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Inferno 2004
By Sarah K. Holland
November 15, 2004
On October 29-30, 2004
the ninth annual Inferno 2004 youth conference at The Apostolic Church of
Pontiac became the most successful Inferno conference yet. Young people
gathered from Michigan and the surrounding states, as well as from Canada, New
York, Louisiana, and California, to add their flame to the “unquenchable fire in
today’s youth” and to be re-ignited by the preaching of Bro. Scott Graham.
It’s in the Little
Things
Richard Carlson
made famous the saying “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff,” but it was the small stuff
that made this year’s Inferno unique from years past. Long before pulling
into the church driveway, guests could see the spotlights shooting into the air,
letting them know in which direction to head. Upon entering the lobby, one of
more than a thousand bags was thrust into the guests’ hands. Guests were then
ushered quickly to the red carpet and behind barriers for a picture op with
their friends and favorite presidential candidate. After this, they were given a
card with the youth department web address where they would be able to find
their picture after Inferno. Leaving the red carpet, guests found themselves
face to face with a Great Lakes University member bearing an entry form for the
$10,000 basketball challenge. Then, finally, into the sanctuary they went to
find a seat where they could look through their bag of information, youth
department memorabilia, and glow-sticks in assorted colors.
Service Moving Right
Along
Cutting out the
extras and moving the services to the headline speaker helped make Inferno
a memorable experience instead of just another lengthy conference. Friday night
attendees were blessed by the praise and worship of the Impact Youth, led by our
own worship leader, Bro. Tyron Page. They were encouraged to take their
relationship to another level through the anointed praise of Pontiac’s Called &
Chosen Youth Choir and ministered to by the song and worship of IBC’s Praise, as
well as The Impact Youth Choir out of Brooklyn, New York. Saturday held the
same spirit, with an incredible opening rendition of Switchfoot’s “Meant
to Live” by Flashpoint, a six-member band from the private school
of The Apostolic Church, Greater Life Academy. Members of each group added
something special to the service, but quickly did their part and moved out of
the way for the man of God to bring forth the Word.
The Preached Word of
God
The Impact Youth
Ministries was honored to have Bro. Scott Graham as the guest speaker for
Inferno 2004. In his usual “no-holds-barred” style, Graham issued a wake-up
call Friday night to the youth gathered there, reminding them of the reality of
Hell. He spoke with the urgency of his responsibility to pull young people out
of the flames and encouraged them that it was their duty to do the same with
their friends. Young people flooded the altar in the comprehension of their own
fate and the call to do their part to reach those they knew with the gospel.
If Friday night was to
elicit an awareness of grace in eternity, Saturday’s message was a reminder of
God’s overwhelming grace in our earthly lives. Graham pointed out that each
sacrifice brought to God was required to be without blemish
- that each animal
offered up was to be perfect. Christ was perfection sacrificed. Yet, just as
faultlessness is offered up, it is those filled with fault that God chooses to
use here on Earth. The perfect is sacrificed; the imperfect is chosen by God for
another purpose. Just as God chose Paul, with his marred past, so God desires to
use us. Through these words a healing took place in many souls with the
recognition that a blemished past and deep scars are not an impediment, but a
stipulation. Perfection is sacrificed; imperfection allows us to be used.
There’s Plenty To Do
When service ended, the fun
continued at the Inferno Afterburn at the Oakland University Recreation
Center for concerts, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a co-ed volleyball
tournament, and a youth department showdown on the dodge ball court. There was
plenty for all to do, and as time moved quickly on, the conference concluded
another successful year.
ninetyandnine.com
2004 © Sarah K.
Holland
---------
Sarah K. Holland
works with the
Impact Youth Ministries, the best youth department in the world, at The
Apostolic Church in Pontiac, MI. She is currently in a state of exhaustion from
staying up all night at Inferno’s Afterburn. |
