December 2003 Youth Conference
5-12 December

The theme is "God sees…"

The theme is "God Sees" (with reference to various scriptures: God sees your heart, your sin, your hurt and how to save you).

Speakers include: Rev E. Stegen, Rev Bill Bathman, various Kwasizabantu co-workers, and a speaker from Open Doors Mission who will also show a film of conversion out of Islam.

About 5000 children and young people are expected to attend.

Other items on the program will include: A talks on drugs; 2 dramas; various testimonies, and Christian films. Please pray for this important outreach. The very next weekend we hope to hold a similar conference at the Kwasizabantu Malelane Centre .

• Preparation photos

• 5 Dec, Friday evening - Dumisani Makhoba opened with a devotion from Joshua 6:1-5, after which the film was shown of Joshua's victory over Jericho and his entry into the promised land. He trusted in God's promise and Word even though it seemed incredible. So too we must hold on to God's Word spoken to us.

• 6 Dec, Saturday morning - John Powys took the morning service and expounded on Hebr 13:8-9, Jesus being the same yesterday, today and forever. All the fashions and opinions of this world, and even the theologians might change, yet Jesus remains the same. Those that want to follow Him, must obey Him and bow to Him ... [more]

• 6 Dec, Saturday afternoon - Sbongiseni Khumalo preached in the afternoon from Eccl 10:4. We are to remain steadfast to what God has shown us, no matter what the circumstances. Do not let peer-pressure or friends persuade you to leave the place God has put you. Continually surrender yourself to God, lest what God has already done in your life be snatched away by the devil.

• 6 Dec, Saturday evening - Num 32:23 - "Be sure that your sins will find you out." Therefore hide in God, by bringing your sins to Him, confessing and forsaking them. The Zulu film, Izono Zakho Ziyafumana ("Your sins will find you out") was shown.

• 6 Dec photos

• 7 Dec, Sunday morning - Rev Erlo Stegen preached from Gen 16:13, where Hagar's meeting with God caused her to name Him, "The God who sees me". ... [more]

• 7 Dec, Afternoon - Georg Friedrich Händel's Messiah performance under the direction of Lutz Kohrs. See photos here

• 7 Dec, Evening - Dr Albu introduced the film, "David and Goliath", from 1Sam 17:37. David did not suddenly appear on the scene when he had to fight Goliath, neither was that the last we heard of him. He went through many trials before that, where Satan might have had an idea of God's plans for him and tried to destroy him by the lion and the bear. So too, young people, Satan knows what God can do through your life, if it's wholly given to His control. So he also sends the lion and the bear in your life, to destroy you. Maybe it's a girl or a boy, and your thoughts continually wander in the romantic world. You might have wonderful dreams of becoming a preacher greatly used of God, but God cannot use you unless you first overcome through Christ.

• 8 Dec, Morning - Rev Bill Bathman preached from 1Cor 15:20-27. Sin entered this world through man, and death followed. None of us knows our day of death. We might have many plans to escape death, or think that it's still far in the future, because we are young. However, death will certainly come to each of us, and then the judgement. Unless our faith is in Christ, and Him alone, we are damned, for "there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). You might sincerely believe that your ancestors or some spiritual medium can help you, but you are sincerely wrong. Only Christ can help you and set you free. Each of us have a Christ-shaped vacuum inside, which only Jesus Christ can fill.

• 8 Dec, Afternoon - Testimony service

• 8 Dec, Evening - KSB Smithfield took the evening service, singing a number of songs and presenting a play, which highlights some pitfalls young people tend to fall in. For the photos of the day, please go here

• 9 Dec, Morning - Rev Bill Bathman took the morning service from Prov 29:1-7, "He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy". Everytime you hear the Gospel, you are offered an opportunity to come to Christ and be saved. It is like a line drawn across your life's path. Some people make use of their opportunity and are saved, whereas others neglect it and are damned. The rich young ruler and Ananias and Sapphira each spoiled God's given opportunity for their lives. Judas Iscariot had the best opportunity of all. He saw Jesus' miracles and hear his wonderful sermons, and yet he did not make use of his opportunity. In each case these people were suddenly destroyed, without remedy. We do not know when our last opportunity arises to make right with God.
  The apostle Paul made use of his opportunity God gave him. When his last days approached, he could say, "I am ready to depart", and "to die is gain". Stephen, one of the elders of the early church, came to God when he was given the opportunity. When he died, he prayed for his persecutors. He was ready to meet God.
  The question is, are you ready to meet God. If not, do not harden your neck and let this opportunity pass, but come to Christ, and be saved.

• 9 Dec, Afternoon - Testimony service; Rachel and Princess, both HIV+ ladies, gave their testimonies and urged the youth to live pure lives.

• 9 Dec, Evening - Open Doors showed the film of a young Muslim man who went to study in America. There he met Christ and became a Christian. When he went back to his country, he refused to forsake Christ, for which he had to endure many hardships.
  The time is over for Christian young people to play games with God. Each Christian young person must become a true disciple of Christ, forsaking all and following Him.
  Here you can find some photos of the day.

• 10 Dec, Morning - Rev Bill Bathman preached from Matt 2:1 - 12 & Luke 3:1 - 2. The magi followed the star a great distance to the stable. The star speaks of the heavenly, far away, whereas the stable of the earthly, closeby. Between these two, we find Jesus. The star signifies his divinity, and the stable his human nature. God became flesh because of my sins and your sins. It will be Christmas in two weeks, but have you met the Christ of Christmas? Has He been born in your heart? My Christmas was on the 8th of September,  when Jesus washed my sins away. When will your Christmas be, where you will humble yourself at the foot of the cross and turn from your wicked ways?

• 10 Dec, Afternoon - Rev Erlo Stegen preached from Gen 16:13 - Hagar calling the Lord "You-Are-The-God-Who-Sees" ... [more]

• 10 Dec, Evening - TLW took the evening service, and presented a play. Three girls made three different choices. The first flirted around, and ended up with guilt, STI's and a ruined life. The second gave in to peer-pressure, but afterwards repented at the foot of the cross and found forgiveness and newness of life in Christ. The third kept herself pure although there were many temptations. As she trusted in Christ for victory, He gave her the victory in every situation, and her life was a continual blessing.

• Dec 10, Here you can find a photo album of the TLW play, the lunch and other photos of the day

• 11 Dec, Morning - A young man, David, gave his testimony of how the Lord saved him from a life of immorality, drugs, and utter selfishness. Afterwards Rev Stegen closed off and made an altar call where many responded.

• 11 Dec, Evening - This was the closing service, where Rev Stegen explained how one grows in the Christian life. He summarised it under the following points, 1) Watch and pray 2) Have regular times with God 3) Have fellowship with other true believers 4) Spread the Gospel ... [more]

• 11 Dec photo album

to view photos & reports on previous conference click here