By Stan Friedman
KNOXVILLE, TN (July 20, 2012) – Students attending CHIC 2012 last night gave $127,555 to benefit Covenant Kids. It was the highest offering in the history of the event.
The announcement at the end of last night’s high-voltage service capped off the five-day triennial event that drew 5,000 students.
Covenant Kids is a scholarship program for children in underprivileged communities of Colombia, India, Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. The denomination works with partners in each of the countries.
“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the students,” said Kim Crawford, associate director for mission mobilization and connection, which guides Covenant Kids. “It is exciting to think of the lives that will be changed because of this gift. God is at work in the lives of individual children and their families.
It is a privilege to come alongside this work with such a large contribution. Children will receive education and their future will change for generations to come.”
“All week long, the students and adults here have heard a clear message to surrender their lives and let the Spirit of God move powerfully through them, and they responded,” said Karen Hallberg, director of mission mobilization and connection. “We give God honor and praise for the generous response to the Covenant World Relief offering designated to Covenant Kids around the world.”
Dave Husby, director of Covenant World Relief, said he was stunned when he heard the amount that the crowd had given. He noted that the offering amounted to roughly $25 a person.
It was clear that students had made decisions earlier in the week that they wanted to give to the offering, Husby said. Even though sales were brisk at the CHIC store, he had seen students consider purchasing shirts or other items and then decide not to because they wanted to save their money for the offering.
Earlier in the evening, Chris Tomlin, led the gathering in worship. Louie Giglio told students that if they had experienced the love of God at CHIC than they would be qualified to answer the question, “Who shall I send?”
Giglio said the students should not view Thursday as the last day of CHIC, but a new start as they go back to their homes and school. He concluded by saying he wanted the students to understand two truths – that God is counting on them and also God is not counting on them.
He explained that God wants them to bring their experience to the world. But they cannot do it themselves, nor does God expect that of the teens.
He encouraged the audience that God wants to empower them through the Holy Spirit. Giglio highlighted how the Spirit had changed a group of frightened disciples into people who changed the world.
