Previous events have been held in Houston, Texas (1998) and Hong Kong (2004), which drew 8,000 young people from 87 countries and 4,000 youth from 66 countries respectively.
The theme for 2008 will be 'Dive Deeper', encouraging believers to commit in a deeper way to following Jesus in mission, fellowship, and studying the word.
The programme will include events for collective worship and study, such as morning worship services, concerts, and evening sessions with keynote speakers. There will also be small group experiences. Participants will study in family groups of 20 to 25 to discuss the teaching.
Delegates will also be encouraged to experience other cultures in a 'Global Village' where music, dance, and stories from the worldwide Baptist Church will be presented. The Global Village will also link with the theme of mission, where young people will have the opportunity to engage in mission projects across Europe, and spread the gospel in Leipzig during the conference.
Conference director Emmett Dunn passionately believes Dive Deeper will provide crucial community benefits for many delegates: 'It can be easy for youth to get discouraged, especially those who come from small and sometimes impoverished communities. The youth conference enables these youth to see that they belong to a large and very diverse group of people called Baptists. The youth conference challenges youth first to be more committed to Christ, but also to be confident of who we are as Baptists and to realise the freedom they have as young Baptists. The youth conference is not just an event, but an experience.'
Visit www.dive-deeper.org for more information.
Source: Youthwork
