A Month in the Life

We’re still awaiting the final number of paying registrants at North American Youth Congress 2007, but …

We did hear of some unsettling stories of adults screaming out the registration staff because they dared (per GYD policy) to charge people for replacement badges. (It seems these adults forget their badges in their hotel rooms.)

In one case, rather than pay $5, one man insisted he’d raised an immense amount of money for SFC (something like $100,000) and how heartless this policy was and he wanted to talk to Todd Gaddy. In another, a youth leaders yelled at the registration person in front of his youth group.

*Sigh* ninetyandnine.com prefers to report the good news (continued reports of many, perhaps scores, of people receiving the Holy Ghost at NAYC), but must also report those low moments when they come our way. Keeps us all humble.

And, just for the record, every convention we have attended charges for replacement badges. It’s not some insidious way GYD has invented to persecute us all.

P.S. This picture is unrelated, but somehow we never posted it. These are the Apostolic Idol candidates waiting and waiting and waiting in the VIP area to find out who the final candidates are to win the PMA contest.

Labels: NAYC, Registration, Youth Congress

Seems an unsaved girl named Angel from Iowa was friends with a new convert from Burlington, NC (pastor: Kenny Godair). Her new convert friend found a nearby UPC church to attend, but she’s the only one in her family there. Both came to Youth Congress (separately). Wednesday night she transferred from the “Unsaved” team to the “Saved” team by receiving the Holy Ghost!

Friday night she was visiting the Burlington youth group at the Center City Marriott in Charlotte. At some point they decided she needed to be baptized in the pool of our hotel on Friday night. They asked for permission from the staff. Reports Susan George of the Marriott staff, “They were very nice and allowed us all to use the pool - they even stayed and watched!”

That’s Rev. Michael George of Burlington, NC baptizing her in the pool around midnight Friday. That’s Angel speaking in tongues again. It’s another great Youth Congress moment.

Epilogue
“While she was soaking wet, crying, and still quietly speaking in tongues, she and others from our group got stuck on the elevator!” says Susan. “There was one (non-Apostolic) family in there that did not know what to think of us all. Happily, after only about 10 minutes of sheer discomfort, we were free!"

Labels: baptism, NAYC, Youth Congress

Bro. Gaddy blogs

Bro. Gaddy posted a new entry on the website for the church he is planting near Baltimore, Maryland. To read the entry you must click on the blog link.

Must-see Jeremy Foster Video

Yesterday I linked to Jeremy Foster’s blog where he talked a little about youth congress. Today he posted his new weekly video. It opens with a brief intro to Charlotte and then a clip of one of the day worship services. The song clip captures how different and innovative the music was this year compared to previous years and other Pentecostal music.

The video then shows his comedy startup session from Friday morning. My favorite line: “women are smarter than men…guys can boo all they want to, but only the guys who never had a date are booing…”

At the 20:50 mark he has an interview with Kathleen Herles, the voice of Dora the Explorer. And yes, she does the voice (I’ve never seen the show so I don’t get as excited as others). At the 22:45 mark Foster interviews Danny Rivers. Danny Rivers spoke on Friday morning about being the church and actually going out and helping people by being the hands and feet of God. His website is www.bethechurch.cc

The interviews take place inside the VIP lounge.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

Media Missions will be glad to help! Order DVDs or CDs here.

Labels: CDs, DVDs, Media Missions, NAYC, Youth Congress

Just to update, the female PMA winner was................ Britney Macey. Sorry for any confusion caused by Kent and my lack of communication!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

While most of us remain on the post-Congress high, it's almost sacrilege to mention another event, but ninetyandnine.com is co-sponsoring The Forum on October 19-20, 2007 in St. Louis.

If you're seeking something more intimate, but just as meaty and practical, then this is what you're seeking. Check it out won't you?

Labels: Forum, IQF, NAYC, Youth Congress

I wanted to be sure and provide some links to some of the places I have been looking at the last few days.

Blogs

1. The Holley Life and Times – This blog tracks the Holley family as they plant a daughter church outside Austin, Texas. Youth Congress was their young congregation’s first major trip.

2. Barnabas Blog – This is the blog of Philip Harelson, a pastor from Alabama. He also brought his young people. He has pictures of the dollar bills with Bro. Gaddy, Mann, and Francis pictures in them. He also links to a video of worship from one of the nights. Be sure to click onto the older posts to see more youth congress content.

Videos

Barnabas Blog posted several videos from youth congress on Godtube. Link

I also found many videos on youtube from youth congress, including several of the promotional videos that were played. Link

My favorite video doesn’t seem to be online. It starts with a buy going into a barbershop. When he goes to get his haircut he says he would like something different. The barber gives him a haircut. When he leaves the people on the sidewalk do a double take because in the back of his head is shaved the logo for the commune-ity. The music, and photography, and direction were all top notch. A creative and excellent piece.

Be sure to check out this video, of some young people parodying the opening video from youth congress. It is pretty funny, at least if you were there. Link.

More Blogs

Other places to visit include Jeremy Foster's blog, where he tells you a little bit about what it was like speaking at youth congress.

Finally, thanks to Take Two Blog, and Originally Unoriginal for linking to 90&9's youth congress coverage.

If you know of other blogs or media out there please let us know. E-mail!

Brave reader RK of Ohio hassled me for 2 days to take pictures of the latest hairdos, but you know... I'm just not sure I'm qualified to know the great from the rat's nests.


Finally, brave reader RK of Ohio braved the wilds of Youth Congress 2007 herself, and came back alive with this photographic evidence!



P.S. Thanks for the great headline, too!

Labels: Hairdos, NAYC, Youth Congress

You DO know about the Ultimate Youth Congress cover stories currently running in the latest issue of ninetyandnine.com don't you?

You dare not miss our biggest issue ever, with video and short story contests, Free downloads offered, and the latest on AYC trips, among many, many other things.

Visit for a moment, stay for a lifetime.

Labels: NAYC, ninetyandnine, Youth Congress

Blasted internet!

Well anyways, I am at work trying to post my last blog! The silly internet has been giving me problems, I think I'm cursed but oh well.

I'm at home wishing I was still in NC! Looking back, it was an amazing Youth Congress. I am planning to order some of the DVD's when I get my paycheck this week. Bro. Gaddy's final message was wonderful and people responded so well! At one point, EVERYONE was on their knees praying to Jesus. Talk about a move of the Spirit! His message was so powerful I encourage everyone to get a copy and let their friends who couldn't make it hear it. It is something everyone should hear. It was also an emotional message for a lot of people since Bro. Gaddy will be finishing his year as Youth President and moving on to plant a church in the Baltimore area. I'm excited for him and what God is doing but I'm sad to see him go, he is a good leader. Someday I will visit his church!

I think at one point during the long altar service after his message, Sis. Francis was praying with me... but since I've never met her (only seen her picture) I am not positive. I think it was her though, she's a sweet lady.

The trip home was eventful, our van blew a tire and lost part of the trailer fender. I was driving the second van and it startled me! So we were on the side of the road for a little while when a Youth Group from Arkansas stopped to help us. Our jack and our spare tire wouldn't so thank the Lord they stopped to help us! They lent us their spare tire and followed us around as we searched for a place to get a tire. We were out in the middle of nowhere on highway 40 in Tennesee so that was a challenge. But the Lord worked it all out and we got home safely after 15.5 hours of driving!

I have LOTS of pictures and since I'm having internet trouble I am going to try to post them on Flickr tomorrow morning, so check that soon! God Bless you all and I'm already looking forward to the next Congress!

- Laura

Wow, Youth Congress is over and it all happened so quickly! I am home now, back with my puppy and ready to start classes on Thursday.

Of all of the things I heard and saw at Youth Congress this year my mind sticks to one question: If I were to disappear off the map, would my world notice?

When I think about it, I ask myself am I really making that much of a difference for the Lord where I am? How can I make the most of the rest of the time I have living here? Whose lives will be changed for Christ because I have showed them the love of God?

On the way back home I had three phone calls from people who are lost. My brother had more than that. I think about those people, those souls, and I realize that yes I can make a difference. God has placed me around people who are in deep sin and hurt. They need healing, truth, love, a way to escape from the world we are all trapped in... And I have within my mind and heart the knowledge and the experience that can bring these people hope for eternal life.

But I'll be honest, I woke up on Saturday morning in my hotel room in Charlotte with heaviness and depression weighing down on me. All I could feel was dread about coming back home. I didn't want to leave Youth Congress. I didn't want to leave the music and the people praying and worshipping. I didn't want to leave the incredible preaching and leadership that I heard and saw there. I didn't want to leave my friends both old and new that I had met there. I didn't want to leave the excitement and come back to the real world.

Going to Youth Congress helps me to know that I'm not alone. I'm thankful for every person that helped make Youth Congress what it was. I am overwhelmed with joy to see people excited about God. To be around other people who believe like I do, and dress like I do, and live like I do makes a huge difference in my life.

You may not be able to relate to what I am feeling or saying, but I hope that you appreciate your church, your youth group, your musicians, and everything your church is. Don't take it for granted. Take advantage of every alter call, every prayer meeting, every outreach, everything that you can be involved with in the body of Christ. Someday you may find yourself in a mission field surrounded by people who need what you have. And you may realize then that you need someone who has what you have too.

The church is a precious thing. The people aren't perfect, the services may have controversial things happen, and everything may go wrong in your eyes. But the truth is that being united with other people is what it is all about. And I am thankful to be a part of this United Pentecostal Church. I am thankful that it is bigger than me and my situation. I'm thankful for what I received from God at Youth Congress; it will be a source of inspiration, strength, and hope for me - it will give me exactly what I need to go back to work today, go back to school Thursday, and be a light in a world that knows nothing of what we just experienced.

Thank you for being a part of Youth Congress. It takes everyone of us together to make it happen. Next youth congress I want to bring someone who has never experienced Pentecost with me. I want them to see your lives and the unity among us. I want them to be overwhelmed by the spirit of worship and prayer that you will bring with you. The world needs us, with our imperfections and disagreements, the world needs our hunger for God.

Thank-you for sharing your passion for God with me. It makes a direct difference in my life and indirectly makes a difference in the lives of the lost that I will witness to this year.

Don't forget to pray for home missionaries and foreign missionaries! You make a difference in our lives.

Things given away at NAYC included MP3 Players, a Nintendo WII, and an IPhone. I believe the IPhone winner was the most excited. He was jumping through the halls shouting for the world to know.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

Thanks to the talented group at Apostolic Entertainment Ministries, GYD highlighted some spectacular Infomercials for their programs. Watch all of the cool videos on the AEM Channel,
but watch the NAYC videos here.

The NAYC Videos (in order): 1. You. Go. Spy Thriller; 2. To Be Continued Bible Study; 3. Reality SFC (performed by James Simms); 4. To Be Continued - The Race (NAYC Opening); 5. INSIDEOUT Magazine Promo.

Labels: AEM, NAYC, Videos, Youth Congress

Talk about the righteous going unforsaken! After a long week of sleepless nights (mostly due to blogging), fellow blogger Rick Brewer and I stepped out to our Concierge Unlimited ride to find ...a stretch limo awaiting us! And the cost was no different!

Suddenly, it was all worth it.

Labels: Limo, NAYC, Youth Congress

Well my 10:30am flight from Charlotte finally left at 3:30pm. I missed my connecting flight and was not able to leave Atlanta until 9:20pm. I finally got home last night around 11:30pm.

It really wasn't too bad (but it is very tiring!) I was able to talk to several people about why I was in Charlotte and about God. Everyone I talked with was already a Christian so we talked about becoming closer to Jesus and having a deeper relationship with Him and about how God can move. Sometimes you just gotta love people and not tell them that what they have believed their whole life is wrong - I figured if I tried to push speaking in tongues on them the next time they saw a Pentecostal they would run the other way. I have found that if you encourage a deeper relationship, Jesus will give a person that revelation. One of the things I have learned is that while there are instantaneous conversions, most are forged by friendships. Both of the ladies I talked with have my email and I just pray that Jesus will help us stay in touch so I can continue to witness in love. Also while in Atlanta I was able to spend a couple of hours catching up with one of my friends from Bible school. It is so funny how people can live in the same town still not keep in touch - hopefully that will change now. You know who you are and I am glad we had time together last night. I am proud of you and I am praying that God will continue to bless you!

Now while waiting in Charlotte there were two youth groups on my plane. One was heading to Atlanta and then being put in hotels to fly home the next day. The other is a group from WI. (got a direct flight home lucky ducks) They are in the picture from my blog yesterday. There was a teenager next to me in the waiting area who was in Charlotte on vacation. The young people from WI witnessed to her and more than likely had no clue. They were having fun, playing games, having push up competitions (picture of the winner to come tomorrow) and just being teenagers. I have a feeling the next time this girl runs into someone who is UPC she will remember that even though we look different we still have fun and are great people.

Our Internet is messed up here at home so I will post pictures in the morning. For those who were worried that I was able to be in the services - I got the DVD's so I will be having my own personal NAYC over the next week or so.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

Sorry I didn't get this in before. Friday night I got back too late and was too tired and I was in the van coming home all day Saturday.

Friday and Bro. Gaddy

Bro. Gaddy preached about the mission of us as Christians: to help others get closer to Christ, to bring people from the world into the church, and to go and affect the world. He ended his sermon by saying the program for youth congress is finished, his sermon is done, and it is time to go. He then exited the stage. The moment was filled with weight as he himself is leaving youth congress and the youth division to start a home missions church. There was no alter call, it was just time to go.

Controversy

It is possible that aspects of this youth congress will cause controversy for the youth division. Everything worthwhile is controversial. Controversy is neither inherently bad or good, but every powerful idea in history was controversial.

Towards the end of his sermon, Bro. Gaddy said that a young person came to him this week asking for prayer because he or she was struggling with their sexual identity. Nearly overcome with emotion, Bro. Gaddy said (paraphrasing from memory) "to any young person who is struggling with their sexual identity, if you have ever felt anything except understanding and love from us, I apologize." That was all that was said and there was a deep silence (cliché: the silence was deafening). This is an issue that is needs to be discussed in the church, and Bro. Gaddy bringing it up like that will start that process.

Bro. Gaddy also said some other controversial things: he called out a slogan on a church van for being too self-absorbed, and he called out someone who wrote him an email saying New Orleans (where youth congress was going to be before Katrina) was too sinful of a city and therefore he and his family wouldn’t be going.

Although they didn't announce where the next youth congress may be my money is on either New Orleans, Las Vegas, or San Fransisco.

This was a phenomenal youth congress.

Wow, is congress really over?? Did I really make it home in an hour less than it should have taken (wahoo for no traffic)?? Am I still awake?? Are Kent and I hook 90&9's readers up with a ultimate Youth Congress cover coming to Monday's edition of 90&9? Indeed we are! Tune in Monday for whatever has not been covered here in the blog!

The Real Reason
So, Bro Gaddy already told my story, but I wanted to share it with those of you that missed Friday morning. Congress is crazy, let's face it. For me it was somewhere between running from this meeting to that service to catching up with my friends. But in the 130 pm sphere Thursday night, after returning from the "b", my hero and I were wandering from the Hilton to the Westin, and what did we behold, but his youth department and ministry baptizing 3 people in a fountain outside the Westin. Now THAT is the real reason for youth congress!!!

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!