Feels like at home...

I arrived at FreakStock at midnight in order to attend the festival and Underground emerging church roundtable.  It was dark and rainy as we arrived and after opening some tents and looking in trying to find Marc's family, realized it might not be the nicest tactique so I decided I needed find some other way survive the first night. Luckily friendly Freaks invited me to the Band hotel (a refugee camp among friends).

Wow, I really felt at home at FreakStock! Such relaxed atmosphere because it's all about being, meeting with God and friends or making some new, eating and washing your dishes and sitting at Persian carpets in the tea tent. There is really something special in these people gathered for the festival. They are very authentic. I don't know what makes them "freaks" maybe that they seem to think for themselves rather than conform to either Christian or secular culture, which I think is only healthy.

Most people at roundtable were men in black, in tattoos, piercings or dreadlocks yet there was something very familiar; these people seem to be tribal in the same sense than some of my Native friends. Trevor MacPherson shares that the subcultural people struggle with many of the same problems than Native peoples do. It is hugely encouraging to hear pioneers in subcultural missions share. They have seen Jesus in action. David Pierce of Steiger intl. encourages Christian bands saying there are more opportunities to minister in secular places than what we can handle. He says: "I am an anarchist. But I don't want to speak about my anarchy. I want people to see the anarchy in my life." Well, Marc  calls David's band No Longer Music "a cell of Spirit-led terrorists". You can witness that by reading these stories .

People at the roundtable came from 23 nations. Also Sam from Lebanon was able to join. It is important to see that even in more traditional countries there is an emerging subcultural scene, that attracts those who see through their traditional culture and feel called to something new. Yet it's not about "doing underground church", and we felt God challenge us to see "beyond the beyond".

What impressed me in Jesus freaks: They were impressed about Jesus, they had seen some "real life" and knew how to handle life when it gets hard core, people seemed to enjoy each other and Jesus in their midst in natural ways, and most of all they were inclusive rather than exclusive, and that really draws people from very different backgrounds.  It also made me think (once AGAIN) that there is something weird in middle class consumerist heterogenic safety-orientated church going. I guess Jesus freaks have it easier to follow nomadically where ever Jesus leads, leave things and comfort zone since there isn't much to leave anyway, handle with real life issues like drugs and divorce since they have encountered these things before and to connect with socially radical people since they understand about environmental and justice issues.This creates an atmosphere where people dare to be themselves and connect authentically, the way they are.

I would not describe the roundtable with words like effective, but the hospitality that JesusFreak showed us was overwhelming. It was good to connect with people. I was especially glad to  meet with people  from SPEAK  network: Lucy is working for it in England, and Emmanuel has been establishing SPEAK to Sweden. SPEAK gathers people to pray and campaign for social justice and speak for those who cannot. I am sure that there are many people who feel God call them to this field but have not find a context among believers where to carry out this calling. Wonder what God is doing in this area in Finland.

Comments

[Mike R. Vieira]

Heyy!
I am Mike from Brazil. Do you remember me? I Knew you and other peoples in frakstock festival. How are you? I liked so much the conffence. God bless you..
Mike
Msn mikervieira@hotmail.com