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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (July 18, 2013) — Now in its 11th year, the Youth in Ministry Student Leadership Conference, set for July 21-27 at Milligan College, continues to expand its ministry to teens across the country.
Next week, Youth in Ministry (YiM) welcomes the largest group in the history of the conference, with 113 students representing 13 states and 55 churches registered to attend. This is a 20 percent increase over last year’s attendance.
YiM and the Student Leadership Conference grew out of a 2002 grant from the Lilly Endowment. The purpose of the program, which is based at Milligan, is to help teens determine their vocational calling and decide how they can best minister as a Christian in that career, whatever it may be.
“It’s amazing to watch God work in the lives of the young servant-leaders who participate in Youth in Ministry,” said Phyllis Fox, director of YiM and church relations at Milligan. “Scripture teaches us that ‘iron sharpens iron.’ Through Youth in Ministry, students strengthen one another, while our counselors and leaders encourage them to deepen their walk with Christ and to explore who God created them to be.”
Students will worship together, meet in small group gatherings and attend life skill workshops designed them to help them explore God’s call for their lives and discover fresh ways to serve in their churches and communities.
This year’s speakers include Stephanie Freed, executive director of Rapha House. Named for the Hebrew word for “healing,” Rapha House is an international safe house program serving children rescued from slavery and sexual exploitation.
Several YiM alumni are returning to speak and help lead the conference.
“This year, we want the students to see how God is working in the lives of Youth in Ministry alumni who are a few steps ahead of them on the journey,” Fox said.
Seth Harkins and Christian Thompson will return as evening speakers. Both men attended YiM as teens and later graduated from Milligan. Harkins currently serves as the student minister at Apache Youth Ministries in Arizona. Thompson is a missionary in Uganda.
Nathan Hall, a Milligan senior from Kingsport, Tenn., will lead worship, along with several YiM counselors and alumni.
In addition to their activities on campus, the students also will experience a night hike and communion service at Roan Mountain.
“The goal of the conference is to have students consider what God needs them to be as his servant-leader in their ministries, friendships and families in their lives today and the future,” Fox said.
To learn more about Youth in Ministry, visit youthinministry.org. To find out more about Milligan, visit www.milligan.edu
