Youth Conference a Success!
July 22, 2009
Hammond, Indiana (July 17)—Friday, the 37th Annual Youth Conference hosted by First Baptist Church of Hammond, IN ended as a success. The three-day conference pulled nearly 7,000 teenagers and youth workers from around the world to Northwest Indiana.
When asked, Dr. Jack Schaap responded to the three most pressing questions in this way:
- Has the present economy affected the conference? "Yes, every major conference across the country has been affected. Some of my friends have decided to host their conferences through webcast. We are down approximately 10 percent and that seems to be average. As churches trim back their budgets, they are cutting out the travel expenses they once enjoyed."
- What effect will this conference have on America's youth? "The record of history through the past 37 years of our hosting this yearly event has shown that several hundreds of full-time Christian servants have come from this particular conference. We are expecting God to do the same this year."
- What is the ultimate purpose of the Youth Conference? "As a believer in Jesus Christ, everything that we do should ultimately bring attention to Him. Also, we want to bring into clear focus the opportunities in Christianity. Awareness needs to be brought to global needs where Christianity can play a vital part, whether socially, economically, or spiritually. It seems that the world gets better when the younger generation takes the torch. They bring an energy and excitement. Short-term effects will bring excitement back to their respective churches, and long-term effects, Lord willing, will show into the millions of lives who will be affected."
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