64% of today’s young adults leave the church when they leave their family’s home. There is no bigger challenge the Orthodox Christian church faces. Indeed, it’s future depends on understanding and reversing this trend.
To begin to address this challenge, 618 Orthodox Christian young adults gathered in Phoenix, AZ over the 2021 Labor Day weekend. These amazing young adults focused on discovering their personal WHY, exploring their calling more profoundly, enjoying amazing fellowship and activities, forming lifelong friendships, growing deeper in their faith, and transforming their lives in an ideal environment.
I was honored to offer the Keynote Address entitled: “WHY – LOVE – LIGHT – Being a Disciple of Christ In Your Jerusalem and Beyond.” The message was to Find Your WHY, Share the Love, and Be the Light of the World wherever you are.
This is the video of that Keynote Address (and the PowerPoint can be downloaded from below):
Here is the PowerPoint used during that keynote address:
Please read this powerful and personal testimonial (“On the Outside Looking In”) from a “homeless guy” who was present at this event:
Photos courtesy of Young Adult Conference 2021 & Allen Altcheck Photography
PLEASE READ THIS AMAZING POSTSCRIPT: Two years after I delivered this keynote address, and after a nice shave and haircut, I was at another church conference. This time, I was inside a beautiful resort enjoying a sumptuous breakfast with a wonderful family of believers and speaking with their young adult children. After a while, the father pointed to me and asked his children: “You don’t recognize this guy, do you?” They did not. But after he explained I was the one who spoke at their conference, the most amazing thing happened.
The young lady opened her purse and removed the dollar in the baggie I gave each attendee. She said she was so moved that since then she carried it with her everywhere she went to remind her to be generous to those who needed help. She had no idea she would ever see me again. But in that moment, we all stopped and gave glory to God.
Yes, we never know the impact we will have on the people with whom we interact. We never know what impressionable young adults will decide is important enough to remember and act upon. But we all must know that we are the “light of the world” and made “in the image and likeness of God.” And all we need to do is: Find Our Why, Share The Love, and Be The Light Of The World. All glory to God!