By Abbie Craig
Each fall Indiana Ministries sponsors a student convention. The event provides an opportunity for students from around Indiana to gather in worship, to be challenged to begin a walk with Christ and/or to take a big step in that walk, and to grow in relationship with others in their youth group and from other youth groups. This weekend is always filled with a LOT of ENERGY, short nights, and students whose faith in God inspires and encourages me. The weekend always reminds me that the future of the Church of God in Indiana is in GREAT hands.
God’s Spirit moved in memorable ways as students opened their hearts to God’s voice and direction. I am aware of at least 40 students who committed their lives to Christ. Many more made faith decisions that will reshape their futures. It was so awesome to see the seniors come forward on Saturday night as Mike Thigpen prayed for them. God was definitely at work throughout the weekend.
Rev. Abbie Craig does an excellent job directing our youth convention. Below is a recap of the weekend in her words. – Doug Talley
What does it really look like for God to direct our steps? This is the question that nearly 1,000 students and leaders gathered from around the state for a weekend in Indianapolis to consider together. The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident as Mike Thigpen, Josh Weiger and Kylee Larson created opportunities for students and leaders to surrender their own expectations, to discover the ways that God delights in every detail of our lives, to recognize that the road to joy often takes us through pain, to claim the power of the Holy Spirit to guide every step, and to share the hope that we have with a world full of people who bear the image of God.
We are celebrating the steps of faith taken by students throughout the weekend: decisions to follow God for the first time, to receive the Holy Spirit, to be baptized, to pursue a calling to ministry, to trust God in the middle of painful circumstances, to share hope with friends, to serve their communities, to open up with their small groups, to lead within their youth groups and so many other steps closer to the God who longs to lead them on the Road to Real.
One story from this year that was shared with us this year: “My niece had been asking her friend to come to church every week for several months. He had never been to church before and kept saying no. Finally, on September 1, he came to church with her for the first time – and nearly every Sunday after that. He came to the 365 convention, accepted Christ, and was anointed. My niece is over the moon with joy!”
Please join us in praying for the work that God will continue to do in the lives of our next generation! Pray that as they face the pressures of being a teenager in today’s society, that they will sense God’s presence upholding and guiding them each day.
Links to each of the services from the weekend are below:
And, here’s the link to the project where our offering was directed: https://www.chogglobal.org/churchplantinginamazonia/
Save the date for November 20-22nd, 2020!!
