Manwells host Pineview Mennonite Group

Well, we had some excitement at our place over the last couple of days. We were privileged to host a group of teens from the Pineview Mennonite Church in Vassar, MI, where Stacey's nephew Nick Seney is the Youth Minister. The group was in town to attend the "Dare2share Survive Tour." This is a distinctively Christian, non-denominational event consisting of highly motivational youth speakers and concerts. This year's Chicago event featured Speakers: Greg Stier, Derwin Gray, and Zane Black; as well as musical artists Hawk Nelson and Washington Projects. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough lead time on this to be able to involve the youth here at LCHS, however my own sons were able to take part and have given the event a ringing endorsement. That being the case, we're looking forward to the Dare2share Invincible Tour in April of 2009, and who knows, maybe we'll be hosting the Pineview group again! In the meantime, here's some more info about Dare2share, taken from their website Dare2share.org.
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The Mission:
Energizing and equipping teenagers to know, live, share and own their faith in Jesus!

The Need:
Did you know 2 out of 3 Christian teens will, according to George Barna, participate in a "graduation evacuation" from the body of Christ once they graduate high school? The problem of teenagers fleeing the church upon graduation has spiraled into a crisis.

Dare 2 Share is convinced that the answer to this crisis in Christianity lies in an aggressive initiative to transform youth ministry from reactive and entertainment-based to Great Commission-driven and Scripture-based.
Youth ministry needs to become increasingly purposeful and call students to something more.

Dare 2 Share's Answer:
We at Dare 2 Share Ministries are fully convinced that the answer lies in raising the bar spiritually for teenagers, calling them to make a difference by taking Jesus Christ and the Great Commission seriously.
The result? According to Philemon 6 when we are actively sharing our faith, we know by personal experience every good thing we have in Christ Jesus. In other words, when students begin to share their faith they begin to own their faith, instead of borrowing it from their parents and their pastors.

The driving concept behind this movement is a "calling," much like the calling Jesus gave to his disciples...a dare to share. Teens who accept the call at our events are committed to transforming their youth ministries through an aggressive and relational evangelistic thrust. These core teens become the initiators of an invitational strategy of evangelism. These students pray for their unreached friends, pursue their friends on a deeper spiritual level by bringing up God conversations with them, and persuade their friends to attend youth group consistently, believe in Jesus, connect to a tribe/clique, develop spiritually and evangelize others. We call this Deep and Wide Youth Ministry.

Dare 2 Share conferences are held each school year in key metropolitan cities across the United States that motivate and train students to reach out to those around them by living and giving the life-changing message of the gospel in a contagious epidemic of love and truth.

Why are youth ministry conferences effective?

Youth ministry conferences are an extremely effective venue for motivating and equipping students. There are at least four different reasons for this:

It is a neutral ground.
Youth ministry leaders who teach the same things in the same youth room to the same kids week after week can testify to the importance of getting their kids to some neutral ground to learn spiritual truth. There is something about getting students out of the same building and into a new climate that opens the doors to their hearts to hear and receive.

It is an electrifying atmosphere.
The atmosphere of an arena or auditorium crammed with thousands of teenagers surges and pulsates with excitement and anticipation. Before the first session ever starts students are already excited, screaming, yelling and pumped. This electrifying atmosphere prepares the way for spiritual impact.

It builds a reaffirming climate.
Over the course of a conference weekend, students build strong bonds with those in their youth ministry group(s). But they also are building an invisible bond with every student in the auditorium. They are together experiencing God and the mission he has called them to. This reaffirming climate insures positive reinforcement for teenagers when they stand to give their testimonies on the Saturday night portion of the youth ministry conference weekend. Student after student is applauded and affirmed by the teens that hear their stories.

It produces a "movement" mentality in youth ministry.
Students need to feel a part of something bigger. It is the way that God has wired them. Being a part of a conference where thousands of students gather for a common mission, many of these teenagers know for the first time in their lives that they are not alone. There is an army of students from across their city with the same passion, purpose and cause. The more students there are, the more this feeling is punctuated. The more it is punctuated, the stronger the likelihood that students on the fence will choose to be more than a spectator in the coming student awakening.

Description
A student weekend youth ministry conference that features a full-production drama, powerful worship, Biblical sessions, hands-on evangelism training, interactive games, and an afternoon outreach experience, as well as a celebration concert with a nationally recognized Christian recording artist.
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Well, so much for what they say about themselves. Now, of course, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to point out that "this ain't a Lutheran" youth event. True. But the thrust of Dare2share isn't on denominational specifics, but rather on those doctrines shared by all Christian faith groups--specifically the life-changing evangelical message of the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and the difference this makes in our lives. We COULD wait around for something Lutheran to come our way, OR we could take advantage of something like this when it comes to our own back yard and celebrate the wonderful diversity of the Body of Christ. Here's looking forward to the 2009 Dare2share Invincible Tour!