We Could Use Your Prayers
About 13 years ago, I decided to focus my personal preaching energies into one entity. I was worn out from driving my little Ford Ranger 10,000 miles every summer from one youth camp to the next and figured it would be easier to hold my own camp and get all the youth groups to come to it, accomplishing in one week what it usually took 10 weeks to do.
In 1995, I incorporated Crossroads/Clayton King Ministries as a 501-(c)(3) non-profit ministry. After our camps and mission trips took off, we held our first Winter Conference in Gatlinburg, TN. That was 10 years ago, and this weekend, 1,000 students from all over the southeast will descend upon that Appalachian tourist town. They will come with an appetite for funnel cakes and fudge. They will purchase air brushed t-shirts and Ninja accessories (nun-chucks, bow staffs, and Chinese throwing stars. They will also have a chance to worship a deserving God who gives them all good things, build community with other believers from different walks of life, and give generously to the mission of the gospel around the world.
Here is what I need you to pray for this weekend.
1. Safety - lots of snow and ice on the roads in the smokies, and many of these groups will be traveling over treacherous bridges and through frozen mountain highways.
2. Salvation - we are clear and deliberate with the gospel, and we believe that we will see many people respond to the love of God by repenting of their sins and beginning a relationship with Christ.
3. Generosity - at every Crossroads event, we receive a love offering, 100% of which goes directly to international missions. This year we will be giving the money to Hopegivers and Crosspointe (both ministries in India that we partner with and support). We will also be using a third of the love offering to help send Grant and Charlene Campbell to the Himalayas for several years to assist an established medical missions agency at a hospital that treats locals in the region. They will be leaving this May and will be sent out by Crossroads and Broad River Community Church.
So while you are doing whatever it is that you do on a cold January weekend, remember us in your prayers, because we have the opportunity to change the world in years to come with 1,000 students that will gather together in Gatlinburg.
January 18th, 2008 at 11:31 am
My prayers will be with you! Clayton may God bless our ministries and all those awesome kids who will attend your camp.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:22 am
Hey, how did the winter conference go? We miss taking our youth to Gatlinburg. We were leading worship for another conference this weekend and remembered what we used to do this time a few years ago. We prayed for ya’ll.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:09 am
The conference was simply fantastic! We just got home late last night. The crowd was engaged, over 20 people gave their lives to Christ, including a German exchange student from our home town, and over 40 students said they wanted to dedicate their lives to missions and ministry. Also, the students raised about $7,000 for missions. Thanks so much for all your prayers, it seems as if The Father heard and honored them.