The day has arrived. I could hardly sleep last night. My heart is expectant and anxious to see what God is going to do. The reason why I am so excited is I see the rumblings of an incredible three days. First off, There has been more prayer than EVER that has gone into this year with many of the youth in the church fasting and praying AND even coming to the church every night for the last week to pray together! Im telling you Prayer like this only leads to one place - BIG BREAKTHROUGH. Also, the creative element of the conference is on a whole nother level for us. It should be fun! If your coming today we’ll see you in a few hours!
God is about to do something awesome at this year Generation Conference. Our youth ministry right here in Utica N.Y., Generation Church has been praying and fasting for a mighty move of God. Last night in our time of prayer as a ministry I felt the Hold Spirit quicken this verse to my heart.
/*Philippians 2:5-9 says…Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. */
We live in such and image driven generation. Young people that spend all their energy trying to protect their image and reputation. Its funny the things that we protect what we ought to kill. We protect our “image” but If anyone had a reputation to protect it was Jesus. But he sets the example by taking the low road of a servant. He didn’t care if he was wearing the right cloths or had the most friends on facebook or MySpace. All he cared was doing the will of the one who sent him.
I believe that God is stirring this generation to follow Christ example and begin to turn their back on the cultural status quo and aspirations and begin to make ourselves of no reputation so WE can fulfill the mission WE have been place here to accomplish.
John Wesley said
/ “Give me 100 men that hate nothing but sin, and love Jesus Christ, and we’ll shake England for God”./
I am excited to see what would happen in this region and nation when we cast of restraint and like Jesus and stop obsessing over public of opinion and start obsessing over the opinion of God.
God is going to do something great this year. Join me and begin to pray that your youth group will never be the same.
Back in 1996 I had Jude Fouquier speak at my summer camp. After seeing what we were all about, He told me of a guy in the country side of Washington state that was experiencing a revival. In a small town of 14,000 lived a man named Benny Perez who had a youth church of 1000 youth. Thats all he had to say to get me on the phone to invite him to our church. In the years to follow Benny and I became great friends. I was in his wedding and he was in mine. I consider Benny one of the greatest mentors in my life. I had the opportunity to visit Marrysville in the height of the Revival there. It was not only something that I will never forget, it shaped much of who I am today. Recently I came across some video form way back. With Benny’s permission I share it with you today. This was a tear jerker for me as it stirred in me my desire to see people delivered form the power of the devil. Here’s why Benny has come back to the Generation Conference every year since we started it:
Back in around 1996 I heard of a guy by the name of Benny Perez who’s youth church was exploding in a small town of about 14,000 in Washington state. Benny had over 1000 young people attending his services weekly in this sleepy little town. God was doing something special & I am proud to say I got to see it with my own eyes. It is something that is forever lodged in my memory. It changed the way I thought and did ministry. Well, as I have said in other blogs, God is doing something new and I don’t want to miss it. That is why it is my privilege to welcome Steve Furtick to the Generation Conference this year. Trust me you’re not gonna wanna miss this guy! He’s 27 years old. Planted a church two years ago, and the church has grown to over 4000 people! I believe in impartation. I believe there are people who are anointed to give us breakthroughs spiritually, practically, and even creatively. I believe Steve Furtick is going to bring the stuff…I don’t want anybody to miss it. Recently, Elevation Church(Steve’s church) put together this video celebrating their 2 year anniversary. Check it out here. Remember register early for the best seats!
I believe in the ministry of the Generation Conference. To use a popular ministry/church leadership buzzword: I love our DNA. DNA is an interesting concept. I’ve had people cal me and talk to me about the Generation Conference and as ask for advice on doing a conference. I believe outside of the UNDESERVED favor of God (I cannot underscore that enough), the single greatest influence on the Generation Conference was the youth church at Mount Zion. Let me explain: I’ve seen people try to pull off conferences and their youth groups are floundering. Even worse, they try to do in a conference setting what isn’t being done week to week in their youth ministry. They’re missing a secret. See, God doesn’t want to build conference, he wants to build churches. If a conference can be used as a means to that end it is wonderful. If not, in my opinion it’s a waist of time. One thing you would hear regularly from people who attended the generation conference is: “Wow! we feel like we can do this in our church. We have a revelation of what a youth church can be!” Some of those ministries, by the way, only had a hand full of kids. When I was the youth pastor of Generation Chruch here are some of the things you would see on any give week:
Over 90 kids in the prayer room intensely seeking God 45-30 minutes before the service
Passionate worship that at times no one wanted to stop (this wasn’t every week, but definitely a hallmark of Generation church)
Solid, didactic, practical teaching
Holy Ghost ministry.
Before I went to any youth conference, as a youth pastor I would be asking myself: What does the fruit of where this is going look like.
Innovation is a great word isnt it? I like innovative…It breathes fresh air into you. Congratulations to Lifechurch.tv & Craig Groeschel for being picked as the most innovative church in america by Outreach magazine. Here’s the top ten:
Well the lights are packed the chairs are stacked and Generation
Conference 2007 comes to an end. It’s kind of sad. Now I do what I do at
the conclusion of every Generation Conference I run to get the Cd’s.
Maybe I’m just a little slow on the uptake but I just can’t absorb in
one sitting everything that’s communicated in all the sessions. Between
Chris Hill, Joyce Myer, Ed Young and a ton of other anointed speakers
its impossible in my humble estimation to “get it” on the first go
round. What an amazing time. If I where you I would get the CD’s as well
so that you can fully appreciate. My life has been changed as a result
of the ministry of the generation conference. And what’s most exciting
to me is that I don’t stand alone in saying that…SO PLEASE give come
feedback and share what God has done in your life this year.
Psalm 103:2
says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”…. so
bring it on we would love to hear from you
Back in 1996 I had Jude Fouquier speak at my summer camp. After seeing what we were all about, He told me of a guy in the country side of Washington state that was experiencing a revival. In a small town of 14,000 lived a man named Benny Perez who had a youth church of 1000 youth. Thats all he had to say to get me on the phone to invite him to our church. In the years to follow Benny and I became great friends. I was in his wedding and he was in mine. I consider Benny one of the greatest mentors in my life. I had the opportunity to visit Marrysville in the height of the Revival there. It was not only something that I will never forget, it shaped much of who I am today. Recently I came across some video form way back. With Benny’s permission I share it with you today. This was a tear jerker for me as it stirred in me my desire to see people delivered form the power of the devil. Here’s why Benny has come back to the 
Craig Groeschel is coming to Generation Conference. Pastor Mike broke it on his blog. Here is the link. 
