{"id":7469,"date":"2006-07-20T13:50:28","date_gmt":"2006-07-20T18:50:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=7469"},"modified":"2011-07-06T08:33:41","modified_gmt":"2011-07-06T13:33:41","slug":"5043","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2006\/07\/20\/5043\/","title":{"rendered":"CHIC: The Jesus of Second Chances"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Stan Friedman<\/p>\n

KNOXVILLE, TN (July 20, 2006) – The University of Tennessee women\u2019s basketball team has the best winning percentage of any NCAA team in history and has garnered legendary status with its national championships.<\/p>\n

But the cheering that happened on the Lady Volunteers\u2019 home court in the Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday night was among the most significant ever.<\/p>\n

As hundreds and hundreds of students made their way to the back of the arena to commit their lives to Jesus, speaker Efrem Smith exhorted those remaining in their seats: \u201cI want you to show them what heaven is doing right now!\u201d<\/p>\n

Thousands of teenagers and counselors jumped to their feet offering thunderous applause and cheering that reverberated throughout the arena.<\/p>\n

Weeping turned to laughter for many students as they prayed with counselors and members of the CHIC Prayer Team. Even after the service ended around midnight, students continued praying.<\/p>\n

Speakers Smith and Judy Howard Peterson took turns guiding students through the relationship of Jesus and his disciples, especially Peter, on the night before the Savior\u2019s death and following his resurrection.<\/p>\n

Peterson began the recounting of those fateful days with the story of Jesus washing the disciples\u2019 feet. She noted that \u201cthis was not just a little toe jam.\u201d Rather, they were feet that had walked through dirty streets where even animal waste was not cleaned up. Jesus paid attention to the dirtiest, most hidden and disrespected part of our bodies, Peterson said, relating that he does the same with our lives.<\/p>\n

Peterson asked the gathering to pay special attention to Jesus letting the disciples eat first before washing their feet. \u201cJesus never says get your act together and come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith picked up the story of Jesus\u2019 crucifixion, saying, \u201cJesus had to have a championship match with death. It was Jesus vs. Death.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you accept Jesus, that doesn\u2019t mean that every day will be sunny,\u201d Smith continued. \u201cIt does mean that they would not have to deal with the storm of everlasting death.\u201d Cheers and applause echoed across the arena.<\/p>\n

Smith warned, however, that like the disciples whose actions in the Garden of Gethsemane revealed a misunderstanding of what Jesus was doing, \u201cIt is possible to be closed to Jesus and so disconnected from the mission of Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith offered himself as one example of an individual who still is trying to conform to Christ\u2019s mission. The pastor confessed that just the day before he left to attend CHIC, he deliberately avoided helping a hungry woman because he was more interested in picking up his laundry and didn\u2019t want to be delayed.<\/p>\n

Peterson picked up the story again to emphasize that Jesus gives second chances, stressing that if the students doubt that is possible, they need only heed the little-noticed words \u201cand Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n

The words come as the angel tells the women who come to the tomb to \u201ctell his disciples and Peter. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite Peter\u2019s denial of knowing Jesus, it was as if the angel was saying, \u201cTell Peter he can bat again.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Smith\u2019s turn again, and as the screen behind the main stage was lit up with names that covered a black background, the pastor told the students that the night was historic for two reasons:<\/p>\n