As more than 1,600 students lifted their hands, closed their eyes and offered up songs of praise to God, Wes Willis, lead singer of the band Rush of Fools, reminded them repeatedly who was getting the glory through the music.
That’s pretty standard for a worship gathering led by Rush of Fools.
But for Willis, it was particularly poignant praise that Friday evening during the Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC), held July 17–18 at Samford University in Birmingham.
Willis, who grew up at Eastmont Baptist Church, Montgomery, surrendered to the call to ministry at YEC years ago.
“This is a wonderful picture of the impact the Youth Evangelism Conference has on students from around the state,” said Keith Loomis, an associate in the office of collegiate and student ministries for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, which sponsors the conference.
A number of students followed Willis’ lead at this year’s event, answering the call to ministry and missions as well as salvation, Loomis said.
“One of the things that was a highlight of this year’s event is that each speaker challenged the students with a Scripture,” he said. “This is a generation of students hungry to hear from the Word of God, not just human thoughts, so the messages have been well received.”
Each speaker — Chris Brooks of Wayfarer Ministries in Spartanburg, S.C.; Robert Smith, associate professor of divinity at Samford’s Beeson Divinity School; and Ed Newton, an evangelist from Lakeland, Tenn. — brought a message expanding on the event’s theme, “Shine.”
Brendan Smith was one of those impacted by the word the speakers brought.
“This is my first time to attend an event like this and it’s been great,” said Smith, a 19-year-old exchange student from South Africa who came to YEC with Spring Valley Baptist Church, Springville. “The messages came through very well and touched me; God really spoke through them.”
The event had added meaning in that it was the first year for Samford to host it on its campus, Loomis said. Students and chaperones gathered in the new Pete Hanna Center for the two-day conference.
“We have great appreciation for Samford, and this was a great opportunity for students from around the state to connect with an Alabama Baptist university,” Loomis said.
YEC was also a great opportunity to remind students that God has ministry for them beyond high school, no matter where they go to college, he said.
Each Baptist Campus Ministry in the state — those from Baptist colleges as well as other schools — had a campus minister manning a booth to talk with students about opportunities at his or her college.
“It was a good way to remind them that spiritual development continues after high school,” Loomis said.
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