Backstage with Nick Foulks

What is something that you are really passionate about? 

Seeing people come to authentic and genuine relationship with God. Not with the church or with religion, but with God. 

What do you see as your role in that? 

My role in helping people do that would be 1) communicate the gospel in a way that makes sense, touches hearts, is relevant and 2) to live a lifestyle that screams that message. 

Why do you think that evangelism is important?

I guess I see evangelism is not an action, it’s a lifestyle. Evangelism is how we live our lives as believers everyday. Go and make disciples is what we are called to do but making a disciple means living a life with people, having a relationship with them. 

Why is it important for high school students to share their faith? What unique ability do they have to share the gospel message?

If you’re a high schooler, you are in such a moldable season of your life and everybody around you is in that season and the friends that you’re with will help create who you are going to be. There was a study that was done about our heart rates and breathing patterns sync with the people who we are around. The relationships that we have will lead people toward or away from Christ. A person only needs one positive influence in their life. Will you be that person? A youth pastor only has 1 hour each week to connect to a student. But the parents and the peers have the largest quanitiy of time to influence.  

How is music a tool for evangelism? 

Because music is something that crosses so many boundaries. It speaks emotion. Truth that’s palatable. Music cuts through all of the conversation. God shows the power of music. David would play music and it would ease demonic influence. Music is a huge portion of fighting the battle of spirit in us. When we wash ourselves with good music we wash all of the impurities. If we cover ourselves with something that’s filled with curse words, sexual immorality, our lives will reflect that. 

What do you see as the biggest roadblock to evangelism in the 21st century? 

The stereotypes that have been created and the people who embody 

What is our greatest asset?

Technology. 

How does technology play a role? 

It gives us access to Bible knowledge and devotional tools and ability to search for a verse than we’ve ever had before. 

What is one piece of advice that you have for young people who want to share their faith but are afraid?  

What do you have to lose? Ask yourself that question. What are you telling someone when you tell them about your faith? Evangelism is a lifestyle. Sharing your faith is not just sharing who Jesus is. Show them what love looks like.

Backstage with Eric Samuel Timm

What is something that you are really passionate about? 

Seeing students hunger for God’s word. I’m passionate about a lot of things but I want to see students hunger for his word more than they do facebook or something they find. Becuase it’s a true source. 

2/3 of high school students who say they love Jesus have walked away before they graduate from college. We do a great job at evangelism and a poor job at discipleship. I’m the guy who comes in and speaks and sees people come to Christ but my first question is what is your follow-up plan? The flash in the pan doesn’t work. Students go to college and they get rolled over by a worldview and that’s not to say that they won’t come back but a lot of people fall through the cracks. 

Discipleship: Jesus did it with 12. What can we do with more than that? 

Why do you think that evangelism is important?

Because we’re all called to evangelism to go and preach the good news to go and make disciples. It’s not something that we can choose to do or not do. You can’t just go, “you know, I’m not really cut out for that”

What unique ability do high school students have to share the gospel message?

They will never have a time in their life where they are more connected relationally with that many people. 

How does art play a role in your faith? 

When I look at this world I see it as a painting and God is the painter. It’s like God’s art. His handywork. Even the heavens declare his workmanship. When we go to a museum and look at a painting we recognize the artist. When I look at the world I am literally looking at something He created. So it’s very humbling. I’ve never taken an art class in y life it found me when I needed it and allowed me to express and explore my faith in a very tangible way. 

How is music (or other art) a tool for evangelism? 

2 Things define this world. It’s noisy and it’s visual. I think art cuts through the noise visually. It’s an element to tell God’s story. The arts poetry music dance worship, dude, j-saw is here - skateboarding- if you’ve never seen a skateboarder, it’s art. The arts tell God’s story the best. There’s nothing on this earth that tells it better. If we’re goign to tell the greatest story ever, we should use it. 

What is the most important thing for young people to remember about sharing their faith?

Put to death your fear. God has not given you the spirit of fear. But love peace joy and a sound mind. And there is a line. People will always question where you straddle that line. If you live in both worlds. People will always question where you straddle. They will never question where you stand. WHen you stand for Jesus they won’t question.

What do you see as the biggest roadblock to evangelism in the 21st century? 

Knowing what we believe and why. We do a great job of evangelizing but a poor job of discipling. What we believe and why. Kids don’t speak with authority b/c they don’t know the authority they’ve been given. Because God has no grandchildren. He only has sons and daughters. We take Christianity and make it our parent’s religion. We have to have a face-to-face relationship with the truth and until we do we can’t speak from it. 

What is our greatest asset?

The accessibility to each other and to knowledge. We can reach people that we couldn’t before. There’s also a rise of excellence that’s rising up in the body of Christ. Look at what people are doing. This is unprecendented. Even Ignite, dude. From the lanyards to the banners to the website. It’s huge that people are stepping up to the plate. THey see the excellence. 

How does technology play a role? 

Yes, and it’s negative. Because we’re a master to the noise. When you wake up do you read God’s word first or check your Facebook status? The technology will never be an asset to us until we master the noise. A slave can’t use their owner.

Backstage with Jon Brown

What is something that you are really passionate about? 

I am really passionate about my wife and about students sharing their faith and winning their friends to Jesus. I love students and seeing them come alive with a purpose. I’m passionate about the lost in general but there’s nothing better than seeing students get passionate about the lost. 

What do you see as your role in that?

Inspiring them. I love seeing the lights turn on and them get it and feel it. That usually happens when they experience it. Leading them toward that. “I make you do what you don’t want to do so you can become what you do want to become” - Tom Landry. Also, equipping them. Like this event. 

How does this event equip students to share their faith? 

I definitely from seeing my students enjoy the conference love that it isn’t just a conference that has a bunch of talking. The motion, the artists like J-saw and Tru-serva and the creativity of the communicators engages the audience. And it’s solid and Biblically based. They’re packing in so much and I’m watching students eating it up and excited that every one of their blanks are filled. 

What is the most important thing for young people to remember about sharing their faith?

I would say don’t treat people as projects. You have to have love for them. My best friend gave his heart to the Lord after four years and there were a lot of times that I wanted to give up but I didn’t because I loved him. YOu have to be in it for the long haul. One of the key elements for me was the prayer aspect of it. There were a lot of moments that he didn’t listen to what I had to say. I kept loving him and praying. 

What do you see as the biggest roadblock to evangelism in the 21st century? 

People’s misconceptions of church and Christians. They automatically have their guard up. They know that you’re a christian or a pastor and they automatically... that road block is there because of bad experiences they’ve had in church.

What is our greatest asset?

The holy spirit. I think that sometimes we underplay that in the church. I don’t know why the church does that. Maybe because of the weirdness factor. The HS can take our puniness and do huge things with it. And that’s actually what happened (I believe) I don’ tknow if you know the story of Luke and Matt coming together and 13 kids were filled with power and boldness and I think that was a huge turning point in Luke’s life and the start of Monday night JAM I don’t know if you know about that. The HS did something that none of us could have ever done. Empowering a bunch of sinful, shy guys like us and using us to do something that didn’t make sense. 

How does technology play a role? 

Particularly in our ministry we’ve done online missions trips. Our students use Facebook and Twitter specifically to post videos and gospel messages  and talk about what it meant to them. Some students faced persecution for it. It was great. It created conversation around that. For us it was a 2-week thing but I think it should be ongoing and normal and I’m seeing that happen more often with students. Kids are getting better at handling the social media and the church needs to help them embrace it and use it share the gospel. I see it happening already. 

What is one piece of advice that you have for young people who want to share their faith but are afraid? 

That’s everyone. That’s me and I’m a pastor. We’re doing a series called, “I am rescue’ and the big idea is that on the other side of your excuses is someone’s freedom. Your excuse leads to someone else not being free. That was super challenging and convicting to me. The one thing that we’ve been praying for is boldness. The story of Peter. The HS power. Boldness. I was the most shy person on the planet in high school. I would skip my speech class b/c I was afraid to talk. If I can lead my best friend and my principal to the Lord than anyone can do it. 

Principal: We had a drama at our church the summer after I graduated and I was the drug dealer in the drama. We invited him to come to the drama. He came to see us act in the drama and came up at the end (when all the actors and actresses came up) to respond and he asked me to pray with him to ask the Lord to lead his life. He just got rocked. That was what led to him opening the doors to Monday night Jam. He led with a spirit-filled passion. Energy and love for God. Amazing to watch the transformation. He was so hungry after that. 

How is music a tool for evangelism?

I love music so I think that music is the key to anyone’s heart. I think it tears down walls. When you have a chance to serve someone you win their trust. We can serve youth with the music that they love you get through to them. Without it you aren’t as effective.

Backstage with Roger Coles

What is something that you are really passionate about? 

One thing I’ve always talked about with my wife is seeing people live totally free. 

Why do you think that evangelism is important?

The great commission - that’s what you want me to say, right? Jesus told us to go and make disciples. But I’m really passionate about seeing people live a life of freedom and when you see the Gospel take root in people’s lives it changes them. And that inspires me to share. THe most important thing is for people to have a relationship with Christ and evangelism points them to Christ as the source of freedom. 

What unique ability do high school students have to share the gospel message?

They have a voice to their peers that no one else does. Everyone in high school has felt peer pressure. Everyone wants to impress. It’s about what you’re wearing and what you have. Parents are so crucial but the voice that you have to your friends is oging to bethe most important. THat’s significant. 

How is music a tool for evangelism? 

I believe in using everything to point people toward Christ. That might be technology, art, everything. Now we live in an age of creativity and technology. Imagine if Paul and Peter had the resources we have today what they could have done. Cooking shows - there is something about the arts that is so attractive. Cooking isn’t even that popular but it’s an art. 

What is the most important thing for young people to remember about sharing their faith?

They don’t need to be worried about wise words. A fear of not knowing what to say or not having all the answers. Luke 12:12 says that the HS will teach you what to say. It’s not about our own wisdom but the power of the holy spirit. 

What do you see as the biggest roadblock to evangelism in the 21st century? 

This mentality of “you do what’s right for you and I’ll do what’s right for me” and there’s a mindset that all roads lead to god and everybody goes to heaven and people have a hard time wrapping their minds around one way to Christ. 

What is our greatest asset?

Technology. We have a greater opportunity to be heard not only to people who are around us because of the doors that are open because of technology. Imagine if Paul had the resources. 

What is one piece of advice that you have for young people in their faith. 

Don’t worry about what your friends think. Some of the kids that you worry about what they think about you you’ll never see them again after you graduate. It hinders us from being who God wants you to be.

Backstage with Chris Marvin and The Spark

What is the best part about leading worship for the event like this?

Being able to worship with the greater Church and know HIs presence with the greater family. It’s great to be able to go to all different places and know a sense of home because you’re all here for a purpose. Everyone here loves Jesus. 

What is something difficult that you’ve had to face in leading worship (to high school students)?

Again, it’s like you never really know where the people are at when you show up at a church and you might end up somewhere where people aren’t expressive in their worship and we want to be sensitive and help them to get to our place but that’s obviously more work. Our western Christian culture has made the subject of worship different from what it is and when we make it somethign different from what it is we haven’t done anything that is Biblical worship. 

What is something that you are really passionate about? 

Igniting. We want to see a real genuine passion and hunger and desire for God in people’s hearts. Push past the hype. Genuine connection with Jesus. 

How is music a tool for evangelism? 

Music can be really powerful in that God uses tools to speak through instruments differently than through just words. I know that God can use anything but he does use music and times of worship. Truth can be sung over a people and they can receive it when they won’t be open to hearing somone speka. It’s the Lord that does things, not us. If we’re obedient then He is going to do it no atter what. 

What is the most important thing for young people to remember about sharing their faith?

The Holy Spirit. Love. It’s not about some kind of agenda or strategy to get your friends “born again” but it’s the love of God. That’s our motive. When people see the genuine love of Christ they know it’s real. WHen there’s an actual compassion because of that love you draw people to Jesus. He gives you supernatural things to say. 

What do you see as the biggest roadblock to evangelism in the 21st century? 

There are preconceived ideas of what Chrisianity is all about without people knowing. They see us acting like hypocrites. If they don’t see real genuine love coming through peopple they’re going to be close to us. That’s why we need to make sure that we’re living the truth, not

What kinds of things have you committed to as a band?

To actually be worshipers. Even if we get no response. It isn’t about the response. We are people who will worship our Lord. Outside the stage we’re committed to being real and know His voice on stage and off stage. We don’t put on the relatioship to be on stage in front of people. Accountability. We’re VERY plugged into the local church, leaders and their care over us. It keeps us grounded and accountable. We know that God has called us to be connected to our church even though we go 

What is our greatest asset?

Being filled with the Holy Spirit and being sensitive to whatever he is asking you to do. Able and ready to do anything. Obedience. Knowing his voice. 

How does technology play a role? 

I think that God gifts us in different ways and that God uses what we have so technology can be used - or not. It’s just another tool that we have. Of course we want to use it as long as it doesn’t get out of order. We’re not trying to make things cool. 

What is one piece of advice that you have for young people who want to share their faith but are afraid? 

Love Jesus first. If there is genuine relationship with Jesus it’s going to come through your life. Not because you have a burden to change the world but b.c there’s a real love inside that changed you. 

To know his love. You can’t love God without knowing that He first loved you. Knowing that love and experiencing it. A regular basis. Not just a one-time. You won’t hold back.