This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed.
Hab 2:3 NLT
Once upon a time our youth group, Youth Alive, had attended an annual youth conference put on by another church in our state. And those conferences were good, full of water parks, games, competitions, and a lot more teenagers than we have in our youth group. They would bring in Christian musicians, entertainers, and some very well-known speakers. We looked forward to it every year, and it had become one of our biggest events each year. And we always came away built up and motivated to jump into the new school year on fire for God.
For years I had been observing, learning, and secretly planning for a day when we would be able to some sort of conference on our own. That seed, that idea, had been planted and was slowly growing inside. But with the average cost per person for the one conference we had been going to topping $250, I hadn't pursued anything as not to drop another expense on the youth (and their parents). How could we compete with such a large expense? How could we compete with such a large event? Then in 2008 we got word that there would be no youth conference that year. The church that had been putting these conferences on, at a huge cost to themselves, had decided they weren't going to be able to do it again. Could this really be happening?
After careful thought, prayer, and a lot of preparation we submitted a proposal to do our own youth camp. Our Pastor approved us to hold our first Youth Alive Summer Retreat to be held in August of 2008. We rallied as many staff people as we could to help. It was a far cry from the 100+ attendees, massive stage and lighting, and theme park activities that the youth conference had offered. We had a total of 14 youth attend in 2008. This year, 2012, was our fifth year holding our own retreat. We had a total of 23 youth attend. You may think that doesn't seem like much growth over 5 years, but you'd be wrong.
In 2008 we did praise and worship with 2-3 people and a keyboard. In 2012 we had 2 electric guitars, a bass, a keyboard, drums, and 2-4 singers each service. And even with all those people helping lead us in praise and worship we still had more people in the "audience." This year we even had one of the youth from our first year as our main speaker for one of our services. And this year our youth came even more prepared to receive whatever God had for them. They were open and ready for God to work on them.
And therein lies the real growth. It's not about numbers, although that's part of it. It's not about water parks, famous musicians, or big-name speakers. It's about God moving in the lives of everyone at the retreat. It's about people coming to meet with Him and surrender their will to His. God has been working in the hearts and minds of our youth, and they've made themselves available to be worked on. I've had many conversations over the week following our retreat with our teenagers that are deciding to commit their lives to Him, in all areas of their lives. Personal music libraries have been wiped clean, daily habits and routines have been adjusted, even some wrong relationships have been severed. Lives are being changed. And I'm constantly being challenged and inspired to increase my vision for what it will be - growth will continue!
God knows the end from the beginning. He knows what He has for us in the future. The ideas, visions, and plans that He has planted inside of you will come to pass. And you have no idea how He will use those things to bring others closer to Him. Write them down, think about them, and let God's timing play out. You will be glad you did!
