Anglican Youthworks hosted its seventh LiT Conference last week at Deer Park Conference Centre, attracting a record 152 Christian teenage students from over 65 schools across NSW.
This year saw a 30 percent leap in attendance figures compared with 2009, having almost quadrupled its inaugural attendance figure from 2004. The 2010 program also saw the successful introduction of "Stage 3'which catered for post-Year 12 students who had completed the first two stages, and involved them planning and leading parts of the conference program.
2010 LiT Director, the Rev Paul McPhail, described the conference as “a strategic ministry”.
“It equips young Christians to serve Jesus with their head, heart, hands, feet and voice now, whether it be at home, church, school or wherever they are. This means that young people are enjoying the growth and maturity that comes from being part of God’s huge plan of bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world".
According to Mr McPhail, the church can sometimes fail to see how Jesus can use young people. "Often young people are called the church of the future… that is a lie. Young people trust Jesus just as adults do… they are the church of the now! We need to be careful not to hold back how Jesus may want to use young people for his glory and honour."
Stage 1 student, Jess Ford, who will explore new ministry opportunities as she enters Year 10 this year, found the conference's focus on leadership very encouraging: "All the discussions seem to tie back to leadership, even just the discussions we have in free time link in with that" There's so much we can learn from each other".
Johnnie Condie, a stage 2 student, who initiated a Christian lunchtime group at his school after last year’s conference, was spurred on to persevere with it.
"It's pretty hard, but LiT this year encouraged me to keep going " and to go into that Christian group at school with a new energy and to work hard at that and let God work through me there."
Highlights of this year's conference included six talks based on the "Sermon on the Mount' by Josh Apieczonek, the Minister of Fix Church, St Andrew's Cathedral and Sam Low, formerly Youth Minister at St Paul's Anglican Castle Hill and currently a Moore College student.
Over 21 workshops were on offer and a ministry expo that promoted the wide variety of options students have for serving God now and into their future.
"LiT is now well and truly established as the major training camp for Anglican youth", said Zac Veron, CEO of Anglican Youthworks. "I am delighted by its enormous growth this year. We have big plans for this camp going into the future. I am also very grateful for LiT’s fleet of leaders who did such a great job serving and forming young missional disciples.”
AFES National Director, Richard Chin is lined up to speak at next year's LiT conference.
