Real Love CD/DVD released!

Throne Room is a highlight of the day for many TeenStreet folks. One such Throne Room from TeenStreet 2011 has captured these memories as a live record and made into a CD and DVD. “Real Love” is the name of the green covered CD and DVD and since December 2011 the English album of  “Outbreakband” is now for sale.

On 2. December 2011 the album was released in line with a „Night of worship“ in Mosbach, Germany. After the concert the band met for an interview.

How was the evening for you?

Mia: It was so great!

Juri: Yeah, really cool and wild. I really never experienced that. Great!

How was it for you to record this CD at TeenStreet and in English?

Mia: For me in the beginning I needed to get used to it, because as band we cater for the German worship scene to …

Juri: … enrich it.

Mia: Many people came to us, asking us why of all things we were recording an english CD. But we can calm everyone: This was an exciting project which we did at TeenStreet, but our main job is, and always will be, worship in German.

Juri: We were playing at TeenStreet for the second time and so it was not absolutely new or different. And because we drew close to the teens during the week, we already did worship the whole week, there comes a special feeling, a certainty to it. You know what you're getting. The mass of people didn’t make a difference anymore.

What do you like best abaout the CD?

Tobi: There are so many highlights on this CD. Many songs, that go off are the well known ones and then our own highlight songs. There are deep songs on the album. And at songs like “The Love of the savior” it takes me into the presence of God – and that is so cool. When I listen to the CD, I feel more than music. This is God’s grace and you force it. I really like it. There are progressive songs like “Dancing generation” and then also very deep and quiet songs like “The more I seek you.” The mixture is great.

You have been twice to TeenStreet. What does that mean for you?

Stefan: I just was there only once! (Stefan had a hearing loss and had to break for one year. But he will be at TeenStreet 2012 again!)

Juri: Well, definitely it was the highlight of the year. TeenStreet is a really, really good thing. We experience TeenStreet as an authentic and passionate thing. Very intense and not just a program, ‘show’, but also so much heart and love. We experience this very intensely and get involved very quickly and willingly and we can identify ourselves with it. It is a great honor for us! Yeah, you think?

All: Yeah! Of course! Wow!

Tobi: We love to be connected with the people and we are really enjoying the week in person. That’s fantastic!

Mia: Also the  professionalism was impressive. What I like about the CD and DVD – and I’d answer this for the previous question as well: If you watch the DVD, we’ve never had such a setting – the stage design and such a huge audience – that makes the CD as well for us very special. Also because the DVD for the first time wasn’t made by us. My personal highlight is, “How he loves us”, because I like the colors so much, especially when they fade into the golden and vintage. This is really beautiful, the most beautiful colors on the whole DVD. And there I feel so much love and warmness.

And then the band continued to talk about their first German tour in 2012, about recording another German album in January, playing in Holland for the first time in November 2011 and desiring to play more in the nearby countries and finally that they are looking forward to Teenstreet 2012 …

A look back to TeenStreet 2011

Matthew 18:20 says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.” With 3,500 people from all around Europe worshipping in the same place from 30 July – 5 August, teens and those serving them felt the presence of God at this year’s TeenStreet in Offenburg, Germany.

The week’s theme, “REAL,” focused not only on knowing the Jesus of the Bible, but also living out a genuine relationship with him. “This week we want to experience the fullness of God, to know and experience His presence,” wrote TeenStreet programme leaders Josh and Debs Walker in the welcome message of the daily newsletter.

Throughout the week, teens from 17 nations spent mornings learning from God’s Word in main hall sessions, followed by a time of small groups and alone time with God during the campus-wide “Shhh” time.

On the first day, teens evaluated how they viewed themselves—whether they had a desire and love for God and found approval in Him, or sought approval from those around them. They delved into this further the following day as the boys and girls separated for sessions about finding identity in Christ and approval in Him rather than seeking confirmation from the world. “[God] makes me feel more worthy,” said Asla, a teen from the Faroe Islands. “And I’m more aware of that worthiness now.”

By mid-week teens learned about being still and silent before God, listening to His voice. They focused on acknowledging distractions and noise in their lives and removing these distractions by turning to Jesus.

Throughout the week, teens could participate in sports, get fun non-alcoholic drinks at the cocktail bar and visit with OM workers in the Global village. They could also choose from a wide range of fun and thought-provoking chatrooms or exciting workshops that offered skills they could use in ministering to others.

On Wednesday, teens brought what they had learned in the workshops to the streets of Offenburg for an afternoon of community outreach, bringing love to the people in the city. Part of this included breaking Germany’s largest coffee table record; 6,000 participants from TeenStreet and the city of Offenburg shared coffee and cake at a 1375 metre-long table.

After the outreach, Anja, a teen from Germany felt encouraged to stay true in her faith, especially when she returned home. “I want to be open about my faith,” Anja said. “I don’t want to deny it in front of anyone. I realised how important God is to me!”

A highlight were the evenings of worship—Throne Room—during which teens encountered God in response to the time of praise.

The final days of TeenStreet highlighted the privilege each Christian has to be in the presence of God. Teens were given a final boost to step forward in their walk with Christ and live freely in His presence, as well as to go back to their homes and share Jesus with others.

Although TeenStreet 2011 has come to an end, the work of God has not. There is no doubt that teens, volunteers and Offenburg locals will remember this week as the Lord continues to move and grow in their hearts.

“It’s such a humbling thing for us to be involved in something like this,” said Debs during Throne Room one evening. “[We were told] that forever the city of Offenburg’s impression has been changed. It’s not just an impression of young people the city has, it’s an impression of Jesus."

TeenStreet in numbers

34908 Euro was the amount given to RAG by Friday morning – but by now it’s more!!
18000 pictures were taken by the TeenStreet photographers
15000 pixels were on the LED wall in the main hall
15000 portions of jams were consumed
14000 litres soft drinks were sold
10800 Euros was collected at Germany’s longest coffee table in Offenburg (for the Famine in Africa)
3665 participants were at TeenStreet
3005 and more ice cream tubs were sold
3000 hamburgers were sold
2806 chairs were in the main hall, including the bleachers
1375 metres long was the longest coffee table in Germany – a record!
1000 kilogrammes of bread and French fries were consumed
875 headsets were available for translation in the main meetings
200 kilogrammes of watermelons were sold at the fruit booth
189 Swiss were at TeenStreet
180 mobile phones could be charged at the Info Desk at the same time
110 Euros helps 150 people in East Africa receive clean drinking water for a month
104 children were at TeenStreet
65 pre-orders for the live DVD were made immediately following the recording. By now there are more
63 workshops and seminars took place at TeenStreet
62 stamps were bought each day (average)
60 tons of sand were used on the beach volleyball field
60 seconds is the “minute to win it”
40 seconds long was Lisa hanging on to a pair of jeans before she fell into the water (minute to win it)
25 litres of paint was used in the Art Zone during Throne Room
23 OM staff were in the Global Village tent
19 times TeenStreet Germany took place
17 Euros - the cost of the live DVD if you pre-ordered it at TeenStreet
12 cameras were used for the live recording from Throne Room on Wednesday
11:05 o’clock, Shh-time
10 – and the countdown starts
9 leaders (representing the whole leadership team) ran for RAG
8 times the chorus of “I give you glory” was sung – every time in a different language
7 days long was TeenStreet
6 teenagers are in one small group (sometimes 7)
5 trucks full with material came from Mosbach (OM Germany)
4:42 minutes long is the shh-time song „In a moment“
3 bloggers reported on the website about their life at TeenStreet
2 planes brought all Faroese to TeenStreet (and back home again)
1 God

THE WEB TEAM SAYS THANK YOU!

It’s great that you’re on our website! We hope our stories, blogs, videos and pictures gave you a little insight into what was happening at TeenStreet 2011. Even though TeenStreet is over, we will continue to update you about TeenStreet throughout the year.

Thank you very much for visiting!

Greetings from Web Team
Meike, Johan, Chan-mi, Jonathan, Corinna, Prisca, Peter, David, Thomas
(not on the picture: Hannah, Paddy, Johnny, Joel)

TeenStreet 2012 will take place from 28 July to 4 August 2012 in Oldenburg – see you there :)!

CHANGED THE VIEW OF THE CITY

On Wednesday afternoon it was nearly impossible to walk through Offenburg without bumping into someone. 625 tables and benches were set up in the pedestrian area. Guests were sitting at the tables, waiting for coffee and cake.

TeenStreet was with this year’s Outreach part of the action “Germany’s longest coffee table”. With an overall length of 1375 the record of Dresden was to be beaten – and yes, the record was tied!

At 16:00 the Lord Major of Offenburg gave the starting signal and 250 teenagers from TeenStreet served coffee and cake, provided by a local bakery. Other TeenStreet participants sat at the coffee table and talked with guests.

But TeenStreet participants were not only involved with the coffee table. Around the coffee table they were there with different actions and offerings. So some young people stood at one corner and played full with passion and joy some worship songs. Others gave out sweets or had signs saying: “Practise your French/Finnish/Italian …” There was an international programme on a stage and in parks different sport activities took place.

“This Outreach was awesome”, rejoices coordinator Clarion Samuels. “This is the direction we want to go. We want Christians to be involved in society and make an impact by serving, and to be an example and sharing the love of God in practical ways. It is our obligation as Christians to mix and mingle with society. TeenStreet is a growing movement, where young people play a big part in changing the society with the love of God.”

As well the city of Offenburg gave a positive feedback on TeenStreets involvement at the record. “They are excited!”, shares Clarion. “The biggest thing for them was not breaking the coffee table record. They are impressed by the discipline and love the teenagers shared with other people and how they served the city. Through the teenagers of TeenStreet the view of the city of Offenburg has been changed.”

JESUS REAL

“JESUS REAL” is written on this year’s TeenStreet t-shirts because the theme this year is about the only thing in life, which is REAL. - Jesus.

TeenStreet started on Sunday with a Christmas Party. We thought about what it meant for God to leave the perfection of heaven to become human.

On the next day, we asked ourselves, who we are. Very often our identity is defined by what we do, what we’re good at or where our talents are.  And often we think, we are not enough. But for God we are enough. If our identity is in God, than nothing can shake that – we have an eternal identity in him.

Tuesday was all about “silence” – a challenge in today’s world. We looked at the life of Jesus and realised, that he stepped back, to spend time alone with his father. If he gives us his peace and stillness, we are safe in the midst of the biggest storms.

At the day of our Outreach (on Wednesday) we saw how much people were changed by an encounter with Jesus. TeenStreet participants shared how God is doing miracles and changing people today.

On Thursday we looked at the last 24 hours of Jesus. In front of the stage was a curtain and we learnt that in the Old Testament the high priest could come just once a year and with special safety measure could come behind this wall. But with Jesus’ death this curtain, which was as thick as a wall, was torn. The way is free and we can come into the presence of God. The last supper helps us, to remember this.

On the last day tomorrow, we want to look at what Jesus did after his resurrection and what that means for us.

Here are some quotes from the main meetings:

In the desert times, everything changes and we have no idea who we are any more because our roots have been shallow and not in our eternal identity of who we were created to be.
-    Debs Walker

We have an eternal identity in Jesus. How wonderful to wake up every morning and think “I am enough because of Jesus!” I can go to school and not feel I have to get attention from boys or give myself away because I am enough in Jesus.  
-    Debs Walker

I’m not a man of this world. I’m a child of God
-    Josh Walker

My life is a story of story of Jesus, and your life is a story of Jesus
-    Josh Walker

We need to expect God to work amongst us – there are Jesus stories all around us
-    Debs Walke

Our God is awesome and magnificent and so holy that man cannot stand in front of Him.
-    Josh Walker

Worship is not, what is happening here on stage. Worship should happen in our everyday life. That’s real worship
-    Mia Friesen (worship band)

Live CD and DVD recording at TeenStreet

Tonight’s Throne Room will stay in the memory of a lot of people for a long time, because we are recording a live CD and DVD. Juri and Mia Friesen and Benni Schuhmacher from the Outbreakband told us how this came about and what we can expect.

Where did the idea come from to record a live CD and DVD?

Mia: It was TeenStreet’s idea because we are the “new” band. There was already a live DVD six years ago and so it was time for a new one.

Juri: Also, we can establish our own songs.  We are regularly recording live CDs and DVDs and we liked the idea of having an album in English. This is something new and cool for us. So it just fitted!

What is the aim, the vision of this CD and DVD?

Benni: Well the first target audience is the TeenStreet folks, those who participate here.

Juri: But because it is in English and we got a lot of feedback from Asia or through that song “I give you glory” from Mexico, it’s interesting for us to have an English album. But we don’t aim for an international career. Recently in a radio report we were called “the band, that chose to use the German language” and many are happy, that we normally sing our songs in German. It’s kind of difficult to say, we just do English now.

How did you decide which songs to choose?

Juri: Half are our own songs and half are cover songs.

Benni: We play old classics and songs, from which we believe will soon be classics.  Songs that are sung a lot at TeenStreet or will be sung a lot at TeenStreet.

Juri: We chose the songs together with TeenStreet. We will have an old TeenStreet song on the album and two brand new songs, which we wrote. We also translated some of our own classics into English.

You mentioned the old TeenStreet songs. Will we have a theme song for this year’s TeenStreet?

Juri: Probably not. I like it, if the theme song or the TeenStreet song develops during the event. And some of those songs we are playing at TeenStreet have the potential to become the TeenStreet 2011 song, for instance “Our God” or “Get up”.

Those who are at TeenStreet can order the CD and DVD here. When will it be released and how can others get their CD and DVD?

Juri: Well I think it will be released at the end of October or November. Maybe we’ll have a special “Night of worship” release. The Germans can get their CD and DVD at Gerth Medien or via our shop at the Glaubenzentrum Bad Gandersheim. And maybe there will be an international release six month later. But we don’t know.

What can we expect tonight?

Mia: A wonderful evening in God’s throne room before his face.

Juri: The live recording is not the focus, it’s all about Jesus. It’s absolutely not about us. This DVD and CD shall be a piece of a Throne Room with a focus on worship. It should be something that shows what we’ve experienced, what Throne Room looks like, something, we can take home. Therefore it is important for us, that it will be a Throne Room and not a show.

Benni: Our heart is for teenagers to come and to celebrate God, to praise and experience him. It should be a real and normal worship evening, which is recorded.

Juri: And it is a real privilege for us to be here. We are very pleased and it is an honour for us.

TeenStreet attempts to set a new record

On Wednesday, 3 August 2011, TeenStreet together with the city of Offenburg and a bakery shop will attempt to set a new record. In the inner city of Offenburg the longest coffee table of Germany should come into existence.

With a length of 1375 metres and place for 6000 guests the existing record from Dresden with a length of 1150 metres, should be beaten. 1900 litres of coffee and 6300 fruit cakes, made out of 250 kilogram flour and 2200 eggs shall be given out at this coffee table.

For 5 years the city of Offenburg has wanted to beat the German coffee table record. But until now they didn’t have the man power. “When we as TeenStreet asked them what we could do in cooperation with them, this idea came up again”, shares Clarion Samuels, responsible for TeenStreets Outreach. “We support the coffee table during the set up and by cleaning up. In addition 250 TeenStreet folks will serve from 30 different coffee and cake stations. Another 300 will take place at the table and get in contact with the guests. There are already applications from old people’s homes. This is a good opportunity for young and old to get together.”

In addition to the coffee table, TeenStreet will host other activities in the city. Altogether 44 creative workshops and activities will take place in the inner city. On a stage there will be from 14.00 to 17.45 an international programme with dance, stories of personal experiences with God, dramas, a gospel choir and a flag parade, where every nation at TeenStreet will be presented. “We will rock the city from that stage”, rejoices Clarion. “And as well the people from Offenburg, all guests and of course us from TeenStreet will have the opportunity to give money for the famine in Somalia.”

At Thursday from 21.00 to 22.00 and at Friday from 14.00 to 17.00 there will be smaller shows on that stage. “We are doing this to say Thank you to the city of Offenburg”, says Clarion.

With all that will happen during the next days in Offenburg, one thing is at the front, shares Clarion: “Our motivation is clear: love. Our love to God and to the people – and we want to show that in a very natural way.”

The TeenStreet leadership team ran for RAG

On Sunday, July 31 2011 at 14.15h a small but highly motivated group met in front of the play stage to run together the distance of a marathon. The TeenStreet leadership team wanted to set an example and supported RAG – TeenStreet’s fundraising project with this run. Six of nine leaders and three replacement runners warmed up and motivated each other, before the sports team gave the starting signal. Together they ran out of the TeenStreet site to follow a previously marked distance of 5 kilometres. 40 minutes later the team came back to the TeenStreet site and crossed the finish line together. Both, at the start and the finish, they were supported and cheered by teenagers, coaches and staff. “It was really fun to do something as a team”, shares Ewout van Oosten from the leadership team. “Everyone took part and ran the 5 kilometres. It was a great atmosphere and we were supported with great excitement. This – and running together as a group – made it easier to run.” But what made the leadership team even happier was the money they raised for RAG – over 3000 Euros!

TeenStreet celebrates Christmas

“Is it Christmas already?” This question may have entered a few of the teenagers’ heads this morning as they went into the main hall for the first REAL. main meeting today. The stage was decorated with a snowman and Christmas tree, and an angel floated above them. The Programme Team and band wore Santa Claus caps or were dressed in Christmas clothes. Christmas carols played on the speakers and then everybody sang “Jingle bells” together. There was even a snowball fight between an Irish and a German Santa Claus.

But soon after, it became clear what this Christmas celebration meant: Christmas is Jesus’ birth. At TeenStreet we looked at how this was, in REAL.ity, God the Father sending his Son to die for us. Jesus, the Son of God and Saviour of the world, left the perfection of heaven to come to earth. The first people who heard about this were simple and inconsiderable shepherds. What did it mean for God to become a real man?

The Magis made a three-month long, 3,000-mile, journey on camels to give the newborn king all their belongings and riches. In contrast, Herod sought to hold onto his riches and position. How do we respond?

TeenStreet leadership team supports RAG

Nearly the whole TeenStreet leadership team will support RAG this year, the fund raising project of TeenStreet, in a special way. Eight of nine leaders will run a marathon together.

“We want to encourage the teenagers to raise money through RAG“, explains TeenStreet director Ger van Veen. “And we don’t want just to tell them to do, but to do it by ourselves. That makes it more real.” At Sunday, 30 July 2011 at 2.15pm the leadership team will start together at the TeenStreet site and then run or walk a distance of 5 or 6 kilometres each – so they will complete a marathon together. The TeenStreet sportsteam will oversee the racetrack, which is outside of the TeenStreet site and will count the kilometres walked or run by the leadership team. The finish line will be again on TeenStreet site, where hopefully many teenagers and adults will wait for them.

“When we decided to support RAG as a leadership team, the idea of a marathon came up, which was a big challenge for some of us”, explains Ruth Garvey-Williams of the leadership team. “But we are well prepared and are happy about it, because we’ve raised 2000 Euros already.”

The money, which the leadership team will raise through the marathon tomorrow, will go to a sports ministry in Bangladesh, work amongst street boys in Sudan, summer campaigns for orphans in Bulgaria and Christian scouts in Kosovo.

Meet our bloggers!

There’s a lot happening here, and there’s no way we could write about everything. But we want you to try to give you as much perspective as we can. That’s why this year, we’re introducing three bloggers to the website: three Service Team members with three different jobs who experience a day at TeenStreet in three completely different ways. Here’s a look at who they are!

Prisca (age 19) – Prisca is from Germany, and this is her third year at TeenStreet. Her first year was as a teen, and loved it so much she came back to work at the Cocktail Bar. She’ll be posting news from the Cocktail Bar and the latest, craziest recipes! 

Hannah (age 20) – Hannah is from Ireland, and this is her third time at TeenStreet. Her two previous years were spent in the kitchen, but this year she’s helping with the Inbetweens: kids too young to participate in TeenStreet, but their families are here helping. 

Patrick (age 20) – Patrick is from Germany, and this is his first time at TeenStreet. He is a Coach, so when he’s not blogging, he’ll be hanging out with his group of teens, helping them get closer to Jesus. He’s also training in media, design, and journalism.

Workshops and Seminars

Workshops and seminars have been created in all shapes and sizes again this year and we hope teens can find something that sparks their interest. The gospel choir workshop will be making an appearance again this year, as well as practical video production workshops with OMNIvision. The workshops also come with a twist as teens will be able to connect with the people in Offenburg, teaching them things they’ve learnt in workshops. So whether it’s street dancing or gospel singing, this sounds like a new and exciting opportunity to spread God’s love through the city—without the language barriers.

 As far as seminars, teens can choose to go to “French or Hebrew kissing...which is better?”, in which they’ll unfold the Book of Song of Songs. Or, they can experience God while running in the “Run a Psalm” workshop where they can run, read and write a Psalm at the same time. There will also be workshops for Coaches and M&Ms on how to support and encourage teens after TeenStreet, and a seminar about “Discovering Bible study” where they’ll dive deeper into God’s Word.

Gideon van Werkhoven and his team are enthusiastic about the range of seminars and workshops they’ve put together for this year. Signup sheets and the full list of seminars and workshops will be posted throughout the TeenStreet week, starting on Saturday. So if you’re coming to TeenStreet make sure you don’t miss out on the ones you think sound the most interesting!

RAG

Do you remember RAG (Raise and Give)? Well, this year at TeenStreet you can empty your pockets again for a good purpose! You'll see funny looking, transparent pillars standing in different spots around the site that you can put money in if you like. The money given will immediately go to the designated projects on the website and Africa. The RAG Team are excited for the Service Team as well as for the teens to give what they can.

Christmas decorations, green carpet and socks

Service Team have arrived for Set Up week and we are very excited to be surrounded by all the mysterious preparations. The Programme Team have come equipped with hundreds of socks, big ideas and have cunningly switched carpets with the Newsletter Team. What they plan to do with a bright green carpet, no one knows. Now eagerly awaiting our replacement carpet, the Newsletter Team try to gain a better understanding of what the Programme Team are up to this year.

Debs Walker, main stage speaker, shared, “The Programme Team are hard at work (and having lots of fun) making Christmas decorations, snowballs, icicles and putting up the Christmas tree for TeenStreet! They are also praying for all the people coming to TS to experience incredible times with Jesus.”

Who knew it was Christmas already? We can’t wait to find out more about the theme throughout this upcoming week.