2nd Day

Our second day is in the books!  What a great day and great night we had.  Session 2 began with worship in all three venues and speakers Dave Edwards and Ergun Caner.  Then everyone headed out for free time!

Session 3 all 6 sessions came together under one roof.  We call this – the Big Night!  Audrey Assad kicked off the night with her beautiful voice, then we had an incredible concert with NeedtoBreathe, Kari Jobe led us in worship, Scott Dawson presented the Gospel where hundreds responded and the night ended with an amazing worship experience with Casting Crowns.

Here are what others are saying on Facebook and Twitter…

Another student just prayed to receive the love, grace, and salvation of our God! Awesome weekend! Praise God!

We are at the Casting Crowns concert. They are amazing. Also, Scott Dawson preached the Word tonight. It has been an awesome conference so far!!!

what a great night…. Audrey Assad, Kari Jobe, Need to Breath, Casting Crowns and Scott Dawson and a member of Crossroads becoming part of the family of God!!!! Welcome to the family!!!

Casting Crowns, Need to Breathe, and Kari Jobe rocked it at Strength to Stand tonight!! Scott Dawson brought it as well. But most importantly, we were able to see God move in many lives tonight and that’s the rockage that means the most.

Got the opportunity to pray with 2 people who prayed to receive Christ tonight and also one young lady who rededicated her life to Christ! Around 300 first time decisions made tonight!!!

STS has been awesome! We had 3 decisions made and that is awesome!!!!

Hundreds of students giving their lives to Jesus tonight @strengthtostand tonight. Praise the Lord. amen!glorious God!

Proud 2 announce we had 3 decisions for Christ from LSM @strengthtostand tonight!Welcome to the family Kayte Noah & Will

@scottofsdea already looking forward to next year’s @strengthtostand conference.

unbelievably excited to see 7 of our middle school students accept Christ as Lord & Savior tonight @strengthtostand !

Incredible night of worship @strengthtostand. Many new brothers & sisters in Christ. 2 from FBCT!

Bckstg at the Strength to Stand Conf. Lovin 2c lots o lil groups of students in hallways w/cnslors after Scott Dawson shared the gospel! – Melanie Hall, Casting Crowns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Session!

We had a great first night at the Smoky Mountain Conference! At Smoky Mountain Palace, Kristian Stanfill led worship and Ergun Caner spoke. In the sessions, people committed their lives to the Lord, and accepted calls to the ministry.

At Country Tonite, Kari Jobe led in worship, in the Miracle Theater, The Generation Band led in worship and both theaters had messages from Dave Edwards and incredible concerts from KJ-52.

Here is what others are saying are Facebook…
Youth conference is awesome. We have praised the Lord, heard a great speaker Dave Edwards, great music from Generation band and KJ-52. We have praised, danced , sang and i am ready for rest now. Love everyone back home. Good night. PS: need to breathe will be here tomorrow along with Casting Crowns. yeahhhh

So tonight was the youth groups first session with strenght to stand, saw God through KJ-52, Generation Band, and speaker Dave Edwards. Such an amazing trip so far cant wait to see what our Lord will do the rest of the weekend.

kari jobe = amazing, Scott wonderful as always! Dave funny adhd, kj52 crazy swag
and that is just day one

Tonight was an amazing worship experience. Kristian Stanfill and his band were absolutely amazing. God definitely showed up and showed out. My God is alive and He is a roaring lion.

And on twitter…
@karijobe did work tonight… One of my best worship experiences. God was definitely in that place

Lives changed today @strengthtostand. @kpstanfill and @erguncaner rocked the house.

I GET TO BECAUSE HE (GOD!) LOVES ME! @erguncaner it’s all about JESUS! Not about me or you! It’s about Jesus!! Amen!!

Solid message from @erguncaner and great worship leadership from @kpstanfill tonight! @strengthtostand #tug

Wonderful start for @strengthtostand Conference! @kpstanfill and @erguncaner were awesome. #tug

Artist Spotlight – Kari Jobe

Kari will be leading worship at the Smoky Mountain Conference

Kari Jobe

Kari Jobe grew up knowing God was drawing her toward worship. “I remember hearing a worship song that applied perfectly to a family that I knew, and I knew that I wanted to write songs like that, for people who are hurting, songs that people make their own prayer to the Lord when they can’t find words of their own.”

Throughout high school and college, Kari watched God set her path before her as she began leading worship in various places. When Gateway Church in Southlake Texas, her church of 6 years at the time, hired her as a worship pastor after she graduated, Kari was caught off guard. She thought, “Are you sure? Me be a pastor?” But God was right on. She realized how God had purposed her life, giving her the tools to be not only a worship leader but a pastor.

A featured worship leader on Gateway Worship projects, Living for You and Wake Up the World, Kari released her self-titled debut album through Gateway Create Publishing and Integrity Music on February 10, 2009. Produced by Ed Cash, the album contains a collection of worship pop/folk songs written by Kari Jobe as well as co-writes with worship leaders/songwriters Chris Tomlin, Paul Baloche, Mia Fieldes, Ed Cash and Klaus Kuehn.

The album, Kari Jobe, features new versions of “Revelation Song,” “No Sweeter Name” and “My Beloved,” in addition to new songs of worship taken from Kari’s life and journals. She explains one of her favorites, the deeply personal “You Are for Me,” saying, “This song is gut-wrenching for me. There are times you are so broken that all you can do is sing over yourself with words like, ‘God is for me.’ But I believe it is one song that people can use to remember that God is for us, so who can be against us.” Songs of intimate musings are balanced by songs of joy and praise. The buoyant “Everyone Needs a Little” emanates with expressions of love, joy and hope, while “I’m Singing” conveys a simple happiness of heart in vocal praise to God.

“This album is about hope and life; it’s about lifting the broken off the floor and singing love over them,” says Kari. “The songs create intimate moments and outward shouting, and it’s my hope that these songs find the broken and lift them to a place of praise to God for what He’s done.”

Leading worship at Gateway and around the country, Kari’s focus for the work of ministry always comes back to people. As she says, “I am moved by people’s lives and stories, and I am amazed by who God is and who He says that we are. Music becomes a way to minister to people in times of trouble, to lead them to the feet of Jesus, who can bring peace, life, hope and healing.”

www.karijobe.com

Artist Spotlight – Mark Hall

Mark will be leading a Youth Pastor Session at the Smoky Mountain Student Bible Conference.

Mark Hall

Mark is probably best known as the lead singer and songwriter of the Grammy Award-winning band, Casting Crowns. However, long before that, he was a youth pastor with a heart for students.   He still serves as youth pastor at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, GA. He has spoken to thousands of students and adults across the nation with his down-to-earth, straight-forward, humorous approach. Mark, his wife Melanie, and their children live in the Atlanta, GA, area.

www.castingcrowns.com

Artist Spotlight – Ergun Caner

Ergun will be speaking at the Smoky Mountain Student Bible Conference.

Ergun Caner

Ergun Caner is a professor at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Graduate School in Lynchburg, Virginia. Raised as a devout Sunni Muslim along with his two brothers, Caner converted in high school. After his conversion, he pursued his call to the ministry and education. He has a Masters degree from The Criswell College, a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Theology from the University of South Africa.  He has written numerous books with his brother, Dr. Emir Caner, who is the President of Truett-McConnell College, a Baptist college in Georgia.

www.erguncaner.com

Artist Spotlight – Dave Edwards

Dave will be speaking at the Southeastern, Red Rock and Smoky Mountain Student Bible Conferences.

Dave Edwards

Dave describes himself as an “itinerant postmodern pastor”. For more than a decade, he has been sharing his unique brand of ministry to a postmodern generation, as he speaks more than 500 times each year to over 250,000 people. Dave speaks from his heart about issues relevant to the postmodern generation. Regardless of the setting, Dave’s message is simple: helping people to discover the importance of a Christ-centered lifestyle and reintroduce the truth of God’s Word by meeting people where they are in life and bringing them one step closer in the process of knowing and becoming like Jesus Christ. He has authored 14 books and resides in Oklahoma City.

www.davetown.com

Artist Spotlight – Casting Crowns

Casting Crowns will be in concert at the Smoky Mountain Student Bible Conference.

Casting Crowns

In an unprecedented six-year span with nearly 4.5 million career album sales, a GRAMMY Award, an American Music Award, 23 Dove Awards and 8 chart-topping radio singles, Casting Crowns remains focused on discipleship through music. With lead singer and songwriter Mark Hall’s 18 years in youth ministry, the band’s message remains rooted in the student services he has led on a weekly basis since 2001. With boldly honest, hard-hitting lyrics, the band continues to challenge, strengthen and pour into the body of Christ, giving listeners a fresh, relevant perspective on loving God and loving people. Hall says, “Our main purpose, above all else, is to know Him more.” The members of Casting Crowns each serve in student ministry in their local churches. After all the accolades, all the awards, all the time on the road and in the studio, why does Casting Crowns continue to do what they do? The answer is simple: It’s their calling – God’s calling on the lives of these seven committed and talented musicians. To pour their lives into the students and families God has placed in their paths. To set discipleship to music. To challenge and strengthen the body of Christ. It’s what brought them together in the first place and what keeps them going … Until The Whole World Hears.

www.castingcrowns.com

Artist Spotlight – Wade Morris

Wade will be speaking at the Red Rock Student Bible Conference.

Wade Morris

Wade served on staff at several churches before surrendering to full-time itinerant ministry. He has spoken to students and adults all over America and in several foreign countries and is the author of The Journey Bible Study series on CD. Sound Biblical truth and humor make Wade’s teaching effective for young people. Wade trains for and runs marathons as a hobby and a way of life. Wade and his wife Deborah, live in Birmingham, Alabama, with their daughters, Eden and Trinity, and bulldog, Crimson.

www.wademorris.com