History was made in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, when more than 2,300 middle and high school students and youth leaders gathered together to worship at the ONE Conference.
Held May 11-12, 2018, this first-ever student ministry conference was birthed out of an interdenominational partnership and hunger to see Jesus’ name made famous in the Maritimes.
Co-directors Andy Broad and Andrew Glidden, Kingswood University friends and classmates (2004-2008), began more than two years ago to dream about an interdenominational partnership. Broad is youth pastor at Kings Church (Wesleyan) in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, and Glidden is director of youth and family for the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada (CBAC).
Kings Church and the CBAC chose to merge their annual events into one large-scale conference and invited other denominations to partner with them. Historically, churches have never partnered on this scale in the Maritimes and typically would have to travel hundreds of miles to participate in an event like this.
In the end, over 130 churches were represented from 10 denominations: Baptist, Wesleyan, Anglican, Independent/non-denominational, Christ’s Church, Pentecostal, Nazarene, Brethren, Catholic and Salvation Army. These churches and denominations envisioned that our region was ready to begin sowing the seeds of revival and God honored their partnership in a huge way.
Nearly 1,000 students stood for a call to accept Christ during the opening session under the direction of pastor Clayton King from NewSpring Church in South Carolina. One church reported a student who decided to attend the conference at the last minute surrendered his life that night. His church promptly returned to the hotel swimming pool and baptized him right there!
“The next great revival that is coming to North America will be fueled by a generation that radically pursues God’s presence with an unwavering unity,” said Rev. Zach Coffin, director of Next Gen Multiplication and Discipleship for The Wesleyan Church. “The ONE Conference gave us a taste of the revival to come.”
Worship was led by Mosaic MSC from Mosaic Church in Los Angeles. The lyrics to their aptly-titled song The ONE sum up the weekend perfectly: “Father, move us, Spirit, lead us, to a new place, to a new day …”
We are so grateful that stories are still pouring in about the incredible life change and transformation that took place in the hearts and lives of those who were present. Plans are already in the works for ONE Conference 2019.
