Teen pregnancies, Miley “twerking” at award shows and random “hook ups” on prime time television are prominent images youth see on a daily basis.
“It seems like in our society our envelope on sexual expression is being pushed,” said Becky Quinn, Christian education director at Iola First Baptist Church. “It’s devastating to me.”
A little over a year ago First Baptist Church, First Christian Church, RiverTree and Harvest Baptist came together and put on a purity conference for young women in the area.
“The conference went well, we had about 60 girls last time,” Quinn said. “We felt like we needed something for young men, too.”
This year the church has planned a conference for both girls and boys — Armed With Truth Youth Conference. It is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 22. The church has invited youth from sixth grade to junior college.
“We are will have a couple from Beaumont, Texas, Jason and April Anderson, lead the conference,” Quinn said.
The conference will include worship and separate gender sessions. The girls will participate in a fashion show and the boys will have a mini car show.
Mason Wilson, youth pastor at Harvest Baptist, is helping with the conference.
“For the boys we’re focusing on being armed with truth to stand up and be a man and do what’s right,” Wilson explained. “Boys in high school can be very immature when it comes to a relationship. It’s kind of a game to them.”
Wilson along with Travis Riley, youth pastor at First Christian Church, and Jonathan Palmer, youth and music leader at Iola First Baptist, will help lead the male portion of the conference.
“We never had anything like this as kids … to explain what the point of a relationship is,” Wilson said. “The whole point is to show the kids what Biblical relationship is and knowing what God expects in a relationship.”
The conference has a military theme. Wilson said the boys group will make a family crest during their session.
“As believers we’re all part of God’s family so we will make a family crest to encourage them to take a stance,” he said.
The conference costs $10 if participants are registered by Feb. 1, $15 Feb. 2 to Feb. 15 and $20 afterwards. Quinn said a book, lunch and snacks are included in the conference.
“We have a desire to see it evolve into something annual,” Wilson said.
