Nearly 12,500 youth, their leaders and volunteers crammed into Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium March 3-4 to be a part of the 2006 Youth Evangelism Conference. “Revolution Now! Bringing a Generation Back to God” was the weekend’s theme.
At least 642 youth accepted Christ during the commitment times at the Friday sessions.
Tennessee Baptist Convention youth evangelism specialist Kent Shingleton said the revolution can mean different things to people – from living a revolutionary life sold out for Christ to praying for Jesus to bring his revolution.
Shingleton was inspired to develop the “Revolution” theme after hearing the song, “Jesus Bring Your Revolution,” which was written by a fellow church member of First Baptist Church, Smyrna.
“Revolution is a hot word in the youth culture,” Singleton noted. Three key sub-themes flowed from the idea of revolution for the conference.
The first was to reach students who didn’t know Christ and teach them what it means to have a revolutionary relationship with him, Shingleton said.
The second was for students who know Christ to be inspired so that they can have an inward relationship to meet God, to pray, and to read the Bible, which was explained in the teaching sessions at five area churches.
The third was for students to have a revolutionary life in the real world – to follow him at home and school and to teach other young people, he said.
Darren Whitehead, director of Willow Creek Community Church’s Axis Ministry in suburban Chicago, was guest speaker. He is the former pastor of students and teaching pastor at The Peoples Church (First Baptist Church) in Franklin, Tenn. A native of Australia, Whitehead told tales of his youth ministry in the Outback, hearkening to the fictional movie character Crocodile Dundee.
“God shows himself to people in a revolutionary way, and God has a plan for young people,” Whitehead said. “God is using young people today, and young people today are at their greatest level of influence.”
Whitehead encouraged young people to do things to “blow people’s minds to show their love of Jesus to other people. God’s power is busting out all over the place in young people.
“Young people are giving all for Jesus and living on the edge,” he said. “It is now time to play offense on the campus. Thousands of teenagers need to jump into the revolution to use their lives to do something historic, and release their power in the school to represent Christ.”