As Virginia Baptist youth leader across the state are gearing up for the annual YouthEnCounter, to be held July 31-Aug. 1 in Richmond, some are looking at last spring's Regional Youth EnCounter as a model for additional youth resources.
Over one year of preparation and prayer culminated Feb. 27 to March 2 in a five-day Rappahannock Regional Youth EnCounter that featured displays of strength and passion by the Power Team from Dallas.
A full gym greeted the Power Team at Essex High School.
Four members of the Power Team captivated their audience at 10 school assemblies in three days and then performed at Essex High School in Tappahannock each night, drawing over 3,300 students and adults to see the power of strength and then hear the powerful message of the Cross. The Power Team displayed awesome feats of strength, including tearing phone books and license plates in half, bending a horseshoe into the shape of a heart, breaking concrete blocks over three feet in depth, and crushing through an eight-foot block of ice.
It's pretty amazing to see what raw strength can do—and these guys are unbelievable. But none of that power is equal to the power of Jesus Christ that was at the forefront of their testimonies. Each night saw increased numbers of students anxious to see the Power Team's feats, but also to hear the message of real power that comes from a personal relationship with Christ.
Hutt Williams, volunteer youth leader from Beale Memorial Baptist Church in Tappahannock and lead coordinator for bringing in the Power Team, was thrilled with the response: “To have a vision, heart, and desire to reach the lost youth of this area and then to see the results from all the months of meetings, planning and prayer is extremely gratifying.”
Doug Davis, interim pastor at Rappahannock Baptist Church in Montross and materials coordinator for the Regional Youth EnCounter, agreed: “The Power Team members have powerful testimonies, and their messages touched the lives of many people in our community. I will be forever grateful for that.”
Matt Dopson of the Power Team blows up a water bottle until it bursts.
“It's hard to put it in to words,” Williams said. “There are too many people to thank. This would not have been possible without the support of the local area churches, businesses, and our dedicated committee made up of Doug Davis, Steve Holsinger, from Beulah Baptist Church in Lyells; Hannah Healy, lay leader from Mechanicsville Christian Center, Mechanicsville and the director of The Hanger in Tappahannock; Sandy Gladding, lay leader from Mount Zion Baptist Church, Tappahannock; David Schneider, formerly with Nomini Baptist Church, Montross; Nancy Brown, from Upper Essex Baptist Church, Tappahannock; Michael Proudfoot, youth minister at Oak Grove Baptist Church along with Debbie Hobbs and Willard and Marion Bowen from Oak Grove Church. All of them got behind this, and God honored it in a big way.”
This broad base of support from the churches and leaders in the area was the key to the Rappahannock Regional Youth EnCounter's success. When local leaders get behind something like this with perspiration, passion, and prayer, it creates a sense of excitement and expectation that becomes fertile ground for God to work.
This is the fourth regional event that Virginia Baptists have sponsored and supported in the last year. Each one, while different in its own way, has allowed for an evangelistic emphasis to be brought closer to our churches at less expense and has enabled more students to hear the gospel. In addition to the five-day Rappahannock Regional Youth EnCounter, the Roanoke one was for three days and the Mid-Tidewater Regional was a one-day gathering.
The Virginia Baptist Mission Board also partnered with the Norfolk area which hosted a four-day local youth program. Each event can be customized to meet the goals and objectives of the host region. The four Regional Youth EnCounter events have drawn over 5,450 students and leaders, with over 650 decisions being made.
Hannah Healy of Tappahannock assists students who made decisions.
The Regional Youth EnCounter strategy is a great way to reach a large number of students with the gospel. It's exciting to see the vision for these Regional Youth EnCounters come to reality in such a positive and confirming way as it begins to take hold among our churches and associations. The key is a willingness to partner with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board to create a unique and customized event for each area.
We are open to any format and will work with any association or region to help them reach as many students as possible with the message of the gospel. Let's talk about how we can reach students in your area for Christ. The possibilities are endless.