Record Crowd Expected at Annual Religious Youth Conference

GATLINBURG, Tenn.-(Business Wire)-January 23, 2009 - More than 12,500 teens will ascend on Gatlinburg during a two-weekend span for the popular youth conference, Resurrection. Held at the Gatlinburg Convention Center, Resurrection is an evangelistic experience for youths aged 13 – 19 and their adult mentors. “We have a nationally recognized speaker who leads the sessions, in addition to live music, but what makes us different is the way we reach out to the teen through their youth group,” says Resurrection founder, Don Thomas.

When Thomas and fellow youth pastors, Hugh Kilgore and Steve Blakemore, formed Resurrection in 1985 at Camp Lookout, they had no idea Resurrection would grow from a dozen youth groups to thousands. “We had more than 6,300 people attend the first session of Resurrection this past weekend, and we expect another 6,000+ on Friday.”

While many of the youth groups are from East Tennessee, some travel more than 500 miles to attend Resurrection. They are responsible for their own accommodations; most of the groups stay in local hotels and cabins in the Gatlinburg area. “You know, we’re always concerned about the cost, but we’re confident in the youth and their home churches. They raise money to pay for their trip here,” says Thomas. Tickets to Resurrection are $30.00 per person in advance and $45.00 at the door.

This year’s emcee, Jason Roe attended Resurrection as a youth and he has been a member of Resurrection’s design team as an adult. “I know first hand what Resurrection can do for a child. I was 11 years old when I went to my first Resurrection and it changed my life.” Roe is now an evangelist. “When I see a teen bring a friend to Resurrection and maybe that friend has never been to church. He gets to worship in this exciting way. What an introduction to the Gospel! That’s really what gets me going.”

This year, nationally-renowned speaker and author Justin Lookadoo delivers the message at each session of Resurrection. “Justin Lookadoo is one of those guys you just can’t forget,” says Roe. “He’s 6’7’’ and has spiky hair, but above all, he can connect with those kids.”

Music is another tool Resurrection uses to grab the attention of teens. Back for the third year in a row, the Christian band Starfield leads the worship. The band’s lead singer, Tim Neufeld, says Resurrection is one of Starfield’s favorite places to play. "There's a tide within the church that I believe is changing, a new understanding of what it means to be a Christian in the post modern world,” says Neufeld. “This generation is searching for identity and relevance within that structure, for a Christianity they can sink their teeth into. As Starfield, we want to write the soundtrack to that movement.”

For more information about Resurrection, visit the website www.resurrectionyouth.com.

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