When? @10:30a-10:30p on Saturday, April 12th of 2003
Where? Fargo Civic Auditorium-Fargo, ND U.S.A.
Why? Prayer for Region, Nation, and World
What? Local to surrounding area worship bands leading praise & worship for 12 hours
Who? Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit!
Who else? River (worship band that leads worship once a month for youth unity amongst the Fargo area colleges, universities, and anybody else), Kim McMechan, Mainstream, etc...

What happened?>

Prior to Concert: From my personal perspective: I drove along with 2 other cars from Morris, MN; each driven by my housemates (Tim Mitchell and Tom Conroy). In Tim's car: Ami Chourvang (Brooklyn Park, MN) and Tom Woleny (Battle Lake, MN). In Tom's car: Peter Turpin (Worthington, MN). and My car: Juan Jose (former housemate: born in Guatemala and lives in Morris, MN) and Cory Mangan (Morris, MN).

During Concert: We arrived around 12noon during a sensitive to the Spirit time. Our group from Morris were hungry (physically), so we decided to meet by the entrance around 1pm. From 12noon to 1pm, we went our own separate ways throughout the auditorium. After a worship session, Peter (MC) asked us to get into groups of 5 people to pray. I happened to be in the very top balcony facing the state. There wasn't many people, so I look to my right and joined 2 young teenage girls. We prayed for various topics. As I was praying, I waved Peter Turpin to join us. During prayer, I opened my eyes to find Cory Mangan already in the group as we held hands together.

Band: Firestarters After they performed, Wendell came up to share. He shared about "purity" and how God wants to be clean as white. How? He shared a testimony encouragment on how he and the band fasted for 3months from media (no t.v., movies, etc...). This came with a challenge to the youth about sexual immorality (abstinence, anti-pornography, etc..). Also, he shared about how each of us (like Elijah, John the Baptist) are "Preparing the way of the Lord".

Lunch Break: It was 1pm, which I drove Peter, Cory, and Juan to Subway close to West Acres to grab some lunch.

Back to the Concert: The environment was continued to be sensitive to the Holy Spirt. I was looking out for Cory (14 years old), which we went out of the concert again to take a break again.

Breaktime Again: Cory and I went to this "Spring Fling: Auto Body Decoration Displays" convention in another room at the Fargo Civic Auditorium. As we chatted with people behind the booth, Cory typed on a computer display to promote the worship concert=>

The guy in the booth sarted to ask if this was a religous event as he thought "one voice" sounds like one. I started chatting and learned that he was from Chicago, IL. He was sharing how "busy" he has been after I was sharing how I did a road trip to Chicago and love admiring the scenic view.

I would later regret that I wished I shared a little of the Gospel with him on "rest", which I hit myself (throughtfully and spiritually) on the head for not seeing this "open door". I even hit myself more by not asking his name. As I'm writing this, I feel God knows and I'll continue in prayer for him as I did last night.

Back to the Concert This band from Concordia College-Moorhead, MN played. Following this, there was a time for a particular individual name "RC", who shared his bold personal testimony on how he was delivered from homosexuality. He shared how he group in a Christian home and went away from God as he got older. He came to know Christ as Lord and Savior just 2 months ago today!

After, we had another prayer time as Peter (MC) pleaded us to get into groups of 5 to pray. The group I was paired with was 3 older women and Peter Turpin. One of the ladys noticed my "UMM: Common Ground Diversity" t-shirt. She started to preach words of encouragement to the whole prayer group about how in God's eyes, we are all different and beautiful (can't remember the exact words). He's going to use the diverstiy for a purpose. Then I led a prayer about God's different people, like "RC" and that more of "them" will come to a salvation relationship with Jesus. Following this was a more rock-worship band. During this, many people in the audience were moved as many were jumping up and down getting into the music. I even remember myself and seeing others bowing down in their knees.

Preaching Time: Rob From Moorhead State University's, Chi Alpha, Rob challenged how we can evangelize to the lost or unbelievers. First, we need to ask God-show me who should I share Christ with? In order for someone to be "saved", we need to "love" [1 Thessalonians 2:7-8]them first. Also, we need to ask God-What can I do for your Lord (one of the songs Firestarters sang)...to be part of what you are doing in this world?

Preaching Time Punch: Rich A member of Chi Alpha, Rich continued the theme of sharing Christ with the "lost". One of my personal eye openers on what he shared was on "righteousness". He shared how many Christians strive to be "perfect". One quote from him is, "righteousness is obedience to God". Later, he challenged and open my eyes about the necessity of showing our "scars" (our personal testimony, our pain or wounds that God has healed us from). A story he shared was an "open door" to share the Gospel when he saw a Papa John's delivery truch with it's emergency flashers on along the side of the road in Moorhead. He went to help get gas for him because the delivery "boy" or "man" ran out of gas. After he helped him the delivery "man" said "Thank God....". This opened the door for Rich to share, but he shared about how God has healed and delivered people of pain (depression, etc...)at Chi Alpha. Then the delivery "man" left and Rich wished he shared more of an "I" than "other people" testimonies to relate to him. This is the part that Rich shared we need to show "our" scars in order to relate to the people God has us to share.
Scripture Verses: James 5:17 "Elijah like one of us"

Our very own Morris-Mainstream played Anna Haugen led the team w/Peter Turpin (drums) from Morris, MN; Phil (bongo drums) from Fargo, ND affiliated with Harvest Community Church; Billy Royce (guitar) from HCC of Fargo, ND; Emily Kallio (back-up singer) from HCC of Fargo, ND. The songs were more of a quieter tempo compared to the previous band, but was used as a transition by the Holy Spirit (my personal opinion) to change the mood of the concert in preperation for the next band (from Winnepig, Canada).

Finale of the Event: The last band I saw was from Winnepig, Canada (in the same record label with Firestarters). This lady led worship and the message throught the worship. She had a Bible laying on her keyboard, which she would share encouraging Scriptures throughout the time the band played. It was a very unique style as her songs really ministered to each audience individually in a different way. I notice (she actually mentioned to us that her audience is known to do this and that we can do the same) the audience were all spread out through the auditorium (many in the floor laying, some sitting and watching from the risers, others in their own seats in the balcony, and 10-15 groups of "intercessors" hudled together in a large group in the very top of the balcony-way in the back of the auditorium. As I'm writing this, I wonder if they were some intercessors praying for this uplifiting time of the 12+ hour concert. When I saw this at the time, I thought to myself it was just a group praying for each other. Later on, the worship leader of the band (will get the name later on-it's-> Kim McMechan) asked us to close our eyes as she shared a story and had us pick 1 of the three creations of God: 1-grass, 2-tree (?), 3-Sun. I chose the Sun, and she shared us how each serves a purpose. Thats how God has created each of us and we don't have to "try" to be someone that God didn't create us to be (sometimes we "try" to be somebody that we are not because we may be jealous that someone has a gift that we "long for" or "idolized for" or "?". Then we suffer, struggle, or beat our self in the head to be somebody we cannot be because God has created us each individually in a special unique way.). I try to take my Bible and sit somewhere to not be disturbed, but I was busy doing other things. This whole event really taught me that we need to take a quiet time to ourselves with God during our busy times in life. The whole atmosphere was a very unique time that I never felt before or for a long time. It was something that I've longed for. As I'm writing this, I picture my time when I was in Nashville, TN when I had a "quiet time" during a break at a conference some church leaders from Morris Community Church and I went to. I had a chance to go on the forestry hills of the Appalachian Mountains to relax at a camp retreat. It was both a very quiet peaceful time in the presence of the Lord.

I had to leave earlier than I would like as Cory had to get home early, so he can be in church the next morning. We left around 9:00p, which Tim brought Peter and Tom until the very end (around 10:20pm or soo...). Juan, Cory, and I said our goodbyes to some of the Firestarters before we left the auditorium. As we were leaving, we saw Rich and ended up talking to him for awhile (I notice my cell phone clock that it was already 9:30p!). Before we left, Sara and Andrea joined us for a prayer as Rich wanted to pray for us to have a safe late drive home to Morris.

Overall: I thought the event was a very anointed time, which I wish I could've focussed more in a personal time with God throughout the whole time I was there. However, I was bless to see my close friends bless as I took the initiative to take them around town for other personal cares.

I would like to hear others' share from their personal perspective, so I decided to do this part of this site for them. Anyone reading this who attended One Voice, please feel free to e-mail me your personal testimony or perspective that you would like to publicy add to this to encourage others that read this. Thanks!=>

Other Reports

Tim Mitchell I learned how to be more bold against sexual immorality, like through the movies we watch (Wendell shared on this a bit)

Tom Conroy After getting asked, what was the most I got from this? It would be the guy that preached to me once I got into the Men's bathroom. This guy (adult) started to "preach" to me, while this guy sitting in the toilet was saying "Amen".

Cory Mangan The most I learned was to stop looking at pornography (movies, internet, etc..)

Ami Chouravang "... One thing that I got was that while I was worshipping I realized that many times I often say to myself, "If I just had the whole day that I could spend with God..." and then I get too busy to spend even more than an hour with Him. One Voice gave me the opportunity to truly spend that whole day with Him, not with friends, not with food, but with Him. I thought that was neat."

Peter Turpin "I would just like to say that I received the following things from God at One Voice:
* I don't need to fear others' opinions of me if I am trusting in God to guide me into His identity for me. I can be swayed by His Spirit just like the grass is by the wind, yielding completely to Him.
* If I'm playing music unto the Lord, it doesn't matter what I think others might think of it (especially other musicians). Rather, if I'm worshipping Him with it, that's all that matters.
* I can burn brightly where God has placed me -- I got a renewed passion to reach out in love to those around me, which I need to continue to feed through prayer, especially through asking God to daily fill me with His Spirit.