On May 5, Huizhou CC&TSPM in Guangdong Province held its third youth retreat, themed "Running Without Giving Up," attracting the participation of over 340 young believers and around 50 pastors from 23 local churches and meeting points.
During the opening remarks, Rev. Zhan Shaochu, chairperson of Huizhou TSPM, offered three key pieces of encouragement to the attendees, said Huizhou TSPM. He emphasized the importance of being grounded in truth, developing strong characters, and fully entrusting oneself to God. The pastor concluded his address by blessing the participants with a reference to Philippians 3:13-14, encouraging them to emulate the apostle Paul's determination: "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Following Rev. Zhan's address, Rev. Joseph Han delivered a message titled "Concentrating on Following the Lord," which referenced the testimony of Caleb from Joshua 14. He encouraged the youth to embody unwavering dedication to God, urging them to remain steadfast in their beliefs despite contemporary challenges and to earnestly seek their heavenly inheritance.
Rev. Lu Wanxin also presented a sermon on the theme "Distinct Joseph," derived from the narrative of Joseph in Genesis 49. His message stressed the significance of young people resisting temptations, persevering through adversity, and choosing not to retaliate when confronted with hurt.
Later in the afternoon, the first sermon was delievered by Rev. Zhao Yulong, who spoke on the topic "Become Like a Child," drawing insights from Matthew 18, reminding the youth to approach God with humility and enthusiasm and build new lives that reflect God's glory.
Finally, Rev. Chen Yanqun, president of the municipal Christian Council, delivered a sermon focusing on the faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Book of Daniel 3 under the title of"From Even So to Yet Not".
At the end of the retreat, Rev. Chen gave a sending-forth benediction to the young people who then sang the theme song "Running Without Giving Up" together.
- Translated by CJ Wang
