By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
BOSSIER CITY – Many of us are living a life of “but I.”
Instead, we should be living a life of “but God,” Marty Collier, pastor of Church on Rush Creek in Grand Prairie, Texas, said during the recent Fuego Frio student conference.
By the end of the two-day conference Feb. 10-11, 81 of the roughly 1,500 students from six states in attendance decided to commit their lives to Christ and live a life of “but God.”
“From the start, the students were engaged with the speakers and music,” said Jeff Luce, coordinator for Fuego Frio. “Three of the speakers ended up changing up their message on short-notice and the Holy Spirit moved. There’s no way anyone could take credit for what happened but God.”
Held at First Baptist Bossier City, Fuego Frio featured eight pastors from throughout the U.S., each speaking for 12 minutes on a variety of topics. Other highlights of the weekend included illusionist Danny Ray of Yucaipa, Calif., comedians 321 Improv of Boca Raton, Fla., and musical guests the Hardcastles of Austin, Texas.
In his message Brad Jurkovich, pastor of First Bossier, told students God is calling some of them to salvation and they must be ready to follow Him.
“You need to know that God loves you so much that He gave His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins,” he said. “And He is going to call your name tonight and this weekend. He’s going to call you by name to turn from your sins and trust in Jesus. Some of you have never done this. I encourage you to follow Jesus this weekend and never look back.”
Unexpected Holy Spirit moment
Kenny Dean, pastor of the Bridge Fellowship’s Palladium campus in Richmond, Texas, and one of the speakers, felt led to change his message less than a day before he spoke. When the time of invitation took place, dozens of students came forward to accept Christ.
“Driving to the event on Friday, I knew He wanted me to change the message to the simple invitation of Jesus found in Matthew 11:28, ‘Come to me all who are weary and burdened,’” he told the Baptist Message. “Our peer-pressured, over-sexed, media-liked and family-torn culture can leave a student’s soul empty and broken. So I believe God wanted to extend a beautiful promise to anyone who would come to Him, ‘I will give you rest for your soul.’
“Many students responded to God’s invitation that night,” he said. “I’m so thankful I could serve at Fuego Frio. I’m more thankful we serve a Savior who loves doing the unexpected.”
Fuego Frio and First Bossier staff are conducting immediate follow-up with those who made decisions at the conference. They will be connected to a student pastor for long-term follow-up and discipleship.
“Seeing lives changed for eternity is what Fuego Frio is all about,” said Jerry Pipes, executive pastor at First Bossier. “Watching God move during the invitation was the most amazing part of the weekend.”
