The GEWC National Youth Conference, which comes up every three years was held this year in Rivers State, Port Harcourt at Model Girls’ Secondary School, Rumueme. It had its main theme as “Giving Ourselves to Prayer and the Ministry of the Word”. This year’s event marked the ninth of its kind and it was a four-day event that began from 9^th to 12^th August, 2018. The prestigious event attracted participants from all over Nigeria.

The conference uniquely featured a variety of Teachings, Talks, Seminars, Bible Studies, Power Night Prayers, Variety Night, Football Match and General Elections of new Officers of the National Fellowship.

 Some of the key Guest ministers who featured were: the International Director of GEWC, Pastor Isaac V. Olori; the Chief Missions Coordinator, Evangelist Victor Ejimadu; the National Youth Minister, Evangelist Mike Ojie; Evangelist Prince Nkiri, Pastor Rufus Godwin, the Conference Chairman; Evangelist Lawrence Hart, Evangelist Goodman,  Dr. Komi Gentle, Pastor Chidi Ozodo, Evangelist Messiah, Pastor Ivifiwol Lamech, Pastor Tunde Fowel, Dr. Daata Cookey, to mention but a few. 

Dr. Komi Gentle did a book review on ‘Catch the fish and keep it alive’.

Evangelist Goodman took a seminar on entrepreneurship excepts from his teachings are:

Entrepreneurship is the process of designing, launching, running and assuming the risk of a business operation with the expectation of making profit. The people who create these businesses are called entrepreneurs.

Business: A venture established for providing a product or service to meet the demands of consumer.

It is important to point out that, there is a difference between an Entrepreneur and a Businessman. The key difference is that an Entrepreneur is a person who conceives a unique (new) idea or concept to start an enterprise and brings it into reality. He creates a new market while a Businessman, is someone who sets up a business with an existing idea, offering products and services to the customer. He creates place in existing market

Now, whether you desire to be an entrepreneur or businessman, it all starts from your mind. There is a saying that “the success or failure of any undertaking is primarily determined by what you think about it”. Meaning, your mindset is very important if you must succeed as an entrepreneur and excel in business. Your mind can paralyze or energize you. For this reason, it’s important we first deal with our minds.

One important thing to consider; What is your purpose in life? Why where you born? Someone once said, “Life is a tragedy if you were born and you do not know why”

As you work hard and labor, do not forget to watch out for the vultures. The business world has the dynamics of the jungle. There are those who live by hunting and killing, and there are vast numbers of creatures (hyenas, vultures) who live on the hunting of others. The hard work of others becomes their work and nourishment.

The Chinese have a saying ‘The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago and the next best time is today. You and I may have wasted yesterday, may be wasting today but let us not waste tomorrow.

Evangelist Lawrence Hart taught on Leadership and Accountability excerpts from his teaching are:

According to Dee Hock, no matter how well designed an organization is, it is only as good as the people who live and work in it.  What determines the organization’s performance is the approach to management its leaders take.  In determining what makes a good leader, first look for integrity; second, motivation; third, capacity; fourth, understanding; fifth, knowledge; and lastly, experience.

Without integrity, motivation is dangerous; without motivation, capacity is impotent; without capacity, understanding is limited; without understanding, knowledge is meaningless; without knowledge, experience is blind.  Experience is easy to provide and quickly put to good use by people with all the other qualities.

There are at least two different approaches to leadership. The most common is the idea of leading by dictate and power. The other, the example of Christ, is to lead by serving. One emphasizes measurable results, the other emphasizes people. One says "only the strong survive" the other says, "the strong have the most to give." One spotlights personal rights, the other emphasizes personal responsibility. One resorts to intimidation and power plays, the other works through love.

This is not just about leadership, it's about life. Every day we are asked to make decisions. Every day we must decide how to handle the various situations that come our way. In each decision we choose one of these two approaches, to do it God's way or the world's.

The Chairman of the conference, Pastor Rufus Godwin in his talk highlighted 6 things every young person in Christ should manifest (1 Timothy 4:12):

1. Be careful of your words even in anger.
2. Your conversation should be pure.
3. Show love.
4. Have and manifest faith.
5. Manifest the spirit of God.
6. Purity: be holy in all that you do.

The climax of the event was the last day when the International Director, Pastor Isaac V. Olori ministered on the topic: “Investing your Youthful Age”. He admonished the youths to develop and unleash their potentials (Jeremiah 1:4-10, 1 John 2:14). Excerpts from his teaching:

God expects great things from the youth as the youths are very precious to God. To get the right perspective of life you should see life through the word of God. God has a plan and purpose for your formation in the womb. Your ability to connect with what God wants you to be will bring out the real you and help you to fulfil your purpose and mission on earth. If you do not conform to the mould of Christ, you will conform to the mould of the world (1 Timothy 4:12, Joel 2: 18).

Do not despise your youth, do not look at yourself too little for God to use. Your condition today is not important, what matters is what God wants to make you. God knows that you are strong, do not belittle yourself and call yourself weak, do not look down on your capability (1 John 2:14).

Your youthful age is the most critical and essential part of your life (both for the world and for the Church) Do not mismanage your youth, invest on the right things that will add value to your life.

How you can get the best out of youthful age

1. Let God do the sending, it is not in man to direct himself (Jeremiah 1:4).
2. God has to be the commander-in-chief of your life, do not be in control of your life.
3. Let God touch you, God can only touch you when you are ready. You will see a transformation in every area of your life. Invest in God’s word and prayers (Jeremiah 1:9).
4. Take time to build your faith, protect it, cherish it, value it (Jude 20, 21).

Let your capacity increase, do not think small. Think big. Take charge, build and plant.

Pastor Isaac V. Olori inaugurated the newly elected executives of the National Youth Fellowship and blessed the youths afterwards.