Winterfest Kicks Off 35th Season This Weekend

Winterfest, one of the Church of God Youth and Discipleship’s signature outreaches, starts the 35th year of arena-bursting, Christ-centered, music-packed and Spirit-filled weekends, as the first two of 13 Winterfest 2017 events gets underway this weekend in Arlington, Texas.

Winterfest has come a long way since 279 students and five youth leaders gathered for a winter youth retreat in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The story of growth is an amazing one. By 1986 Winterfest attendance was up to 2,300. By 1995, it took two jam-packed services each night at the Gatlinburg Convention Center to provide the almost 10,000 students a chance to worship, pray, and seek the face of God. In the year 2000, Winterfest made the courageous decision to move to Thompson-Boling arena in Knoxville, home of the Tennessee Volunteers and 8-time national champion Lady Vols. Today, Winterfest reaches around the country and around the world to four continents, giving hope, peace, and passion for Christ to 40,000-50,000 students annually.

Three generations have experienced the wonder of Winterfest. International Director Youth and Discipleship David Blair was a college student in 1984 who “bought in” to this move of God while managing audio/visual production at the early gatherings. As a young youth pastor in 1987, Blair was elected to serve on the Winterfest Steering Committee.

“We have no way of measuring just how many thousands have walked out the doors of a Winterfest, who had an encounter with Christ that changed their lives forever,” Blair stated. “Winterfest truly is an amazing ministry.” Assistant International Director Rob Bailey recalls, “Winterfest had a profound impact on my life personally and we know countless young men and young women have accepted God’s call to full-time ministry at Winterfest encounters.”

Jesus and Relationships are the two elements that stand strong and at the center. Undoubtedly, participants will find a generous supply of both again this year. Regional Winterfests begin this weekend in Ocean City, Maryland with Premier and in Arlington, Texas with Frontier. On March 10-12, Smoky Mountain Winterfest, the oldest and largest, will host thousands of students and youth leaders to celebrate and worship together, again in the Thompson-Boling Arena.

“Few things seem to last long these days,” Blaird continued. “Thirty-five years of almost anything good is amazing. And thirty-five years of Holy Spirit directed ministry to young people…is certainly amazing! Winterfest how hs 35 years of bus rides, worship, pizza, cramped hotel rooms, laughter, friends, and wonderful memories. That also means 35 years where students accepted Christ, received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, were called into ministry and forever changed by the presence and power of God! The Holy Spirit has done, and is doing, an amazing thing through Winterfest!”
In addition to the two events this weekend, upcoming Winterfests are February 3-5 (middle school ages), Chattanooga, Tenn.; February 3-5, Articfest, Anchorage, Alaska; February 3-5, Rocky Mountain Winterfest, Granby, Colo.; February10-12, Midwest Winterfest, Indianapolis, Ind.; February 17-19, Northeast Winterfest, Rochester, N.Y.; February 17-19, Wild West Winterfest, Rapid City, S.D.; February 17-19, Southwest Winterfest/Kidfest , Flagstaff, Ariz.; February 24-26, Ozark Winterfest, Branson, Mo.; March 3-5, West Coast Winterfest, Ventura, Calif.; March 10-12, Smoky Mountain Winterfest, Knoxville, Tenn.; and March 31-April 2, Sonfest, Orlando, Fla.

To learn more about this ministry, visit www.cogyouth.org.

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