands of other young people. Whatever they walk away with, Ichthus will remain a place where the next generation of seekers will be given the opportunity to begin its journey of faith.

 

Steve Beard is the editor of Good News. Additional reporting by Elizabeth Glass-Turner, editorial assistant of Good News.



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