About this conversation
In this October 2026 episode of Confessions of a Pastor, Pastor Keith and Pastor Kara Kirkpatrick return eleven days after the Silver Rail school shooting in Bend, Oregon. They explain that they had recorded a long episode a week earlier but did not feel comfortable releasing it, and instead chose to speak more carefully about what happened. They recount being newly home from a fifteen-day trip to Israel and Rome when a frantic call came on Thursday, October 15th asking whether Journey Church could serve as a reunification site for students and families.
The two hosts describe how a day that began with joy — reunited staff, a remodeled office, anticipation for pursuit night — turned into one of the most intense experiences of their lives. Within minutes, law enforcement from multiple agencies surrounded the building, nearly 400 children and their teachers arrived on buses, and parents gathered in the sanctuary to be reunited with their kids one class at a time. They describe churches from across the community showing up and serving together, pastors setting aside theological and political differences, and a ten-thousand-square-foot kids space that opened about a year earlier after a multiyear fundraising effort and proved uniquely suited to the needs of that day.
The conversation turns toward the aftermath and toward hope. Keith and Kara describe a swelling of people coming to church, hurting people looking for hope, and first responders and teachers turning to the church. They explain their decision to make that year's Kingdom Conference free and open to the whole community, with the theme reframed around hope for Bend. They close by reflecting on Romans 5 and Psalm 34:18 and on the conviction that despair will not have the final word.
The conversation,
in their words.
Transcript from the recording’s captions. Select any timestamp to hear the original audio.
This is Confessions of a Pastor, a relentlessly real peak behind the scenes of Journey [music] Church in Bend, Oregon. From church in a strip club to a strip mall, going where Jesus would go to reach people Jesus would reach. This is the good, the bad, and the ugly. All for the glory of God. A journey of misery and miracles. We are your hosts and the founders of Journey Church in Ben. I'm Pastor Keith. And I'm Pastor Kara. [music] Come on. There really is hope for everyone. Hey, it's Confessions of a Pastor and we are your hosts, Pastor Keith and Pastor Kara. And hey, Kara, we have a unique episode today because we recorded an episode just one week ago today. And neither of us felt really comfortable
making that go live. Uh we've been through a lot the last 11 days. We were fresh off of a tragedy that rocked our community and uh we just didn't feel okay with what happened. Uh yeah, I mean we we recorded a long podcast and I think maybe some of the reasons we didn't feel comfortable is we decompressed for almost 2 hours what had taken place a few days earlier and just some of the details and here we are now a week and a half removed. Yeah. How's your heart feeling today maybe compared to a week ago or just uh with where things are right now? Well, it's kind of surreal um this type of a a tragedy and experience, you know. Yeah. Um I think the further we get from it, the more and more healing happens. Yeah.
Um which is a good thing. Um but I think it's still just a reality that we are living in and and um you know, Yeah. It's it's marked our community. It's marked our church. I mean like you know we were the reunification church. So I think it's just marked all it's marked our staff on many varying levels. I think we all kind of all of us as humans process hard things and trauma differently. Um so we're kind of at the aftermath of that. We've had a couple of church um services which has been a couple of Sundays, you know, to um two Sundays pursuit night. Yeah. to be together with with um the family of God and to worship and to turn our eyes from the world to the Lord. And I think that's been helpful, too. So, I don't How do you feel?
Well, I I still um am trying to figure out what are the next steps. Yeah. I I do think I'm starting to see more clearly uh you know, uh moving forward. Uh, I've told you over each day it's kind of like I don't even know what tomorrow holds. Yeah. Which is kind of weird for someone who typically casts vision and wants to have plans. Um, in terms of Sundays, I mean, we were in the middle of a series. Maybe we can go back to that day. We're we're specifically referring to the Silver Rail School shooting and that happened on a Thursday, our first day back. Thursday, October 15th. We had been gone for 15 days. We had been traveling the world. We went to Israel for 10 days. We went to Rome, Italy for 5 days. We had traveled from Rome back to Bend. 24 hours of traveling.
We went from Rome to London, London to Redmond and London to Portland. Portland to Redmond. And uh we got home after 11 11:30 at night. Um the night before on Wednesday night. and we wake up on Wednesday or Thursday and we're we're kind of eager and excited to get back into the rhythm of life. Yeah. Get back into the office, right? So, we we shower, we're we're not even really jetlagged cuz it's our first morning and we come to the church and we're in my office right now where we're recording this and at the time there was a reveal that they had done a full remodel. I mean, it was just fun. They painted the walls. They did some fun things. I mean, how how cool is this space that we're in right now? So, here we are excited to see staff. We're hugging. We're reuniting uh being gone for nearly 3 weeks. And it was a really hopeful start of the day. It was
Thursday, which is our pursuit night. I think we were eager and excited for pursuit night. And then if we walk through what happened that day, you get the phone call that changed everything. Yeah. Uh walk us through what happened. Well, um, like you said, it was our first day back in the office and, um, we kind of had just hung out with staff and and thanked everyone that did the office remodeling. Our daughter was a huge part of it and and then we kind of went separate ways. We went I went to my office and, you know, people just kind of went went about their business and a phone call came in and um, I don't always like I normally don't even answer the phone for various reasons, you know, and it just so happened that I was like, I'll get it, you know. Um, and so, you know, Journey Church, how can I help you? And that's when, um, the gal on the other end of
the line was pretty frantic and and and it was like a real-time call. Like the the shooting was happening as she's calling. It was like, there [clears throat] is an active shooter at Silver Rail. There are children that are deceased. We need a place to um to essentially house every we need to bring everybody away from the campus and we need a place to to bring them to. And that's when I just said, "Yes, whatever you need, it's yes. Yes, we can accommodate you." Yes. Well, and that's when if we just reflect back on that moment, you know, think the mood was just really uh happy before that. I mean, there there was a full office. We had people off at lunch meetings. Uh we staff were at lunch meetings, others were running errands because it was a lunch hour. And we could tell something was wrong. But Tony, your voice, you walked out. I walked out to the office. There's people in the office. You mention it on the phone and we just start praying. Yeah.
So, we're praying. You get off the phone and then there's the reality that we're trying to figure out, is this real or not? Yeah. Well, I was trying to discern it while I'm on the phone, you know, and I'm thinking, I'm going to take this thing to the end until I feel like it's not real. And obviously, it was. So, I went with it. Went with it. Went with it. And then um you know our our kids pastor in the same time frame sent through our our staff thread a an article that one of the local news stations put out very quickly. I mean real time that this was happening and that's what confirmed for me, oh this is real. I think it even was just general like there's a school lockown and I think when we saw the school lockdown and she wasn't even on the premise right then she sent it in our our text thread for the staff and that's when we knew
instantly okay so we went from praying in a circle to we we need to get going and from that point everything happened fast I mean we went downstairs there was already someone there we're talking within minutes of being on the phone within 5 minutes we were surrounded by every police force uh Ben PD, Redmond PD, Dashuites, sheriffs, deputies, uh, state troopers. I mean, that that was a wild um I mean, the the way that people worked together in that moment was by far the most intense thing I think we've ever been a part of. I mean, no one really knew what they were doing, but but they were organized. We were all organized, but we knew what we were doing. It was like God's mighty right hand was was on every detail. So we were the reunification site. That's been a word that prophetically has been bigger than just the day that that happened. I mean
reunification meaning children who were at the school with their parents. We had nearly 400 kids here along with all their teachers, teachers, aids and then of course all the school officials. I mean that was intense. And then it made global news. I mean, we were being reached out to by all the major news outlets, CNN, NBC, they were calling in, uh, they were DMing, they were emailing, everybody wanted to know what was happening, and they wanted a sound bite with it. Yeah. And we just ignored all of it. Yeah, we did. And even to this day, we we haven't done any news uh [clears throat] media um interviews because really, it's about people. Yeah. And we even saw after the fact, I mean, you had made a comment on something on social media.
Uh, the news doesn't always get it right. And they were looking for a sound bite. They want views and clicks and likes. And I get it, they're doing their job, but journalism has changed a lot. And I don't even know if a lot of times it is journalism anymore. But that day was impactful for all of us. Yeah, I think maybe we can point out some highlights of where we just witnessed God move in an incredible way. We of course we've seen a lot since then. I mean, we're 11 days removed. So, there's a different type of sobriety. You know, like you said, each day that goes by there's there is healing that takes place. You start to see it differently [clears throat] as it goes further away. It's it's not as raw. Um, but that day, it was raw. I mean, it was intense for a lot of people for a lot of reasons. Of
course, there was unfortunately uh I mean, this is the worst part about it, just the loss of lives. And I think that's what just shocked our community, you know, is this this is real. And yeah, uh God cares about human life. And you know, I had all my scriptures on me, but you know, over the last few weeks, we just we've talked about the um the priority of Jesus heart for the least of these and being like a child into the kingdom of heaven and his value of children. And um let let's what struck you about let's talk through that day like what what struck you with um with what happened that day with our team and with what what was happening like what did you observe? Um I observed a unity. Yeah.
Among our staff, other churches. I mean other churches staff and pastors um came and they served. They they rolled their sleeves up and they served. Um we we served in unity as if there was no division between any of us. It was really beautiful. But additionally, we we were in unity with even school administration and the teachers. And I mean there were some things that you know they were uncomfortable with. They asked us, you know, take a sign down and things like that, but generally speaking, we were all we were all like of one heart. Like we all had the same mission in mind was to love on the kids, to reunite them with their families in a a safe way um and make sure their needs are taken care of and and comfort the families who have just literally heard the worst news of their entire life.
Yes. So, let I want to just talk about both of those things that you mentioned for a moment. One of the things you mentioned was the church unity and I I saw that as well. I mean I we've been in Ben now 22 years and we have witnessed uh trying to do uh outreach events with churches. We've witnessed you know multiple church events and nothing's really stuck. Nothing was really organically uniquely united. But on that particular day, we saw a unity in a way that I mean there were pastors that I've text and my messages were left unread. Yeah. You know, um they there was no connection, but they showed up that day and it was as if there was no history of being apart. You know, as you mentioned, there was like one church, capital C, in that moment. no one cared about their church getting any
credit or uh the the theological distinctives that had maybe caused division in our community. Yeah, we weren't talking about those things in that moment. We truly were the hands and feet of Jesus. What we knew was children needed us, the schools needed us, and our community was hurting. And it was awesome to watch uh pastors with their staff, I mean, from all over the place, uh show up. And we were getting, you know, uh messages from other churches. We didn't know what to do because it was such real time. Yeah. I mean, we needed water, snacks. I mean, we the kids were here for hours. Yeah. So, we needed to make sure that they were taken care of, which so the unity within the churches, then the schools. Let's talk through that for a moment because this was not something we were on a list or we had planned and prepared for.
Uh [snorts] that was just a surreal day to watch how and what God did that day. You know, we did all pitch in together and we all had a role. I mean, between all the the people who were part of the churches, they fed, they emptied trashes, they Oh, yeah. cleaned bathrooms, [snorts] put toilet paper in, hung out with kids. I mean, everybody had something. Peeled oranges. I mean, Pastor Hannah talked about the dozens of oranges she peeled for kids. Our kids pastor, I mean, she went through every single She was involved in every single reunification. Yeah. So, she worked so closely with the school district. Yeah. which is interesting because there there was no vetting. there was no uh whose job is whose you know so she worked for the with the unific reunification which is interesting when they first arrived you mentioned like a sign being taken down when they first
arrived you know I think they didn't know what to expect with the church I don't think they did and you know we had a sign that the first person that saw the sign it said beloved child of God and it was this doesn't work in a trauma situation get it out and you know our kids pastor was awesome she knew this isn't a battle to pick all right I'll move this little do you know that this place is surrounded with the presence of God. One of the things we noted within, you know, the day of is that kid space is only barely a year old and we have prayed over that space. We have written scriptures and prayers and prophetic promises and so it's all over I mean behind the drywall on the behind or underneath the carpet. I mean there are scripture and promises. Place is surrounded with God's promises. It is. And what's so crazy even if we go there just for a second because that kid space goes back so many years um to where we had to we the um
the fundraising initiative that we had to start years ago just to be able to have the money to build the space out and then um just God's hand in all of that is so beyond comprehension because that space was perfectly perfectly designed for what we needed that day. I mean it could not have been better. Now, we have to talk about that, but I want to come back to the schools in a little bit because there's so much I think that maybe for those who are are listening or or just putting pieces together that I think we can help with. But that kids space, let's let's talk about that since you are bringing it up. It was years in the making. It opened just a year ago. Uh prior to that, we had a kids space, but it would not have worked the way that this one did. not in had to raise a boatload of money in what
was then called the more initiative which if we just look at how life works. It's such a good reminder to remember and understand that what's happening now. You may not know how God's going to use it to later even in trials because that more initiative for for me personally as a pastor, you know, we lost people in our church just trying to raise money because some people misconstrued and did not understand that we want to expand the kingdom. You know, the whole more initiative was we want to reach more people in our community. We want to expand to reach more kids and families. But the reality is in order to do things like that, you have to use money. That's the currency of the world. You know, we don't get subsidized by anything. You know, God's people give and and um and the generosity of God's people did build that space out. But I agree with you, that was a pretty terrific.
It was. And I mean, I'm going back now 3 years ago when you started that initiative, started fundraising. I mean, when you invest in people as a pastor and uh even people that have been with you a while and then the moment you do that, they they say things and I just there's some families in particular. I mean, there was one family just said some hurtful things like, "Oh, it's like you're trying to uh sell uh sell um timeares time shares." And I remember I wanted to meet with them individually face to face because that mattered to me that my heart was there and they didn't meet with me and they left our church. And in the moment it's like those are the things that make you uh want to run or those are the things that that hurt as you're just you're trying to do kingdom gospel work and people uh do hurtful things. And so you fast forward and you you press through it, you endure. Some people and that's not all
people by the way. Mo most people for the greater good are on the team and united and work together. And fast forward, we finish that space debtree and we open it up and it's awesome. 10,000 square ft dedicated to the glory of God for Journey Kids Church. That space could not have been designed better for that day. There's a separate entrance. There's a unique lobby for uh kids check-ins. There's different worship spaces that are large with variety kids classrooms. So, you've got this space that God designed and orchestrated and there was also a classroom that was outside of all that that was able to to be used in a much more intense manner where families had to be met with. I mean, unfortunately, we had to create that day. We had to create spaces to deliver the worst news that anyone could deliver. And it was
so we were able to use the green room, which was brand new as well in that whole addition, and the fifth grade room, which was outside of the main spaces. And I mean, God just he it's so crazy to look back and think like you said, you don't know um what's happening when you're just all you can see is just what's in front of you. And God's in God's sovereignty, sovereignty, there's always so much more that you can't see. And that's where I guess that's where faith comes in is is even when it gets really hard, we have to believe that God's hand is is so much bigger. Amen. Absolutely. And that's for every one of us. No matter what you're going through right now, we can believe, trust God, and he will always work it together for good. No matter what we're going through, we just got to keep loving on them. And so, here we are that day. Uh the kids show up and we've got seven
school buses of kids. Parents show up in the groves and the parents are in the sanctuary. Moms, dads, grandparents, siblings, and you know, we're giving them water and we have all these different people pitching in, donating things like power banks because cell phones are dying. We're all working together and it is it is working together and and in the most horrific day. There's just such unity flowing and working together. The kids were brought in from the back of the building as so to keep them separated from the parents to reunify them and the building worked perfectly for that. Yes. And you mentioned Pastor Jesse, our kids pastor. She just took lead of working with the school district to reunify one kid, one class at a time.
And and the parents had to prove who they were to reunify them with the kids. And that was difficult because the the worst part of that is looking at a roster and knowing that the the the kids that weren't present, you know, were the ones that unfortunately are no longer with us. And that was incredibly traumatic. It was a heavy day, you know, and I had to deliver news to a family whose child was shot and a husband whose wife was shot. And um those were hard. It's not something you prepare for. No. [snorts] Um but the school relied on us for it. I mean, they relied on me. They relied on um our our kids pastor. And what's interesting about that, we didn't discover this, at least I didn't connect the dots until later that day, people are finally dispersing. We were here all day till the through the evening. And then you mentioned to me as we're processing through that they didn't even want staff here.
No. I Yeah. And I I didn't tell anybody. So at at going back to the original phone call towards the end of the conversation, she um she just said, "Can you please make sure that all of the cars are removed from your parking lot and all your staff are removed from the building?" So they just they needed a facility and so they wanted empty facility. Yeah. They they I mean they're desperate at this point. They're not planning there. It's it's as you mentioned on the phone the frantic there. There's an active shooter. We need a plan. We'll get the kids over there. But the reality is you didn't tell anybody that because you made reference of we'll do our best. That's what I told her. I said at the very this very last thing I told her before we got off the phone. I said we'll do our best. And in my mind I'm like okay I think you're going to need us and unless unless and until we get to the point where I feel like we're actually um a hindrance then I'm going to ask the staff to leave. But until
then we're going to be the hands and feet of Jesus. And it turned out that they really did need us. And it was a beautiful uh relationship. They needed to know our facility. They they needed us to move them through and walk them through. I mean, we everybody pitched in. And the fact is that day we worked together and it wasn't the school and the church. It was people hurting in our community doing the best we can to create a safe space and and place. And I'm grateful you didn't tell us because when you told me at the end of the day, I'm like, man, uh had we g left, it would have been chaos. They would not have understood our facility. They wouldn't have had the resources. They wouldn't have gotten the snacks and the waters and had the movies playing and and the place would have been a disaster mess. I mean, but I understand they didn't know what they were walking into. So, they did the best they could and we've we've talked about this. We commend
them. They did a great job from the crisis team to the administration, we, you know, as much as you might disagree on political things and right now 11 days removed, this has become a hot topic. I mean, we tal we you talked beforehand before this podcast started today that there's rumors of a school protest or walk out. Uh that we've seen that throughout our state since the shooting. People want to politicize this and try to change policy. But that day, Kara, policy didn't matter. Political lines didn't matter. No. Human life mattered. [clears throat] Yes. And I you know it was something sacred that I think really marked us in a way that we believe in the mission of the church to make disciples of all the nations baptized in the name of the father son and the holy spirit. We believe in that mission that Jesus co
you know sent us on but how that's fleshed out. How are you the salt and light of the world? How are you the hands and feet of Jesus? H how do we reflect who God is in a tangible way? A light in a dark world. that day we got to see it and in the aftermath I think we've seen it as well. You know people have recognized it. We've heard from people all over the world. I mean I got news from you know Martin Smith in England people from all over the United States um friends uh in Europe. I mean Africa even I mean people heard that journey was the reunification site and since that time we have sensed the sensitivity of God the Holy Spirit working in all these things. Yeah.
Where do you feel like we've seen God work in the last you know it hasn't even been a few weeks but well I think we're just at the beginning because so good um God works together. You said it. He works together all things for good. He what the enemy means for evil. Yeah. He turns for good. Yeah. It's the story of Joseph, you know, and like I I just feel like we're at the very beginning of that because I don't know how this is going to impact the community at large over the long run. I know right now they're looking for answers. Right now people want to Christians want to be in the house of God, which is a beautiful thing. They want to worship. Our church has been more full. those who aren't Christians, those who aren't in the house of God.
Some are very curious. We've definitely seen a swelling of people who are hurting looking for hope. Yeah, there are some people who are just angry and they're not seeking God. Some people are afraid. And we are seeing people from all walks, you know, uh the first responders, uh school staff and teachers. I mean, the first Sunday back, you went and found me because of of of a police officer who's in our church who was a first responder that day. Yes. And he just he wanted to talk to you. Yeah. He was broken. I mean, physically, emotional, you know, although a strong man, he was real. He was hurting. I mean, this is like we're we're talking about children. And if you have kids, this hits home. So, people, they are turning to the church. And we've even seen in our community at large,
you know, just a a swelling of church attendance. I agree. I think that's happened and that's a beautiful thing. It's one of those mysteries of how can something good come out of something so horrific. It's just it's it's what God does. So if we look at now uh our active um place where we had church and then we had pursuit night and even pursuit night was swollen. You know we took communion together and uh we had a variety of people pray. We had someone come over from Portland from the Billy Graham Association who, you know, represented an organization saying, "We're praying for you." And we've had people from all different um spheres praying for us. So, moving forward now, I think one of the things I have in the
[clears throat] clarity now, I didn't have it a week ago. It's just this vigor for revival. We were preaching it before the school shooting, but it's it's it's an honest reflection of the brevity of life. Yeah, we're not guaranteed tomorrow. Human souls matter to God for God so loved the world. We are placed here not to just go through the motions, [clears throat] but to be a part of the eklesia, the building of the church, and we ought to desire a great awakening. Yeah, I completely agree. God to do more than we could imagine. An urgency to expect God to heal the land, for families to be restored. that reunification. I think we're starting to see something even greater.
That message was broadcast and we were even given so many different prophetic words over the course of the last two weeks where we've seen God's hand in this. It was more than just a reunifying of families uh parents to their children. It's a reunifying of hope, a reunifying of uh people to the church, prodals coming home. It's a reunifying of this gospel message coming back to be a priority in the church again. You know that we don't just gather to have church. You know, we're not just meant to to do programs or to be lukewarm. We're meant to be a church on fire. Uh a church that's building um the kingdom of God. Yeah. That makes a difference in our community. I mean, yes, for sure. Which kind of brings us to, you know, um, the kingdom conference and
right that that night you talk talk me through what happened in your heart. So that night the the night October 15th that night, you know, we didn't get home till like 10:00 probably or later. Um, our daughter Yeah. You know, our daughter had spearheaded a a a group to go to the the vigil and they brought a bunch of the food that we had gotten from people from local, you know, restaurants and stuff. which it's funny because so much food was donated for this tragic event. But it was donated because our interns, our kids, they started calling restaurants asking, "Would you donate food to the first responders to those who were serving?" And one of the things we noted after the fact, it just found it was just kind of fun is these kids were calling places that were their favorite places. You know, Chick-fil-A
and [laughter] Pastini Cabo. It's like, but what's so cool about our community is none of them said no. They all picked. I think they got a know from anybody. It it was just kind of fun to see their hearts, you know, like here we have frozen yogurt and and but it was awesome because we were able to provide food for families, for first responders, for teachers. They and they brought them out. They brought a lot of it out to the vigil because by the time a lot of the food got here, everyone had been, you know, reunified and were no longer around. So anyway, so we got home really late because of all those things. And um not only that, it was our first well I guess our second night, you know, back, but we were our schedule's still backwards. You know, we're jet lag. Yeah. All kinds of things. And then you add this, you know, all of what the all the trauma we went through that night. So, I just I just didn't sleep very well that night.
Um and I remember waking up in the middle of the night and it just like it just dawned on me. I'm like, Kingdom Conference, like it's coming. Yeah, it's coming. And it's like I how I feel about the kids space too is like Kingdom Conference went into motion I don't know almost a year ago. Okay, we had no idea this was going to be happening. The timing it's going to happen and what our community was going to need right now for such a time as this. All [clears throat] of a sudden in my mind I'm like kingdom conference, we have to open this thing up to the whole community. like Ben needs hope right now and what better way could we offer it other than bringing in some really really powerful testimonies from speakers who are making huge impacts in other areas. Amen. Um to bring hope to bend. So that's when we started you bring up this idea of maybe instead of selling tickets for this conference
which we sold tickets because there's a cost to put this on. It was the first kind of conference of its kind that we've done. We've done marriage conferences. We've done uh intercessor prayer gathering type conferences, but we've never done anything quite like this where Thursday night, Friday night, all day Saturday, Saturday morning, Saturday night into Sunday. It's it's quite a bit. And we're bringing in fresh worship. And and as we were talking about it, we were thinking, what if we decide to open this up? And if we do open it up, what does that look like? Because there are costs associated. And can we afford this? And what does that look like? So we we both agree on it and I announced it on Sunday and Kara, I have been so impressed with our people. Yeah, they're stepping up and giving towards it. Well, not only they giving towards it, which is amazing because before it was like you paid per ticket and nobody really came alongside and said we want to support this, but we are believing
this isn't just for a consumeristic option for Christians to come to. It's invite your lost friends, family members, those broken in the community. We're expecting the lost to be saved, the the hurting to be healed, people who are stuck in strongholds to be delivered. I mean, this this this could be I mean, we've been seeing remnants and rumblings of revival. But now, I mean, this just got freshly announced, hot off the press. We're we're doing this for free. And already we're seeing the momentum that our community does need this. And the timing of God allowing us to prepare for something after the fact. It's just beyond what you can understand. I mean, a [clears throat] lot of people ask, it's what I preached on yesterday at church. Why do these things happen? And, you know, we we can't answer every question. We'll never be able to. But what we do know is evil has existed
since since Genesis 3. Yes. You know, and Cain and Abel, Cain killed his murdered his brother Abel. We've constantly witnessed evil. Jesus himself was crucified at the hands of humanity, you know. And I I I shared yesterday just the the horrific reality of the Holocaust. And in the moment of evil, it's always like, why? What could God do through this? But when God triumphs through it, it actually shapes culture. It changes history. And I believe this is one of those moments for our community that what really hurt us and hurt the city of Bend. and people are grieving over what's happening is actually going to be the catalyst for some massive eternal
change, generational change, families change. I mean, I I hope even more. I mean, I I hope that history books look back and say, "Oh, what what set that trajectory, you know, what was evil actually ended up as revival." Yeah. Amen. And I'm looking forward to this. I mean, it's going to be awesome. And you know, as we partner with outside voices that come in and Jonathan Trailer, who's just anointed worship leader oftentimes with energy, but it's more than just energy. This isn't hype. This is a living hope. And I think people are hungry right now. And this is going to be a a place that we foster room for the presence of God to meet people where they are. And you know what? All it takes care in in history and in life, like here's the truth. God uses people
who want to be used. Yeah, it he uses people who surrender their lives to him and and who say yes and yeah willingly in their brokenness, in their youthfulness. It doesn't matter who it is like when we're ready and available. And really that was the case for that day for Journey Church. So many people have thanked us, you know, and we we didn't ask to do this. We didn't sign up to do this, but we were ready because 16 years in, we have served our community. We have been a team united. This was just the fruit of years of labor, you know, and and working together and we just simply got to do what we do. I mean, we talked about it afterwards and some people said, "How how are you able to do that?" It's like, "Well, actually, we put on large events every week and they're not events to us.
They're it's the people of God meeting together, you know, it's the fellowship of getting in the presence of God." Yeah. It's not forsaking gathering meeting together and and because of that we were able to come together which was awesome. Yeah. Praise God. Praise God. What what what are you hopeful for towards the future coming out of this? I mean like we talked about the Kingdom Conference. I'm I'm hopeful that that sparks, you know, some um I guess revival. Amen. Um you know, [clears throat] beyond that, I think just um it's it's a marking. It's a marking for us. So, I think it's just um a stake in the ground that life is short. Yeah. And I think we've always kind of lived like that, you know, [snorts] like life is short. We're going to make the most of our life, but I think it's just a another reminder of that.
Yeah. And to which which also involves doing hard things and making walking in faith, which is can be very scary. Yeah. But um you know, for such a time as this, you're right. And we we have and at least even the 22 23 years we've been together, we we've gone through some hard things. Yeah. You know, I've been a youth pastor and I've had to bury students and we've lost friends and uh family members. My own mom died of dementia and we we've experienced some really hard things that remind you of that brevity of life. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow for whatever reason, whether it's natural or an accident or evil that takes takes place. and we should be making much of our lives. And the good news of God is that he gives us an opportunity. He's for us. He loves us. He cares about us. He wants to
provide for us. And I just want to stand with you on that promise that uh we would believe in a revival. You we've said it a lot on this podcast and it's interesting that we'd even come back on an episode like this cuz we didn't even talk about what we would talk about today. All we knew is we could we couldn't just uh publish what we recorded last week. I'm grateful that we're just aligned with that as we move forward as we seek God's word, we seek the Holy Spirit and uh Kingdom Conference is only a few weeks away. Yeah. I think as we get closer, it'll be interesting for those who are listening to this podcast as as you think about this and you prophesy forward because maybe you even listen to this after the fact that uh who knows what God's going to do. So we have a holy anticipation I think for God to move and I don't know what that looks like.
Amen. Well, I I know he's already moving now. We've seen a lot of lives even the last two Sundays uh give their lives to Jesus. It seems like hearts are open. They're sensitive and I'm so grateful for that. Um people who are hurting uh willing to say I need the hope of Jesus and uh they it seems like they've been genuine. Uh people have come up for prayer. Hearts have been sensitive and you know the Psalm 34:18 tells us the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and we're watching that lived out. We're witnessing the presence of God meet with the people of God for such a time as this. Yeah. Amen. What are you I mean, what are you looking forward to in the or what are you seeing coming? Well, I I think I I I share with the excitement of um the fact that I know
God moves most through through difficult times. Um you know, if you look back in history, the things that mark a generation are not comfortable times. They're not easy. And so when I reflect on my own kids and I reflect on this church and our city, [snorts] you know, we've witnessed a lot of divide. We've witnessed spirit the spirit of religion and the division of, you know, uh, theological nuances that keep people divided. We've witnessed political, we we the blue and red in our lifetime, we've witnessed extreme. But I really do think that in suffering, uh, something happens. You know, Romans 5 says we rejoice in our sufferings cuz we know that it ultimately produces hope, you know, and so I just I look at this now and say,
how can I not take God at his word and say what he's doing right now is producing something? And I don't know what stage we're in. Uh suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character. I think we are in that character building stage, but I do know also it produces hope and hope does not disappoint us for God's love's being poured into our hearts. uh Romans 5 tells us. So, I really think that God's doing something, you know, I even heard in the last week of a marriage that was really suffering that I didn't know it was suffering the way it is. And I thought about this like, man, if there was ever a time for a husband and a wife who have been hurting to align their priorities, it's in suffering. Yeah. Because if it's not now, then when? You know, because there's too many myths and lies about marriage and life and
happiness, you know, and God, he he doesn't move despite suffering. He moves through it and in it. Amen. You know, it's it's when we repent. It's when we release our preconceived plans and fantasies. It's when we ask for forgiveness. It's when we extend grace and forgiveness. And so I really do believe we are in a pivotal moment that God can use. Yes. And I am hopeful that God is going to use it uh not just in our community but in the world uh global. And I'm I'm praying for that right now. So I know it's kind of broad but I'm believing Kara that in a few weeks we're going to come on here and be like, "Ah, we said it. Look what look what God's done." And we've talked about God marking our own kids. And I even think we're
starting to see that more. you know, just the sensitivity. I mean, our kids love Jesus, but I want them to have encounters, you know, I'm talking about uh Elijah type moments, you know. So, um I'm looking forward to it. Yeah. What's to come the best. So, uh it's been a good conversation, Kara. I I think we uh we we did good uh coming off of last week and, you know, uh just being able to sit together. I know we didn't give all the details that we did last week, but I think that's okay, you know, and I think at the end of it, what's most important is that God's glorified and that the people of God turn to a living God, a living hope, and um I'm believing that not only for the city of Bend right now. What's interesting is our theme has changed for the Kingdom
Conference. You know, we're now talking about hope for Bend and believing God's best for Bend. Yeah. I think during times of trials, that's what we've got to do is God doesn't just let us sit in our sorrow. You know, uh grieving and mourning can happen in the night, but we know joy comes in the morning. We [clears throat] know there might be grieving ashes right now, but beauty is going to come out of these ashes. Amen. Amen. There's a um a definition of hope that I've always loved and um Say it. Yeah. It's Chris Mlullen's definition, and it's um hope is the act of conviction that despair will not have the final word. Come on, somebody. And I feel like that's like that's that's that's what we have to offer. Wow. Um that God is greater. That's so good. Than the suffering. And the suffering is very very very real. Um but what he's producing through suffering, I think, is
just something that is eternally uh beautiful. Amen. Well, what a what a great word for us to end on. That despair will not have the final word, but God always gets the final word. He is a victorious God. He's triumphant and even in hardships we have witnessed the healing um balm of Gilead that God meets his people where they are. So I would love to pray for us. I would love to pray for our listeners today. Uh God, we just thank you that even in the midst of the silver rail tragedy that's rocked our community. You are a God that's sovereign. This didn't catch you off guard. Uh you didn't do this evil, but you're God that meets us in it. And we ask that you would continue to to heal the hurting families. That you'd turn hearts to you. And we're asking for even
more, God. That you'd bring revival by its very premise of the name revival is to revivvive again. And we're saying, Lord, revive our land. We're praying for a spirit of repentance. We're asking God that this kingdom conference coming as we open the doors up for free would be an opportunity for you to do something new, unexpected. That God, you do something that we didn't even see coming. that you already planned this so long ago. When we planned this conference, you were moving the pieces together. So, we release authority to you. And for every listener that's even made it this far, God, I ask that you would stir on their hearts to take you so seriously that they wouldn't live an ordinary life. That they would get into your word, get on their knees, and expect your best in their lives. So, we love you, Lord. We thank you for this time today. And we just give you the
glory and all these things in Jesus name. So, be it. And amen. And amen. Well, friends, as we end this, I want to make sure that you know you're invited to the Kingdom Conference November 12th through the 15th. You're invited. I hope to see you there.
