SMC Student - Reflections on Myrtle Beach Conference (pt 5)

This year was my first year attending Shabbach; and it was quite an experience! I have attended several youth conferences in the past but none can compare to this experience. I was blown away at first by the worship. The crowd seemed to dive right in. I have noticed that most congregations are looking for entertainment. After a while they may clap or raise their hands, but you must entertain them first. Shabbach seemed completely different. I could feel the presence of the Lord as soon as I stepped into the theater. I could tell that the worship team had spent many hours praying and seeking the Lord about which songs to sing. They brought the crowd immediately into the presence of the Holy Spirit. 

Another thing that I noticed was each speaker for each night brought a message that spoke to everyone’s heart and was exactly what they needed to hear. The timing was impeccable. I knew it was a God thing. From the very first service, to the very last, I could not wait to hear or see what God was going to do next. On the first night, Reggie Dabbs spoke, he preached on Adam and Eve in the garden. I have heard and read this story multiple times, yet the way he broke it down it spoke to my heart. There was an estimated count of five hundred and nine that responded to the alter call. What do you think of that? I have never seen so many people rushing to the alter. Praise the Lord!! 

I had such a great time! From the worship, to the sermons, to the staff and attendees, I have never seen so many people so excited and blessed to be in the presence of God. It truly cannot be explained, only experienced!

Jennifer

(North Carolina )

SMC Student-Reflections on Myrtle Beach Conference

This weekend at Shabbach MB was an amazing experience. I went expecting God to do great things and thats exactly what happened. On Friday night over 500 kids either accepted Christ into their hearts for the first time or rededicated their lives to Christ. I was on security that night and I remember standing there while the altar call was given. As I stood there I watched as a sea of teenagers stood and rushed to the altar. It was an emotional moment that I'm blessed to have witnessed. 

The second night was just as meaningful as Eddie James brought us amazing worship and Pastor Glenn brought the message. That night the message was about the woman who had major bleeding (Luke 8:43-48).  No one was able to help her, and after many years of bleeding she heard that Jesus was in town. PG preached that Jesus not only stopped the bleeding she had on the outside… but He healed her on the inside, making her whole.  Even though she was sick and couldn't run to Him she gave Him what she had and crawled her way to Him. Because of Her faith she was healed inside and out. She went from being the woman with a illness to being called "daughter." After this message the altar was filled with "bleeding" teenagers AND grown ups. I had the privilege of being part of the altar-team and being able to pray for the kids each night. 

Even though by the end of the weekend I was way overtired I wouldn't have traded it for anything. This weekend reminded me why I wanted to be here in the first place. Seeing how much Shabbach effects the lives of these young people is why everyone on staff works as hard as they do. I am so blessed and thankful to be able to be a part of it. 

Have a blessed week,

Keyona

SMC Student-Reflections on Myrtle Beach Conference (pt1)

Life on the other side


















I was a "Shabbacher" long before I ever attended one of the conferences. I had heard about Shabbach, and seen pictures and T-shirts and I will never forget my first Shabbach. When people say it can't be explained, only experienced, they are right. I have a new "first" to add to my list now, however. I had been on staff with a church and been a chaperone for a group of kids for a Shabbach weekend, but I had never gotten to experience what it was like behind the scenes at Shabbach and how it all works, though I had heard about it. Let me tell you, it blessed me beyond measure. Going into a weekend that had followed one of the worst weeks I had had in a while, I knew there had to be something great about to happen. Friday night I got to stand in the back of the sanctuary and just look. I was left, jaw dropped, standing in awe. "I don't deserve to be standing here" was all I kept thinking, but God. As I looked around the room at all of the hands that we raised up in Worship to the King I just couldn't help but tear up. Never in my wildest dreams would it have ever crossed my mind that I could be standing there, and being a part of something so wonderful. But that was just the beginning, Reggie Dabbs began to speak, he made everyone laugh and then punched them all, with words not literally of course. He gave the altar call and I knew it was time to fight. I thought I was overwhelmed at the beginning when I just saw all the people in worship... I soon realized that that was nothing compared to the kids that began to FLOOD the altar, just like a storm sweeping the front they rushed in. I began to pray with them and just seek the Lord and I witnessed lives being transformed, people weeping, shaking, dancing, laughing before the Lord, I have never seen something so beautiful. Saturday I got the priviledge of sharing a small amount of my story and why I am at Shabbach Master's Commission, and as I sat down and looked around the table, I had to hold back my tears once again. I am just amazed, and humbled, and honored, that not only I get to stand under the anointing of my spiritual father, but also Shabbach, as well as Pastor Glenn and Pastor Michael. That alone is grace in motion. To confine my experience this weekend to words, would be unfair. Instead, just take a look at the smile on my face, and the joy in my spirit. This weekend is proof, that yes, we mess up. But God always has a plan. We don't always get it right, but God has a plan. We may go into something like Shabbach ministry-minded ready to minister to somebody, but God always has a plan.


Tami
(Idaho)

SMC Student - Reflections on Myrtle Beach Conference (pt 2)

Looking back at ShabbachMB I could very easily highlight the estimated 509 people that made a commitment to live for Christ. Which in and of itself is awesome and by no means am I taking away from that! I'm an observer by nature, with that being said, my 'ah-hah' moment happened to be Friday night in the middle of worship. On the left side of the stage there stood a girl with her hands stretched out. She was younger than most of the teens yet there she was, along with everyone else, lifting praises to the King. She had tears streaming down her face. Later on Eddie James went on to say, "I believe the best moments in worship are when your heart and spirit are so engaged in loving God that you don't need anyone up here telling you what to do." This rang true for her. She was completely lost in worship. She didn't have her buddy beside her. Her leader wasn't around. It was her and God. She may have hopped up onto the speaker to see but she isolated herself from everyone else to spend time with the Father and that's exactly what she got. When we seek after His face He shows Himself, in whatever way we need to see Him. She had a moment which have me my moment. It doesn't matter who you are or where you stand (in life) God will always be there if we look in the right direction. Jeremiah 29:13 says, " You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Webster's Dictionary defines to seek as 1) to go in search of 2) to try to discover 3) try to acquire or gain. When we forget about those around us and drive out the distractions of life and go after Him with everything we have we WILL find him.  He will meet with us. He will speak. In that moment true change can take place. I truly believe that girl walked out different than we she came in and it all started in praise and worship on that one Friday night. 

Erica
(South Carolina)

SMC Student - Reflections on Myrtle Beach Conference (pt 4)

 This year has been different for me than all the other years because for one I was on staff instead of being an attendee. This would be my 8th year attending Shabbach Youth Conferences and out of all these years, this year was my favorite. I love being an attendee but when I was able to have the opportunity to be a staff member and to set up and tear down, I absolutely loved it and I loved serving in every area that was needed. It gave me a whole new perspective of how much work and how much preparation it takes to set up this conference. To be a part of what Shabbach is doing is a blessing to me in itself. On Friday night, as I was watching the people worship and watching everything that was going on, I became overwhelmed with the fact that I have been given the opportunity and has been a great honor  to stand under the anointing God has placed above me. I get to sit under the anointing of Pastor Glenn and Pastor Michael and Shabbach Ministry and also be a part of SMC. When I was talking with Tami, she gave a great analogy and she said basically we have a huge umbrella we are standing under. Words can’t explain the emotion and how I was feeling when Reggie gave the altar call and the Palace itself became the altar. The place flooded with youth who wanted to change, who wanted to make it right, who wanted to be called a daughter or son of the Most High. All I could do is stand there and look around and just cry because this is what it is all about, this is what Shabbach is about, this is what ministering is about, this is what our lifestyle should be about, to minister the Word and allow God to flow through us to reach the lost, to reach this generation. Saturday night was an amazing night for me and an eye opener for me as well. When Pastor Glenn called for the altar team I walked up there with a desire to see these kids set free from the bondage that was holding them down. As kids flooded to the altar I began praying for these girls but as I was praying, God stopped me in the midst and said go pray for that girl right now. So I went directly to this girl and began speaking things into her life, God was just flowing right through me to tell her these things that she needs to let go of. Next thing I knew she was slain in the Spirit and for a second it caught me off guard. Here’s why…I have seen people pray for someone and they be baptized in the Spirit or slain in the Spirit, but I never thought God would use me in that kind of way. I always thought that I would never be anointed enough to pray for someone and God use me in that way. God showed me this weekend that when He calls me to do something, He’s going to anoint me to do the assignment he has for me. I’m trying to explain it in a way that doesn’t sound like I’m saying it was me that did it because it was NOT me at all. It was God all the way and I was just the willing vessel He used at the time. God has given me a new perspective and brought new meaning to things about myself and about ministry that I never even thought of and never would have even considered. This year at Shabbach has been an incredible and unforgettable experience for me!

Katlyn

(South Carolina)

1 God Encounter w/ 1 Girl to Many w/ the Gospel

Below is a Blog from one of our SMC students. I am proud of Keyona on so many levels. Mainly because of her sheer tenacity to blaze a trail that few are willing to do in order to find God's will for their lives. Keyona is young lady from Maine. She is proof of what one encounter with God at an event like Shabbach can do in launching her to reach many. Keyona was adopted into a wonderful home at a young age. The baggage of rejection could have easily crippled her, yet she refused to be denied and went on a mission to search for purpose of her existence. You'll read in her Blog below about her personal experience at Shabbach. I'd like for you to know her current status after her encounter.
After Shabbach 2009 she:
a. finished her high school
b. joined with a summer mime team that traveled all over the country sharing the Gospel
c. is currently involved in our Shabbach Master's Commission Program here in Charlotte, NC
http://www.shabbach.com/images/MC.pdf

We're all excited about #ShabbachOCD2013!!! I believe she is one of thousands that have been and will be changed at Shabbach! It's why we do what we do!

Hope to see you soon!

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Shabbach MB is this weekend!!  Getting ready has been making me think about going to Shabbach when I was younger.  I remember going to Shabbach DC the year they did Glow in the Dark.  None of my youth group was going other than me, and being from Maine I needed to drive a few hours to get in with another youth group.  Through PG's message I learned that "you can't glow for Christ until you are broken in Christ."  After that weekend I knew that I wanted to be a part of something bigger.  Small Swans Island just wasn't going to cut it for me.  I wanted to be a part of a group that was so real and so on fire for God that it changed people's lives.  Through Shabbach Masters Commission I now get to be a part of the same conference that changed my life. The same conference that made me want a deeper relationship with Jesus.  I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Psalm 37:23-24 - "The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand."
Shabbach is the kind of conference that can change a young person's life, I'm living proof of that. And all because "On Fire for God" people follow the path God has laid out for their lives.  I'm so excited to be a part of Shabbach and to see what God has planned for this weekend.  I'm expecting lives to be changed and souls to be won for Christ.  Hope to see you all there!!

John 3:17 - For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Have a blessed week,
Keyona