The 2012 Youth Convention was held from 6 to 7 October at the Thohoyandou Community Hall in Thohoyandou, Venda.  

Over 500 young people from around the country attended, with the majority of them from the Church of Holy Ghost. There was also a large contingent of parents, whose commitment to supporting and ensuring that the convention remains sustainable and progressive was a heart-warming sight. The Church and youth leadership are humbled by their example.

The theme of this year’s convention, ‘Now that we have a Treasure’, was inspired by the 2012 annual March conference theme, ‘I have a treasure’. The discovery of the treasure that is in God requires us to act in a certain manner. Our lifestyle should speak volumes about the precious jewel that He is every day, wherever we may be and at all times.

Isaiah 33: 6 (New International Version)

"He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure."

Programme

Though the convention officially began on the Sabbath, many attendees arrived on Friday, and started the weekend by holding a powerful group prayer. On the Sabbath morning, Reverend Kunene officially opened the convention with prayer. As is tradition at all our youth conventions, the prayer was followed by two testimonies given by Jonathan Mudau and Sihle Ntsindeni. The effect of Jonathan Mudau’s testimony was explosive, especially on the older generation, who were enraptured by his teachings on the biblical definition and identity of the apostles. ‘The house was on fire!’

Sihle Ntsindeni followed him with her ground- breaking and challenging testimony. Her story of struggle and miraculous rescues united the church in hope. She left us optimistic, empowered and encouraged to overcome the challenges of life. 

The highlight of the day’s activities was the message delivered by Mvangeli Nzuza on behalf of the Archbishop, who was not able to attend or connect to the conference via wireless. Reiterating the earlier theme of the treasure that we have in God, the Archbishop’s message was reinforced by the song "I Need You To Survive" by Hezekiah Walker. The youth responded enthusiastically, with their emotion clearly visible in their faces. Most reported that it was a turning point in their lives. The key lessons in the message were:

Why we should fear the Lord

How the love we share with one another is vital for our survival

The catchphrase “I love you. I need you to survive“ consequently became well used throughout the rest of the convention. To read the Archbishop’s full message, click here.

Saturday ended in a high note with our traditional night prayer led by Preacher Gumede and Reverend Kunene. Young voices raised in unison beseeched the Lord for salvation, love and survival, and everyone present formed a human chain to represent unity before God. It was a wondrous sight to behold, and many testified to the power of the prayer, which they felt to be life changing.

Sunday was a beautiful day and we began the morning with a very relevant and challenging message given by Reverend Msomi. He took his lesson from the book of Deuteronomy and explained the importance of regarding the Church as an ark of Noah that God has prepared to rescue us. Like Noah, he said, it would be unwise to leave the ark until the waters around us subside. We need the church – the ark – to survive.

After the message, it was time for music! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the outstanding performance given by the Venda choir. Choir members encouraged the entire house to join in  singing and dancing along with them. Their consistent determination and success is music to us all.

The convention was closed by Reverend N. Mudau, who delivered a powerful and assuring service. He encouraged everyone to walk and live by the Holy Ghost. Everyone felt joyous and fulfilled at the end of the service, and we went our separate ways filled with the teachings and memories of the convention, which will remain forever with us as we soldier on in salvation.