Revival in Littleton
The April 20th shooting at Columbine High School was just one of a long list of school shootings around the nation, but Littleton was different. Why? Memorials like this one help to tell the story.
The crosses represent the 13 innocent lives that were lost that day at Columbine High. They also represent an extraordinary Christian witness that seems to have permeated not just this area, but the entire nation. You see, many of the victims lived their lives for God and it's through their deaths that their stories are being told. It's these stories that give Littleton such a lasting legacy.
Among the victims was Cassie Bernall, now known around the world as a modern-day martyr. She was the 17-year-old asked to profess her faith as a gun was held to her head. She answered boldly, "Yes, I believe in God."
"She's a hero to me, not because of who she was but what she allowed Christ to do through her," says a friend of Cassie's.
John Tomlin was a 16-year-old who loved God and his Chevy truck. His old truck sat in the parking lot with his Bible just where he left it that morning. His mother recalls her prayer the day she learned of his death.
"I just thanked the Lord for the 16 years that he gave me with John," recalls John's mother Doreen. "And I just prayed that it would glorify the Lord and his death wouldn't be in vain."
John's death wasn't in vain. He had been trying for months to get his best friend Brandon to attend church with him. The day after John died, Brandon accepted Christ as his personal Savior. And when Chevrolet learned of John's love for his truck, the company sponsored the construction of a Habitat For Humanity home in his honor.
Rachel Scott was another devout Christian admired for her strong religious faith. She was gunned down just outside the school doors as she sat reading her Bible. Seen around the world live on CNN, her funeral was a celebration of her eternal life in heaven. CNN recorded the largest viewing audience in the network's history.
"Who will take up that torch?" asked her pastor, Bruce Porter, at her funeral. "Let me see you. Stand up. Who will pick up Rachel's torch?"
Hundreds stood that day. Thousands more have responded in other ways.
Christian youth rallies are being held across the country and thousands of kids are drawing closer to God.
"I thought since Cassie Bernall and Rachel Scott stood up for God, I thought that I could do that," said one student.
At this rally in Littleton, Colorado, shooting victim Valeen Schnurr spoke about her ordeal for the first time. Like Cassie Bernall, she, too, was asked about her faith at gunpoint.
"When I laid there and those two boys asked me if I believed in God, I wanted so much to say no, so much," recalls Valeen. "I had so much fear inside of me that I didn't know what to do. I looked toward them and said the only thing I could say, because to say no would be disrespect for myself and to my God. I looked toward them; I said yes."
"It's really an inspiration because even though they knew in their hearts that it was a possibility that they would die, which they did, that they still said yes I do believe in God," says another rally attendee. "Myself, it's questionable. I would be so afraid so I don't know if I would. I hope I would."
"This made me realize that you really need to get right with God," said another student.
Getting right with God is a common theme at these rallies. At this Youth Renewal Rally in South Carolina, nearly 5,000 kids recommitted their lives to Jesus Christ. In Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 3,000 more kids said "Yes, I believe in God."
"Kids are realizing God is real, He's alive, and they can stand up and have the courage to hold up the name of the Lord even around their friends and in public places," says Debbie Stafford, an associate pastor at Heritage Christian Center in Colorado.
Stafford has been working to make sure kids know that they can take their renewed faith back into their schools.
Following the Columbine shooting, 250 new young people joined the youth program at Stafford's church.
"It's amazing our generation knows hurt so well, We had the Paducah school shooting and the Columbine shooting," says Josh Weidmann, president of a teen movement called Revival Generation. It's like we know hurt and we're always looking for something to fill that void in our hearts. And looking for a hope."
Members of Weidmann's group spent the summer speaking at many of the youth rallies, teaching kids how to develop prayer groups and Bible clubs in their schools.
"This generation seems to be focused," says Weidmann. "They're focused at a point they want to get something, ultimately. Now is the time. We are a called generation. It's time to go back into our schools and make
a difference."
