If you grew up in church, you probably experienced the heyday of Christian youth conferences. The worship, the skits, thousands of hyper teens doing the wave and chanting āwe love Jesus, yes we do! We love Jesus, how ābout you?!ā
Ah, those were the days.
A lot has changed in Christian youth conferences over the years. With social media, a global pandemic, and the rise of simulcast technology, teen-packed arenas are harder to come by. But the need to rally, train, and send Jesus-loving teenagers into the world is just as urgent as it was 20 years ago.
Letās talk through what an effective Christian youth conference looks like today and why you should still bring your teens to events like these!
First things first, what is a āChristian youth conferenceā?
A Christian youth conference is a gathering of young people for the purpose of teaching and encouraging them in their faith in Jesus. These are ājumpstarterā events to boost the regular teaching and discipleship you do all other weeks of the year. They can be held in stadiums or arenas, at local churches, or via simulcast in locations across the world.
Some of the best parts of youth conferences include:
- Biblical teaching
- Worship
- Discipleship time with youth leaders and mentors
- Being around other teens who love Jesus
- Lots of fun and space to be a teenager š
So, what’s the point?
At Dare 2 Share, we believe the main point of a Christian youth conference is to help teens understand the Gospel, own their faith, and know how to share it with others.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha (the youngest teens in your group) are growing up with relative truth and gray morality. In the 4-6 years they spend in youth group, the top priority is to invite them into a relationship with God and teach them truth in a world that offers a million different versions of it.
As our friends from KLOVE say,
āThe stronger these young Christians are, thanks to their youth pastors and conferences like these, the greater the impact they can have on their communities as well. Weāre not saying that Christian youth conferences are the only ingredient, but they are part of a larger plan of training up young people.ā
Whatās the right Christian youth conference for your group?
There are lots of youth conference options out there, each offering a different focus and experience depending on denomination affiliation, teaching material, location, etc. But if youāre looking for an event with a relational evangelism emphasis, then Dare 2 Share LIVE is the best conference you can attend.
Here are the main goals of Dare 2 Share LIVE:
- Vision – Teens will learn to see the lost around themĀ
- Tools – Theyāll learn a clear Gospel message and how to share itĀ
- Opportunity – They get the chance to serve and share their communityĀ
- Results – Teens will be activated to go home and keep spreading the Gospel
And for youth leaders, the best part of Dare 2 Share LIVE is that itās free to join and is fully planned for you! We want nothing standing in the way of every student in your group being able to come and learn how to share their faith at Dare 2 Share LIVE.
All in all, Christian youth conferences still offer transformative, faith-bolstering experiences to teenagers. Plus, they ultimately support all the hard work you do every week to help them grow in their faith! We hope youāll join us at Dare 2 Share LIVE this year and experience what God is doing through this impactful event.
