A ’57 Chevy had a prominent role in the sermon by Bob Lenz at the sixth annual community worship service at Brat Fest. Lenz is the founder of Life Promotions, which not only sponsors the Lifest Christian music festival in Oshkosh every July, but also his Dignity Revolution campaign in the nation’s public schools.
Lifest also sponsors one of Brat Fest’s three music stages for the Sunday schedule to showcase Christian bands and musicians. Adjacent to the Christian music stage and new this year was the Ministry Marketplace tent, sponsored by the Madison Christian Giving Fund. More than a dozen locally based ministries had tables and displays in the tent to share their mission with Brat Fest attendees.
Noting that 18 kids under 18 lose their lives to suicide every day, Lenz said, “It’s time to stop being left wing and right wing. It’s time to start being people who care.” He’s been proclaiming that message in high schools for 35 years, and has spoken to over six million people, he said.
Showing the slide of a rusted hulk of an old car like someone might find in a farmer’s barn, Lenz asked why someone would offer to pay the farmer $15,000 for the car. Then he showed a photo of an impeccably restored classic Chevy.
“It’s the same car,” he said, observing that someone would be willing to pay an exorbitant price if they knew the true value of the car.
Making a biblical application, Lenz observed that the first chapter of Genesis proclaimed that God made all of the plants and animals “after their own kind.” But then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” He concluded, “If you want to build the kingdom of God you have to treat every person with dignity because they are created in the image of God.”
To those who are struggling he said, “You are loved. There is hope. The hope is Jesus and He is in love with you.”
Leading worship for the community service was Ayiesha Woods, a contemporary Christian music artist whose songs have been nominated for Grammy and Dove awards. She also appeared later in the day as one of the music groups performing on the Lifest stage.