RUTHERFORD, N.J. – A packed stadium where thousands were standing or sitting shoulder to shoulder may seem like an unlikely place for teens to seek their own "space," but according to Bishop T.D. Jakes that's exactly where they needed to be Friday night to hear where God wants them to go.
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(Photo: The Christian Post)Thousands of teens worship at the IZOD Center in Newark, N.J., as part of a two-day youth rally which kicked off Friday.
Over 13,000 teens and youth leaders gathered at the IZOD Center in Rutherford, N.J., to hear the influential megachurch pastor speak at BattleCry NYC, a two-day youth rally which kicked off Friday.
The event is part of Recreate ’08, a series of rallies hosted by Teen Mania this year in response to a culture that some say has become morally bankrupt. Speakers have been calling on teens not only to reject mainstream pop culture but to reclaim and "recreate" it.
At the New York rally, teens received doses of inspirational messages from New York Yankees’ pitcher Mariano Rivera, six-time Grammy Award winner Kirk Franklin and the David Crowder Band.
Jakes, who took the stage after an address delivered by Teen Mania founder Ron Luce, shared with the spiritually hungry crowd a message from 1 Samuel 3:1-10.
He said that there are many teens in today's generation who are like Eli or Samuel – either they can't hear God's voice but they understand it or they can hear God's voice but cannot understand it. Many, Jakes said, are unable to find their "space" or place of purpose in their lives.
"You know something's missing but you don't know how to fix it," said the pastor of the Dallas-based Potter's House. "So you start doing crazy things looking for answers."
Many, the Bishop continued, end up trying to fill the intense emptiness with drugs, alcohol or sex. Others turn to violence and think "crazy stuff" when they can't find out where they fit, said Jakes.
But he assured the enthused teenagers who had been following his message with responsive cheers and choral "Amens" that God is faithful and will grant them a new beginning despite their past or mistakes.
"This altar is your space," said Jakes as he welcomed teens toward the stage during the altar call. "Where you can come with any issue, any problem, any situation, any circumstance and God will wash you and forgive you and set you free."
As the teens crowded in front, some prayed intently with tears while others closed their eyes to pray with faces raised upward.
One youth minister told The Christian Post that he was pleasantly surprised to see all of his youth group respond positively to the altar call.
"They all went down. It was really good to see that," said Ramon Cruz of Grace Fellowship in Branford, Conn.
Victoria Manteiro, 13, said Jakes' message really moved her.
"I'm hoping my purpose will become more clear" following the event, she told The Christian Post.
For some participants, the event was an opportunity to pass on a life-changing experience.
Victor Davila, 24, who had attended the first Battle Cry event in 2005 and 13 Acquire the Fire events, said the rallies combined with love he received from a mentor have helped him go from an abusive guy from a divorced family to a youth leader today.
While the messages are powerful, Davila said it's when the love is shown in action that teenagers can change.
He said because his mentor loved him with God's love, he was able to turn his life around.
“That's what I want to show my kids, too,” Davila told The Christian Post.
The night topped off with worship from David Crowder Band who performed hits songs from their latest album Remedy.
A pre-event prayer rally was held in Times Square earlier in the day with Luce as the main speaker.
Luce and an greater crowd of teens were expected back at the stadium Saturday for an all-day session filled with messages, musical performances, drama and, of course, a lot of battle cries.
Comments
I have to say that you can both teach the true Gospel and make it exciting in the mix. For example I don't see a problem with great gatherings such as this as long as the true gospel is taaught at them, I haven't ever been to one but I wouldn't mind seeing one and also to see what is taught at one. I think the focus should be more on equiping these youngster on how best to live for christ and spread the true word of god....
I also agree with chris333 we cannot give up a little truth because it will begin the erosion of the word of god, and that will be defeating the purpose....
I went to that Battle Cry Event and as Outreach Director of Planet Rock Youth Ministry I saw now only Youth on fire for Jesus to live holy and become prayer warriors, I saw them contend with the Atheists and secular humanist protesting against them infront of the "anitchrists media outlet" MTV. These began to Praise and worship God and Prayed with authority, one generation joined with the next declaring that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! In the service, these young champions were weeping over their sins and praying for their generation. The Fire of the Holy Spirit was present in this service and the Lord gave them power and boldness to declare the Gospel to their peers.
Meanwhile those with a spirit of the pharisee and sadducee (like KoneWone2) on this page will sit back in their easy chair, murmuring and complaining in the wilderness criticizing holy spirit filled ministries that are getting the job done. As these sanhedrin of today even seek to the stifle the message of Christ by their intellectual arrogance and ever resisting the power of the Holy Spirit by their rebellious will, they shall never see the promise land of revival because they had MORE faith in a bad report than the GOOD REPORT of GOD's WORD. Christ is the anointed One and His Anointing. So when people attack a work that the Holy Spirit is involved with THEY ARE OPERATING OUT OF A SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST. No wonder their is so much rebellion in america today....because there is a rebellious church.
To those who are in bondage to the spirit of the pharisee and sadducee, I submit this site to you for deliverance.
http://phariseesadducee.blogspot.com/
The doctrine of the Trinity is one that should be taught in a correct manor,but a dying soul needs to hear "Christ crucified" it's the power to salvation,the Trinity is not that.
I agree with kpercy07,I am 47 years old and I've seen what goes on at the "Battle Cry" and "Aquire the Fire",these are great ministries,younger folks are being equipped to go into
an Ugly world with the gospel message and live for Christ.I wish I could see this level of commitment in ministries for older folks,sometimes we want to spend all our time examining doctrine of others.
kpercy,
You start by denying a few "smaller" points of the Christian faith to attract the youth, then you start denying some more, then you start saying things like, Christ and Buddha are both in "paradise" together and there are many ways to heaven, just so you can get young people to come to your event. If you want to help people, then give them the real message of the Gospel, not your own.
"Jakes believes in the trinity, salvation by faith alone, and that Jesus is God."
T. D. Jakes DOES twist and distort the classical doctrine of the Trinity among other false teachings he promotes.He even said in that "Christianity Today" piece that he is NOT a theologian. Well, ALL Christians are theologians, for better or for worse and the for worse is no light matter. The Bible says let not many of you be teachers for a greater wrath you will incur. All false teachers will incur a greater wrath. What does T. D. Jakes have to look forward to?
The Man, His Ministry, And His Movement:
Concerns About The Teachings Of T. D. Jakes
by Jerry L. Buckner
"This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 22, number 2 (1999).
....Several aspects of Jakes’s teaching are problematic. For example, he emphasizes the issue of victimization without also emphasizing our sin problem and need for a Savior. He teachings and endorses Word of Faith concepts relating to guaranteed health and wealth. Although he claims to believe in the Trinity, the major problem with T. D. Jakes’s teaching centers on Trinitarian theology, which he defines in modalistic or Oneness Pentecostal terms (i.e., there is one God who exists in three manifestations or modes—not three eternal Persons). The definition according to historical Christianity is that there is one God who exists in three co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. "
Continued here:
http://www.equip.org/site/c.muI1LaMNJrE/b.2625875/k.B807/DJ900.htm
T. D. Jakes does deny the orthodox biblical doctrine of the Trinity and he has actually redefined the doctrine.
T. D. Jakes Responds to The Journal
"This article first appeared in the From the Editor column of the Christian Research Journal, volume 22, number 3 (2001).
Although he has not directly corresponded with the Journal, T. D. Jakes has publicly responded to last issues cover article, "The Man, His Ministry, and His Movement: Concerns about the Teachings of T. D. Jakes" by Jerry L. Buckner. He did so in an "op-ed" piece written for Christianity Today, which saw three somewhat different incarnations.1
......Christians should understand that there are two ways heretics can deny the Trinity. The first is to outright deny it, as do Jehovahs Witnesses, Muslims, and classic Oneness Pentecostals. The second is to claim that one believes in the Trinity while redefining it to mean something entirely different than what the church has historically believed, as do Mormons, Christian Scientists, and the new breed of Oneness Pentecostals that Jakes apparently represents......."
Read the whole article here:
http://www.equip.org/site/c.muI1LaMNJrE/b.2625885/k.B82F/DJ902.htm
Jakes believes in the trinity, salvation by faith alone, and that Jesus is God.
My views on the GodHead by Jakes
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/februaryweb-only/13.0b.html
You know what, you people are unbelievable. So ALL those kids got NOTHING out of last night, right? Let me guess, you guys are Baptist, right? So these people will keep filling arenas and turning on young people to the things of God, and to Godly virtue, while you sit in your corner and pray that "their mouths will be stopped." Must everyone agree with YOU on every point of doctrine for their ministry to be valid? Ever heard the expression "chew meat, spit out bones?" Keep your so-called purity, and we'll keep filling stadiums with young people on fire for God. WASH THE STARCH OUT, FELLAS. Live a little.
This story saddens my heart because T.D. Jakes is a known heretic. He denies the trinity, therefore how can he be presenting the same Jesus to these kids? I wish the youth pastors, leaders, and parents would have better discernment in matters such as this. It doesn't seem like these kids heard the true gospel preached, but I pray that I am wrong in this. With all the talk about purpose, it sounds as if it was similar to Rick Warren's gospel of purpose and self-centeredness - the very thing that these kids don't need to hear. They need someone to compassionately and lovingly share the true gospel with them and point them to Christ. I truly hope that happened at this event but I highly doubt it did if Jakes was their teacher...
Incomprehensible. Incredibly sad. Tragic.
Thousands upon thousands of naive young people being deceived by the heretical false teacher T. D. Jakes. No wonder the western church is ill. How many of those young people will actually hear a clear gospel message and repent and believe? Truly biblically repent and believe? I doubt if they will hear the biblical gospel in all of its fullness.
T.D. Jakes
Note: T.D. Jakes is a Oneness Pentecostal who also teaches Word of Faith false teachings.
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/word-faith.html#tdjakes
About TD Jakes
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/j11.html
Who is organizing all these types of events for young people, where is their godly discernment? They will be held accountable to God for the deceptions.
Is The Christian Post giving backing to this event as well? Supporting it? God will call all to account, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. People promoting false teachers and and false teachings will have no excuse. Their mouths will be stopped.