Last night marked the closing session for Dare2Share’s Untour here in Columbus, Ohio. Since I have plenty of time to kill before my flight home, it feels like an appropriate time to share my reflections on the weekend.

Personal conviction

Perhaps the biggest conviction for me this weekend was something that was never addressed, so it must be the Holy Spirit. Matthew 6:15 kept coming to mind, “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Without getting into all the different theological positions on that passage, the message is clear: God wants you to become more like Him and that means forgiving people even when it’s hard and even when they don’t deserve it.

Two situations kept coming to mind that I need to forgive. If the Lord can forgive me for all the major offensives I’ve committed against Him, then I should be able to forgive those who have sinned against me or a loved one, too. But it’s so much easier said than done. I know unforgiveness is sin and that Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened,” and again, without getting into the different theological implications of that verse, sin obviously hinders our relationship with God! So I really need to learn to forgive, to absorb the pain and not hold it against other people, not only for my own sake, but for my relationship with God and my ability to serve Him effectively.

Again, this wasn’t a topic at the conference — just what the Holy Spirit prompted in me through Greg Stier’s teaching this weekend. “Thanks, Greg…” (somewhat-sarcastically).

Observations about the Untour

Overall, Dare2Share is a great conference! I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see first-hand just how fun and life-changing evangelism training can be, and not just for the person being witnessed to!

While the Untour is a student conference, it’s really just as much for youth leaders and adults as it is for the teens. I think it’s easy to come to a conference like this thinking, “Yeah, my kids need to tell others about Jesus!” but when you get here, you realize the message is just as applicable to yourself as it is to the kids. And actually, the pressure to set the example for kids heightens, as well, as the teens look to us to model for them what they’re hearing. That pressure can (and should be) very positive!

• Dare2Share doesn’t just talk about telling people about Christ, they actually put the training to use in multiple ways throughout the conference.
• Students are not just trained to share their faith — they catch a vision for what God’s plan is for their lives and the people around them. That vision compels them to share Christ!
• A follow-up conversation with an unsaved friend for the following Monday is built in to the conference. Great accountability!
• The conference is not a high-pressure, “you’re a bad Christian if you don’t witness” event. It’s filled with truth, but it’s communicated very appropriately.

More cities coming up!

Dare2Share still has a couple more cities left on their tour this weekend. I highly recommend you consider taking your youth group if at all possible. Even if you go last minute with just one or two kids, it may be one of the best weekends you’ve ever invested into for those two kids.

• Washington, DC on February 11-12
• Lincoln, NE on February 25-26
• Twin Cities, MN on March 11-12
• St. Louis, MO on March 25-26
• Chicago, IL on April 1-2

More information about the Untour can be found on Dare2Share’s website. You’ll also find the Untour promo video there as well as the opportunity to order a free promo DVD.

LIVE YM Talk with Greg Stier tomorrow!

I’m excited to personally follow-up about the conference with Greg Stier tomorrow! We’re going to debrief about the weekend publicly and talk about how you can unleash your youth group for the gospel at home.

Please plan to join us! You can call 646-721-9140 (long-distance charges may apply) or listen LIVE online and participate in the chat room. It starts at 2:00 pm eastern time. Just go here to join in!

Posted on February 6, 2011