Culture Conference - "Focused on Forever" was held on February 13-15. This is an annual 3-day event where students in 6th –12th grade from across the city and beyond are invited to come together and experience a hope that comes through Jesus.
This was our third year hosting Culture Conference, and thanks to the generosity of our congregation, we were able to significantly reduce the cost for students all around our city. 421 students representing 31 different churches were in attendance!
Leader Testimony:
“I deal with a lot of social anxiety and this weekend in particular while serving at Culture Conference, my mind was attacking me. During the first session, I asked God, “Why am I here? I can’t even open my mouth and speak to people like a normal person. Why am I here!” Immediately after that, they called leaders to the front to pray with students. I was anxious to be a part of the prayer team, but I know I have a gift and love for prayer so I tried to make myself available and show up even in the anxiety. The very first student that came to me for prayer said “I want prayer because I’ve been so anxious to talk because I have a stutter”. And I knew in that moment that the presence of God was all around me, within me, and deeply cared for me. It was a beautiful moment that I got to share with the student as I told her she wasn’t alone in that anxiety and also got to witness the intentionality and grace of God to not only use me in a time when I was so overwhelmed by insecurity, but also use that insecurity of speaking/my voice to literally speak hope, life, and truth over someone else dealing with a very similar insecurity. I was just so touched and emotional that God would show up to me that way.” - Sierra, VC Students Adult Leader
Student Testimony:
One student, Vince, was invited by a friend and attended Culture Conference with no church background at all. The Lord immediately began moving in Him throughout the weekend. Over the weekend, Vince received prayer for the first time, gave His life to Jesus, and experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit.
This is what Vince told us about the weekend
“My whole life I’ve never been introduced to christianity and I was going into Culture Conference hoping to learn something new. I not only learned something new, but I earned how to believe in the Lord. I had no guidance and I had never even been to a church, and when I went here it really changed my life. Being at Culture Conference was definitely the best days of my life.”
This is just ONE story out of over 400 students who experienced God this weekend!