The youth group had an excellent trip to Gatlinburg, TN for Winterfest this year. We would like to thank everyone who made the trip possible including (but not limited to) the parents, teens, sponsors, elders, and everyone who donated funds through the collection plate and our various fundraising events. As always, this trip allowed us to have fun, bond together, worship, and learn more about our God. Everyone who attends comes back spiritually invigorated and more enthusiastic about serving the Lord.
This year’s theme for Winterfest was “The Veil”. The theme was addressed from several angles. We discussed “the veils” in our lives. All of us have things in our lives that keep us separated from God and blind to the truth. We make idols out of a variety of pursuits including money, beauty, health, sex, and popularity. We make ourselves comfortable with the temporary and avoid the eternal God. Daniel and his associates were used as examples of individuals who put God first even when facing threats of death.
Our world was compared to the city of Babylon and it’s lust for power, wealth, and physical pleasures. The speakers told the story of Belshazzar and his lack of respect for God. He was given a prophecy of his destruction and we will end up destroyed as well if we try to gain life outside of God. One lesson was about the veil on the temple and how Christ’s sacrifice gives us access to God.
There was an excellent presentation on apologetics. Through a mock debate between a believer and a naturalist/agnostic, we were shown how to defend our faith without being condescending or offensively aggressive. Finally, we heard the story of Sean Algaier, a youth minister and “Biggest Loser” contestant who has lost nearly 200 lbs. He spoke about confronting our personal demons and achieving excellence with God’s help.
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