¤ ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
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¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ ¤
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Hello and welcome to 3ABN Today.
I'm Jason Bradley and I'm so
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glad that you've decided to
join us. I must tell you I'm so
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excited that I get to talk with
the president of GYC Northwest
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Mitchell Merrill. He's going to
tell us all about GYC Northwest,
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what it's all about, how
you can participate and just the
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wonderful things that God is
doing through their ministry.
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Mitchell welcome to
3ABN Today. How are you?
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I'm doing fantastic. Thank
you so much for having me Jason.
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Yes it's great to have you here.
You know, I love GYC but I want
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our viewers and listeners to
know all about GYC Northwest.
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So what is GYC Northwest
and who does it seek to reach?
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Absolutely. So GYC Northwest is
Generation Youth for Christ and
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we specifically focus on the
Northwest region and we are a
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movement of Adventist young
people who are passionate and on
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fire for the Lord's
work and also about affirming
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faithfulness in the Seventh-day
Adventist Church. And in fact we
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have a short video that
we'd like to share with you that
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tells a little bit more about
who we are and what we're doing.
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Okay, I love that. Let's take
a look at that video right now.
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Good evening GYC Northwest. I'm
excited that there's this many
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of us here.
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¤ ¤
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GYC Northwest is a movement of
young people who want to make a
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difference in the world.
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It also involves practical
opportunities like our yearly
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convention which is an
opportunity to come together to
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fellowship with other young
people, to connect with some
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inspiring messages.
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If they have that desire to
learn and grow in Christ GYC
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Northwest is a
great place to come.
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¤ ¤
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I think my favorite part of
GYC Northwest is connecting with
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like minded youth.
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It's been really great just
getting to meet other people
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that maybe don't live close and
even some that do live close and
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just connecting
with different people.
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Having that interaction once
a year with other young people
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that believe just like
me. It draws me closer to God.
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So I get the chance to chat
with people. I get the chance to
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listen to sermons.
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It's such an
exciting place to be.
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We have the plenaries and these
are the meetings that we will
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all attend at certain times
throughout the day and these
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messages have inspired us to
grow closer to God and to seek
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towards the high
standards He has for us.
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And we've had really good
speakers every single year
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whether it's talking
about how they deal with your
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past abuse and trauma or
giving nice tips about getting
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older and getting
married. It's really awesome.
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So every morning before
the start of the retreat young
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people gather together and
we have a sweet time of prayer.
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This past week I allowed a
couple sessions in the program
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and just how new people
are connecting with God.
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And we prayed with our daughter.
There's a bunch of stuff that we
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are letting out in the prayer
room I thought was powerful.
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So if you think what's the
point of me going or is this a
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waste of my time
think of this way...
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Just to be able to connect with
others to hear the gospel and to
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be empowered to
share it with others.
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GYC reflects community. You're
able to network with different
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young people and the message
will inspire you to show you
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that you are someone...
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and it's a place where you
can fall in love with Jesus like
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never fell in love before.
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It's not just in the messages
that you hear but the fact that
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you're physically present with
other like minded young people.
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No matter what you do even if
you're trying to hide you will
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walk out of here with a really
good story and feel blessed.
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I don't know if I would be
the 7th-day Adventist Christian
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young person I am today if it
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weren't for GYC Northwest. But
GYC Northwest gave me a place to
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belong when I felt like
I didn't belong anywhere.
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I just can't get away
from it. It's kind of hard to
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get away from something
that you're passionate from.
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¤ ¤
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Wow. I love that. There's
nothing like seeing young people
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on fire for Christ. And so when
people ask where are the young
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people in the church I say
they're at GYC. Mitchell when
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did you get involved with GYC
and how did you get drawn in?
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You know Jason
actually I attended my first GYC
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International convention in 2012
when it was held in Seattle,
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Washington. And that was a
momentous occasion for me and a
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wonderful experience. And then
you know as life goes you get
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busy with school and seeking
to get a good education and a
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profession and I didn't actually
begin attending or return to GYC
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Northwest until the Northwest
conference in 2018. And as such
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I just kind of had this Road-to-
Emmaus experience. I was you
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know still very much faithful
and active in the Seventh-day
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Adventist church throughout my
young adulthood but specifically
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just wanted to get involved even
more so and kind of stayed there
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in attendance 2018 and 2019
and then was asked to serve as
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treasurer in 2020 and served in
that role for two years and then
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they asked me to serve as
president here just last year.
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Wow, wow. How closely
related is GYC Northwest to GYC
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International?
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Yeah absolutely. So GYC
Northwest is an affilliate of
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GYC International. So with it's
affiliate our focus group is
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more at the grass roots
level and kind of a supporting
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organization of the
GYC International. We align
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ourselves in lock step with
who GYC International is but our
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focus is the North Pacific Union
of the Seventh-day Adventist
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Church and that covers
Washington, Oregon, Idaho,
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Montana and Alaska.
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Wow. Alaska!? (Yes) Wow. Now
have you ever been to Alaska?
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No we haven't but we have
some exciting things where we're
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going to include Alaska.
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Oh nice, I love it. What can
a young person expect if they
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attend GYC Northwest.
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Yeah absolutely. So
conventions very much mirror GYC
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International with the morning
and evening prayer sessions,
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daily plenaries, practical
breakout sessions and evangelism
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outreach. And it's just a
wonderful opportunity for young
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people to come and listen to
biblical presentations, receive
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spiritual rejuvenation
and fellowship with like
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minded believers around their
same age. And I should mention
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that the age group which
we seek to reach just like GYC
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International in that 18 to 35.
Again anyone who is before or
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after that age group is
always more than welcome but
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specifically we have a passion
for reaching this demographic
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for Christ.
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That's good to know because you
know I've aged out of that and I
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still love GYC, so that's good.
That's good. Now why would you
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say a young
person should attend GYC?
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Yeah absolutely. So a
young person should attend GYC
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Northwest because we are living
in the last days and what we're
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seeing in the world is not
getting any better but worse and
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for spiritual grounding,
spiritual encouragement and I
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mentioned rejuvenation earlier.
All these things are important.
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And it's important to know why
we believe what we believe and
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why be faithful because if
we were born in the church it's
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just something that we were
born into, something that's our
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parents' faith and I would
submit to you that no it is more
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that that because our faith
must be our own the Seventh-day
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Adventist church is a wonderful
organization in which we are
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able to serve the Lord and
answer his call and be a part of
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the last day people with the
last day movement to finish this
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work and go home to heaven.
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Amen. And speaking of you know
this faith being our own which
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we can't survive off of our
parents' faith and all of that
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when did the gospel
grab hold of your life?
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Yeah so, I was born into
a Seventh-day Adventist home
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and blessed to be born to two
Seventh-day Adventist parents
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so I was used to going to church
from as early as I can remember
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and there came a time I would
say when I was about 12 to 13
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years old that I had to
ask myself do I believe what I
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believe? And I asked myself what
do I believe? Is this something
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like that I was born to, is this
my parents' faith, are these my
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parents' values and I went
through each of our faith's
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doctrines and determined that
yes these are values and beliefs
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that I wholeheartedly embrace
because they're biblical. And
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it's rooted in scripture and
for me that was able to take my
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spiritual experience to the next
level and then want to continue
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working in ministry and outreach
and you know I have to say that
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working with GYC Northwest is
one of the highest things that I
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have ever accomplished or to be
able to serve in this capacity.
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It's just...It's an
amazing opportunity.
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Yes absolutely. And I love the
fact that you said know you that
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you embrace the doctrines
because it's biblical. You know
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you didn't...you weren't looking
for something to fit your
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lifestyle. You were looking for
something that was biblical and
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that's so, so crucial. Now you
are the president. What does a
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day in the
president's life look like?
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You know as president I would
say that a typical day for me is
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making sure that we are staying
in touch with the mission of GYC
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Northwest and that mission is
to encourage, empower and equip
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young people to fully grasp
the message and mission of the
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Seventh-day Adventist church by
living and proclaiming the three
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angels' messages in the North
Pacific Union and beyond and I
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would say that in my role
keeping that in the forefront of
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our minds and in the minds
of our team is something that's
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most crucial. I would share with
you that I work closely with our
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executive committee and those
are comprised of six other young
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adults who are around my age,
students, young professionals,
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et cetera who are just as
passionate for serving the Lord
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And we work on our convention
prep and other areas of outreach
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practical evangelism and now
we're looking into broadening
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our reach with that but
specifically being passionate
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about this is where we have
our own skin in the game because
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we seek to
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be fully connected to GYC and
committed even moreso. So for
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instance all of our team we pay
full price just like anyone else
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to attend our conventions at
registration and as such we are
00:12:51.40\00:12:59.21
committed to planning. But also
we seek to be relational and I
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think that where GYC Northwest
goes one step further in
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accomplishing our mission is to
share our personal testimony is
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to share our personal
testimonies so every year not
00:13:09.02\00:13:12.72
only are we committed in
organizing the convention
00:13:12.75\00:13:16.16
annually but we're also being
appropriately vulnerable in
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sharing our life testimonies
and or a different piece of our
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story every year to be relatable
to our audience and we found
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that our team has responded well
to that and also our attendees
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they absolutely love that to
know that you know the people
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that are leading
out are just like them.
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Mm-hmm. That's really great and
I love the fact that you pointed
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out that you have skin in the
game. You know because not only
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are you giving of your time.
It's a huge time commitment to
00:13:46.65\00:13:50.33
you know be on committees or put
together a convention and all of
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that. It takes a lot of prayer,
a lot of dedication, a lot of
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meetings and all or those things
but then to pay full price too
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It just shows that you're so
invested and that's really good.
00:14:03.34\00:14:08.74
Now you know we have viewers and
listeners from all over and they
00:14:08.78\00:14:12.05
may be wondering do I have to
be in the North Pacific Union to
00:14:12.08\00:14:17.49
attend GYC Northwest convention?
00:14:17.52\00:14:22.62
You know that's a very good
question and I would say the
00:14:22.66\00:14:24.09
answer is definitely not. All
are welcome inside or outside
00:14:24.13\00:14:29.36
the North Pacific Union. Our
doors are open to everyone. Just
00:14:29.40\00:14:34.77
know that with us being GYC
Northwest we'll always have our
00:14:34.80\00:14:39.07
conventions in the northwest or
in the North Pacific Union but
00:14:39.11\00:14:43.55
attendees from all over
the world are always welcome
00:14:43.58\00:14:46.15
to attend.
00:14:46.18\00:14:47.65
Wonderful and how can someone
attend one of the conventions?
00:14:47.68\00:14:52.05
Yeah absolutely. So we have
an online registration in which
00:14:52.09\00:14:58.89
attendees are able to register
for our annual convention and
00:14:58.93\00:15:04.70
also they can register for meals
and then if they're able to have
00:15:04.73\00:15:10.41
a way of arriving at
our convention and putting
00:15:10.44\00:15:13.48
themselves up for lodging,
they can you know attend as an
00:15:13.51\00:15:19.05
attendee and so seek to
volunteer for the organization
00:15:19.08\00:15:23.49
whether that be for you know
prayer or giving special musics
00:15:23.52\00:15:28.19
or anything like that. We're
always open for participation
00:15:28.22\00:15:32.59
as well.
00:15:32.63\00:15:33.96
Nice. Now what's your website?
00:15:34.00\00:15:35.83
Absolutely. Our
website is GYCNorthwest.org
00:15:35.86\00:15:40.60
and you can also
contact us there as well.
00:15:40.64\00:15:43.84
Okay, beautiful, beautiful.
How do you remain relevant?
00:15:43.87\00:15:47.28
How does GYC Northwest
remain relevant to the needs of
00:15:47.31\00:15:51.15
Adventist young people?
00:15:51.18\00:15:52.65
Absolutely. That's a really
good question because that is
00:15:52.68\00:15:56.32
our mission in
00:15:56.35\00:15:59.35
being relevant and remaining
relevant. It's very important to
00:15:59.39\00:16:02.42
us to have our hand on the pulse
so to speak of what is important
00:16:02.46\00:16:06.46
for young people. What
are we struggling with? And I
00:16:06.49\00:16:09.86
say we because I'm an Adventist
young person myself and I would
00:16:09.90\00:16:15.87
respond to remain relevant we
hold an annual Q and A session
00:16:15.90\00:16:21.64
at our convention. It's a Q
and A form which addresses young
00:16:21.68\00:16:27.25
adults' questions. And these
questions are submitted online
00:16:27.28\00:16:30.25
anonymously by our attendees
and they're answered by our
00:16:30.29\00:16:34.16
convention speakers. And what's
great about this is not only are
00:16:34.19\00:16:37.63
they anonymous but there are no
questions that are off limits.
00:16:37.66\00:16:40.20
So as such we really seek to get
to the core of what Adventist
00:16:40.23\00:16:46.57
young people may be struggling
with, may have questions about,
00:16:46.60\00:16:50.04
may need answers for and we
find every year that this is
00:16:50.07\00:16:57.55
something where we are able
to remain relevant and as such
00:16:57.58\00:17:00.62
coming away from that it
also gives us feedback as the
00:17:00.65\00:17:04.29
executive committee on
maybe speakers that we should be
00:17:04.32\00:17:07.12
bringing for future breakout
sessions that will actually meet
00:17:07.16\00:17:10.83
the needs of the questions asked
00:17:10.86\00:17:12.66
Yeah, that's brilliant. You're
hearing from the people. That's
00:17:12.69\00:17:17.00
really, really good. Now what
if someone's saying I don't only
00:17:17.03\00:17:23.61
want to attend a once-a-year
conference. I want to be
00:17:23.64\00:17:27.18
year round. What
opportunities exist?
00:17:27.21\00:17:30.28
Yeah, that's a great question
because young people I feel
00:17:30.31\00:17:34.12
want to stay connected to
GYC Northwest they can. I would
00:17:34.15\00:17:38.79
recommend that Adventist
young people go to our website
00:17:38.82\00:17:43.49
GYCNorthwest.org but also
follow us on social media like
00:17:43.53\00:17:47.20
us on Facebook, et cetera. And
so that would be the best place
00:17:47.23\00:17:50.73
that they would be able to stay
in touch with GYC Northwest and
00:17:50.77\00:17:54.97
also see what we have to offer
during the year. We are looking
00:17:55.00\00:17:57.61
forward to some mission trips
that will be coming up that
00:17:57.64\00:18:01.48
we're really excited about so
stay tuned for those and, yeah,
00:18:01.51\00:18:05.28
that will be something to keep
in touch with. Now also it's
00:18:05.31\00:18:09.18
important that our Adventist
young people also know about
00:18:09.22\00:18:13.56
what other affiliates and GYC
International is doing and we
00:18:13.59\00:18:18.53
encourage our attendees to
support them as well but also to
00:18:18.56\00:18:22.16
spiritually blessed and
refreshed. We ourselves go there
00:18:22.20\00:18:26.87
as well to not only support
those other organizations which
00:18:26.90\00:18:31.24
are our sister organizations
but also be a part and volunteer
00:18:31.27\00:18:35.98
and support and
ultimately be blessed.
00:18:36.01\00:18:38.18
Um-hmm. Thank you, thank you.
I know we've been talking about
00:18:38.21\00:18:42.45
Adventist young people and all
that. We have a lot of viewers
00:18:42.48\00:18:44.62
and listeners that may not be
Adventist. Why would it be good
00:18:44.65\00:18:47.86
for them to
attend the convention?
00:18:47.89\00:18:49.76
Absolutely. So our doors
are always open and they are
00:18:49.79\00:18:57.20
welcoming for Adventists and non
Adventists alike. And I would
00:18:57.23\00:18:59.40
say that the reason why it's
Christian friendly is because
00:18:59.43\00:19:05.64
we are rooted and grounded in
one thing and that's the word of
00:19:05.67\00:19:08.91
God. So individuals that are
coming maybe not being baptized
00:19:08.94\00:19:14.38
members of the church are more
than welcome to come and attend
00:19:14.42\00:19:19.32
because this is where they
will fall in love with Jesus
00:19:19.35\00:19:20.92
like they've never fell in love
before. And as such yes we do
00:19:20.96\00:19:27.20
focus on reaching people in our
own church but we know that the
00:19:27.23\00:19:30.07
fields are white and the harvest
is ready for those others that
00:19:30.10\00:19:34.37
are not a part of our fold yet.
00:19:34.40\00:19:36.60
Amen amen. What is the
future of GYC Northwest?
00:19:36.64\00:19:42.28
Absolutely. So where we are
going is we have a passion for
00:19:42.31\00:19:45.61
reaching the young people who
are college age who may not be
00:19:45.65\00:19:50.32
spiritually grounded and who may
be possibly leaving the fold and
00:19:50.35\00:19:54.82
leaving our church. So we have
a passion to reach those. So we
00:19:54.86\00:19:59.69
want to be more integrative into
our colleges and universities
00:19:59.73\00:20:03.57
and seek to maximize our
influence with those students
00:20:03.60\00:20:09.44
and young people accordingly.
But the other place is to also
00:20:09.47\00:20:13.71
reach the unreached and we seek
to do that through our mission
00:20:13.74\00:20:17.81
trips and we're going to
continue to do that like we had
00:20:17.85\00:20:21.68
mentioned you know earlier about
going to Alaska and some of our
00:20:21.72\00:20:25.59
other areas in the North Pacific
Union that are maybe unreached
00:20:25.62\00:20:29.86
in places of where we would not
be able to hold our convention.
00:20:29.89\00:20:33.96
Yes, yes. Now you mentioned
going to Alaska. Now is this
00:20:34.00\00:20:38.43
going to be during a winter
or a summer. Like what are these
00:20:38.47\00:20:42.64
plans?
00:20:42.67\00:20:46.24
So it's most feasible for us
to go during the summer so right
00:20:46.27\00:20:51.61
now this is currently in
the works and we're excited and
00:20:51.65\00:20:53.92
looking forward to announcing
this some time very soon. So
00:20:53.95\00:20:58.29
stay tuned. Be looking at
our website and our social media
00:20:58.32\00:21:02.16
account for announcements on
how you can attend, come as an
00:21:02.19\00:21:06.70
attendee with GYC Northwest as
we embark on one of many mission
00:21:06.73\00:21:10.73
trips to come.
00:21:10.77\00:21:13.34
That's wonderful. And if anyone
wants information on maybe an
00:21:13.37\00:21:17.61
upcoming convention they can
go to your website as well for
00:21:17.64\00:21:20.41
that too.
00:21:20.44\00:21:23.48
Absolutely. And we do things
moving up to a convention we
00:21:23.51\00:21:27.68
often do short promos from
each of our executive committee
00:21:27.72\00:21:31.99
members just kind of expounding
upon the different events that
00:21:32.02\00:21:34.72
we have coming or maybe
embelishment on our convention
00:21:34.76\00:21:37.26
itself. So be sure to follow us
on Instagram, Facebook and don't
00:21:37.29\00:21:42.56
forget to go to our
website GYCNorthwest.org.
00:21:42.60\00:21:46.33
Nice. What would you say is the
central focus of your convention
00:21:46.37\00:21:49.90
Yeah, I would say that our
central focus is to again to
00:21:49.94\00:21:57.68
encourage and equip young people
to remain faithful but also to
00:21:57.71\00:22:02.45
be on fire for the Lord. And
as we move toward this endtime
00:22:02.48\00:22:07.72
where Jesus will
00:22:07.76\00:22:09.09
come and I believe that
He will come in my lifetime
00:22:09.12\00:22:10.46
that you know getting other
people excited about the mission
00:22:10.49\00:22:15.56
and the message and preaching
the everlasting gospel. There is
00:22:15.60\00:22:18.67
so much to do and it seems like
our world is definitely getting
00:22:18.70\00:22:22.70
worse and not better and now
more than ever we need people
00:22:22.74\00:22:26.04
that are grounded and resolute
in the truth and on site to
00:22:26.07\00:22:33.52
follow God, follow His word, and
again you know we are a peculiar
00:22:33.55\00:22:37.52
people but in a positive
way because we are called out of
00:22:37.55\00:22:40.49
this world to serve the Lord and
to work in His vineyard. And I
00:22:40.52\00:22:44.93
would say that that's our
central focal point, to be on
00:22:44.96\00:22:48.20
fire for him and to
have found faithfulness.
00:22:48.23\00:22:50.33
Amen, amen. So crucial
expecially in these last days.
00:22:50.37\00:22:54.14
How has being president of
GYC Northwest, how has that
00:22:54.17\00:22:57.74
strengthened your faith?
00:22:57.77\00:23:00.44
Wow I would say that it has
taken it to new levels. You know
00:23:00.48\00:23:05.71
being a part of GYC Northwest
you know I feel that not only do
00:23:05.75\00:23:12.15
we open up ourselves for you
know maybe more targets from the
00:23:12.19\00:23:18.53
enemy per se but you know the
Lord's faithful as we are told
00:23:18.56\00:23:23.57
in scripture and seeing His hand
work and seeing the Holy Spirit
00:23:23.60\00:23:27.64
being present at our conventions
and moving upon the hearts of
00:23:27.67\00:23:31.77
Adventist young people and I
would say non-Adventists alike
00:23:31.81\00:23:34.28
is somthing that for me has
just really been an eyeopening
00:23:34.31\00:23:40.35
experience. I mentioned about
on the road to Emmaus kind of an
00:23:40.38\00:23:44.62
Emmaus experience of (blanks
out) talk with us along the way.
00:23:44.65\00:23:48.89
for me when I first had that
experience in 2018 attending GYC
00:23:48.92\00:23:53.76
Northwest it just continued to
build from there and you know we
00:23:53.80\00:23:58.20
serve a God who is the God
of the impossible. He can do all
00:23:58.23\00:24:03.30
things and just to see his hand
work and change and transform
00:24:03.34\00:24:06.57
people's lives and even changing
and transforming me has been
00:24:06.61\00:24:10.85
just a wonderful experience
to take part in and I just feel
00:24:10.88\00:24:15.25
spiritually rejuvenated
and it's not only a convention
00:24:15.28\00:24:19.79
centric rejuvenation but it's
one of where we are seeking our
00:24:19.82\00:24:23.86
own self but also our attendees
to stay connected and stay
00:24:23.89\00:24:27.66
faithful throughout the
year because you know these
00:24:27.70\00:24:30.73
conventions may be a central
focal point on one hand for
00:24:30.77\00:24:33.20
people you know get their
spiritual high and then return
00:24:33.23\00:24:36.34
to their homes and shortly
thereafter they're just as they
00:24:36.37\00:24:41.44
were before convention. But this
is one thing in listening to
00:24:41.48\00:24:45.91
other young people, Adventist
young people, sharing our
00:24:45.95\00:24:48.85
testimonies but also receiving
practical application in
00:24:48.88\00:24:53.12
faithfulness through our break
out sessions and fellowship with
00:24:53.15\00:24:55.86
other likeminded believers
is something of where Adventist
00:24:55.89\00:25:00.00
young people and our attendees
are able to stand firm in the
00:25:00.03\00:25:04.30
faith and receive this grounding
for that way they are able to
00:25:04.33\00:25:06.87
now be inspired and encouraged
to tell all of their friends,
00:25:06.90\00:25:10.01
tell their neighbors and tell
those around them that Jesus is
00:25:10.04\00:25:14.01
coming soon and that there
is something better inside the
00:25:14.04\00:25:17.35
church than where
they're at currently.
00:25:17.38\00:25:19.88
Amen. I love that. I love that
you said you also provide the
00:25:19.91\00:25:23.82
practical application too.
Because that's so important.
00:25:23.85\00:25:27.26
You know. We can't just tell
people oh go be a Christian.
00:25:27.29\00:25:29.99
But share what it looks like.
What does it look like to be a
00:25:30.03\00:25:33.09
Christian. So thank you. Thank
you so much for coming on and
00:25:33.13\00:25:37.13
sharing with us. And I want
to thank you for watching this
00:25:37.17\00:25:41.14
portion of 3ABN Today. I
want you to know how you can get
00:25:41.17\00:25:45.94
in touch with Mitchell and
support GYC Northwest. So we're
00:25:45.97\00:25:50.85
going to go to a brief address
roll and newsbreak, but stick
00:25:50.88\00:25:54.05
around. We've got another
ministry highlight in just a
00:25:54.08\00:25:57.09
moment.
00:25:57.12\00:25:59.29
If you would like to contact
or know more about GYC Northwest
00:25:59.32\00:26:05.89
you can write to them at
PO Box 188, Dixie, WA 99329
00:26:05.93\00:26:19.41
You can also visit the website
at GYCNorthwest.org or you can
00:26:19.44\00:26:27.28
email them at
info@GYCNorthwest.org
00:26:27.32\00:26:35.79
¤ ¤
00:26:35.82\00:26:42.66