July 2004 Youth Conference
9-16 July 2004

"God our fortress" – 2Sam 22:2

15 July photos

15 July 10h00 - Sipho Zondi preached from Is 40:28. The story is told of two young men looking for work and eventually finding work on a farm. They were hardworking and pleased their master. However, one day the one felt tired and decided to take a nap under a tree. He asked the other one to warn him when the master comes. The master arrived unnoticed, however, took a photo of the one that slept and warned the other worker not to tell his friend what had happened. At the end of the month, each one received an envelope. The first opened his envelope, and there was his month's pay, and more. When the one that slept opened his envelope, he only found a photo of him sleeping.
We too can start our Christian walk very enthusiastically, but become weary on the way, and eventually make shipwreck of our faith. Let us be faithful, and make God always our refuge, lest we fall asleep spiritually and are destroyed by the devil.

14 July photos

14 July 19h00 - Film, "Touch of the Master's hand"

14 July, 10h00 - Rev Stegen preached on "The Lord's protection" ...[more]

13 July photos

13 July, 19h00 - Presentation on Body Modification. (download here)

13 July, 15h00 - DFL did a slide presentation and showed the children the destruction that AIDS causes. However, even worse than dying from AIDS, is to be eternally damned. Come to God for the gift of eternal life.

13 July, 10h00 - Rev Erlo Stegen preached from 1Pet 5:8, "Escaping the roaring lion" ...[more]

12 July photos

12 July, 19h00 - Message by Rev Erlo Stegen - Men and women are different, and God's commands for them differ. In 1Tim 2:8-9, God commands men to pray, lifting up holy hands, and women to dress modestly. Some say that God only looks at the heart, but that is a lie. God looks at the outside too, that's why He has much to say in the Bible on how we ought to be an example in conduct, dress, talk, purity, etc.
Good conduct, modest dressing, living a "pure" life, etc. does not save you. You must be saved - your heart must be changed by Jesus Christ. However, a person that is saved will be lead by the Holy Spirit in all the truth, and He will teach him how to conduct himself/herself, dress, talk, live a pure life, etc.
If you do not fear God, and live in sin, disobey your parents, mess around with the opposite sex, etc., the very sins you commit, will be passed on to our children, to the fourth generation. However, if you fear God, are obedient to your parents, and live a pure life, God's blessings will follow your children to the thousandth generation.
Let us live lives that lift high the heavenly flag, as an example for the whole world to follow.

12 July, 10h00 - Message by Rev Friedel Stegen from Gen 34:1. Dinah became dissatisfied with her home. She wanted to see how the young people of the nations live; she wanted to scrutinise the world, and that was her fall. Young people, come out of the rut you live in, hide in Christ, let He be your fortress, and complete satisfaction. When Shechem defiled Dinah and then offered to marry her, Dinah's brothers would have none of it. Girls should be able to walk the streets, knowing they are protected by their brothers. We Christians should be the fashion-bearers to the world - we should show them how to behave, dress, talk, obey authority, respect, etc. When they see your life, they should long to have what you have.

11 July photos

11 July, 19h00 - TLW Smithfield presented a play, of how a young person who is a Christian can stand in this world by making God his Fortress. Such a young person even wins others to Christ by his/her example. ... [more]

11 July, 15h00 - Rev John on TNT (The Naked Truth about drugs and alchohol). He explained how loving the world is also an addiction, e.g. the fashions of this world can bind a young person and make them rebellious against authority.
Another addiction is rock music. Jimi Hendrix said that, through this type of music, "you can preach into the subconscious what we want to say". The Beatles were known as the four evangelists of satan, Rev John said (as the devil tries to copy the four evangelists in the Bible).
All addictions ultimately lead to death.

11 July, 10h00 - Rev Erlo Stegen preached from 2Sam 22:2. If evil people can accomplish so much in this world for their wickedness, how much more should not we Christians do for Christ, our Fortress? ...[more]

10 July photos

10 July, 19h00 - Rev Erlo Stegen took the evening service from 2Sam 22:2 & 1Tim 2:9-10, reiterating and emphasising the message from the evening of 9 July.

10 July, 15h00 - Q&A/Testimony session; Various boys and girls testified how God has worked in their lives, forgiving them their sins and setting them free from drug addiction, sexually immoral lifestyles, and rebellion/disobedience to their parents. Others testified to God's power to keep them to live victorious Christian lives in this world.

10 July, 10h00 - Robert Maphanga took the morning service and preached from Gen 6:5-8, "God's wrath on disobedience". God regretted that He created man, because of man's wickedness. Today it is similar to Noah's time - young people live as they want; they disobey their parents, even cursing and hitting them! The youth live sexually immoral lives, and when they fall pregnant, they kill their own children! As God's wrath was poured out on the world in Noah's time, and also on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, so too will He pour out His wrath on this generation, unless we repent and turn from our wickedness. God wants you to be saved, and He will still have mercy if you come to Him with your sin for forgiveness.

9 July - Approx. 3 thousand children have arrived already, with more being expected. Rev Erlo Stegen took the opening service at 19:00 from 2Sam 22:2, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer" ...[more]

9 July photos

8 July - Many more children arrived during the day.

7 July - Children are already starting to arrive. Rev John Powys took the evening service for those already present. He preached from Ez 33.30-32 on the 4 marks of a hypocrite. Read more here.

Arrival & Preparation photos (still to come) - 8 July 2003

Click here for information about the previous Youth Conferences.

(Here a clip of children singing in the auditorium)