July 10, 2000
Youth conference yields harvest
of decisions to follow Jesus Christ
___By Ken Camp
___Texas Baptist Communications
___SAN ANTONIO--More than 15,000 Texas teenagers rocked San Antonio's Alamo-dome at the annual Youth Evangelism Conference this summer.
TEENS HUDDLE IN PRAYER during the Youth Evangelism Conference in San Antonio. More than 900 teens registered decisions for Christ at the conference. (Photo by Ken Camp)
___Christian bands Mercy Me, All Together Separate and The Newsboys pumped the young people to their feet, clapping their hands and lifting their voices in praise. And youth communicator Voddie Baucham challenged the teens to secure their hope in heaven and be sensitive to God's calling on their lives.
___More than 900 teens registered decisions for Christ at the conference, including 191 who made professions of faith in Jesus Christ, 269 who rededicated themselves to God and 421 who committed their lives to vocational Christian service.
___ Another 46 recorded special decisions during the call to commitment.
___"The disciple's hope of heaven is not based on what we do. It is based on what Christ has already done," Baucham said, noting that particular hope is exclusive.
___A believer's heavenly hope is based on the trustworthy promise of Jesus, on the authority of Jesus and on the continuation of a relationship, he explained. "If you do not have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ now, you won't have one after you die."
___Disciples of Jesus who are called to become equippers of the church "don't live on a separate spiritual plane from everyone else," Baucham told the young people.
___But impure living can disqualify a Christian servant, he warned: "God's call on your life is as much about who you are as it is about what you do. God's call is about the way you live your life everyday."
___The Christian's calling is inextricably bound to the gifts God has given and the opportunities of service God makes available, Baucham added. "When the God-given gifts, talents, abilities and desires in the life of a qualified believer meet with a divine opportunity, you have a calling."
___Charles Wade, speaking at his first Youth Evangelism Conference since becoming the Baptist General Convention of Texas' executive director, reminded the teenagers, "God hears the prayers of youth."
___Wade urged the teens to pray for their churches "that they would be the very presence of Jesus in their communities," for their schools, for Texas and for the world. He also asked for prayers for himself and his family, that God would grant the wisdom and courage needed to lead Texas Baptists.
___Bailey Stone, director of the BGCT evangelism division, and Chuck Flowers, youth evangelism consultant, led a commissioning service at the conference for seven three-member Shine Out Revival teams. The 21 students will lead revivals in four Baptist associations and three multi-association areas this summer.
___Teams are Micah Caswell, Shelley Witherspoon and Dann Wigner, Amarillo Baptist Association; Craig Curry, Valerie Blair and Gene Lane, Austin Baptist Association; Jubal Holland, Janae Weddel and Ryan Nuckols, Bi-Fork Baptist Area; Bryan Padgett, David Quinones and Crystal Campbell, Blanco Baptist Association; Ryan Jespersen, Cindy Gavin and JoAnna Hoyt, Coastal Plains Baptist Area; Matt Bass, Peter Poff and Alida Smith, North Central Baptist Area; and Ryan Dalgliesh, Bobiann Cargill and GiGi Tumbarello, San Antonio Baptist Association.
___More than 400 churches participated in prayer efforts related to the Youth Evangelism Conference, including pre-conference prayer-walks throughout the Alamodome, visiting the prayer tent or interceding for specific requests in the conference prayer room. During the prayer-walk, as participants walked and read Scripture aloud, the entire Old Testament was read once and the Ne Testament four times.
___Of the 51 church groups participating in Youth Inner-City Evangelism Projects in San Antonio this summer, 25 scheduled missions projects immediately before or after the statewide conference. Throughout the summer, more than 1,600 volunteers will take part in inner-city evangelism efforts in San Antonio Association.
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