[1]BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Youth Evangelism Summit (YES!) set an attendance record for the fifth consecutive year as 1,337 middle and high school students gathered Feb. 6-7 at Hillvue Heights Church in Bowling Green. The high-energy event focused on Gospel-centered teaching, spiritual growth and equipping the next generation to reach Kentucky and the world for Christ.
“They just keep coming,” was a phrase repeated throughout Friday night as the steady stream of students filled the building.
The summit is designed to teach students from Kentucky Baptist churches how to live out the Gospel and be on mission for God through large-group and breakout sessions focused on Scripture, spiritual disciplines, addressing doubts, purposeful online engagement, evangelism and worship.
“YES! is the premier event for my students to receive quality biblical teaching that is both practical and relevant to their lives,” said Ben Fitzgerald, student pastor at Yellow Greek Baptist Church in Owensboro.
Shane Pruitt, the National Next Gen director for the North American Mission Board, led the main sessions.
Jake Hancock, one of the summit’s conference team members and campus minister at Eastern Kentucky University, summed up the messages.
“Shane urged students at YES! to anchor their lives in the true Gospel of Scripture,” Hancock said. “With biblical precision, he confronted the empty claims of cultural Christianity and commissioned students to courageously follow Christ in a culture that resists Him.”
Participants selected from 24 breakout sessions offered throughout the conference, with most led by Kentucky Baptist student ministry leaders.
[2]“The breakouts were a great space to exercise what they learn in a safe atmosphere in order to prepare them to share their faith around the world,” said Dustin Rife, student pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Corbin.
Casey Puckett, student pastor at Beaver Dam Baptist Church, said the sessions sparked meaningful conversations.
“Every year those breakouts lead to deeper discussions and questions for our students to process how they can start to ‘own’ their faith,” je said.
The 79 church groups in attendance gathered late Friday night for a prayer and group discussion, giving students time to process what they were learning.
Students responded to the main sessions with strong engagement throughout the weekend. More than 60 students indicated they were ready to speak with a ministry leader about salvation, and group leaders reported that students are continuing to come forward with additional spiritual decisions.
Event leaders said that the impact of more than 1,000 students returning to their communities across Kentucky is difficult to measure. Daniel Johnson, a YES! team member and campus minister at the University of Kentucky, said equipping students to live out their faith is essential.
“It is vital that we train and equip students to make an impact for the kingdom of God,” Johnson said. “The world seeks to influence them, but we believe these students can influence the world. We want to equip students to not only defend their faith, but advocate their faith on their campus, in their jobs, and throughout the world for Christ.”
YES! is supported through Kentucky Baptist churches’ gifts to the Cooperative Program and the Eliza Broadus Offering for State Missions. The Kentucky Woman’s Missionary Union also partners with the event through the EBO and its involvement with students and leaders during the conference.
Matt Flanagan, children’s and student ministry consultant for the Kentucky Baptist Convention, said the ministry to students is a shared responsibility of the local church. “The church’s ministry to students is never the task of an individual, but the collective work of the congregation to pass along faith to the next generation.”
He also encouraged churches to prioritize moments that serve as spiritual mileposts in the lives of young believers.
The 2027 Youth Evangelism Summit is scheduled for Feb. 5-6 at Hillvue Heights.
Jesse Wright, student pastor at First Baptist Church in Richmond, encouraged churches to begin planning to attend.
“I have been coming to YES! for years, and it gets better every year,” Wright said. “It needs to be on every Kentucky Baptist student ministry leader’s calendar.”
This article originally appeared in Kentucky Today [3].
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