Today, we have a
special section for you.
00:00:34.00\00:00:39.37
We want to answer the question
00:00:39.40\00:00:41.70
where are we going and
what are we doing here.
00:00:41.74\00:00:46.54
We're going to
introduce this special section
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by introducing four
different sub themes
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to answer that question
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where are we going
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and what are we doing
here in a practical sense.
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We're going to look
at the history of GYC,
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take a look back.
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We're also going to
take a look into the future
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of some of the things
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we would like to
achieve as a movement.
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We're also going
to ask the question
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and answer the question
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how to finish the
work in this generation,
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what are the
things that we need to do
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to finish the work,
and how to stay plugged in.
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I am so excited to go
through this section with you.
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The leadership of GYC
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are going to
answer those questions.
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What is our history?
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How does our future look like?
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How to finish the work?
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And how to stay plugged in?
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Stay tuned GYC for more,
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and God is going to
bless us this New Year.
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Amen.
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Be not afraid for
I have redeemed you
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Be not afraid I
have called you by name
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When you pass through the waters
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I will be with you
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When you pass through the floods
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They will not sweep o'er you
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When you walk through the
fire You will not be consumed
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You are mine
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You are precious in my sight
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Be not afraid for
I have redeemed you
00:02:41.79\00:02:48.30
Be not afraid I
have called you by name
00:02:48.33\00:02:54.74
When you pass through the waters
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I will be with you
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When you pass through the floods
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They will not sweep o'er you
00:03:03.91\00:03:07.28
When you walk through the fire
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You will not be consumed
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You are mine you are
precious in my sight...
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My love for you is everlasting
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My love for you
shall have no end
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When you pass through the waters
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I will be with you
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When you pass through the floods
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They will not sweep o'er you
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When you walk through the fire
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You will not be consumed
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You are mine
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you are precious in my sight
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You are precious in my sight
00:04:03.47\00:04:10.38
You are precious
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In my sight
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I'm going to say something
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that they told me
not to say backstage.
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Good morning, GYC.
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So many people
have come up on stage
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and there's so many people
that say, "Good morning, GYC.
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Good morning, GYC."
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And there's a little
bit of fatigue that goes on
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with when people
say good morning.
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So one more time,
good morning, GYC.
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Good morning.
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The reason I start
off with that greeting
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is to share a
little history about GYC.
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There are only three letters
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but the context
associated with them
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has now become
vast and variegated.
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In this movement's history,
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the letters, G-Y-C,
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they were an acronym
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for the General
Youth Conference,
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for the Generation
of Youth for Christ,
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and now currently the
Generation.Youth.Christ.
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We thought putting the
dots would make us cooler.
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Call it reinventing ourselves
or adaptation for the times
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or whatever
other incredible reason
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why we changed our names,
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these three
letters have still stood
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and they stand for something
altogether irreproducible.
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The movement started
as an experiment in 2002.
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How many of you
were alive in 2002?
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How many of you
were not alive in 2002?
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Lord, have mercy on all of us.
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It's nearly 15
years ago to this weekend,
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a young group of young
adults from diverse racial
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and educational
backgrounds were inspired
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by a set of ideals
founded in Scripture
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and best illustrated
within the Adventist church.
00:06:09.20\00:06:12.13
In this exceptional
convergence of personalities,
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events, ideas,
skills, and experiences,
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the experiment
sought to be reactionary
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to the
reactionaries and progressive
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to the progressives.
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Socially disturbed
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with the critical
and derogatory attitudes
00:06:25.31\00:06:27.02
of Christ-less Adventism,
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this prototype
saw a tone centered
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on the character
message and lifestyle of Jesus.
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Cognitively dissonant
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with the contemporary
entertainment-mimicking models
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of youth and
young adult ministry,
00:06:40.56\00:06:42.23
this movement
also sought to verify
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whether young people
regardless of background
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would appreciate and respond
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to the sobering
claims of Biblical Adventism.
00:06:50.71\00:06:56.48
I'm going to read to
you an email written, typed,
00:06:56.51\00:07:01.78
"December 14, 2001,"
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email existed in
2001 before social media.
00:07:03.82\00:07:10.09
"We are living in an
exciting time period.
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And from reading
the Spirit of Prophecy,
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it's inferred that
young people will play
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an important part
in these last days.
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There are
already things happening
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that are just so exciting,
they coincide with each other,
00:07:20.20\00:07:23.27
such as SPARC,
Campus Hope @ Boston,
00:07:23.30\00:07:25.44
University of Michigan,
you know, Brown University,
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Rutgers, UVA,
UTennessee, Princeton,
00:07:27.54\00:07:29.94
and a revived renewal
happening in some members
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in Andrews and Loma Linda.
00:07:33.62\00:07:35.75
There are still 7000 who
have not bow down to Baal.
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Our vision is to unite
all these groups in America
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and create a
general youth conference.
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These would only be the serious
committed Adventist students
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coming together
once a year for one week
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and would be very different
from a retreat or camp meeting.
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We would hold that
once in the East Coast
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and the West Coast and
the Midwest or something,"
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I don't know,
like Houston, Texas.
00:07:55.94\00:07:57.27
"And only the most
willing dedicated leaders
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from all over the
country would meet
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including high school students,
00:08:00.58\00:08:01.91
collegiate, young professionals,
00:08:01.94\00:08:03.28
graduates, and young people.
00:08:03.31\00:08:05.05
Most importantly, it
would be interracial,
00:08:05.08\00:08:07.45
not out of
political correctness,
00:08:07.48\00:08:08.92
but of worship our Lord.
00:08:08.95\00:08:10.29
We want black people,
white people, Hispanic people,
00:08:10.32\00:08:13.62
yellow Asian
people, whatever have you...
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Today, you only see each
group doing their own thing.
00:08:17.39\00:08:21.83
I sincerely believe God
blesses interracial worships
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and fellowships more abundantly
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because isn't that what
heaven is supposed to be about?
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We would invite the
highest caliber of speakers
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and each one would do a
workshop for one full week.
00:08:32.74\00:08:35.48
This way, adult speakers
would be able to network
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and as well as student
fellowships other youth,
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not out of dating purposes,
00:08:40.32\00:08:41.85
but out of contacts
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and creating
guard tower stations.
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These workshops would be
00:08:45.22\00:08:46.55
like a
pseudo-school of the prophets,
00:08:46.59\00:08:48.76
where recreation
and social activities
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would be very
limited but not eliminated,
00:08:50.59\00:08:52.93
where intense Bible
studies would take place,"
00:08:52.96\00:08:55.40
and we could stay
up till ungodly hours
00:08:55.43\00:08:57.77
in the morning to
usher in the New Year.
00:08:57.80\00:08:59.73
"At this point,
it's just a vision
00:09:02.77\00:09:04.47
and we dare not
share it to anyone.
00:09:04.51\00:09:06.78
But in the midst of
contacting the speakers
00:09:06.81\00:09:08.44
and getting dates
for the winter of 2002,
00:09:08.48\00:09:10.88
we're looking for about,
00:09:10.91\00:09:12.25
I don't know, maybe
200 people might come.
00:09:12.28\00:09:16.05
I see this as the
beginning of a large movement
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with lots of work involved.
00:09:18.35\00:09:20.32
But what work
for God is not a joy?
00:09:20.36\00:09:22.12
If you think
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there is too much work ahead
or if you're just uninterested,
00:09:23.53\00:09:26.13
if you doubt the
potential, we understand.
00:09:26.16\00:09:28.13
But if not, please
tell me what you think.
00:09:28.16\00:09:31.43
And therefore,
my beloved brethren,
00:09:31.47\00:09:33.77
be steadfast, unmovable,
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always abounding in
the work of the Lord
00:09:36.60\00:09:38.27
for as much as you know
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your labor is not
in vain of the Lord,
00:09:39.67\00:09:41.94
1 Corinthians 15:58.
00:09:41.98\00:09:44.78
What was used was
instant messengers,
00:09:44.81\00:09:48.28
newly introduced cell phones,
00:09:48.32\00:09:50.59
the size of refrigerators
00:09:50.62\00:09:52.65
which had buttons
the size of ice cubes.
00:09:52.69\00:09:55.69
We had laptops the
size of battleships,
00:09:55.72\00:09:58.83
and our credit cards
had no credit on them,
00:09:58.86\00:10:01.03
because we are so poor.
00:10:01.06\00:10:03.16
What emerged was an
expanding grassroots movement
00:10:03.20\00:10:05.70
with exponential growth
within its first 5 years
00:10:05.73\00:10:08.70
from 200 to 1000 to 4000.
00:10:08.74\00:10:12.64
The growth was overwhelming
and uncontrollable."
00:10:12.67\00:10:16.24
And the greatest underestimation
00:10:16.28\00:10:18.41
upon young adults
00:10:18.45\00:10:20.42
was all these
leaders were coming to us
00:10:20.45\00:10:22.28
and saying,
"Who's in charge here?
00:10:22.32\00:10:25.75
Who's the adult
behind the scenes
00:10:25.79\00:10:28.56
that's controlling all this?"
00:10:28.59\00:10:31.29
We're in reality,
when we look back,
00:10:31.33\00:10:33.40
there was one adult in
charge, the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:10:33.43\00:10:37.23
Amen.
00:10:37.27\00:10:39.33
"Eventually, these groups
00:10:39.37\00:10:43.97
found were all
over North America
00:10:44.01\00:10:45.97
as well as
nations around the world.
00:10:46.01\00:10:47.88
The international scene
of GYC has been persistent.
00:10:47.91\00:10:50.68
Its dynamic is clear evidence
that something is happening
00:10:50.71\00:10:54.12
of which any simple
human observation can explain.
00:10:54.15\00:10:58.09
The phenomenon of GYC
00:10:58.12\00:11:00.96
is not young
people getting together,
00:11:00.99\00:11:02.72
it's not staying up,
00:11:02.76\00:11:04.09
it's not saying
the Bible altogether."
00:11:04.13\00:11:06.29
It is a set of ideals.
A set of what, everyone?
00:11:06.33\00:11:12.37
And in our world today,
00:11:12.40\00:11:14.40
ideals are mocked
00:11:14.44\00:11:18.04
and the
expectation for young people
00:11:18.07\00:11:20.78
all around the
world is far too low.
00:11:20.81\00:11:26.51
"The ideals of
scriptural fidelity,
00:11:26.55\00:11:28.78
exploration into the
historical roots of Adventism
00:11:28.82\00:11:30.99
such as the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:11:31.02\00:11:32.75
their expression of
these ideals in a practical
00:11:32.79\00:11:34.62
and modern
context for young adults,
00:11:34.66\00:11:36.79
the philosophy of excellence
00:11:36.83\00:11:38.16
and Christian
cordiality converged
00:11:38.19\00:11:39.53
into an annual
national convention,
00:11:39.56\00:11:41.50
an exploding network of
global youth conferences,
00:11:41.53\00:11:44.17
and the formal organization
00:11:44.20\00:11:45.73
and natural
growth pains of GYC."
00:11:45.77\00:11:47.77
These are all the
ideals and let me just...
00:11:47.80\00:11:49.14
Bear with me.
00:11:49.17\00:11:50.51
Bear with me on some
ideals that we have tried
00:11:50.54\00:11:52.67
to embrace over the years.
00:11:52.71\00:11:54.04
"Number one,
00:11:54.08\00:11:55.41
Church and Professional
Leadership Development,
00:11:55.44\00:11:57.18
we are seeking to empower
00:11:57.21\00:11:58.85
young adults to change
their immediate environments
00:11:58.88\00:12:01.42
in the church and
professional arenas
00:12:01.45\00:12:02.98
for the
furtherance of the Gospel."
00:12:03.02\00:12:05.45
God has given us jobs
00:12:05.49\00:12:07.39
to witness to
every single person
00:12:07.42\00:12:08.99
around our cubicles.
00:12:09.02\00:12:10.46
God has given us
mortgages, and houses,
00:12:10.49\00:12:12.43
and apartment
buildings to witness
00:12:12.46\00:12:13.80
to every single person
00:12:13.83\00:12:15.16
in our apartments
and our dormitories.
00:12:15.20\00:12:17.97
Once we finished
witnessing to them,
00:12:18.00\00:12:20.07
guess what, time to
move, time to get another job.
00:12:20.10\00:12:24.51
"Number two,
00:12:24.54\00:12:25.87
a Christ-Centered Knowledge
lifestyle and character,
00:12:25.91\00:12:28.38
to calibrate every component
00:12:28.41\00:12:30.28
of the
individual's life and lifestyle
00:12:30.31\00:12:31.78
for a heavenly trajectory."
00:12:31.81\00:12:33.15
Meaning, everything
from the things that you eat,
00:12:33.18\00:12:35.68
from your shoelaces
to screws in your glasses
00:12:35.72\00:12:38.62
must all be
calibrated to Jesus Christ.
00:12:38.65\00:12:43.12
"Number three,
00:12:43.16\00:12:44.73
understanding
the distinctive role
00:12:44.76\00:12:46.19
of Seventh-day Adventism
in Christianity's timeline,
00:12:46.23\00:12:48.86
understanding what the
word eschatology means,
00:12:48.90\00:12:51.53
and its
implications in the 21 century.
00:12:51.57\00:12:54.37
Four, a Biblical faithfulness
in application and issues,
00:12:54.40\00:12:58.01
rejecting the simplification
00:12:58.04\00:12:59.74
of theological
issues as rhetoric,
00:12:59.77\00:13:01.48
but rather applying rigorous
00:13:01.51\00:13:03.91
and spirituality to the problems
00:13:03.95\00:13:06.78
that face our church
today from Biblical perspective.
00:13:06.82\00:13:10.19
Five, the pursuit of excellence
00:13:10.22\00:13:11.55
in academia
professions and spirituality.
00:13:11.59\00:13:13.42
Number six,
radical discipleship,
00:13:13.46\00:13:15.82
going all out for Jesus.
00:13:15.86\00:13:17.63
And rather than complaining
00:13:17.66\00:13:19.09
about every little
thing in the church,
00:13:19.13\00:13:20.93
but rather saying to the Lord,
00:13:20.96\00:13:22.90
"Lord, what else, what else?"
00:13:22.93\00:13:28.60
"Seven, youth
ownership of and respect
00:13:28.64\00:13:30.37
of the Seventh-day
Adventist church leadership,
00:13:30.41\00:13:32.07
reeducating young adults
about the need for respect
00:13:32.11\00:13:35.34
the biblical organizations,
00:13:35.38\00:13:36.71
restoring hope and
providing mentoring experiences
00:13:36.75\00:13:38.91
with the current
leadership and exemplifying
00:13:38.95\00:13:40.85
how different
generations can collaborate
00:13:40.88\00:13:43.08
in today's church for tomorrow."
00:13:43.12\00:13:44.72
Basically, embodying Malachi 4.
00:13:44.75\00:13:48.22
"Number eight, true education,
rejection of groupthink,
00:13:48.26\00:13:52.16
but allowing for a format
for spacious individuality,
00:13:52.19\00:13:55.76
obedient creativity, and
craving for righteousness.
00:13:55.80\00:13:58.50
And lastly,
00:13:58.53\00:13:59.87
the experience of Jesus
Christ and righteous by faith,
00:13:59.90\00:14:03.07
underscoring, italicizing,
bolding, superscripting,
00:14:03.10\00:14:06.81
subscripting the
imperative centrality
00:14:06.84\00:14:09.84
of the one and only Jesus Christ
00:14:09.88\00:14:11.91
as Lord, King, and
High Priest of our faith."
00:14:11.95\00:14:17.39
In the end, all these ideals
are found in the spirit of GYC
00:14:17.42\00:14:20.06
found in page
five of your booklet,
00:14:20.09\00:14:21.69
in your jewelry
necklace thingy that you have.
00:14:21.72\00:14:27.10
There is nothing like the
ideal that invigorates the soul.
00:14:27.13\00:14:32.13
There is nothing like an ideal
00:14:32.17\00:14:34.37
that infuriates the soul.
00:14:34.40\00:14:39.04
This is called passion.
00:14:39.07\00:14:41.44
This is called conviction.
00:14:41.48\00:14:44.71
And whereas in
previous generations,
00:14:44.75\00:14:46.68
young adults were
sent to war to die,
00:14:46.72\00:14:49.62
different
generations stood in movements
00:14:49.65\00:14:51.99
to stand for something.
00:14:52.02\00:14:54.46
Our generation just sits down
00:14:54.49\00:14:56.73
in front of a Smartphone
liking everything around us.
00:14:56.76\00:15:02.26
GYC is a call for
something much higher than that.
00:15:02.30\00:15:08.60
Can I get an amen?
00:15:08.64\00:15:09.97
Amen.
00:15:10.01\00:15:12.84
"When combined with
truth and the Lord's blessing,
00:15:12.87\00:15:15.18
these ideals turn into grace,
00:15:15.21\00:15:20.05
amazing things happen.
00:15:20.08\00:15:22.35
With humility,
these three letters G-Y-C,
00:15:22.38\00:15:25.02
has been greatly successful
in some of these ideals
00:15:25.05\00:15:30.09
and has been quite
dilatory in other ideals.
00:15:30.13\00:15:34.96
But after 15 years,
00:15:35.00\00:15:36.33
it does not
repudiate any of these ideals.
00:15:36.36\00:15:38.63
It only sticks to affirm them,
vivify them, find new ones,
00:15:38.67\00:15:41.20
and the growth of GYC
around the world burgeoned
00:15:41.24\00:15:44.27
since its adolescent beginnings,
00:15:44.31\00:15:45.67
is clear evidence
that the Lord Jesus
00:15:45.71\00:15:48.11
is wrapping things up.
00:15:48.14\00:15:51.01
He's finishing
his anti typical work
00:15:51.05\00:15:52.81
in the second apartment
of the heavenly sanctuary
00:15:52.85\00:15:54.58
and will return to
bestow the merits of his blood
00:15:54.62\00:15:57.69
and judgment to those
who await His arrival.
00:15:57.72\00:16:01.82
Until then, may
GYC continue to yearn
00:16:01.86\00:16:05.66
for the breathing
space of the Holy Spirit
00:16:05.69\00:16:08.46
to have full confidence of
the judgment in Jesus Christ
00:16:08.50\00:16:12.70
and to fully
rely on God the Father
00:16:12.73\00:16:16.87
to inspire continued generations
00:16:16.91\00:16:19.97
of young people
for Jesus Christ.
00:16:20.01\00:16:24.01
Lord, help GYC."
00:16:24.05\00:16:27.12
Amen.
00:16:27.15\00:16:28.52
GYC desires to finish
the work in this generation.
00:16:32.32\00:16:38.03
We wanna see the Lord
come, is that your desire?
00:16:38.06\00:16:40.10
Yes.
00:16:40.13\00:16:41.46
You know, as GYC started in 2002
00:16:41.50\00:16:43.67
and continued to grow,
00:16:43.70\00:16:45.63
it went from just
the North American vision
00:16:45.67\00:16:48.64
to something that became global.
00:16:48.67\00:16:51.87
As people would come
from other countries to GYC,
00:16:51.91\00:16:54.48
they would want to take
back to their own countries
00:16:54.51\00:16:57.48
what they had experienced here.
00:16:57.51\00:16:59.98
And that's how we've
seen the growth of GYC
00:17:00.02\00:17:02.22
becoming a global movement
00:17:02.25\00:17:04.19
and not just something
localized to North America.
00:17:04.22\00:17:07.39
I have the
opportunity of explaining to you
00:17:07.42\00:17:09.16
and sharing with you a
little bit of the vision
00:17:09.19\00:17:11.09
of the
affiliates department of GYC
00:17:11.13\00:17:13.73
and how the reach is
expanding around the world.
00:17:13.76\00:17:17.20
Today, as we speak,
00:17:17.23\00:17:18.57
we now have 20 affiliates
of GYC in North America,
00:17:18.60\00:17:22.50
Canada, Central America,
and beginning in South America,
00:17:22.54\00:17:25.37
and around the
rest of the world.
00:17:25.41\00:17:27.24
And God is
raising up young people
00:17:27.28\00:17:29.58
who are excited about
00:17:29.61\00:17:30.95
the Seventh-day
Adventist message.
00:17:30.98\00:17:32.31
Amen. Amen.
00:17:32.35\00:17:33.68
They're excited
about their church,
00:17:33.72\00:17:35.05
they want to
support their leadership,
00:17:35.08\00:17:36.42
and work together to finish
the work of God on this world.
00:17:36.45\00:17:40.96
Last year, there was a group,
00:17:40.99\00:17:42.32
two young ladies who
came to GYC from Guatemala.
00:17:42.36\00:17:46.59
And as they were here at GYC,
00:17:46.63\00:17:48.06
they were
inspired with the messages
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.10
and they began to
understand that, "Man,
00:17:50.13\00:17:52.07
we need this in our country."
00:17:52.10\00:17:54.70
They went back
to their hotel rooms
00:17:54.74\00:17:57.37
and they knelt down
00:17:57.41\00:17:58.74
and they began to
plead with God for wisdom
00:17:58.77\00:18:00.68
of how to start GYC.
00:18:00.71\00:18:02.28
This is just last
year's conference.
00:18:02.31\00:18:04.78
And as they were on their
knees pleading with the Lord,
00:18:04.81\00:18:07.25
they got up
from prayer and said,
00:18:07.28\00:18:08.62
"We need to find a group
00:18:08.65\00:18:09.98
of like minded young
people in our country
00:18:10.02\00:18:11.89
who have the same burden."
00:18:11.92\00:18:13.56
So they started
sending emails, text messages.
00:18:13.59\00:18:16.36
They got back to Guatemala
00:18:16.39\00:18:18.06
and they
started to talk together
00:18:18.09\00:18:19.63
about what can we
do for our country
00:18:19.66\00:18:21.70
and our young people here.
00:18:21.73\00:18:23.87
They work together
with their local church
00:18:23.90\00:18:25.77
and they contacted GYC for
help in becoming an affiliate.
00:18:25.80\00:18:29.50
And by God's grace,
00:18:29.54\00:18:30.97
at the beginning
of December this year,
00:18:31.01\00:18:33.48
God worked in over 450 people
00:18:33.51\00:18:35.71
were in attendance at
their first convention.
00:18:35.74\00:18:38.25
As we went on outreach,
00:18:38.28\00:18:39.61
175 people signed
up for bible studies,
00:18:39.65\00:18:42.95
people are making
decisions for the Lord Jesus.
00:18:42.98\00:18:45.75
And as they completed
00:18:45.79\00:18:47.19
the process of
becoming an affiliate,
00:18:47.22\00:18:49.22
God was able to use
them there in Guatemala
00:18:49.26\00:18:53.60
to really move his work forward.
00:18:53.63\00:18:56.43
Now there maybe some
of you here from a country
00:18:56.46\00:18:58.70
that doesn't have
00:18:58.73\00:19:00.07
a large presence of young people
00:19:00.10\00:19:02.00
and you have a burden
for the young people there.
00:19:02.04\00:19:04.57
I would encourage
you to get together
00:19:04.61\00:19:06.61
with your other local youth
00:19:06.64\00:19:08.58
with your church
leadership in prayer,
00:19:08.61\00:19:10.18
how is it that
we can be faithful
00:19:10.21\00:19:12.88
in finishing the
work in this generation.
00:19:12.91\00:19:15.28
If you have any
questions, please email GYC.
00:19:15.32\00:19:17.32
We would love to help you
00:19:17.35\00:19:18.69
and assist you
in any way we can,
00:19:18.72\00:19:20.69
so that you can be a blessing
to the young people around you.
00:19:20.72\00:19:23.46
Amen. Amen.
00:19:23.49\00:19:25.46
So I'll tell...
00:19:25.49\00:19:26.83
I'm going to share like
the global impact of GYC,
00:19:26.86\00:19:29.10
I'm gonna share a
more personal impact of GYC
00:19:29.13\00:19:31.50
on my life in particular.
00:19:31.53\00:19:33.30
So this is my 11th GYC
00:19:33.34\00:19:36.30
and my experience at
each conference has been
00:19:36.34\00:19:38.97
very, very different.
00:19:39.01\00:19:40.68
At my first GYC, I reduced
it to camp meeting on steroids,
00:19:40.71\00:19:44.65
because I saw all the trappings
of traditional Adventism.
00:19:44.68\00:19:47.85
I saw the morning
devotionals, I saw the sermons,
00:19:47.88\00:19:51.19
and the modest clothing,
and the lack of real cheese,
00:19:51.22\00:19:54.79
and I thought,
00:19:54.82\00:19:56.16
you know, I'm just
going to turn my ears off
00:19:56.19\00:19:58.83
and I'm going to allow my
body to go through the motions.
00:19:58.86\00:20:02.26
And back then,
that was enough for me.
00:20:02.30\00:20:05.83
Eventually, I started to
come to GYC, half indifferent,
00:20:05.87\00:20:09.47
half interested.
00:20:09.50\00:20:11.04
I remember one GYC,
00:20:11.07\00:20:12.41
when I smuggled
00:20:12.44\00:20:13.78
the second book
of The Twilight Saga
00:20:13.81\00:20:15.41
into my luggage and I
read it in my hotel closet
00:20:15.44\00:20:18.58
while my parents were praying
00:20:18.61\00:20:20.15
just a couple feet away
from where I was hiding.
00:20:20.18\00:20:23.39
And later
during that conference,
00:20:23.42\00:20:24.75
I was very convicted to
just get rid of that book
00:20:24.79\00:20:27.12
and replace it with the Bible.
00:20:27.16\00:20:29.19
And I went home
00:20:29.22\00:20:30.56
and I was so
energized and invigorated
00:20:30.59\00:20:32.83
with this renewed sense
of my Christian identity,
00:20:32.86\00:20:35.83
my Adventists identity,
00:20:35.86\00:20:37.47
and so I started
having daily devotions
00:20:37.50\00:20:39.53
for a solid two weeks.
00:20:39.57\00:20:42.00
And back then,
00:20:42.04\00:20:44.01
that one mountain top experience
00:20:44.04\00:20:45.94
per year was enough for me.
00:20:45.97\00:20:48.81
Later, I came to GYC
with a strategy in place.
00:20:48.84\00:20:52.98
If I positioned
my purse just right,
00:20:53.01\00:20:54.92
I could play games on my
phone during morning devotions,
00:20:54.95\00:20:58.95
I could stay up late
catching up with friends
00:20:58.99\00:21:01.29
by catching up on
sleep during seminars.
00:21:01.32\00:21:04.63
I could find and enjoy
00:21:04.66\00:21:05.99
the best restaurants in the city
00:21:06.03\00:21:08.20
by missing half of
the evening plenary.
00:21:08.23\00:21:11.20
Back then, unfortunately,
that was enough for me.
00:21:11.23\00:21:15.07
I look back on
these versions of myself
00:21:15.10\00:21:17.47
as a GYC attendee and I cringe.
00:21:17.51\00:21:21.24
I hear stories of
people who come to GYC
00:21:21.28\00:21:23.91
and they're so transformed,
00:21:23.95\00:21:25.55
they're so grateful and
yet I took it for granted.
00:21:25.58\00:21:29.32
I normalized my experience
00:21:29.35\00:21:31.35
so that the power of God
could not impact my life.
00:21:31.39\00:21:35.29
But we serve a merciful God
00:21:35.32\00:21:38.13
who extends such grace
to such unworthy people
00:21:38.16\00:21:41.93
and he transforms the
ugliness of our lives.
00:21:41.96\00:21:45.60
Over the past couple years,
00:21:45.63\00:21:47.40
God has helped me transform
00:21:47.44\00:21:48.77
these very regrettable
moments of my GYC past,
00:21:48.80\00:21:51.87
to remind me of four
very profound lessons,
00:21:51.91\00:21:55.04
four lessons that GYC
was teaching me all along.
00:21:55.08\00:21:59.08
The first one,
remember to listen,
00:21:59.11\00:22:02.22
to incline your ear
00:22:02.25\00:22:04.09
and to come to
Jesus because if you hear,
00:22:04.12\00:22:07.26
your soul will
live and God will make
00:22:07.29\00:22:09.22
an everlasting
covenant with you.
00:22:09.26\00:22:12.19
Whether in a plenary, a
conversation with a friend,
00:22:12.23\00:22:14.96
something that
feels really familiar,
00:22:15.00\00:22:16.77
even insignificant,
00:22:16.80\00:22:18.13
God is there and he
can use that opportunity
00:22:18.17\00:22:21.10
as an opportunity
00:22:21.14\00:22:22.97
to reveal a more
perfect picture of himself.
00:22:23.00\00:22:25.77
But we must be
open to listening.
00:22:25.81\00:22:28.78
Number two, remember the bible,
not a Twilight book, the Bible.
00:22:28.81\00:22:33.88
That it is a lamp unto my
feet in a light to my path
00:22:33.92\00:22:37.09
that it takes
precedence above everything
00:22:37.12\00:22:39.39
because it acts as the sword
00:22:39.42\00:22:41.06
that defends us from
the forces of darkness.
00:22:41.09\00:22:44.33
Number three, remember
to be consistently faithful,
00:22:44.36\00:22:48.96
the Christian
walk is not an easy one
00:22:49.00\00:22:50.67
and it necessitates
a daily death to self.
00:22:50.70\00:22:53.67
It requires us to
take back the excitement
00:22:53.70\00:22:55.60
that we gain
from this conference
00:22:55.64\00:22:57.14
and to plug it into
our spheres of influence.
00:22:57.17\00:23:00.64
Number four,
remember to put God first,
00:23:00.68\00:23:04.41
to have no
other gods before Him,
00:23:04.45\00:23:06.88
no Gods of appetite,
00:23:06.92\00:23:08.72
no Gods of social
capital, no gods of sleep,
00:23:08.75\00:23:12.62
to put God first.
00:23:12.65\00:23:15.22
If you could relate
00:23:15.26\00:23:16.59
to any of my
past GYC experiences,
00:23:16.62\00:23:19.89
I encourage you to
remember these four reminders,
00:23:19.93\00:23:23.80
to remember to
listen, to remember the Bible,
00:23:23.83\00:23:27.00
to remember to be
consistently faithful,
00:23:27.04\00:23:29.17
and to remember
to put God first.
00:23:29.20\00:23:31.84
I encourage you to
think and reflect critically
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.94
on your GYC
experience as an attendee.
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.45
And I hope that
you can come away
00:23:37.48\00:23:39.01
from conferences
like these saying,
00:23:39.05\00:23:41.05
"This is not enough for me."
00:23:41.08\00:23:44.02
Lord, make me your instrument
and plant my feet in the way
00:23:44.05\00:23:47.26
that you would have me go.
00:23:47.29\00:23:49.02
Amen.
00:23:49.06\00:23:50.53
Amen.
00:23:50.56\00:23:52.03
You know, I really appreciate
what Shauna just shared.
00:23:52.06\00:23:55.26
I would say I
have a different story.
00:23:55.30\00:23:57.10
I wasn't raised in Adventist.
00:23:57.13\00:23:58.57
And I had never been to a
GYC and I don't like big crowds.
00:23:58.60\00:24:03.37
And so when Taylor asked me
00:24:03.41\00:24:05.67
if I could help
with the evangelism team,
00:24:05.71\00:24:08.14
I was like, "No, I
don't like big crowds."
00:24:08.18\00:24:10.55
But let me tell you
something, I have a frustration,
00:24:10.58\00:24:13.65
that frustration began
even before I was a Christian
00:24:13.68\00:24:16.85
and that was that I'm so
tired of living a normal life.
00:24:16.89\00:24:22.16
I look around and I'm like,
00:24:22.19\00:24:23.66
"What really is
the point of life?"
00:24:23.69\00:24:25.99
And, you know, you have
00:24:26.03\00:24:27.36
those deep melancholy
philosophical thoughts,
00:24:27.40\00:24:29.40
those are the ones
that I was having like,
00:24:29.43\00:24:31.40
"Am I going to really go ahead
00:24:31.43\00:24:33.23
and be that
00:24:33.27\00:24:34.60
and eventually get
married and have kids
00:24:34.64\00:24:36.74
and all this and then I die."
00:24:36.77\00:24:38.67
Fantastic.
00:24:38.71\00:24:40.04
Wrong.
00:24:40.08\00:24:41.41
So I began to think to myself
even before I was a Christian
00:24:41.44\00:24:44.05
that I have a major frustration
00:24:44.08\00:24:45.91
that life looks the
same for every single person
00:24:45.95\00:24:49.52
and what gives.
00:24:49.55\00:24:50.89
What's finally going to give?
00:24:50.92\00:24:52.25
When I became an Adventist,
I thought to myself, "Wow,
00:24:52.29\00:24:56.22
I have learned so
many Biblical truths."
00:24:56.26\00:24:58.09
Then I truly did.
00:24:58.13\00:24:59.76
And I began to have a
relationship with Jesus.
00:24:59.79\00:25:03.60
And to really believe
00:25:03.63\00:25:04.97
that there was a God
in heaven who love me
00:25:05.00\00:25:06.43
but I still was very
frustrated because guess what,
00:25:06.47\00:25:10.41
I saw no difference in
the lives of many Christians
00:25:10.44\00:25:13.78
as when I wasn't a Christian.
00:25:13.81\00:25:15.28
Does that make sense?
00:25:15.31\00:25:16.64
So I was so frustrated
and I thought to myself,
00:25:16.68\00:25:19.38
"Okay, Lord, I have one goal.
00:25:19.41\00:25:23.55
I want to change the world."
00:25:23.59\00:25:25.72
We're crazy.
00:25:25.75\00:25:27.09
And there's this
quote and I want to know
00:25:27.12\00:25:28.72
if any of you
know who says it, says,
00:25:28.76\00:25:30.09
"The people who are
crazy enough to think
00:25:30.13\00:25:31.96
they can change the world
are the ones who actually do."
00:25:31.99\00:25:35.50
Do you know who said that?
00:25:35.53\00:25:37.30
Steve Jobs said that.
00:25:37.33\00:25:39.10
Friends, he had a global...
00:25:39.13\00:25:41.07
people were mourning
the death of this man.
00:25:41.10\00:25:43.91
And I thought to myself,
00:25:43.94\00:25:45.27
"How are the men of the world
00:25:45.31\00:25:46.64
having a bigger
impact on society
00:25:46.68\00:25:48.08
than me as a Christian
00:25:48.11\00:25:49.44
who has the power
of the God in heaven."
00:25:49.48\00:25:51.88
I thought, "Okay, this
is this is out of control."
00:25:51.91\00:25:54.95
Then I started
coming to these GYCs
00:25:54.98\00:25:57.49
and I would help here and there.
00:25:57.52\00:25:59.15
And I want to tell
you something, friends,
00:25:59.19\00:26:01.02
I ran into a group of people
00:26:01.06\00:26:02.99
who are all
crazy enough to think
00:26:03.02\00:26:04.53
they can actually
change the world for Jesus.
00:26:04.56\00:26:06.90
Amen.
00:26:06.93\00:26:08.33
And I thought,
"I found my people."
00:26:08.36\00:26:12.53
I look at the leadership of GYC
00:26:12.57\00:26:14.60
and, you guys, friends,
they're very normal people.
00:26:14.64\00:26:17.41
We're very normal people.
00:26:17.44\00:26:19.01
And I look around and
all they have is a burden
00:26:19.04\00:26:21.98
and a desire to
see the Lord come soon
00:26:22.01\00:26:23.85
because you, my friends,
00:26:23.88\00:26:25.21
have the antidote
to a hurting world.
00:26:25.25\00:26:27.45
How can you keep it to yourself?
00:26:27.48\00:26:29.25
So what impact
has GYC had on me?
00:26:29.28\00:26:31.82
It's actually helped alleviate
the frustration I've had
00:26:31.85\00:26:34.22
since I was a young girl,
00:26:34.26\00:26:35.92
that you can be a part
00:26:35.96\00:26:37.29
of something much bigger
00:26:37.33\00:26:38.66
than you could
have ever imagined
00:26:38.69\00:26:40.03
that the plan God
has for your life,
00:26:40.06\00:26:41.40
don't just reach your potential,
00:26:41.43\00:26:42.76
hit your God potential.
00:26:42.80\00:26:44.67
And there are a
group of young people
00:26:44.70\00:26:46.70
who are striving to say,
00:26:46.74\00:26:48.07
"You know what,
enough is enough.
00:26:48.10\00:26:50.81
Don't live a
normal life, step out,
00:26:50.84\00:26:53.27
do something
different for Jesus."
00:26:53.31\00:26:55.11
And I looked around
and I realized, "Wow!
00:26:55.14\00:26:57.88
I've met a bunch of people
who are crazy enough to think
00:26:57.91\00:27:00.52
they can actually
change the world."
00:27:00.55\00:27:02.12
Amen.
00:27:05.75\00:27:07.12
Praise the Lord
00:27:07.16\00:27:08.49
to what has happened in the past
00:27:08.52\00:27:09.86
and how he has
impacted all of our lives.
00:27:09.89\00:27:13.80
Now we want to take a
look into the future of GYC.
00:27:13.83\00:27:18.03
So I want to ask Eric,
00:27:18.07\00:27:19.87
how does the
future look for GYC?
00:27:19.90\00:27:23.04
You know, something that keeps
00:27:23.07\00:27:24.41
the GYC executive
committee up at night
00:27:24.44\00:27:26.61
is trying to figure out
00:27:26.64\00:27:27.98
how we can reach the
world in this generation.
00:27:28.01\00:27:29.91
And I don't know about you,
00:27:29.94\00:27:31.28
but many of us
00:27:31.31\00:27:32.65
we look at the
conference and we say, "Wow,
00:27:32.68\00:27:34.02
you know, this is
a great conference,
00:27:34.05\00:27:35.58
but we can do more."
00:27:35.62\00:27:36.95
Amen. Amen.
00:27:36.99\00:27:38.32
And as we look at it
and we think and we grapple
00:27:38.35\00:27:41.09
with ministry in
trying to figure out
00:27:41.12\00:27:43.02
how to do it, we
look at our mission.
00:27:43.06\00:27:44.89
And I just want to read
a portion of our mission
00:27:44.93\00:27:47.76
for a moment.
00:27:47.80\00:27:49.83
The GYC mission
says, "There exists, today,
00:27:49.86\00:27:52.73
an army of
dedicated young people
00:27:52.77\00:27:55.10
within the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:27:55.14\00:27:57.21
who yearn to demonstrate
the Nehemiah's leadership,
00:27:57.24\00:28:00.11
Daniel's
integrity, Mary's humility,
00:28:00.14\00:28:03.38
Paul's passion for evangelism,
00:28:03.41\00:28:05.35
and Christ's love
for God and humanity.
00:28:05.38\00:28:08.25
It is the goal of GYC
00:28:08.28\00:28:09.78
and its members
to seek and galvanize
00:28:09.82\00:28:12.19
such young people.
00:28:12.22\00:28:13.56
We aim to mobilize youth
00:28:13.59\00:28:14.92
and young adult and it goes on."
00:28:14.96\00:28:16.29
And I just want to
focus on that point
00:28:16.32\00:28:18.46
where we seek
00:28:18.49\00:28:19.96
and we galvanize
youth and young adults
00:28:20.00\00:28:22.53
to get them cast
out into ministry
00:28:22.56\00:28:26.13
all throughout North
America and the world.
00:28:26.17\00:28:28.47
This last year,
00:28:28.50\00:28:29.84
we released the
GYC ambassador program.
00:28:29.87\00:28:32.47
And as part of this program,
00:28:32.51\00:28:33.84
we wanted to have
young people everywhere
00:28:33.88\00:28:35.98
being mentored
receiving leadership training
00:28:36.01\00:28:38.21
and sharing with others in a way
00:28:38.25\00:28:40.12
that would win souls for
Christ throughout the year
00:28:40.15\00:28:42.42
not just coming to a conference
00:28:42.45\00:28:44.65
and being
aspired for a couple days
00:28:44.69\00:28:46.15
and going home
and doing nothing.
00:28:46.19\00:28:48.12
So what we want
to see in the future
00:28:48.16\00:28:49.52
as we move forward
00:28:49.56\00:28:50.89
is really every young person
getting involved in our church.
00:28:50.93\00:28:53.86
We have a much
smaller group this year,
00:28:53.90\00:28:55.40
but really you are all
GYC ambassadors as well.
00:28:55.43\00:28:58.73
And we would be so thrilled
if we heard back next year,
00:28:58.77\00:29:01.87
that people just came up
to us from everywhere saying,
00:29:01.90\00:29:04.11
"I baptized this
many, I baptized this many.
00:29:04.14\00:29:06.17
I studied with this many."
00:29:06.21\00:29:07.94
We really need
to move to a place
00:29:07.98\00:29:09.74
where we have people mentoring
each other and growing.
00:29:09.78\00:29:13.28
And that's what we want to
do with the ambassador program.
00:29:13.31\00:29:16.45
Amen.
00:29:16.48\00:29:17.82
You know, John Knox was
one of the great reformers
00:29:17.85\00:29:20.02
in Great Britain.
00:29:20.06\00:29:21.39
And Ellen White says
00:29:21.42\00:29:22.76
in The Great
Controversy about him that,
00:29:22.79\00:29:24.33
"He feared not the face of men,
00:29:24.36\00:29:26.73
the fires of
martyrdom blazing around him
00:29:26.76\00:29:29.10
served only to quicken his
seal to greater intensity."
00:29:29.13\00:29:32.97
He was a man of prayer,
00:29:33.00\00:29:34.57
and men of
prayer are men of power.
00:29:34.60\00:29:38.11
In the book, Evangelism,
00:29:38.14\00:29:39.47
she continues
talking about John Knox,
00:29:39.51\00:29:41.28
and she says,
00:29:41.31\00:29:42.64
"If we have the
interest that John Knox
00:29:42.68\00:29:44.31
had when he pleaded
before God for Scotland,
00:29:44.35\00:29:47.58
we shall have success."
00:29:47.62\00:29:49.12
He cried, his
prayer, "I must have souls.
00:29:49.15\00:29:53.32
I will never
give up the struggle.
00:29:53.36\00:29:55.32
We shall find that God
00:29:55.36\00:29:56.69
will look upon our
efforts with favor."
00:29:56.73\00:29:58.06
When we pray like that."
00:29:58.09\00:29:59.46
And he prayed,
00:29:59.49\00:30:00.83
"Lord, give me
Scotland or I die."
00:30:00.86\00:30:04.93
You know, within
GYC leadership circles
00:30:04.97\00:30:07.10
for many years,
00:30:07.14\00:30:08.47
there has been a
ghost floating around.
00:30:08.50\00:30:10.04
And before you have a false idea
00:30:10.07\00:30:11.41
of what I'm talking
about, this ghost is an idea.
00:30:11.44\00:30:14.71
It is the idea of
having young people
00:30:14.74\00:30:18.21
descend upon a country
00:30:18.25\00:30:20.62
and taking over a country
00:30:20.65\00:30:23.08
not in a political sense
but in a spiritual sense.
00:30:23.12\00:30:26.15
Imagine
thousands or just hundreds,
00:30:26.19\00:30:28.92
God can do use any one.
00:30:28.96\00:30:30.29
Descend...
00:30:30.33\00:30:31.66
Of young people...
00:30:31.69\00:30:33.03
Descending upon one country
and knocking on every door
00:30:33.06\00:30:36.33
getting into every
home of that country,
00:30:36.36\00:30:38.27
we believe these
things are possible
00:30:38.30\00:30:39.63
in the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:30:39.67\00:30:41.94
What would God do
00:30:41.97\00:30:43.30
if we start to
pray like John Knox,
00:30:43.34\00:30:45.77
"Give me America or I die.
00:30:45.81\00:30:48.08
Give me Russia or I die.
00:30:48.11\00:30:51.15
Give me Indonesia or I die.
00:30:51.18\00:30:53.45
Give me the
Middle East or I die.
00:30:53.48\00:30:55.92
Give me my city or I
die. Give me my neighborhood.
00:30:55.95\00:30:58.55
Give me my family.
00:30:58.59\00:30:59.92
Give me my friends
and my enemies or I die."
00:30:59.95\00:31:02.96
We need to be radically sold out
00:31:02.99\00:31:04.66
for the Lord's service
00:31:04.69\00:31:06.03
and we believe as
GYC as going forward
00:31:06.06\00:31:07.70
into the future
00:31:07.73\00:31:09.06
that we will see
great things happening
00:31:09.10\00:31:10.83
when we pray prayers like this.
00:31:10.87\00:31:12.67
So pray for us, we
are praying for you,
00:31:12.70\00:31:15.07
and let us dream big for God.
00:31:15.10\00:31:17.11
And let us devote our
lives to service to him.
00:31:17.14\00:31:20.31
Amen.
00:31:20.34\00:31:21.68
I want to tell you, friends,
00:31:21.71\00:31:23.04
no man is bigger
than his prayer life.
00:31:23.08\00:31:25.48
Amen.
00:31:25.51\00:31:26.85
And we need to dream big
because we have a big God.
00:31:26.88\00:31:29.15
So thank you so
much, Eric and Jonathan.
00:31:29.18\00:31:31.89
And at this time,
00:31:31.92\00:31:33.25
we want to look into
how do we finish the work,
00:31:33.29\00:31:36.89
what is it that is left
in order for this generation
00:31:36.93\00:31:41.06
to finish the work.
00:31:41.10\00:31:42.43
So I want to invite
some more of my friends here
00:31:42.46\00:31:44.30
to come up with me.
00:31:44.33\00:31:47.30
Eric, you're
already here with me.
00:31:47.34\00:31:50.17
As we're going to be joined here
00:31:50.21\00:31:51.61
by some more of my friends,
00:31:51.64\00:31:53.68
we're gonna talk about
what is it that is left
00:31:53.71\00:31:56.64
in order to finish the work
00:31:56.68\00:31:58.15
because we want to
be all about mission.
00:31:58.18\00:32:00.98
Amen.
00:32:01.02\00:32:03.75
That was so weak.
00:32:03.79\00:32:05.82
Amen.
00:32:05.85\00:32:08.76
Elder Randy Skeete says,
00:32:08.79\00:32:10.83
"The angels, the universe
is watching us right now,
00:32:10.86\00:32:13.53
we want to be
all about mission."
00:32:13.56\00:32:16.50
Amen.
00:32:16.53\00:32:18.93
So what is left
to finish the work?
00:32:18.97\00:32:21.24
You know, the very
first step is absolute, total,
00:32:21.27\00:32:25.17
radical surrender.
00:32:25.21\00:32:26.88
More than anything else,
00:32:26.91\00:32:28.24
if we don't come to the place
00:32:28.28\00:32:29.61
where we're saying,
"Lord, all of me is yours."
00:32:29.64\00:32:32.41
What are we doing?
00:32:32.45\00:32:33.78
You know, the moment
00:32:33.82\00:32:35.15
we keep a
little room, or closet,
00:32:35.18\00:32:37.25
or drawer in our
lives that is just left,
00:32:37.29\00:32:39.29
and that's not God's
space, it's our space,
00:32:39.32\00:32:41.56
so that's the devil
space, so that's whatever space.
00:32:41.59\00:32:44.86
How can we
expect to move forward
00:32:44.89\00:32:46.66
in radical mission for God?
00:32:46.70\00:32:49.40
You know, the Bible is
really, it talks about this,
00:32:49.43\00:32:51.93
Jesus said, "If anyone
desires to come after me,
00:32:51.97\00:32:54.97
let him deny himself
00:32:55.00\00:32:56.34
and take up his
cross daily and follow me."
00:32:56.37\00:33:00.01
My surrender today is different
from my surrender tomorrow.
00:33:00.04\00:33:02.54
It's going to grow over time.
00:33:02.58\00:33:03.98
And at each and
every step as I surrender,
00:33:04.01\00:33:06.48
and God looks at me
00:33:06.51\00:33:07.85
and he covers me
in His righteousness,
00:33:07.88\00:33:09.22
he sees in me Christ perfection,
00:33:09.25\00:33:12.89
because I'm
surrendered in following him
00:33:12.92\00:33:14.66
with all that I've got.
00:33:14.69\00:33:16.76
You know, Desire of
Ages, 523 Paragraph 3 says,
00:33:16.79\00:33:19.89
"Self surrender is the substance
00:33:19.93\00:33:21.66
of the teachings of Christ."
00:33:21.70\00:33:24.37
Acts, the Apostles
51 paragraph 2 says,
00:33:24.40\00:33:27.10
"Holiness is not rapture,
00:33:27.14\00:33:28.47
it is an entire
surrender of the will to God."
00:33:28.50\00:33:32.21
And in Faith and
Works, page 100 says,
00:33:32.24\00:33:33.84
"God requires
the entire surrender
00:33:33.88\00:33:36.14
of the heart."
00:33:36.18\00:33:37.98
This is what it is all about.
00:33:38.01\00:33:39.45
If we don't come to the place
where we're willing to say,
00:33:39.48\00:33:41.52
"Lord, I'm yours,"
00:33:41.55\00:33:43.69
how can we expect to
have victory in our lives?
00:33:43.72\00:33:45.55
How can we expect to
move forward in the areas
00:33:45.59\00:33:47.96
that God has
given us to minister?
00:33:47.99\00:33:49.36
How can we expect to be able
00:33:49.39\00:33:51.19
to inspire others to follow him,
00:33:51.23\00:33:53.26
if they see the
hypocrisy is in our own lives?
00:33:53.29\00:33:55.96
And so truly,
00:33:56.00\00:33:57.33
this last year has
been a journey for me,
00:33:57.37\00:33:58.97
the last couple of years really,
00:33:59.00\00:34:00.34
as I study this
theme of surrender,
00:34:00.37\00:34:01.90
I see it everywhere.
00:34:01.94\00:34:03.61
And I think that
as you spend the time
00:34:03.64\00:34:05.17
and maybe look for
that theme in scripture,
00:34:05.21\00:34:06.78
you'll see the same thing.
00:34:06.81\00:34:08.98
Because you can have
victories over little things
00:34:09.01\00:34:12.85
but when you're
holding yourself back,
00:34:12.88\00:34:14.22
God can't release all
his power in the same way
00:34:14.25\00:34:16.55
that he can when you
say, "Lord, I'm yours."
00:34:16.58\00:34:18.59
So that's my
challenge to you, GYC,
00:34:18.62\00:34:21.12
say, "Lord, here I am
100% surrendered to you."
00:34:21.16\00:34:25.63
Amen. Amen.
00:34:25.66\00:34:27.00
And part of that
means surrendered
00:34:27.03\00:34:28.73
is to continue to grow
more and more like Jesus
00:34:28.76\00:34:31.53
every single day.
00:34:31.57\00:34:33.00
But how do we do that?
00:34:33.03\00:34:34.77
Someone once asked me,
00:34:34.80\00:34:36.14
"How long do you
think GYC is going to last?"
00:34:36.17\00:34:38.41
And off the top of my head
00:34:38.44\00:34:39.84
I just
corresponded, "Well, five days."
00:34:39.87\00:34:42.08
And they're like, "No, no, no.
00:34:42.11\00:34:44.55
How long do you
think GYC is gonna last?"
00:34:44.58\00:34:48.12
And it's a question I
never thought about before
00:34:48.15\00:34:50.02
but I realized that, GYC,
00:34:50.05\00:34:52.19
the movement could end tomorrow,
00:34:52.22\00:34:57.03
if none of us do anything
about caring for the spirit.
00:34:57.06\00:35:01.56
It could end tomorrow,
00:35:01.60\00:35:02.93
if we choose
not to get training,
00:35:02.96\00:35:04.30
if we can choose to be
content with mediocrity,
00:35:04.33\00:35:06.70
if we choose to be
content with what we have now.
00:35:06.74\00:35:10.81
But we have to continue
00:35:10.84\00:35:12.41
to search for
Jesus and His Word.
00:35:12.44\00:35:15.11
We have to continue.
00:35:15.14\00:35:16.48
And maybe for some of you,
00:35:16.51\00:35:17.85
that's going to a
place like Salt or Souls West
00:35:17.88\00:35:20.18
For some of you,
00:35:20.22\00:35:21.55
that maybe even
getting a theology degree
00:35:21.58\00:35:23.32
or a higher theology degree.
00:35:23.35\00:35:25.35
And for some of you,
some of the people like me,
00:35:25.39\00:35:28.16
maybe just going to
your pastor, your teacher,
00:35:28.19\00:35:30.33
or spiritual mentor and saying,
00:35:30.36\00:35:31.79
"Hey I want to
become more like Jesus.
00:35:31.83\00:35:34.20
Will you study
the Bible with me?"
00:35:34.23\00:35:36.20
Whatever that is for you,
00:35:36.23\00:35:37.93
God is calling each and
every one of us to grow,
00:35:37.97\00:35:40.84
to not be content
with our knowledge
00:35:40.87\00:35:42.64
of the Bible right now,
00:35:42.67\00:35:44.41
but to be like
Jesus ever growing,
00:35:44.44\00:35:45.94
ever learning.
00:35:45.97\00:35:47.31
And to take the knowledge
00:35:47.34\00:35:48.68
that we have and
continue to use it for His glory
00:35:48.71\00:35:51.65
because in the end
that's what's going to matter.
00:35:51.68\00:35:53.38
In the end, are
you going to look back?
00:35:53.42\00:35:55.38
Am I going to look back
at my life and say, "Wow,
00:35:55.42\00:35:58.45
I lived a life in
spiritual mediocrity."
00:35:58.49\00:36:01.92
Or we're gonna say,
"Wow, praise the Lord."
00:36:01.96\00:36:04.93
I know more and more each
and every day about my Jesus.
00:36:04.96\00:36:09.20
So if you need information
on how to get more training,
00:36:09.23\00:36:11.83
you can email us
and will direct you
00:36:11.87\00:36:13.94
to the places that
are best fit for you
00:36:13.97\00:36:15.54
and your needs.
00:36:15.57\00:36:16.91
I'm at info@gycweb.org.
00:36:16.94\00:36:20.31
So continue to grow in Jesus.
00:36:20.34\00:36:24.91
I have a story for you.
00:36:24.95\00:36:26.45
It was about six years ago
that I became an Adventist.
00:36:26.48\00:36:31.29
And I was the only
Adventist in my family but I...
00:36:31.32\00:36:34.59
if you guys know me
and my little brother,
00:36:34.62\00:36:36.79
he's 6 feet, so my
little big brother.
00:36:36.83\00:36:39.23
He was not a Christian
and he was living a life
00:36:39.26\00:36:42.06
that made me think
00:36:42.10\00:36:43.43
I can't imagine going
to heaven without him.
00:36:43.47\00:36:46.23
And I began to get this
huge burden for my friends
00:36:46.27\00:36:49.07
and my family,
can anyone relate?
00:36:49.10\00:36:51.37
You want to see
them in heaven with you.
00:36:51.41\00:36:53.41
And he was crazy doing
the things of the world.
00:36:53.44\00:36:56.95
And I remember
thinking to myself,
00:36:56.98\00:36:58.48
I read in Matthew 6:7,
00:36:58.51\00:37:01.98
it says, "When you pray,"
00:37:02.02\00:37:03.45
not if you pray
but when you pray.
00:37:03.49\00:37:05.39
And then later on,
in the chapter verse 16,
00:37:05.42\00:37:07.79
it says, "When you fast,"
00:37:07.82\00:37:09.72
not if you pray and if you fast,
00:37:09.76\00:37:11.73
but when you pray
and when you fast,
00:37:11.76\00:37:13.93
you start to see the
workings of God happen.
00:37:13.96\00:37:16.93
So I thought I'm going to commit
00:37:16.97\00:37:18.30
one day a week
indefinitely until Joey,
00:37:18.33\00:37:21.74
my younger brother
becomes a Christian
00:37:21.77\00:37:23.10
and I'm gonna pray
00:37:23.14\00:37:24.47
and fast for
him every Wednesday.
00:37:24.51\00:37:26.11
And I began to plead with
God for my friends and my family
00:37:26.14\00:37:29.04
once a week
00:37:29.08\00:37:30.41
especially Joey that the
Lord would bring him to him.
00:37:30.45\00:37:33.72
And I remember one
night, I went into his room
00:37:33.75\00:37:36.08
and I sat on his
bed and I prayed,
00:37:36.12\00:37:37.59
because he was out
partying and doing his thing.
00:37:37.62\00:37:39.85
And I sat on his
bed and I was like,
00:37:39.89\00:37:41.62
"I don't even know how to pray
00:37:41.66\00:37:42.99
but God help him
like not to sleep.
00:37:43.02\00:37:44.66
I just really want to
see my younger brother
00:37:44.69\00:37:46.66
in the kingdom
of heaven with me."
00:37:46.70\00:37:48.20
I don't even
want to go to heaven
00:37:48.23\00:37:49.56
if he's not there.
00:37:49.60\00:37:50.93
The thought is
too heartbreaking.
00:37:50.97\00:37:52.30
God reminded me
00:37:52.33\00:37:53.67
that he shares
the same heartache
00:37:53.70\00:37:55.04
that I was having.
00:37:55.07\00:37:56.40
Three weeks later,
00:37:56.44\00:37:57.77
my brother comes into
my room and he's like,
00:37:57.81\00:37:59.14
"Man, I haven't
been sleeping good."
00:37:59.17\00:38:01.34
And I was like,
"Oh, well since when?"
00:38:01.38\00:38:04.05
And he begins to recount
that he was around the time
00:38:04.08\00:38:05.88
that I had prayed.
00:38:05.91\00:38:07.25
Friends, I have three
pieces of advice for you
00:38:07.28\00:38:09.05
in reaching your
friends and family.
00:38:09.08\00:38:10.42
Number one, pray,
consistently pray.
00:38:10.45\00:38:12.92
Number two, fast.
00:38:12.95\00:38:14.86
Tell the Lord, they're worth
being in the Kingdom of Heaven
00:38:14.89\00:38:17.03
whatever it takes.
00:38:17.06\00:38:18.39
Number three, practical,
consistent, loving character.
00:38:18.43\00:38:22.03
Be consistent around
your friends and family,
00:38:22.06\00:38:24.13
you will see God
work through the weapons
00:38:24.17\00:38:25.93
that He's given us to
fight in this warfare.
00:38:25.97\00:38:27.74
Amen.
00:38:27.77\00:38:29.10
And God will bless you
as you engage in evangelism.
00:38:29.14\00:38:32.34
The Spirit of Prophecy says,
00:38:32.37\00:38:33.71
"The Church of Christ
has been organized on earth
00:38:33.74\00:38:35.84
for missionary purposes.
00:38:35.88\00:38:37.71
We are privileged to
become missionaries for God."
00:38:37.75\00:38:40.02
Why do we
emphasize this so much?
00:38:40.05\00:38:42.48
Because God works
00:38:42.52\00:38:43.85
through the work
of evangelism in us,
00:38:43.89\00:38:46.19
He changes us
00:38:46.22\00:38:47.56
as we do service for
others as we share Christ.
00:38:47.59\00:38:50.86
It's part of his plan
to make us like Jesus.
00:38:50.89\00:38:54.36
And so as we
engage in evangelism,
00:38:54.40\00:38:56.67
I want to encourage you.
00:38:56.70\00:38:58.67
Desire of Ages, page 195 says,
00:38:58.70\00:39:00.40
"Every true disciple is born
00:39:00.44\00:39:02.30
into the kingdom of
God as a missionary."
00:39:02.34\00:39:05.97
We are all missionaries.
00:39:06.01\00:39:07.34
Listen carefully
here, evangelism,
00:39:07.38\00:39:10.38
the sharing of truth
00:39:10.41\00:39:12.25
is not an event
it is a lifestyle.
00:39:12.28\00:39:15.75
It is a continual work
00:39:15.78\00:39:17.55
where we constantly
arise and shine as our theme
00:39:17.59\00:39:20.49
is going to be next year
00:39:20.52\00:39:21.86
where we share
with others the truth,
00:39:21.89\00:39:23.96
the love of Christ
through words, actions,
00:39:23.99\00:39:27.03
through literature,
there are so many ways.
00:39:27.06\00:39:29.06
You don't have
to be a Mark Finley,
00:39:29.10\00:39:30.80
you don't have to be a
great pastor preaching,
00:39:30.83\00:39:33.67
you have gifts, you have words,
00:39:33.70\00:39:36.40
you can speak,
you can do things,
00:39:36.44\00:39:38.71
you can invite
people, there is so many ways.
00:39:38.74\00:39:42.54
Evangelism, it's
not a spiritual gift.
00:39:42.58\00:39:46.75
Evangelism is
not a spiritual gift.
00:39:46.78\00:39:49.65
It is a calling.
00:39:49.68\00:39:52.15
None of us have
the gift of evangelism.
00:39:52.19\00:39:56.09
We all have a calling. Amen.
00:39:56.12\00:39:58.19
And we can use our gifts
that we have for evangelism.
00:39:58.23\00:40:01.26
I want to encourage you,
friends, share the truth.
00:40:01.30\00:40:03.73
There are so many
things you could do.
00:40:03.77\00:40:05.30
For example, write
down your personal testimony
00:40:05.33\00:40:08.00
in just a brief
one-minute paragraph.
00:40:08.04\00:40:10.71
Write it down. How
did you meet Jesus?
00:40:10.74\00:40:12.77
What has Jesus done for you?
How has it changed your life?
00:40:12.81\00:40:15.14
And why do you love Jesus?
00:40:15.18\00:40:16.51
Memorize this
one-minute testimony
00:40:16.54\00:40:18.65
and share it with somebody.
00:40:18.68\00:40:20.22
Have it always
ready, have it with you.
00:40:20.25\00:40:23.08
What do I have in my hand here?
00:40:23.12\00:40:24.52
A glow track.
00:40:24.55\00:40:25.89
A glow track head
with you glow tracks.
00:40:25.92\00:40:27.36
Be ready at all times.
Have a sharing book with you.
00:40:27.39\00:40:30.16
There are so many opportunities,
00:40:30.19\00:40:31.53
pray for divine appointments.
00:40:31.56\00:40:32.96
I promise you God will bless you
00:40:32.99\00:40:34.56
with amazing experiences.
00:40:34.60\00:40:36.93
I want to encourage you,
00:40:36.97\00:40:38.57
give your life to
Jesus in evangelism service,
00:40:38.60\00:40:42.00
it is our calling that we
have as Seventh-day Adventists
00:40:42.04\00:40:44.51
in his last days.
00:40:44.54\00:40:45.87
Amen.
00:40:45.91\00:40:48.01
How many of you had
a very difficult 2016?
00:40:48.04\00:40:51.91
I know I did.
00:40:51.95\00:40:53.28
And you know what,
00:40:53.31\00:40:54.82
as I was thinking
about it this morning,
00:40:54.85\00:40:56.45
I decided that we can be
part of the solution to 2016,
00:40:56.48\00:41:00.06
you know how?
00:41:00.09\00:41:01.42
Let us reach
the unreached areas.
00:41:01.46\00:41:02.96
The Bible tells us
that Jesus will come
00:41:02.99\00:41:06.06
when the Gospel has
reached the entire globe.
00:41:06.09\00:41:08.93
That includes areas
like the Middle East,
00:41:08.96\00:41:11.13
that includes
areas like North Africa,
00:41:11.17\00:41:13.03
like China, like North Korea,
00:41:13.07\00:41:14.80
we must reach
all of these areas.
00:41:14.84\00:41:17.31
Friends, in order
for Jesus to come,
00:41:17.34\00:41:19.51
and you know what,
00:41:19.54\00:41:20.88
I don't want to get
into the theology of it,
00:41:20.91\00:41:23.18
but we can hasten
the coming of Christ
00:41:23.21\00:41:26.51
by reaching the unreached areas.
00:41:26.55\00:41:28.32
Amen.
00:41:28.35\00:41:29.98
So I invite you to
diligently pray about it.
00:41:30.02\00:41:33.05
I know that God does not
call all of us to go abroad
00:41:33.09\00:41:36.19
but I also know
that he has called
00:41:36.22\00:41:38.19
more than those that are going.
00:41:38.23\00:41:40.40
And so pray about it.
00:41:40.43\00:41:41.76
See if God is
calling you to go abroad.
00:41:41.80\00:41:44.50
And if he is calling you,
00:41:44.53\00:41:45.87
I invite you to
answer immediately,
00:41:45.90\00:41:48.37
lest you lose the blessing
00:41:48.40\00:41:49.74
that God has in store for you.
00:41:49.77\00:41:51.11
Amen. Let us pray.
00:41:51.14\00:41:54.51
How many of you have
ever wanted to do something
00:41:54.54\00:41:57.61
but didn't feel able to?
00:41:57.65\00:41:59.75
Please show off hands.
00:41:59.78\00:42:01.85
Definitely been
in that boat before.
00:42:01.88\00:42:04.25
It's very easy to let our age
00:42:04.29\00:42:06.92
define our limits of
what we can and cannot do.
00:42:06.96\00:42:10.49
But the Bible
says in 1 Timothy 4:12,
00:42:10.53\00:42:13.19
"Let no one look
down on your youthfulness,
00:42:13.23\00:42:15.86
but rather in speech, conduct,
love, faith, and purity.
00:42:15.90\00:42:20.97
Show yourself an
example of those who believe."
00:42:21.00\00:42:25.47
God has called us
to do something, GYC,
00:42:25.51\00:42:28.24
God has called us.
00:42:28.28\00:42:29.61
And we see examples of
this throughout the Bible.
00:42:29.64\00:42:31.21
We see Joseph and
Daniel and Timothy
00:42:31.25\00:42:32.85
and many others
00:42:32.88\00:42:34.22
who did not allow
their situations to limit
00:42:34.25\00:42:36.22
what they felt God
was calling them to do.
00:42:36.25\00:42:39.22
I fully believe that
we have the opportunity
00:42:39.25\00:42:41.79
to see Christ come
in this generation.
00:42:41.82\00:42:44.56
But for this to happen,
00:42:44.59\00:42:45.96
we just need to be
working in the work
00:42:45.99\00:42:47.33
that we have been
called to do through Christ.
00:42:47.36\00:42:51.57
We serve a perfect God
00:42:51.60\00:42:53.23
and one of our goals should
be to reflect his character
00:42:53.27\00:42:55.84
to all we come in contact with.
00:42:55.87\00:42:57.87
As a result, we should strive
00:42:57.91\00:42:59.24
for excellence
in all that we do.
00:42:59.27\00:43:01.41
And anything that
God has called us to do,
00:43:01.44\00:43:04.01
we should be striving to do
it as best as we possibly can.
00:43:04.05\00:43:08.62
God can do great
things through us, GYC,
00:43:08.65\00:43:11.05
if we give our
lives to Him and allow Him
00:43:11.09\00:43:13.05
to work through us.
00:43:13.09\00:43:14.42
That is the only way
00:43:14.46\00:43:15.79
we're going to be
able to finish the work
00:43:15.82\00:43:17.16
that he has called us to do.
00:43:17.19\00:43:18.53
Amen.
00:43:18.56\00:43:19.89
You know, GYC...
00:43:23.73\00:43:25.27
How long,
00:43:28.77\00:43:31.41
how long will we love the world
00:43:31.44\00:43:36.21
more than heaven?
00:43:36.24\00:43:37.58
You know, there's one
thing that I think we lack,
00:43:40.52\00:43:45.05
that I might lack,
00:43:45.09\00:43:47.69
and that is the
desire to see Jesus come.
00:43:47.72\00:43:52.93
Maybe we say, "Yes, I
want to see Jesus come.
00:43:52.96\00:43:55.30
I really...
00:43:55.33\00:43:56.67
Oh, the second
coming, halleluiah.
00:43:56.70\00:44:00.34
But, Lord, wait for
me to get married first.
00:44:00.37\00:44:04.17
Lord, wait for me
to enjoy my retirement.
00:44:04.21\00:44:06.54
Lord, wait for
me to get that car,
00:44:06.57\00:44:08.51
wait for me to
get that education,
00:44:08.54\00:44:10.35
wait for me to get that child.
00:44:10.38\00:44:13.05
Lord, I want you to come,
but just wait a little bit."
00:44:13.08\00:44:16.82
You know, friends,
this world is hopeless.
00:44:20.46\00:44:24.99
If it is not for Jesus Christ,
00:44:28.26\00:44:32.10
it is our only hope.
00:44:32.13\00:44:34.84
Christ's righteousness.
00:44:34.87\00:44:39.14
When I look at the future
of our movement of our church,
00:44:39.17\00:44:44.01
of our world,
00:44:44.05\00:44:45.81
we need to be in the Word of God
00:44:45.85\00:44:48.82
like never before.
00:44:48.85\00:44:50.19
Amen.
00:44:50.22\00:44:51.55
We need to be sold up for
mission like never before.
00:44:51.59\00:44:54.09
We need to love one
another as brothers and sisters
00:44:54.12\00:44:57.43
in Christ like never before,
00:44:57.46\00:45:00.36
for the devil
wants to divide us.
00:45:00.40\00:45:02.36
The future of GYC and the future
00:45:02.40\00:45:05.07
I believe of our movement
00:45:05.10\00:45:08.54
lies in our communion with God
00:45:08.57\00:45:12.87
and our love for soul winning.
00:45:12.91\00:45:17.28
You know, some people say,
"Evangelism does not work."
00:45:17.31\00:45:19.91
But I tell you what,
00:45:19.95\00:45:21.28
evangelism does not
work, if you don't work at it.
00:45:21.32\00:45:25.92
And we as young
people can do a better work
00:45:25.95\00:45:29.49
at reaching our peers
than any age group can do.
00:45:29.52\00:45:33.16
Did you know,
00:45:36.36\00:45:38.73
if a person was baptizing,
00:45:38.77\00:45:41.44
let's say 1,000 people a day.
00:45:41.47\00:45:45.34
And there was another person
00:45:45.37\00:45:47.14
that was winning one soul a year
00:45:47.18\00:45:50.45
and teaching that one
soul how to win another soul.
00:45:50.48\00:45:55.82
So you have one
00:45:55.85\00:45:57.59
who is baptizing
1,000 souls a day,
00:45:57.62\00:45:59.75
just bam, bam, bam,
1,000, 1,000, 1,000.
00:45:59.79\00:46:03.22
You have another one
00:46:03.26\00:46:04.59
who is focusing
on one soul a year
00:46:04.63\00:46:07.36
and teaching that one soul
00:46:07.40\00:46:09.36
to be rightly trained
on how to win another soul,
00:46:09.40\00:46:12.47
and he too is
winning another soul.
00:46:12.50\00:46:14.87
Guess, how long will it be
till he reaches that person
00:46:14.90\00:46:18.64
that is baptizing 1,000 souls?
00:46:18.67\00:46:23.51
Any guess? Just raise your hand.
00:46:23.55\00:46:28.82
Thirty years.
00:46:28.85\00:46:30.19
About 30 years,
even less than 30 years.
00:46:30.22\00:46:35.39
For that person that
is focusing on one soul,
00:46:35.42\00:46:38.26
training that one soul
how to win another soul,
00:46:38.29\00:46:41.10
less than 30 years,
00:46:41.13\00:46:43.30
he will catch up to that person
00:46:43.33\00:46:44.90
that is baptizing
1,000 souls a day.
00:46:44.93\00:46:48.40
This is my point.
We are not one here.
00:46:51.57\00:46:56.85
We are more than one.
00:46:56.88\00:46:59.35
And if we got serious
about wanting to see Jesus come
00:46:59.38\00:47:04.75
and if we truly love
our neighbor as ourselves,
00:47:04.79\00:47:09.66
we could literally finish
the work in this generation.
00:47:09.69\00:47:12.89
Amen.
00:47:12.93\00:47:15.36
In no less than
five or whatever years,
00:47:15.40\00:47:17.77
I'm not date setting here,
00:47:17.80\00:47:19.43
that is not what the
Lord has called us to do.
00:47:19.47\00:47:23.20
But what I am telling you
00:47:23.24\00:47:25.04
is that we really
can finish the work.
00:47:25.07\00:47:29.21
How many of you have
somebody in your heart
00:47:29.24\00:47:31.45
that you truly want to see
won over through the Gospel?
00:47:31.48\00:47:36.35
My friend, this is the
first thing I ask of you,
00:47:36.38\00:47:39.05
pray for that person, and
make it your goal in 2017.
00:47:39.09\00:47:43.83
Maybe you have never given
a Bible study, that's okay.
00:47:43.86\00:47:47.23
The women at the well
00:47:47.26\00:47:48.60
had never given a
Bible study before,
00:47:48.63\00:47:50.17
but she got the entire village.
00:47:50.20\00:47:52.77
Amen.
00:47:52.80\00:47:54.97
But be serious about your faith,
00:47:55.00\00:47:58.47
be serious about Jesus Christ,
00:47:58.51\00:48:01.51
and pray for that
person you have in your heart.
00:48:01.54\00:48:04.95
Win them over to the Gospel,
00:48:04.98\00:48:07.22
use the training
you got at this GYC
00:48:07.25\00:48:09.78
to be a missionary everywhere.
00:48:09.82\00:48:14.62
I have a burden for
cross-cultural outreach.
00:48:14.66\00:48:20.23
Here in the United
States, we have unreached areas,
00:48:20.26\00:48:25.00
places in the world
00:48:25.03\00:48:26.97
where the Gospel
cannot go officially,
00:48:27.00\00:48:29.44
and they are present
here in the thousands,
00:48:29.47\00:48:31.51
and what are we doing about it?
00:48:31.54\00:48:34.28
We're sending missionaries
over to those places.
00:48:34.31\00:48:36.75
Well, we have
thousands here we can reach to.
00:48:36.78\00:48:39.71
My friend, I'm telling
you they are our brothers
00:48:39.75\00:48:42.55
and our sisters.
00:48:42.58\00:48:44.12
Amen.
00:48:44.15\00:48:45.49
And Jesus sees them as
equal value as any of us.
00:48:45.52\00:48:51.63
Each one, reach
one, train, pray,
00:48:51.66\00:48:56.26
it's not about the numbers.
00:48:56.30\00:48:58.83
It's about the
heart and the motive.
00:48:58.87\00:49:02.30
Ellen G White
has a beautiful quote
00:49:02.34\00:49:03.97
I want to leave with you.
00:49:04.01\00:49:06.84
She says, "Success in this work
00:49:06.88\00:49:08.41
does not depend
upon men's talents
00:49:08.44\00:49:11.88
but upon pureness of purpose."
00:49:11.91\00:49:15.88
GYC exists and we pray
00:49:15.92\00:49:19.22
that we will have a pure purpose
00:49:19.25\00:49:21.72
to truly see Jesus
come in our generation.
00:49:21.76\00:49:26.26
Are you tired of
this world, my friend?
00:49:26.29\00:49:27.96
I am.
00:49:28.00\00:49:29.36
I am so tired, may Jesus come.
00:49:29.40\00:49:32.33
Amen.
00:49:32.37\00:49:33.70
I want to invite two
of my friends here to see
00:49:33.74\00:49:36.91
how we can stay plugged in.
00:49:36.94\00:49:39.81
I want to invite
Shauna again and Esther.
00:49:39.84\00:49:44.68
And I want to ask
you guys the question,
00:49:44.71\00:49:47.12
we want to reach somebody
00:49:47.15\00:49:49.68
but we also want to
stay on fire for the Lord
00:49:49.72\00:49:52.15
so what must I do when I
go back to my local church
00:49:52.19\00:49:55.29
or my campus or
work, what should I do?
00:49:55.32\00:49:59.19
So I'm gonna tell you
00:49:59.23\00:50:00.56
how you can get involved
with this conference actually.
00:50:00.60\00:50:02.90
So we serve a God who
allows us feeble human beings
00:50:02.93\00:50:06.60
to unite divine
power with human effort.
00:50:06.63\00:50:10.31
Amen. Amen.
00:50:10.34\00:50:11.67
He gives us the opportunity
to participate in a work
00:50:11.71\00:50:13.71
that He could have done himself
00:50:13.74\00:50:15.14
because our participation
in His work transforms
00:50:15.18\00:50:17.95
us profoundly.
00:50:17.98\00:50:19.48
And I know that I was
transformed profoundly
00:50:19.51\00:50:22.58
at GYC by serving
behind the scenes.
00:50:22.62\00:50:25.75
Being a volunteer and helping
00:50:25.79\00:50:27.12
to make this
colossal effort happen,
00:50:27.16\00:50:29.52
showed me a picture of Christ
00:50:29.56\00:50:31.59
that he was
faithful in the little things
00:50:31.63\00:50:33.29
and it also helped me
to develop my character.
00:50:33.33\00:50:36.30
So there are a lot of
volunteer opportunities
00:50:36.33\00:50:38.77
for each one of
you to be involved with
00:50:38.80\00:50:41.27
at the conference.
00:50:41.30\00:50:42.64
And if you have
a burden to serve
00:50:42.67\00:50:44.01
or to get involved
with GYC on a deeper level,
00:50:44.04\00:50:46.54
I encourage you to
contact volunteers.
00:50:46.57\00:50:49.74
That's
V-O-L-U-N-T-E-E-R-S @gycweb.org,
00:50:49.78\00:50:55.08
again that's
volunteers@gycweb.org.
00:50:55.12\00:51:00.22
How can you stay
connected throughout the year?
00:51:00.26\00:51:04.69
The theme of this
year's conference was been,
00:51:04.73\00:51:06.86
"All has been heard."
00:51:06.90\00:51:08.23
To be honest,
you've heard it all.
00:51:08.26\00:51:09.93
Now go back and do it.
00:51:09.96\00:51:11.67
We encourage you to get
involved in your local church.
00:51:11.70\00:51:14.70
Use the website that GYC website
00:51:14.74\00:51:17.37
and look at the
seminars that you've missed.
00:51:17.41\00:51:19.61
You'll be able to share
those with your friends,
00:51:19.64\00:51:21.51
if you have
questions on certain topics.
00:51:21.54\00:51:23.75
Also subscribe to
our YouTube channel.
00:51:23.78\00:51:26.88
We are launching a
special media project this year
00:51:26.92\00:51:29.65
and it will provide
resources that you can use
00:51:29.68\00:51:31.55
in your local church as well.
00:51:31.59\00:51:33.15
Be the change
that you want to see.
00:51:33.19\00:51:37.93
Read the Word of God but
don't just read it but live it.
00:51:37.96\00:51:41.16
Amen. Amen.
00:51:41.20\00:51:43.77
Amen.
00:51:43.80\00:51:45.17
I want to leave
you with some quotes
00:51:45.20\00:51:46.70
here as an executive
committee to let you know
00:51:46.74\00:51:51.87
that this work that we do
00:51:51.91\00:51:55.41
is not just put by man's
ideas or something you say,
00:51:55.44\00:51:59.45
"Let's just get together."
00:51:59.48\00:52:01.72
But this is what God
is truly calling us to do.
00:52:01.75\00:52:05.15
"The greatest want of the world
is the want of man and woman,
00:52:05.19\00:52:11.96
who will not be bought or sold,
00:52:11.99\00:52:13.83
man who in their inmost
souls are true and honest;
00:52:13.86\00:52:19.17
man who do not fear to
call sin by its right name;
00:52:19.20\00:52:22.27
man whose
conscience is as true to duty
00:52:22.30\00:52:28.44
as the needle to the pole;
00:52:28.48\00:52:31.48
man who will stand for the right
00:52:31.51\00:52:34.48
though the heavens fall."
00:52:34.52\00:52:38.49
Book Education, page
262, paragraph 1 says,
00:52:38.52\00:52:41.62
"Success in any line
demands a definite aim.
00:52:41.66\00:52:47.30
He who would
achieve true success in life
00:52:47.33\00:52:50.67
must keep steadily in view
the aim worthy of his endeavor.
00:52:50.70\00:52:55.80
Such an aim is set
before the youth of today.
00:52:55.84\00:52:59.34
The heaven-appointed
purpose of giving the gospel
00:52:59.37\00:53:02.28
to the world in this generation
00:53:02.31\00:53:04.95
is the noblest that can
appeal to any human being.
00:53:04.98\00:53:09.45
It opens a field
of effort to everyone
00:53:09.48\00:53:12.09
whose heart Christ has touched."
00:53:12.12\00:53:16.12
""Go ye into all the world,
00:53:16.16\00:53:17.73
and preach the
gospel to every creature,"
00:53:17.76\00:53:20.56
is Christ's
command to His followers.
00:53:20.60\00:53:23.63
Not that all are
called to be ministers
00:53:23.67\00:53:25.73
or missionaries in the
ordinary sense of the term.
00:53:25.77\00:53:29.10
But all may be workers with
Him in giving the "glad tidings"
00:53:29.14\00:53:32.97
to their fellow men.
00:53:33.01\00:53:34.78
To all, great or small, learned
or ignorant, old or young,
00:53:34.81\00:53:39.95
the command is given."
00:53:39.98\00:53:42.02
Amen.
00:53:42.05\00:53:43.39
To conclude the section,
I'd like to pray with you.
00:53:47.39\00:53:50.83
But we truly need
to pray, you know,
00:53:50.86\00:53:53.56
all who engage in
ministry are God's helping hand.
00:53:53.60\00:53:58.63
"With such an army of workers
00:53:58.67\00:54:01.14
as our youth rightly
trained might furnish
00:54:01.17\00:54:05.07
how soon the message
of a crucified, risen,
00:54:05.11\00:54:07.84
and soon-coming Savior
00:54:07.88\00:54:09.58
might be carried
to the whole world,
00:54:09.61\00:54:12.08
how soon might the end come
00:54:12.11\00:54:13.58
the end of
suffering and sorrow and sin,
00:54:13.62\00:54:16.69
how soon, in place
of a possession here,
00:54:16.72\00:54:19.35
with its blight of sin and pain,
00:54:19.39\00:54:21.62
our children might
receive their inheritance
00:54:21.66\00:54:24.63
where "the righteous
shall inherit the land,
00:54:24.66\00:54:27.33
and dwell therein forever"
00:54:27.36\00:54:29.36
where "the inhabitant
shall not say, I am sick,"
00:54:29.40\00:54:32.20
and "the voice of
weeping shall be no more heard."
00:54:32.23\00:54:38.31
If you can bow
with me at this time,
00:54:38.34\00:54:42.18
if you can ask in the Lord,
00:54:42.21\00:54:46.15
"Lord, I want
to finish the work.
00:54:46.18\00:54:49.58
You know my condition,
you know my local church,
00:54:49.62\00:54:52.25
you know my public
campus, you know the country
00:54:52.29\00:54:55.32
where I'm going to the
challenges that I face.
00:54:55.36\00:54:58.13
Lord, please help me."
00:54:58.16\00:55:01.40
Dear Heavenly Father,
00:55:07.47\00:55:10.64
oh, Lord, you gave us
life today for a purpose.
00:55:10.67\00:55:16.38
Lord, your heart is yearning
00:55:16.41\00:55:21.85
that we will get
to know you better
00:55:21.88\00:55:24.82
and have the same
passion that you have.
00:55:24.85\00:55:29.06
Father, this world is hopeless.
00:55:29.09\00:55:33.26
But God is our only hope.
00:55:33.29\00:55:36.53
And if we turn our faces
towards You, father, and look,
00:55:36.56\00:55:42.60
you can do a
mighty work in our lives.
00:55:42.64\00:55:46.78
Father, deep
darkness is surrounding us.
00:55:46.81\00:55:51.91
But we ask that our experience
00:55:51.95\00:55:53.65
will not be that of
Elijah at the Mount Carmel,
00:55:53.68\00:55:58.59
but it will be the
experience of Jesus Christ's
00:55:58.62\00:56:02.82
from glory to glory of
Jesus living in our hearts,
00:56:02.86\00:56:08.53
our only hope of glory.
00:56:08.56\00:56:11.77
Father, please be
with my friends here
00:56:11.80\00:56:13.64
who have gathered
from all over the world
00:56:13.67\00:56:15.60
and the United States.
00:56:15.64\00:56:18.37
Bless us.
00:56:18.41\00:56:19.74
Keep us under
Your grace for, Father,
00:56:19.77\00:56:22.54
we need it so much,
for we cannot do anything,
00:56:22.58\00:56:26.11
Father,
00:56:26.15\00:56:28.52
in our strength
but only Jesus Christ.
00:56:28.55\00:56:33.86
May we surrender, repent,
00:56:33.89\00:56:36.83
and serve You
with all that we got.
00:56:36.86\00:56:40.93
Not because to
earn our salvation
00:56:40.96\00:56:45.00
but because we are
saved and we love our Maker.
00:56:45.03\00:56:49.94
Guide and bless us,
Father, and keep us faithful.
00:56:49.97\00:56:54.94
In the mighty
name of Jesus Christ,
00:56:54.98\00:56:57.85
let His people say, amen.
00:56:57.88\00:57:00.92