Maintaining the theme of RU? Halfhearted or Wholehearted, Youth Evangelism Conference speakers Adam Robinson, Wes Hamilton and Bryant Bush challenged youth to engage their culture by choosing wholeheartedly to live out the true meaning of their faith.
Students and youth leaders took their seats in the Montgomery Convention Center as Robinson, youth evangelist from the Birmingham area, delivered the opening message July 18, cultivating hearts for a weekend of change.
“It is possible to come to events like this and have this unbelievable experience and leave the exact same person we were when we came in,” he said, likening the experience to watching a movie.
“If that happens, people will think that’s just entertainment, that’s just what we do,” he continued. “And if it’s not real, it’s not going to help you, it’s not going to transform our lives. Jesus Christ is real and brings real change to your life.
“My prayer for you is to not settle for simply showing up but to say, ‘I’m ready for something that will transform me,’” Robinson urged students.
Robinson also contrasted the Romans’ worship of multiple gods with recognizing Christ as “the way, the truth and the life” as found in John 14:6.
“You guys are much more like Romans than you think. We all are,” Robinson said.
“We don’t call them gods, but you bow down to them just the same.”
Robinson challenged students not to bow to the image altar or the altar of popularity; rather he encouraged a lifestyle of spiritual consistency both at home and at school.
Devon Russell was one of many youth who could relate to Robinson’s examples of wholeheartedness and responded to his challenge.
“I finally decided to let it all out and to allow Him to do with me what He needs to do in my life,” said Russell, a member of Springhill Baptist Church, Millport, in Lamar Baptist Association.
“At church, I’m one way and at school, I’m a different person,” she said. “But not anymore. I’m going to be the same. I’m going to tell my friends about God.”
It’s important for youth to devote their whole heart to God so they can stand strong in the world and influence the culture, said Hamilton, teaching pastor of Lake Pointe Church, Rockwall, Texas.
“When we remove culture’s influence from us, we remove our influence from the culture,” he said. “We’ve created for ourselves a nice, tidy, safe, little Christian subculture so we don’t have to get our hands dirty if we don’t want to.”
Speaking during the morning session July 19, Hamilton noted that he is not against Christian music, Christian schools or Christian books but said students need to understand why such Christian entities exist.
“[This generation] has to come to grips with the fact that those things were never meant to hide you from the culture but to equip you to engage the culture.”
Preaching from Micah 6, Hamilton told the youth one way they can engage the culture is by showing justice and mercy.
He said God “wants us to be a voice for what’s right, but at the same time, He wants us to be a force of compassion and kindness to those we come in contact with.”
The only reason Hamilton said he stayed in church long enough to hear the gospel clearly is because the youth there made him feel loved and welcome.
“We get wrapped up in the show and the event, thinking we can make youth come for that,” Hamilton said.
“But no — students will come when they know a source of kindness and compassion will greet them when they’re there.”
Jeannie Cargile, youth leader at Concord Baptist Church, Bessemer, in Bessemer Baptist Association, said she is eager to see students put the words heard at the conference into action.
“I’m most excited to see the students going back and living what they’ve been taught and teaching us as adults,” she said.
Bush, teaching pastor of Vaughn Forest Church, Montgomery, in Montgomery Baptist Association, used Revelation 3:15–16 and the example of the Church at Laodicea to challenge youth to be wholehearted and do more for Christ.
“God says, ‘I know your deeds; I’m tired of you living one way in the church and one way in the world. Either be hot for me, be 100 percent for me,’ or he says, ‘I want you to be cold,’” Bush told students.
Bush concluded the conference asking students to fulfill their potential in living a life honoring to Christ.
“All over this state there seems to be this awakening happening with students that are tired with what the world offers and are ready to turn full–throttle for Jesus,” Bush said.
“I’m looking for one guy or one girl who’s ready to do it.”
One by one, students across the room stood, pledging their commitment to making a difference in their cultures, communities and around the world.
For more information about YEC, call 1-800-264-1225.
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