Photo courtesy of Nate Irvine’s Instagram feed.

The first full day of CBLI is almost on the books!
Things got off to a great start last night with an evening of worship led by CBLI alumni, Randy Bonifield. For anyone who remembers sitting under Randy’s leadership, it was a beautiful and powerful experience. Sharing new songs and old songs interspersed with moments of frank and honest testimony to the work that God is continually doing in his heart and life, it was a perfect event to set the right tone for this year’s Central Bible & Leadership Institute. Closing the night off by singing Randy’s song Passion was incredibly impactful.

The theme, Captured by Grace, was fleshed out at the beginning if the meeting by Lt. Colonel Paul Smith. When we’re truly captured by God’s grace, our whole allegiance changes and our goals and ambitions fall in line with God’s purpose for our world. We were challenged to ask ourselves if we’ve truly allowed ourselves to be captured, and if we are giving our full effort to welcome others into this loving grace which God has made available in Jesus Christ.

Colonel Merle Heatwole progressed the theme this morning by expounding upon Romans 6 and what it means to be slaves to righteousness and grace instead of sin. This change isn’t effected by our own human effort, but through surrender to God, by his awesome and redeeming power!

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There’s more to come so keep your eyes fixed here on the CYN for updates, interviews, and whatever else we find that might interest your CBLI experience. Whether you’re at Camp Wonderland this week or not, keep up with us on Twitter and Facebook and use #CBLI14 to hear what’s going on!

#CBLI14 will be raising $ for clean water projects in Kenya East! (@SASponsorship) pic.twitter.com/LuwcHcLMqu

— CentralYouthNetwork (@CentralYouthNet) July 27, 2014