Religion

By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor

Crowds of college kids are expected to converge at Green Acres Baptist Church, 1607 Troup Highway, on Friday evening and all day Sept. 6 for "Focus," presented by the Center for Collegiate Ministry, a department of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

This is the first time the event has been conducted outside the Dallas area. Last year's Focus, in Arlington, attracted more than 1,000 college students said Katie McGowan, an event organizer with the center.

"This is an interactive worship experience for college students," Ms. McGowan said. "We hope this is not just another event to attend, but that students have an encounter with God and be transformed, and that transformation will be on display in the way they interact with family, friends, classmates and ultimately for the rest of their lives."

"Leadership Journey" and "Cross Cultural Relationships," live music worship sessions led by Jeff Johnson, and "Spiritual Formation" are included in the collegiate program.

"Interactive, experiential" prayer rooms will be set up with photos and "wall messages" from various colleges and universities so students "can see and communicate with those they're praying for," she said, during the "Abide On Site" segment Focus.

"These students will be the leaders in church, and society in and out of college will be there," she said. "People are making tons of life-changing decisions and students have a lot coming at them. The Center for Collegiate Ministry wanted to expand Focus to include Tyler, Lubbock and San Antonio, including a wider range of student that represents the state."

The first of the new Focus meeting will begin with a 4 p.m. Friday registration at Green Acres. The first worship session will be at 7:30 p.m. A "Late Night Hangout" with coffee, information booths, music and "just hanging out" will begin at 10 p.m.

At 9 a.m. Sept. 6, "Worship Session Two" begins, followed by "Equipping Tracks," "Intentional Small Groups" and "Part Time Baptist Student Director Training."

The $35 registration fee includes lunch and resource materials, Ms. McGowan said.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Jon Randles, author, teacher and member of the Evangelism department at the BGCT, Author Tim Elmore will also speak.

Visit www.focustexas.org for information.

SPREADING THE WORD: Chelsey Burleson, a junior from the University of North Texas, fills out information to send a Bible overseas during last year’s Focus conference for college students. During this year’s first Focus conference in Tyler, students will be collecting items for Mission Tyler and sending boots overseas for Moldovan orphans.
(Courtesy Photo)