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MARKED BY THE SPIRIT CBE'S PRESENCE AT CORNERSTONE FESTIVAL SPARKS CONVERSATIONS Heather Scheiwe It had to be the tattoos. Cornerstone Festival, hosted by Jesus People USA (JPUSA), boasts a high per-square-inch ratio of tattoo to skin, and Christians for Biblical Equality’s Gender Revolution Tent was no exception. Speaker and JPUSA representative Jon Trott sported his favorite Kierkegaard quote—“purity of heart is to will one thing”—on his upper arm while CBE conference coordinator and speaker Jason Van Schooneveld showed off his calf, which has “nation, tribe, people, and tongue,” a reference to Christ’s kingdom, tattooed in Chinese characters. But more than 30,000 people who attended this year’s conference couldn’t be drawn to gather for four dust-filled days at an old pig farm in Illinois just for the tattoos. Even the scrumptious fair food, hundreds of merchandise vendors, and live music filtering in at all hours of the day weren’t enough to gather so many. Through all the lights and sounds and images, everyone came to celebrate the message of the gospel. Three-year Cornerstone veteran Stephanie Rogers confessed that even though the musical offerings are excellent, “What still draws me to Cornerstone Festival is the opportunity it provides to take a deep, critical look at where we are as a Christian community, celebrate that, and figure out how we as the body of Christ can move ahead to a deeper understanding and fulfillment of the gospel.” CBE’s Gender Revolution Tent’s workshops, live music, and bookstore faithfully carried this message throughout Cornerstone. Topics from the Song of Songs to male feminists encouraged attendees to re-examine what they believed about God and gender. Scholars Linda Belleville, Mimi Haddad, Jay Phalen, Bill Spencer, and others led participants deep into the Bible, exploring original language, cultural context, and church history to sketch a biblical theology of gender justice and equality. Staff members and volunteers spoke with those who browsed the bookstore, some of whom were discovering biblical equality for the first time. Rogers, who also volunteered with CBE, remarked that these discussions are “invaluable in expanding understanding of egalitarianism because they never stay in the Gender Revolution Tent. From my own personal experience, the tough questions raised in CBE sessions during the day are carried back to campsites by night.” Evening community dinners featured a variety of live music, including acoustic singer-songwriters Julia and Nathan Bloom. They were joined by Nathan’s brother, Micah Bloom, whose award-winning artwork was on display in the Burning Brush tent. DJ Steve Spencer’s spinning drew some dancers into the tent who couldn’t resist his beats. On the last night, world musicians, busker kibbutznik, welcomed people into their bardic circle for music, poetry, and story-telling. Just as Jon and Jason’s tattoos are visible reminders of their dedication to Christ, so are our gifts visible reminders to the world of the Holy Spirit’s activity in our lives. CBE trusts that God will continue to work in the hearts of people who came to listen, to see, and to experience the goodness of a God through the truth of God’s Word, which challenges all people to use the gifts given them. As CBE staff saw at Cornerstone, when the Word of God is shared, people respond with openness and enthusiasm, like they are stepping into a fresh stream of living water. Read more about how the Word impacted people at Cornerstone and how you can be a part of God’s work. |
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