During this last weekend in October, individuals from Catalyst – the youth ministry at Harvestime Church – journeyed to La Crosse for the annual Youth Convention.
What is youth convention? I am glad you asked. Let me show you 🙂
[youtube video=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4pniRDR7I”]
“Nearly 2,000 students from across the area fill the La Crosse Center to hear a solid message, experience powerful worship and create great memories with their friends.” (http://youthalivewinm.com/)
During getaways like Youth Convention, our students will often experience a “mountaintop” kind of experience; they have a life-changing encounter with God. For a biblical example, Peter, James, and John had a mountaintop experience on an actual mountain with Jesus in the book of Mark. “[Jesus’] clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them (Mark 9:3).” Moses and Elijah show up and have a conversation with Jesus. That’s not the strangest part; a voice from heaven speaks through a cloud and says, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him (Mark 9:7b).” Can you imagine being face-to-face with this situation?
Our students’ mountaintop experiences at Youth Convention may be different than the disciples’, but their encounter with God is just as real. As their youth pastor, I get the extreme privilege to remind them of what Youth Convention was for them. Where they stood and worshiped God. Where they may have heard God speak to them for the first time. Where they received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It’s important to recall the details of those pinnacles in order to realign their relationship with God.
We can’t just live off of mountain top experiences; the objective is to use those memories to get us through our day-to-day walk with Christ. So, the challenge today is simple: reflect on your own “mountaintop” experiences with God.