Prepare Ye The Way of The Lord ~ Isaiah 40:3

Nearly 400 students and youth leaders from across the state attended First Priority’s 2013 ALIVE Winter Conference. What a great way for youth groups to end the year and look forward to a new year! Students were challenged to lay a track that would guide them along their spiritual journey to make a huge impact in the world around them. Pictures from our event can be viewed on our Web site or Facebook.

This year’s conference was held in Chattanooga, Tenn. at Track29 Saturday, Dec. 28 – Monday, Dec. 30. Today’s teens are growing up in a broken, fallen world. The rise of technology has brought new problems that previous generations never faced. These are problems that parents and pastors alike may have a hard time helping their teen through. Every day, our teenagers are dealing with toxic relationships, cyber bullying, failure, depression and an overwhelming media influence. This is just the beginning! With all of these issues influencing this generation, our mission at ALIVE was to equip teens to build intentional relationships that would lead their peers to a relationship with Christ.

Our speakers, Dave Edwards and Ed Newton, brought some incredible messages to our students. Dave started our weekend covering one of the top issues our teens face: Frustration. “As a Christ-follower, you will go through seasons of frustration,” said Dave. “What are you going to do in those moments?” Dave encouraged students to recognize these seasons as preparation not punishment, to refuse compromise and to request courage. In Dave’s second message, “How to Behave in the Cave,” he focused on four leadership principles that would lead students to laying a track that their lives were made to run on.

During his talks, Ed focused on truths to come to Christ and be completely sold out for Him: We are called to consider Jesus, confess Jesus, compare Jesus and come to Jesus. When he wrapped things up on Monday morning, students left feeling empowered and ready to represent Christ with boldness and humility. He was used in great ways in his sessions, and we are praising God for the more than 25 students who gave their life to Christ during the conference. 

“This year’s ALIVE 2013 Winter Conference was different for me,” said First Priority Area Director James Cato. “With being on staff at First Priority and on staff at a local church, it really took on a different look. As a youth pastor I always look for a winter retreat that really challenges the students and impacts them spiritually not just entertain them. In the past I’ve attended ALIVE and it always has a positive affect on students, faith comes alive and action follows. As a First Priority staffer and youth pastor, I’m thankful for the ease of the retreat weekend but most thankful for the impact it made on students.”

“Our goal with ALIVE this year was very simple,” said First Priority Executive Director Matt Wilson. “We wanted to help students lay a track for their friends that would lead them directly to Jesus. I feel so blessed to partner with some great communicators and artists to help make it happen. ALIVE brought together churches from many different denominations who had the same heart and goal.”

We would like to give a special thanks to our speakers Dave Edwards and Ed Newton; and Worship Leaders Hallel HP and Bellarive. We would also like to thank all those again who attended ALIVE. We are already looking forward to next year! Be sure to click on the links below to view pictures from the conference.

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Click here to view pictures on our Web site

“I thought the speakers were the best part of the retreat,” said Sycamore Baptist Church Youth Pastor Jacob Eddleman. “If I saw either of them in the lineup for an event, I would strongly consider going. And, the cost value for the retreat was the best I saw for an event like this.”