By NICOLE LOGGINS / Staff Writer

The Vincent First Baptist Church youth group experienced  fellowship with 10,000 other students at the ‘Emerge N Engage’ Strength to Stand Conference this year. 

The group of ten students and chaperones traveled to Pigeon Forge, Tenn. on Jan. 14 to meet other Christian youth and to hear the testimony of  featured keynote speaker Scott Dawson, Birmingham native and founder and President of Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association, and others. 

FBC Vincent youth pastor, Chris Soto, got the idea to attend the conference from a recommendation from a fellow youth minister. 
 
“The youth group from Pell City had been before and their youth pastor and I decided to team up and take both groups this year. From our group, we had one profession of faith and two recommitted their lives to Christ,” Soto said. 

According to Soto, roughly 750 individuals made a profession of faith at the conference.

“This specific conference was a growing experience spiritually, we grew together as a group, but also individually. They got closer to God and really realized what we’re here to do and that is to be followers of Christ and create other disciples,” he said. 

Ashley Malone, a member of the Vincent First Baptist Church youth group and student at Cornerstone Christian School, said the conference was a fun, yet meaningful experience. 

“It was very deep and emotional, if you really paid attention to what they were saying you really got something out of it,” Malone said. “if you really go and let it impact you then it’s oing to be good for you.

Malone said she not only grew closer to her own youth group but also created bonds with other conference attendees.  

“Trips like this really help us to be a better church. They help each other grow spiritually and  through rough times,” Soto said.  

The Vincent First Baptist Church youth group meets on Sunday and Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. at the youth house across the street from the church sanctuary.