Scores of young people (and young at heart) gathered for the Youth Summit on Saturday, January 13, 2024, under the Freedom Come tent in Gordon Pen Spanish Town. This event formed part of a three-day leadership summit through the Kingdom partnership with Liberty Bible Fellowship, Freedom Come Ministries, and MTM TV.
Another effectual partnership of God’s children was manifested as youths from Freedom Come and Passion and Purity led a time of high praises to begin the night. In a spiritually charged atmosphere, the voices rang out in concert with “Holy, Holy”, “I’m trading my sorrows”, and “I know who God says I am.”
Rajiv and Peta-Gay Rowe, an effervescent moderating duo, gave a riveting charge to everyone from the book of Jonah, adjuring listeners to submit to the instructions of the LORD rather than go their own way, as the latter leads to disaster. The youths were also encouraged that wholehearted service to God is possible, regardless of age. Those who had departed from God were reminded that He would pursue them with relentless love. Parents were exhorted to not only encourage the youths but also live in submission to God so that their children can witness a Christ-like example and receive a Godly heritage.
The youth then took to the stage once more with back-to-back ministry items. With no voices, the sign language group “Anointed Hands” worshipped to the song “I speak Jesus,” allowing their hands to do the talking. This was followed by two young men from Passion and Purity: Romario Mitchell and Darien Callum. In an original poem entitled “The Name,” Romario exalted the supremacy of the name of Jesus, after which the audience rocked to the chorus “I was created to worship Jesus,” led by Darien, thus sending all a vibrant reminder of their ultimate purpose.
The praise was far from over as the moderators returned to the stage and invited all the children to “buss” a dance before the Lord, as Perry in Christ’s “Christian Walk” reverberated under the tent. It was another praise-worthy break when Creary Henry shared his testimony of how God saved him from a life of violence and death. Hallelujah! God has redeemed another youth from darkness and established him in His Kingdom of light.
To wrap up the night, Pastor Joe Persaud and his team from Liberty Bible Fellowship brought the word. In a relay style, the speakers took the mic and briefly delivered from various places in scripture. Some salient nuggets were:
- Do not passively seek God, but do so wholeheartedly, for those who hunger and thirst after Him will indeed find and be satisfied by Him.
- Seasons will come in our lives where, even as we are being obedient to God, it seems things have gone off course. Tragedy strikes—we have no control over the situation, and we’ve landed in a place we never expected to be. We must trust that it is the LORD’s doing, and we will see His purposes unfold more evidently in and through our lives. It is the enemy’s desire to use our trials to discourage and divert us from God’s will. Nevertheless, we must resolve in our hearts to continue praising the LORD and pressing on by faith.
- God desires to do something new in our lives, but the most detrimental resistance is not so much external but from matters of the heart that have not been addressed. There is no growth for us in God until we let go of the things He told us to release. In other words, submission to God matures us spiritually.
- Humility is key to discerning and walking in the will of God. He will exalt those who remain humble before Him, in His way, and in His time.
The Father was surely drawing souls to Himself as numerous young boys made their way to the altar, crying out to God. This was outside of a direct call to commitment made from the podium. Soon after, people of all ages ran to the altar with their hands raised. Pastor Joe Persaud prayed with those seeking salvation, and the night concluded with a pastoral prayer of refreshing by Rev. Jeffery Shuttleworth for the international ministers, and the worship team ushered us out with the final song of praise, “I’m sold out!”
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Contact Darien at [email protected], Tel. No. (876) 350-7976, or their website at www.passionandpurity.com.
