Almost 100 people put their faith in Jesus last week at Youth Encounter events across Illinois.
For the first time ever, IBSA’s annual youth evangelism event will be held in five different locations in Illinois. Youth Encounter 2018 launched last week with events in Decatur, Marion, and two locations in Chicagoland. This year’s final Youth Encounter is Nov. 11 at First Baptist Church, O’Fallon.
The first four sites hosted nearly 1,400 students and leaders, and saw almost 100 salvation decisions.
“Students are drawn to Youth Encounter,” said Andrew Nippert of Third Baptist Church, Marion. “Because here, surrounded by people their own age, they don’t feel so alone in their faith.”
For Erin Elliott, Youth Encounter was where she rededicated her life to God as a first-time attender. Now the senior from Second Baptist Church in Herrin says she enjoys the chance to worship among her peers while learning biblical truths from her elders.
Other students talked about how refreshing Youth Encounter is, and how much of a needed break the conference provides in the middle of the school semester—a time when stress is high, and the pressures of society are tempting.
“When I get back to school after Youth Encounter, I’m on a spiritual high,” said Seth Lindhorst of Third Baptist in Marion. “And I feel equipped for the rest of the semester.”
Youth Encounter is an evangelistic opportunity for hundreds of middle school to high school students to be led in worship by up-and-coming Christian artists, while being inspired and challenged by some of the top student ministry speakers in the country. The conference is also an opportunity for students who don’t know Christ to meet him. For more information about Youth Encounter, go to IBSA.org/ye2018. Look for more about this year’s events in the October 29 Illinois Baptist, online at ibonline.IBSA.org.