One of the common reactions from a first-time visitor at Cornerstone is astonishment: “how do they do it?” or “how can they make it work?” Not really known for its abundance of rules or heavy-handedness, the festival’s initial look of chaos and confusion upon closer observation reveals an underlying sense of order and calm. This event which not only allows, but encourages experimentation, creativity, questioning and “pushing the envelope” somehow holds together and “works.”

I’m sure the pre-fest planning is exhaustive and the behind the scenes work is long and grueling, but I always sweat in amazement as the weekend draws to a close. I often imagine the One who holds the universe together doing the same amongst the wide extremes of humanity. Grace evident big time.

I’ve been to many other crowded events in my life time, but this one always feels different. Its laissez faire attitude does not devolve into utter hysteria. Those whom I consider to be on the fringes are always present and engaged, while those almost twice my age are also present.

The festival has been losing money for a number of years, however. And maybe that has always been the case. I don’t know. It just feels like too good of a deal each year. At one of the last performances of the weekend, the head pastor of the church which sponsors Cornerstone asked those who experienced his gritty acoustic blues set to pray that the festival break even this year. Yes, even a heavenly retreat in the cornfields needs to make economic sense.

This was yet another word that helped me come to terms with some of the less discreet merchandising that I saw at the fest for the first time this year. I was a little disheartened when I first walked through what on the map is labeled “Suburbia,” the merchandise tents and food and coffee venders. For I saw some cars on display, just like at the ubiquitous suburban Mall. Three hip cars from Scion. Now as one who recently spent months researching the value and reliability of late model auto, I must admit they could have done worse. They could have allowed other vehicles which would not encouraged attendees to be good stewards of their cash, like Ford or Land Rover or BMW or . . . I better quit. I do love Toyotas and their Scion division seems to be producing cars as good at an even better price. But still it was hard to see car ads at a “Christian” fest. But I came to accept it.

The other thing that won me over though was also on the last night. I was watching the car ads on the big screen. They were all quick cut, hip concept and flashy feel good robotics, almost humorous. They were fun, but not in your face. But following that car ad was a guy from World Vision (an organization that I deeply admire and respect) who came to the main stage mic and gave a very heavy-handed, guilt- producing, manipulative sales pitch to sponsor a child.

This made my head spin just a little faster as I had already been trying to process the many lectures I heard during the week by Brian McLaren, many of which dealt with this very topic of “selling the Gospel” and treating people as objects to be sold our message. But that topic is best left for another time. For now, we can only pray that God will continue to shine His blessings spiritually and financially on Bushnell’s biggest party of the year.