The youth conference ended with a flourish! The final service proved to be the proverbial capstone on an excellent couple of days. After Cary Schmidt and I had the opportunity to conduct a question and answer time with a couple hundred youth workers, I attended the final main service with Nathaniel and Joshua.

Pastor Paul Chappell preached a powerful message on the familiar Bible story of David and Goliath. His focus centered on the “in your face” defiance of the world and what a Christian teenager’s response to it should be. He spoke of the “giants” of secularism and run-amok entertainment. Ending his message with a specific appeal to young people to join the ranks of full-time servants of God in the ministry, hundreds of young people  flooded the aisles in response!

Because our flight back home did not leave until this morning (I’m currently on a layover in Phoenix), we had the chance to attend the Lakers/Rockets game last night. Regrettably, the Lakers won in a hard fought game with some incredible plays. I’m not a huge fan of the NBA, but watching that level of play in person is certainly a treat. It brought me back to my college days when I worked as an usher for the Chicago Bulls. My good friend Kenny Baldwin harassed me with pro-Laker text messages throughout the game, and for that reason I harbored an inner desire for them to lose. Alas, they did not. Congratulations Kenny! (It seems that some of your prayers do indeed get answered.)

I hope all is well with each of you.  Pray for our services at Harvest tomorrow!

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It is my privilege for these three days to be a part of the West Coast Baptist College Youth Conference (www.wcbc.edu)  where more than a couple thousand teenagers have gathered from all across the country. The folks here at Lancaster Baptist Church are the consummate hosts! I’m so glad that my son Joshua is able to be here with me for this trip. (Of course, my oldest son Nathaniel is here already as a freshman.)

The messages have been super.  John Goetch wrote and directed a drama last night on the topic of decisions.  Side by side, he dramatized the stories of Ruth and the Prodigal Son, emphasizing the difference decisions make in our lives at critical moments. Then, using the Biblical account of Lot, he preached a powerful message about the importance of making right decisions.

Today Kenny Baldwin and I had the opportunity to preach the morning sessions to the teens. I preached a message entitled “Valuable Vessels” in which I stressed the indispensable components of making pottery. In order for clay to be effectively fashioned it must be (1) fashioned by the Master; (2) placed in the middle of the wheel; (3) formed while the wheel is in motion; and (4)  lubricated constantly to assure that it is moldable.  My text was Jeremiah 18 and the teens seemed to respond very well.

Kenny preached a classic from Daniel 1 entitled “10 Times Better.” Although I was conducting a youth worker’s session at the same time, Joshua assured me that the message was right on target and received well by the teenagers, with approximately 10 receiving Christ as Savior!

Please pray that the Lord would bless the evening service tonight (Thursday) in which I will be preaching and then the final service tomorrow in which Paul Chappell will be preaching. Teens–along with the rest of us–need powerful Bible messages. The Bible has the power to change lives, and we’re praying that God will use His Word to do just that in the final services of this conference.

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