2023 Faith+ Conference
On Wednesday, June 7, about a hundred Secondary students attended the Faith+ Conference in the church auditorium and learnt more about what it means to be a disciple of Christ and how they can put their faith into action. The group included fifteen students from Prince of Peace and Genesis.
The Faith+ Conference was birthed last year and has been started to encourage our secondary students to help their faith grow and to show them what is possible when they are brave enough to put their faith into action; hence, Faith Plus.
The day began with student-led worship then the students rotated through four sessions with different presenters. There were also combined sessions in the auditorium and lecture theatre. Videos, practical workshops and interactivity all added variety and made for a great day.
There were two pervading themes of Hope and Boldness which come together in 2 Corinthians 3:12 - (Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold). This verse could well have been a motto for the day!
The rotation sessions were presented by Compassion, Scripture Union, Ps Matt Prater (Hope Church and Vision Radio), and Nexus Care. The students’ eyes were opened to how good our life is, how we can all make a difference, how we all have a testimony and the simple steps to share it.
The first full group activity was a teacher-led reflection on Mission which included a video with a true-life story of a girl living a very disadvantaged life.
The second was a timely look at Christian material online and the need for more real and relevant ways of sharing our faith through this medium.
The final presentation of the day was from a team from the local YWAM base on the realities of evangelizing and the benefits for our own faith growth.
The positive comments from the students reflected what they had heard throughout the day.
In response to the question, “What have you decided to change or start doing as a result of something you saw or heard at the conference?” The responses included the following:
- Thank you for such an impacting experience. I loved it!!!
- I have started to pray for specific people.
- I learnt to tell the gospel to more people.
- I have decided to start writing letters to the children my family sponsors and develop a relationship with them.
- To look for more opportunities to serve others.
- Start reading my Bible more.
- Joining YWAM after school.
- I have decided to start looking more to change SOMEONE’S world instead of THE world.
- It really made me think of where my faith is with Jesus, and it challenges me…
- …to bring more people to Jesus’ world through acts of kindness…