First Pentecostal Church In Palm Bay To Present 15th Annual ‘YouthQuake’ On Oct. 9

YOUR PERSPECTIVE

ABOVE VIDEO: The First Pentecostal Church in Palm Bay, one of the largest evangelical congregations in Palm Bay, is hosting an event on Friday night, Oct. 9th called YouthQuake.

BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The challenge of our day is at times daunting. In spite of the comforts of living in a first world nation and the speed of our technology advancement, we are still attempting to make sense of a host of social dilemmas.

Pain is not going extinct. Loneliness is on the rise. Fear is far from being eradicated. Divisiveness is more prevalent than ever. Regardless of how much we earn or how much we learn, we are constant in our uncertainty about how to respond to the twenty-first century challenges.

One of the most controversial challenges of our day is the attempt to get consensus on how we should instruct and influence the demographic of young people between the ages of twelve and twenty-five.

Several years ago during a time when the Chicago Bulls basketball team was winning championships and changing the face of professional sports, I met one of their players and had lunch with his family. Michael Jordan was the leader of the team and his right hand man was Scotty Pippin. It just so happened that Mr. Pippin came into the eating establishment that we were at and asked to join us. Soon, his family and friend joined and an interesting conversation ensued.

The small talk of basketball had brought Mr. Pippin to a place of boredom and he asked me what I did, no doubt desiring to change the subject. I explained that I was a preacher and he giggled while asking, “Who do you preach to?” I responded by saying, “Anybody that will listen, did you bring Dennis Rodman with you?” (A reference to a flamboyant teammate.)

Mr. Pippin laughed and said, “No, but he could use some good preaching.” The conversation turned to a more serious note as we talked about the responsibility of sport stars to be role models to a growing youth culture. Scotty Pippin argued that a sports superstar just wants to play ball and does not pretend to be a good role model.

I countered with the concept that if superstars are paid millions to play their sport, they are paid handsomely in proportion to the large audience of people who are not only watching them but also paying their salary. The responsibility that goes with the perks is an awareness and attempt to use that influence for a positive purpose. Mr. Pippin agreed in principle if not in practice.

Our youth are bombarded on a regular basis by social media and mobile platforms that puts unbridled sounds and images in their ears and in their minds. The mixture of modern technology and elaborate entertainment has made millions for the creators but created a culture of co-dependence.

My daughter’s first word was “mama,” and her second word was “dada” but her third word was “Ipad.” Once, while waiting for a seat at a nice restaurant, my daughter was given a small “Etch-a-Sketch” to keep her occupied. I watched her try to move the ink by running her finger across the small screen rather than using the knobs. Soon, she handed it to me and said, “This thing is broke.”

The question that confronts us all is what is broke? Is it the youth that are destined to malfunction or have we handed them a system that is void of meaning and purpose. We simply cannot isolate or inoculate our youth from the world that changes on a daily basis but we also have a responsibility to couple the teaching of morality with the purchase of modern technology.

The paradox of our day is that while we seem focused on the plight and decline of a youth culture that seems to be out of control, the spiritual hunger of our young people is at an all-time high.

Recently, in Oklahoma City at the Chesapeake Energy arena, 20,000 young people gathered. The event had sold out in just 14 hours and thousands more spilled over into the overflow at Cox Convention Center.

The stage was in a rotunda and theater lights created a climate of expectation but it was not the high quality of technology that turned this gathering into an epic event, it was the spiritual pursuit and shout of the young people in the stands that got the attention of the folks at the Guinness book of World Records.

It was recorded that as the young people prayed and shouted unto God, the noise reached a decibel level of 134.2. This was possibly the loudest of any gathering of any size in an indoor arena. In comparison, Guinness World Records lists the loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium as 142.2db at the Kansas City Chiefs stadium in 2014.

It could be argued that this was just noise from some over excited young people, but it may be indicative of something else that is closer on point: a glimpse of young people who have embraced spiritual tenacity more than moral decline.

In 2017, the event will be held in Lucas Oil Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana where the Indianapolis Colts play. Our culture has produced a climate of profound opportunity. It appears that a student revolution will seize the moment and create their own atmosphere of spiritual growth and profound purpose.

The First Pentecostal Church in Palm Bay, one of the largest evangelical congregations in Palm Bay, is hosting an event on Friday night, Oct. 9th called YouthQuake.

This event, now in its 15th year, draws students by the hundreds all across Florida. Students gather in a facility of lights and sounds that is indicative of the culture that they share with their peers, but yet there is something distinctly different.

The music is different. The expressions are different. The body language indicates they are expecting something great rather than the dread of obligatory attendance. In short there is a hunger and a pursuit that is palpable.

Fresh from the success of Oklahoma City’s North American Youth Congress, Youth President Michael Ensey of the United Pentecostal Church International will be ministering Friday night at 8:00pm and Saturday morning at 11:00am, October 9th and 10th. Reverend Ensey oversees a youth department of 20,000 churches and 4 million constituents.

Registration includes all sessions, Bible study guide, media drop card and admission to AfterShock, an after service late night party of pizza, recreation, music, games and good clean fun.

The 2015 theme of this youth gathering in Palm Bay is “Deep Calleth” and perhaps that theme is reflective of the underground youth culture that is growing every day. Called to do something more than just consume. Called to the deep waters of sacrifice and commitment. Called to a cause higher than yourself!

You can register online and receive additional information at YouthQuakeFL.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pastor David Myers went to Apostolic Bible Institute in 1981 at the age of 17 years old and graduated with honors three years later with a Bachelor’s degree in Apostolic Studies. After evangelizing for a number of years, teaching youth seminars and preaching youth crusades, he returned to Palm Bay to work with his father, who pastored First Pentecostal Church in Palm Bay, Florida.

Pastor Myers served as Florida District Bible Quiz Coordinator, Southeastern Bible Quiz Coordinator and the Florida District Youth President before returning to school in 1994 and graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Systematic Theology from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida.

In 1996 Pastor Myers enrolled in law school at Barry University School of Law in Orlando, Florida. In 1997, Pastor Myers studied at Oxford University in England. In 1998, he studied at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland under U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and in 1999, at McGill College in Montreal, Canada under the former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, William Rehnquist.  Pastor Myers graduated Cum Laude with a Juris Doctorate degree from Barry University School of Law in 2000.

After being elected in 1998 as senior pastor of the First Pentecostal Church in Palm Bay, Pastor Myers oversaw construction on a new 28,000 square foot church complex. The construction was completed in 2000 and won a national design award. The new construction combined with an excellent leadership team propelled the church to flourish with new members and triple in membership.

In 2007, the auditorium was expanded to seat 1,000 people and construction began on a 22,000-foot Family Life Center.  This facility was completed in 2008 and was named in honor of Bishop J.E. Myers.

In 2011, Pastor Myers published his first book titled “The Supremacy Clause, the laws of man that reveal the love of God” through Fitly Spoken Press. His knowledge of U.S. law and the Word of God allows him to construct a very powerful and informative book on how the scripture has shaped our laws.

In 2015, Pastor Myers published his second book entitled, “Heaven, we have a Problem, 13 miracles from the Apollo 13 mission that will rocket your faith.”  In this book Pastor Myers explores how to recover from an unexpected explosion in your life using the Apollo 13 mission of returning safely to earth and Biblical principles as a guide.

Pastor Myers passion is missions’ work overseas.  He has travelled to 107 countries to build churches, orphanages and schools.  Pastor Myers is the director of Hands for Healing, a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides disaster relief, food assistance and construction to those in need locally and globally.

Pastor Myers and his wife Aimee are blessed with identical twin sons Gregory David and Luke Ellis along with a beautiful girl, Sophia Aimee.

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