By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Organizers and participants of the 2024 Youth Evangelism Celebration praised God for the 501 students who made decisions for Christ, Nov. 24-25, at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria. They also were grateful to Him for the 5,325 teens and their adult sponsors who attended YEC (the largest annual gathering of Louisiana Baptists).
“This event had so many moving parts, from the exceptional work of our Evangelism and Church Growth team, to every department of Louisiana Baptists, even to each individual church and adults who lead students,” Louisiana Baptist Youth Ministry Strategist Lee Myers told the Baptist Message. “It doesn’t happen without them, including my ministry assistant Julie Mitcham and the others on the planning team.
“Hopefully it’s a start of a spiritual movement in our churches,” he continued. “The great thing is, it’s an example of what can happen when we all come together and when we pray for God to move in a mighty way.”
SHINE YOUR LIGHT
Zane Black, evangelist and tour pastor for Winter Jam 2024, told students God has a purpose for their lives.
Basing his message on Ephesians 2, Black encouraged the students trust in God’s love and embrace their purpose as God’s handiwork.
Black shared that he was headed down a road filled with alcohol and drug abuse until at age 21 he found Jesus, who gave him a hope. He told the students that they too may be in a place of darkness, but that Christ can turn their life around.
“Until we realize the wretchedness of our sin, we will never realize the sweetness of a Savior,” he said. “But when you begin to recognize the depth of your need and brokenness, then it begins to magnify. It begins to build up, and we begin to see Jesus in a whole new light, because He is the healer. He’s the one who comes to give hope, freedom, forgiveness.”
Black said that Jesus has extended an invitation to follow Him. He explained that following Jesus transforms lives, involves leaving things behind and in following Jesus all can find life.
“So maybe this morning God’s calling you to say, ‘give up that other life,’” he said. “But immerse yourself fully in that relationship with Jesus that you might experience the fullness of life that He’s come to offer.”
Black challenged the students to be on mission for Christ. He alluded to Jesus’ example in Matthew 9:35-38: Christ lived with a heart of prayer for the lost, a great care for the lost and a passion to share the Good News.
Black then used the acronym Gospel as a tool to share the hope found in Jesus:
God created us to be with Him;
Our sin separated us from God;
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds;
Paying the price for sing, Jesus died and rose again;
Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life; and
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.
“Paul said, ‘I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation,’” he said. “So it’s less about the one who delivers it, but it’s more about the one in who it is all about. And so it doesn’t matter who’s the one sharing. What matters is that it is within the power of the message itself. And so I want to encourage us to be people who share the message of God.”
VALUE IN CHRIST
Counselor Clint Davis of Shreveport (also the son of Mitcham) encouraged the students to seek value in Christ instead of things that the world values such as social media and outward appearances.
Basing his message on Genesis, Davis said in a digitally connected world it is very possible to be unconnected to others. He challenged the students to find a group of believers and remain connected to them. Additionally, he encouraged the students to seek truth in God’s word and build trust with others.
“So many of us feel isolated and alone in our lives,” he said. “We can be in this room right now, surrounded by thousands of people and feel very alone. And so that was not good. And the reality is that God wants you to have connection. He wants you to have friends. He wants you to have a body around you that can help you overcome these things.”
Davis acknowledged many students suffer a high level of anxiety, but God cares about their feelings and fears.
“A lot of times we think if we just pray more about it, if we get in the Word, all that will just go away,” he said. “And yet Scripture again says it’s a battle. And Christ is fighting that battle on our behalf.”
Davis shared three lies that social media tells those in American society: you are not enough, your worth and value comes from other’s opinions and there is a fear of missing out.
He then challenged the students to be a light for Christ on social media.
“I challenge us in this day and age where social media and gossip and slander is what the status is,” he said. “I challenge you to be different, to be a Christian who goes into social media and goes on platforms and does different.”
TRAINED TO SHARE
By the end of the two-day spiritual encounter, several hundred students had made decisions for Christ, with 108 students stepping forward to accept Christ, 324 who restored fellowship with God and 69 who pursued a call to ministry.
In addition to messages by Black and Davis, participants enjoyed high-energy music by Crescent City Worship, a worship band with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; entertainment by Jaron Myers, a comedian and podcaster; times of fellowship; and a concert by Rend Collective to close out YEC on Monday evening. Brandon Allen, student pastor with Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Columbus, Mississippi, and student ministry podcast producer, served as the host/emcee.
