by Kelli Cottrell
LONG BEACH — Living a life that’s too small is a great danger because you will never see the bigger life God has for you, Erwin McManus told thousands of teens from across the state Dec. 27-30 at the annual Tsunami Student Conference, held this year in Long Beach.
“Dream big. Live big,” encouraged McManus, author and lead pastor of Mosaic Church in Los Angeles.
“When nothing makes sense, jump in God’s direction and He’ll meet you there in that moment.”
Held at the Long Beach Convention Center, McManus was the featured speaker for the student event themed, “Bigger Than Yourself.”
Wayne Chaney Jr., pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Long Beach, spoke the first night challenging the students to decide now how they will live.
Worship was led by Leeland, a band from Tennessee, while comedian Bob Smiley served as emcee.
Relating to a New Testament passage about a blind man healed by Jesus who was instructed to go and wash his eyes, McManus encouraged the students to take a step forward in obedience when God asks.
“God is sometimes waiting for us to act,” McManus said. “He sees things in us, our potential and value, when we don’t. We have to trust Him.
“What is God asking you to do?”
Twenty-two students made professions of faith in Christ, with a total of 80 different decisions by the end of the conference.
Teens in attendance represented some 134 congregations, including several non-Southern Baptist groups.
Austin Fields of New Covenant Church in Grass Valley said he felt the messages helped him.
“This convention is a good place to come and learn how to be a better Christian,” said Fields, 15, who attended for his third time. “I always learn new stuff that I can use when I go back home.”
The conference also impacted Krista Lee Peoples of Sierra Heights Baptist Church in Fresno.
“I’ve learned how huge God is,” said Peoples, 14, who came with her youth group of 15 teens. “I also learned we can’t do it all by ourselves. We need other Christians to help us along the way.”
Many students enjoyed the variety of Christian bands.
“I thought the worship was perfect,” said Nicole McKoy, 16, of First Baptist Church in Camarillo. “The bands really know how to get us up on our feet and having fun.”
Featured bands included MOI from Riverside and Grits, a hip-hop group.
“The music is always really good,” said Bryant Im, 13, of Cornerstone Community Church in Palo Alto. “I like how they make it interactive.
“I also learned God is bigger than us,” Im added.
Students had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions called “Hot Topics” on subjects ranging from how to share Christ to dating and how to study the Bible. This year featured a session conducted in Spanish, with multiple sessions available for student leaders.
The 2,450 students in attendance also enjoyed competing in games with inflatable toys, playing in a volleyball tournament, participating in ministry projects and devotions with their church groups.
During free time more than 580 students from 29 congregations across the state participated in 35 city-wide ministry projects.
“It was a major service to this city,” said Steven Warfield, church administrator for Antioch Baptist Church in Long Beach, who spearheaded the projects.
Students participated in cleanup projects, canned food drives for a local shelter, singing at nursing homes and helping local churches.
The students and their leaders contributed $6,600 to the California Mission Offering.
The 2008 Tsunami will be held Dec. 29-31 in San Jose. For more information visit www.studentwave.com or call the California Southern Baptist Convention healthy church group, sponsor of the annual event, at 559-229-9533, ext. 243.
P/559.229.9533 