I love Bible conference. I have attended a youth conference in Ontario for four years, and the eight-hour trip packed into a van full of teenagers is always worth the time spent learning, singing, playing, and fellowshipping with hundreds of other Christian teens. I want to share with you a few things that I have learned help me to get the most out of Bible conference.
1. Be Present
This one may sound somewhat obvious, but it is important to focus your attention on what is going on in the moment. Bible conference is an investment in your spiritual growth. You are giving of your time and money to sit under godly preaching and to take part in fellowship with other believers. Bible conference has been instrumental in my life to help me refocus on what truly matters. If I am somewhere else in my mind, for example, worrying about what is going on back home, I may miss the message that God has for me. Be focused. Be present.
2. Participate
During youth conference this year we played one of my favorite games: sword drill scavenger hunt. The idea is to find the Bible verse and the word the leader calls out (e.g. Ephesians 4:11, the 14th word). You must then race to find whatever the word is and bring it back to your leader (in the above verse, pastors). While we were playing I noticed some boys sitting down the pew from me were not playing and thought, "they're missing out!" Participation isn't just for games, though. There is so much to participate in! Is the speaker asking questions? Answer them. Is he referencing passages? Look them up. Is there an altar call? If the Lord has spoken to you, go forward. Don't walk away from conference regretting that you didn't engage more.
3. Limit Technology
One thing that has been very helpful to me is taking a break from my phone during Bible conference. Last year one of the organizers of the conference sent out a challenge to take a media fast the week leading up to the conference in order to better prepare our hearts for God to work in us. It helped me to clear my mind beforehand. This year I chose to not check my emails and other notifications during our trip so that I could focus better. Technology can preoccupy our minds more than we know. Make the sacrifice to leave that space for God.
4. Take Notes
Bible conference can sometimes feel like an overload of preaching. The messages are wonderful, but after half a dozen of them, they start to run together in my mind. Being able to go back and look at my notes helps me to straighten them out. There are many different ways to take notes. You can make an outline of the sermon, you can write down only the things that speak to you, you can mind map, and so much more. Find what works for you. If you make a decision for the Lord, definitely write it down and commit to it. One of the speakers at the conference this year said, "Your life is made up of what you do with these moments." What are you going to do with the moments God convicts your heart?
Bible conference is an awesome opportunity to immerse yourself in the Word of God. Take full advantage of it and be ready to hear from the Lord.
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