Speak in truth. Speak in love. Speak to everyone.
Students who participate in the 2016 Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC) on July 22–23 will be encouraged to do all three, focusing in on Ephesians 4:15: “But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head — Christ.”
Scooter Kellum, youth ministry strategist for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) who organized YEC 2016, said the theme “Speak” is derived from the concept that “evangelizing can often be thought of as ‘harsh’ in our culture.”
“I wanted the focus of YEC to be on … speaking the truth, that is the most important, and knowing the truth, but then to speak it in love,” Kellum said.
FBC Trussville
Preparing for 600–800 students at First Baptist Church, Trussville, Kellum’s team has created a schedule with speakers and breakout sessions that will connect with a wide variety of 7th to 12th graders.
Speakers include Clayton King, founder of Crossroads Missions/Clayton King Ministries and author of “True Love Project”; Walt Barnes, assistant Baptist student union director at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Jefferson Davis, Mississippi; and Chad Poe, teaching pastor at Ridgedale Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Something new at YEC 2016, Kellum said, is a concert by hip-hop artist Flame. The Museum will lead in worship and Acton Bowen, speaker and best-selling author who also regularly contributes to Fox News’ faith and religion column, will be the breakout leader.
Breakout sessions will be for boys, girls and adults and will include messages from King and his wife, Sharie, on what the biblical definition of love is and, for the youth pastors, a session on preparing a sermon and “drawing the net” after sharing the gospel, Kellum said.
Unique dynamic
“YEC has a dynamic where youth pastors can bring lost students to an event where the gospel will be clearly presented. At the same time the weekend equips and challenges (Christian) teens to go out and evangelize their friends and witness in their local communities,” Kellum said. “YEC also helps prepare youth pastors to do the work God has called them to do.”
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