Study Bible: The Message from Zion by Brian P. Hall God’s Halitosis
because I knew I had to be the purest
9 1As we, the children, were told: 2The
one there. 6I believed, with glorious
wind was God’s breath, and entwined in
9:1 Dt 4:9; Dt 6:20-25; Eph: 6:4; Joel 1:3
other children because I spoke to
His breath, we could find His messages to us, the children of God. To hear His
9:2 2Ti 3:16; Jn 3:82; Eph 4:14; Jas 1:6
words all we had to do was follow the instructions of our youth pastors and parents. We had to stand outside the
3
breath to sweep over us. If our hearts and minds were pure, we would hear
9:3 Ps 24:45; Mt 5:8; Ps 73:1; Hab 1:13
4
we should repent because our sins had
made us deaf. 5
I was convinced I would not be
deafened by sin because the year before,
9:4 Eze 18:30-32; Lk 13:5; Rev 2:5; Lk 15:7
9:5 aRo 10:910; Ac 3:19; Ro 5:6-15; Lk 18:13-14; Mt 7:7; Mk 7:30-37
so I stood in front of all the children
else, I separated myself from the
them, so I would receive the message first, showing that I was special. Before being instructed to
wait for God’s exhalations, we, the children, had been sitting on bales of hay and sweltering under the canopy of the Children’s Ministry tent, which
9:6-7 Col 2:18; Ps 44:8; Pr 22:4
was one of the many tents at Jesus ’88. 9There were many Jesus Festivals—with one even billed as a
a
forgive my sins and to live in my heart,
wanted to say something to someone
8
at the age of nine, I prayed the sinner’s prayer with my dad, asking Jesus to
anyone at that moment, I knew it
children and stood further ahead of
God speak to us, telling us his plan for our lives. If we did not hear God’s words,
Jesus daily. If God would speak to
would be me. 7But just in case God
Children’s Ministry tent, raise our hands toward God, and wait for His sweet
conviction, that I was better than the
9:8 Ps 40:1; Isa 30:18; Isa 42:14; 2 Pe 3:9,15
“Joyfest Exalting Jesus”—and similar to the other festivals, Jesus ’88 was a
2 four day event that took place at the Agape Farm Retreat Center located in a valley in central Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains. 10The largest nearby peak, at 300 feet, was named Mount Zionb, and the youth pastors in the Children’s Ministry tent were fond of using Mount Zion in their sermons as the place were God sits, watches, and exhales on us.
rush of God.” 9:10 bPs 2:6; Heb 12:2224; Rev 14:1 9:11 Ps 9:11; Isa 51:11; Isa 29:18 9:12 Ex 22:27; Php 2:14-18 9:13 Pr 11:25; Phm 1:20-21; 2 Pe 1:9
14
Seemingly on command, the
tops of the Zion’s trees rippled as a breeze tumbled towards us. 15Since many of the children, like me, came from strong Evangelical families, I could hear them mimicking what their parents would have done. They shouted, “Praise Jesus,” Hallelujahc,” and “Amen.” 16When the wind brushed over me, it was, indeed,
11
When the youth pastor
instructed the parents to lead the children to the foot of Zion, I believed many of
9:15 Ex 20:12; Ps 13:1; cRev 19:1-21
leave the blistering tent because 12I overheard many complain about being hot and sticky. I thought this would increase my chances of hearing God because I was certain God wouldn’t want to talk to a bunch of whiners. Then the pastor said, 13“Raise your hands and wait for God’s breath. Get ready to feel the refreshing and cleansing
sweatd covering me, and giving me chills. 17
9:16 dGe 3:19
the children didn’t care about hearing God in the wind and were just happy to
refreshing, evaporating the beads of
Since the wind carried with it the scent
of evergreens, many of the children 9:17 Mt 1:1825; Lk 2:1-20 9:18 Zec 2:13; Ps 37:7
squealed with delight because it smelled like Christmas. 18
I kept quiet and listened for
9:19 Eze 28:15; Ps 26:1-3
God’s voice.
9:20 Isa 52:8; Ps 80:14
the other children for being too loud
I didn’t hear anything. 19I blamed
because God had to have said something, and I just couldn’t hear it. 20
Having been at the Jesus
Festival for both Jesus ’86 and Jesus ’87,
3 I knew the wind usually swirled around
to concentrate on trying to hear His
the valley of Agape beneath Zion, so I
wordse. 27Again, it was difficult to hear
turned and ran past the children to wait for God’s breath to return to me. 21I watched the wind continue down the valley and ruffle the flaps of the Youth
God, not because of the other children, 9:24 Mt 7:1314 9:26 eJn 1:1; 2 Sa 22:31; Pr 30:5; Pr 16:24
scaffolding around the main stage where headlining Evangelists and Christian Rock Bands performed throughout the evenings. 23
When the wind hit the
mountains on the far side of the campground, it circled back towards us. 24
It followed the dirt road through the
campgrounds and passed rows of fire pits and port-o-potties. It collected dust, candy wrappers, and the aromas of the campgrounds. 25
The pastor continued to ask us if
distracted me. The returned breath was warm, stale and smelled of charred meat, excrement, and other nasty things.
Ministry and Adult Ministry tents—both full of people. 22It lightly shook the
but because a change in the wind had
9:27 Mal 3:6 9:27 f Col 2:8; Mt 27:32-66; Mk 15: 21-47; Lk 23: 26-56; Jn 19:16-42 9:29 1 Co 11:24-26; Lk 22:17-20; Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; g Lev. 26:29; Jer 19:9; Eze 5:10; hLev 18:6-18; Ex 20:12 9:30 3Jn :7; 1 Ti 6:20-21; Ex 20:3; Dt 5:7; 1 Ch 16:26; Ps 82:6; Ac 19:26
Tradition: Blood in. Blood out. 28
The traditionf began as soon as
God created life and continued well after the blood dried on the cross. 29
Historically, these are the traditions of
misinterpreted transubstantiation when tertiary audiences to Christianity insisted they found groups of Christians gathered in clandestine woods having Thysteang banquets and Oedipeanh unions while drinking menstrual blood wine. 30Since the Roman’s preferred their perversion of monotheism, Christians had to continue
we could feel God’s sweet breath. 26As
to find places outside of society to
the wind returned, I closed my eyes to
worship, so it meant secret rooms and
block out the other children’s praises and
woods. Because they continued to hide,
4 people continued to believe the rumors
stories, people explained how they were
because it was easier to believe hyperbole
sinners, but they asked Jesus to forgive
than reality so, of course, Christians
them. Many explained how the bloodi of
allegedly congregated in private to eat
9:34 Ro 13:2; Ex 34:7
Jesus cleansed them of sin. 38
their children and fuck their mothers. 31
But even when Christianity
became mainstream, there were still sects
9:37 Ac 10:43; Ac 26:22; i Eph1:7
filled with people who continued to find different ways to worship. 32One such
9:39 Lk 15:7,10
9:40 Mk 1:3
34
This movement was a rebellion to
9:41 Hos 6:2; Ps 80:18
They followed a line of cars out of the
road led them to the barn where the
summer sun’s orange and reds dissolved into dusk, and the glow of the lanterns
9:44 Ps 100:2; Jer 31:4; Hab 3:18; 2 Sa 22:4
conventional Christianity, which focused on old hymns, old preachers, and old
40
revival was held. 42On the horizon, the
hippies. 33The Jesus Freaks were part of the Jesus Movement of the early 1970s.
dated, before they were saved, they
city and into the country. 41A dirt access
found religion but still wanted to be radicals, so they became radical Christian
Jesus Movement. 39When my parents
attended a Jesus Freak Barn Revival.
sect was comprised of Jesus Freaks, children of the 60s who matured and
My parents were involved in the
that lit the barn could be seen flickering in the distance. 43The manure-laced air chimed with tambourines, guitars, and
9:45 Ro 5:9; Jn 6:53
drums as my parents walked a gravel
themes. 35Seemingly similar to the early
path into the barn. Hay bales lined the
Christians, those involved in the Jesus
floor for pews. 44On a small stage,
Movement met outside of the church in
musicians played up-tempo hymns, and
fields, barns, and homes. 36The focus of
the congregation danced and waved their
their meetings was singing, dancing, and
hands above their heads. 45When the
sharing salvation stories. 37In these
music ended, the sermon was not given
5 by a pastor, but by a group of people who
Sermon of the Living Dead 51
testified how Jesus saved them from
I was extremely zealous for the
drugs, alcohol, domestic abuse and
traditions of my fatherj. 52I wanted to be
gangs. One by one, they claimed that the
on the stage, pacing and proselytizing my
blood of Jesus made them free.
experiences with God because I was told
46
From these barn revivals came
other rallies and festivals, like the Jesus Festival. The Jesus Festival began in 1973 and lasted until the early 90s. 47
9:50 Heb 9:22
9:51 JGal 1:14; Ro 12:6
There, the festivalgoers would hear
evangelists, musicians, and testimonies
who spoke explained how his or her life had improved because of the Lord,
literal blood to get in and must have their blood shed to get out, they still lived in fear. 50And, it seemed, that being covered
alcohol addiction, and I wasn’t in a gang, but I felt that if I had the charisma of the
would be able to change the hearts and minds of people without ever having to
9:54 Gal 2:20
9:56 Isa 61:1; Ps 78:2; Lk 12:5
except for the former gang members who would speak. 49Because they had to shed
was true that I hadn’t overcome a drug or
Evangelists I witnessed every Sunday, I 9:52 Ro 12:6; K Ge 1:27
from recovering derelicts, who praised the elixir of life: Jesus Blood. 48Everyone
that God had made me in His imagek. 53It
hit rock bottom. 54I thought it would be better for the congregation to hear the story of someone who always lived in the Lord. 55People would listen to me
9:57 lGe 3:6; 1Ki 4:29; 2 Ch 1:10
because I was just like them, a normal person with normal problems, and not a dope fiend or gangbanger. 56
As a child, the sermons I wrote
in metaphorical Jesus blood was not
followed this formula, which was used in
enough to keep them safe.
the sermons of our church’s pastors and the Evangelists at the Jesus Festivals: scripture, anecdote, and hell prayer. 57My
6 sermons, like theirs, took a topic, such as
Brothers and Sisters. In order to be wise
wisdoml, and I would find two or three
and have knowledge, you must fear God
verses about the topic using my Study
because he is the Almighty, Amen. 66
Bible’s concordance and the crossreference list in the center column in the scriptures. 58Then, to make the sermons
9:59 Lk 1:77; Jer 31:34 9:61 SS8:6
relevant to the audience, I would include an anecdote of current events. 59Finally, I would end the sermon with a prayer that would ask God to save the sinners from hell. 60At the age of nine, before the Jesus
parents in their living room: 61
“Dear Brothers and Sisters, I
speak to you from the heart, the place
2:5, and as we read, we should let the spirit of God touch us: ‘Then you will discern the fear of the Lord,/And
9:63 Ex 20:20; Job 23:15; Ps 34:4-22; Pr 9:10; Pr 15:33; Isa 33:6; Jer 8:9 9:64 Ne 8:8
Festival, I delivered a sermon about Wisdom, Knowledge, and Fear to my
“Now read with me, Proverbs
discover the knowledge of God.’ 67Again, we see that fear and knowledge, go together. 68This is the way, Brothers and Sisters, God wants it. 69
“Next, let’s consider what the
9:66 Dt 4:6
fear of God brings. 9:71 Ps 119:103; Pr 16:24; Pr 23:18
70
“It brings knowledge. And what
does knowledge bring? 71
“It brings wisdom, and wisdom,
where God and Jesus live and use me as
as the Holy Book states in Proverbs
their spiritual vessel, Amen. 62Today,
24:14, ‘is thus for your soul;/If you find
they want me to speak to you about Wisdom and Fear, so please turn in your Bible to Proverbs 1:7. There it reads, 63
‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge.’ 64What does that mean? 65
Well, God’s instruction is simple,
it, then there will/be a future…’ 72And without a future, you have no life. I think everyone wants a future in the Lord. Am I right? Of course I am, Amen. 73
“Finally, what happens if you do
not fear God? You become a fool. What
7 is fool? A fool, Brothers and Sisters, is
way to escape the zombies. 87With God,
someone who makes the same mistake,
we must plan to go toward—not away
again and again. 74As it is written in Proverbs 26:11, ‘Like a dog that returns to its/vomit/Is a fool who repeats his folly.’ 75And vomit is gross. 76
“How do these scriptures lead us
to wisdom? 77Well, first, we must fear
9:74 2 Pe 2:22; Ps 85:8 9:76 2 Ti 3:16
and we will die afraid, much like, yes, very much like the characters in Night of
9:87 Job 42:2; Pr 14:22
eat. 80People in the movie were scared. 81
I was scared because all these dead
people were attacking the living, and I
9:90 Ps 5:2 9:91 Mt 4:9; Mk 1:17; Mk 6:14-29
the Living Dead. 90
“Now, let us pray.”
Decapitating Puppets and Spiritual Puberty 91
In the Children’s Ministry tent,
the puppet show ended with Jesus telling 9:93 Ps 18:41
the children to be fishers of men and with
was worried that this would actually happen. 82But, of course, it won’t. This
we will continue to make mistakes, just
9:81 Isa 54:14-15
about a movie I accidently watched on
Zombies were searching for brains to
89
like a dog returning to and eating vomit,
9:84 Isa 33:6
79
the fear, we will not see His plan, and
9:79 Rev 1:5
God. 78What is fear? Let me tell you
television, Night of the Living Dead.
from—Him. 88If we don’t, if we ignore
9:94 Mt 27:46; Ps 22:1
John the Baptist in a cell waiting for his head to be cut-off for Jesus. 92Jesus and
movie did show me that this is the type of fear we need to have. 83We need to fear
John bowed and disappeared behind the collapsible stage. The crowd of children
God as if He is a zombie coming for our 84
85
brains. Why? Well, Brothers and Sisters, once we fear Him, we understand 86
His plan for us. In the movie, the characters’ fear motivated them to plan a
cheered, but 93I didn’t because I was still trying to figure out why God didn’t say anything to me. 94I began to wonder if it was because I was too far away from God
8 in the valley. 95During the previous two
wrong. Maybe I, somehow, did
Jesus Festivals, I explored the trails of
something that caused Zion to be closed.
Mount Zion, and I felt like God was with
Maybe I spent too much time on it.
me. 96When I had found a spot that
Maybe I forced it to be closed.
exposed the entire valley—the tops of all the ministry tents, the field of campsites,
9:97 Ro 1:18-32 9:102 Jn 3:13
97
and the main stage— I felt like how God must feel, looking down on everything and everybody. 98
I couldn’t sneak away to go on
either blocked by wooden barricades or
9:106 Mt 19:14; Mt 25:34; Mt 18:3; 1 Pe 2:2
and, as the scripture says, 106‘Let the
them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you in truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’
9:110 1 Co 14:20
107
“Are you with me children?”
108
They were, but I was not. 109I
9:112 Ps 8:2
guarded by festival staff. 100Signs were posted on the grounds that read, “Mount
“You are the children of God,
children come to me, and do not hinder 9:104 Jn 20:24-31
Zion because all paths to Zion were closed during Jesus ’88. 99They were
105
started to question everything, such as 9:113 Lk 17:20-21; Lk 18:15-17
what did it mean to receive the kingdom
Zion is officially closed.” 101For a
of God like a child? 110Maybe, at some
moment, I thought maybe that was why I
point at Jesus ’88, I hit spiritual puberty
didn’t hear God. 102Maybe Zion was
and was no longer a child, and 111that was
closed to Him, too.
the reason God didn’t talk to me.
103
A youth pastor began to speak
112
“From the lips of children and
and in a booming voice he said, “Children
infants,” the pastor continued. 113“Do you
of God, can I get an Amen!”
want to enter the kingdom of heaven?”
104
The children obliged, and I
wondered if maybe I had done something
114
The children screamed, “Yes!” I
wondered if being like a child meant
9 124
screaming “yes” all the time. 115
“That’s right, children of God.
God loves you no matter what, and—” 116
9:115 Ro 8:38-39
Gardens of Hell 125
“Yes,” I yelled. No one else
joined me even though it seemed like the
9:119 1Jn 2:1-2
thought, I am no longer a child.
9:122 Mt 25:41
9:126 Ac 2:17-21
9:127 2 Pe 2:4-22
9:129 Job 11:7
hell could be, but, as one youth pastor
your mind will never truly fathom the horrors of hell.”
your sins. 120If you do that, if you ask God to forgive your sins and live in your
when they die. 128We have hell-sessions,
once said, 129“You may know pain, but
and God loves you. 119God not only loves you, but he also wants to forgive you of
avoid. So we know what to fear. So we
where we would describe how horrific
said, “Yes, is correct. God does love you no matter what. You can be good or bad,
9:130 Lk13:24-30
heart, you will enter heaven. 121If you don’t, when you die, God will say, 122
‘Depart from me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ 123
“Even if you’re good and you
don’t have God living in you, you will spend eternity in Hell’s fiery lake burning
9:132 Mt 5:22; Mt 8:12; Lk 16:23-24
130
But we try.
131
Hell is history. 132If it were to
be believed, the Bible gives a true account of hell, of fire and brimstone, and of eternal gnashing of teeth. 133
Beyond the Bible, and throughout
history, people have created their visions of hell to, no doubt, show what nonbelievers have to look forward to. 134
because God loves you that much.
Visualize hell. 127So we know what to
know what would happen to nonbelievers
The pastor who didn’t know
where the yell came from, nodded and
In Sunday school and Jesus
Festivals, we, the children, are taught: 126
right moment to yell. 117It was true, I
118
“Now, can I get an Amen.”
In Tours of Hell by Martha
10 Himmelfarb, she writes about ancient
stabbed with knives, and one person is
works that explore different visions of
being eaten by a bird-like creature. 140The
hell, including the Apocalypse of Peter,
person’s upper body is down the bird’s
who sees sinners hanging by the limbs
throat, and from the lower body, birds are
that caused them to have sinned; the
9:135 2 Co 12:7
flying from the sinner’s sphincter. 141
Apocalypse of Zephaniah, who—with a guide—walks through the brass gates of a
9:137 Ge 2:23-25
beautiful city and everything changes before his eyes: the gates turn into fire and the entire city becomes fire and slime that rushes at him; and the Apocalypse of Paul, who witnesses the punishments of sinners that include worms, beasts, and, of course, angels of torment. 135Hell can
Hell is literature. The Bible.
Milton’s Paradise Lost. Satre’s No Exit. And currently, my personal favorite,
9:138 1 Pe 4:3
Dante’s Inferno, where some of the best and funniest non-Biblical visions of hell
9:140 Ecc 10:20
9:142 Isa 24:5
can be found: 142“As the man I saw split open from his chin/Down to the fartingplace, and from the splayed/Trunk the spilled entrails dangled between his
never be complete without angels of
thighs./I saw his organs, and the sack that
torment!
makes the bread/We swallow turn to
136
Hell is art, especially Bosch’s
Garden of Earthly Delights, a triptych
shit.” 143
Hell is a t-shirt. 144After one
where the first panel shows 137Adam and
session where I thought of hell as simply
Eve in the garden with God, 138the middle
fire, I went to the Jesus Festival gift shop
panel shows multiple people in an orgy,
and purchased a shirt with a crudely
and the 139third panel illustrates hell:
drawn zombie-kid standing in a lake of
people being tortured, strapped to a harp
fire and holding a surfboard, which is
with the strings going through them,
also on fire. 145The text above the
11 zombie-kid said, “The Lake of Fire has
cushions absorbed the sweat from our
no Waves!” 146The bottom of the shirt
clothes, my mom decided to take my
had a list of scriptures about hell. I had
9:146 Mt 10:28
made lake about forty miles away, to
planned to wear this shirt to school because I wanted the other kids to see
9:149 mNu 33:55-56
and burn in a lake they can’t, even if they wanted to, surf.
swim for the afternoon. 153Even though we wanted to leave immediately, we
what happens to people who don’t believe in God. 147They will turn into zombies
sister and me to Raystown Lake, a man-
9:151 Heb 4:12
planned to leave after the morning ministries because it was important to my
9:155 Ge 3:1; Rev 12:9 9:157 Rev 14:13-14
parents that my sister and I experience a little Jesus every day at the festival. 154
Humidity and Rogue Ivy 148
Even the shadow of Zion
9:158 Ps 37:3-5
Wearing my Lake of Fire shirt,
I walked to the children’s ministry tent
couldn’t protect us, my family, from the
and Carrianne, a friend of my parents,
heat and humidity of day three of Jesus
stopped me near the port-o-potties. 155Her
’88. 149We woke with barbsm in our eyes
normally tightly curled hair had exploded
and salt on our tongues from the sweat
from the humidity into unkempt springs
that had swelled and covered our faces
that wound the air like rogue ivy. 156
through the blistering night. 150In the
“Brian,” she said, “I’ve been
morning, in an attempt cool the camper,
meaning to ask you a question. I know
we opened the door and unzipped the
your parents’ heart, but I don’t know
canvas windows, hoping for a breeze,
yours. 157Where will you go when you
151
die?”
but the air was still and too thick for
wind to penetrate. 152
At breakfast, as the chair
158
The question surprised me,
especially since I was trying to figure out
12 what she meant by knowing my parents
heart.
heart. 159When I realized that she had
167
the eyes and said, 168“You better ask
asked me the question, I didn’t know what to say. 160Was she asking this because she knew something I didn’t? 161
Did she think my shirt was glorifying
She bent over and looked me in
9:160 Mt 7:15; 2 Pe 2:1-3 9:163 Ro 1:29-32
hell? 162In fact, until this Jesus festival, I
God’s forgiveness because God has just noticed that you’re unsure of your heart.” 169
Scared, I ran away and toward
the children’s tent to hide among dancing 9:165 Ro 2:1
had definitely thought I was going to heaven, but thanks to empty wind
puppets, singing children, and prodding 9:166 Jer 17:10
messages, puppets, and now this woman, I started to get scared because maybe that
9:169 Ecc 1:1-2; 1 Co 2:14-16
wasn’t the case. 163Maybe I was not really going to heaven because my invitation
“You’re hesitating,” she said.
the Lord louder.
Zion’s Zombies 9:170 Hos 9:7
was rescinded. 164
adults who wanted the children to praise
170
We pulled into a parking lot
near Raystown Lake, and walked down a 9:172 Ps 23:4
worn path to the beach. 171The beach was
“That’s not good.” She put my arm around
covered with some sand, but mostly it
my shoulder, and her acrid body odor
was littered with twigs and driftwood.
made me nauseous. 165“It means you
Braids of algae indicated the high-water
don’t know for sure. If you don’t know
mark on the shore, and the lake’s waves
for sure where you’re going when you
were highlighted by white crests folding
die, then you better search your heart
toward land. 172The hills of the Allegheny
because when judgment day comes, hell
were shadows in the distance.
may be waiting for you.” 166
I didn’t know how to search my
173
As soon as my mom and sister
entered the water, there was a low rumble
13 that sounded like a semi-truck
seconds ahead of the storm. 182We passed
downshifting on the nearby highway. 174I
the main gates, and the valley and Mount
ignored it until it happened again. 175I
Zion were in front of us. 183The sky over
looked behind me, and the sky was black. 176
9:175 Jn 19:30
disappeared behind clouds. 184Lightning
My mom and sister walked out of the
water, and their dry hair began to move.
9:178 Rev 14:7
They put their hands to their heads because their hair began to stand on end,
shake because I thought, for sure,
scratched the sky and the wind billowed tents, pushing the canvas over the steel
9:182 Isa 4:36
support poles. 185I touched my head, afraid my hair had become ivy again.
like Carrianne’s. I touched my head and my hair was sticking up too. I began to
the valley turned grey and Mount Zion
9:184 Da 10:6; Lk 10:18
186
In the valley, people ran for
187
The road crackled with
cover.
judgment day had come. 177Lightning snapped across the sky and the clouds
raindrops. The dirt quickly became mud.
ballooned and swirled. 178It was the
188
apocalypse. 179It was happening, and
people rushed around us. 189The wind
Carrianne was right. I was unsure where I
rushed down Zion, thunder rolled, and
was going when I died.
people shouted. Some screamed. 190Their
180
I grabbed my mom’s hand and
we ran back to the car. Rain, thick drops, fell around us. My mom drove back to
My mom drove toward the camper as
t-shirts and shorts clung to their bodies. 191
My mom stopped the car to avoid
hitting those who ran in front of us. 192
Agape, leaning over the steering wheel,
Along the road, people tried to
trying to see the road through the streaks
wave us down, begging us to stop. They
the windshield wipers left behind.
looked liked the zombie on my shirt.
181
We arrived at the fairgrounds
193
Their faces were sunken, their hair
14 matted around their faces, and their eyes
that collapsed in the storm. 201Walking
glowed in the headlights. Mud and water
toward the foot of Zion, I saw Carrianne
dripped from their clothes and skin, and 194
they looked fluid, like they were
with many of the people who were 9:196 Rev 20:12; 1 Th 4:16
melting into the ground. 195
I told my mom not to stop, and
she must have sensed something in my voice because she didn’t. In a valley
back to normal, praising Jesus for a cool 9:198 Lk 20:58; Rev 13:16-18; Rev 16:2; Rev 20:1315; Rev 22:15
9:199 1 Sa 10:6
9:201 2 Jn :7
9:202 Isa 34:8
to eat us alive, and I shuddered. 198I slouched beneath the window with my hands over my head, trying to hide, and shuddered again, because I was terrified of all of them. 199
The next morning the
landscape of Agape had changed. All the paths and roads were heavily rutted and filled with mud. 200In the campgrounds, many people were trying to fix their tents
world. 202I felt more cautious of them,
be given control of judgment day, so I
for making me doubt. 203Then, I could begin to be a child again.
sky flickered, I saw more of them coming toward the car, moaning like they wanted
praying for God to save the sinners of the
could throw them all into a lake of fire
zombie evangelists, zombie musicians, and other zombie Jesus Freaks. 197As the
morning, reading the Bible aloud, and
and for a moment, I wished that I would
somewhere in Pennsylvania, my mom drove us past 196zombie youth pastors,
zombies the day before, and they were
9:203 1 Co 13:11-12; 2 Ti 2:13