Preparations Underway for Teen Talent
Preparations and planning are underway for 2013 International Teen Talent, sponsored by Church of God Youth and Discipleship, on July 29-August 2 on the campus of Lee University.
Two years ago an experiment, of sorts, took place as the traditional Teen Talent competition was moved away from the week of the International General Assembly to exist as an event on its own. In the summer of 2011, thousands of teens, chaperones, parents and youth leaders traveled to the sprawling Lee University campus where all were housed, fed, and competed in the many performance venues.
Earlier this spring thousands of teens competed on the state and regional level to qualify for the nationals at Lee. When they arrive they will be vying for national recognition in the categories of Art, Writing, Drama, Bible, Multi-Media and Music. Several sub-categories exist in each.
“The Church of God believes in her young people,” proclaims the website of Youth adn Discipleship. “Youth today have an extraordinary capacity to learn, to develop skills, and to display leadership. Realizing this, the Church of God has taken positive steps of action through the Teen Talent Program to guide youth in utilizing their abilities in their everyday lives and in the church for the glory of God. Youth with skills in the talent areas may use them for their personal enjoyment and as a Christian witness.”
The Teen talent program has a threefold objective:
To discover talent
To develop talent
To dedicate talent
The website further states that, “Through regional/state and international competition, Church of God young people are led in an exciting program of competition that sparks excitement about God’s talent gifts and helps to cultivate qualities of character for adventurous Christian living.”
The Teen Talent program is more than a competitive activity to determine who rates first and second; it is a ministry of love and guidance to Church of God youth. Competition, however, is a vital factor in the program. Competition, coupled with love and guidance, is a strong force in challenging youth to reach their full potential and to express themselves constructively for the glory of God.
Teen Talent Manuals can be ordered from www.PathwayBookStore.com. For those interested in Bible Quizzing visit the link www.churchofgodbiblequiz.com
To learn more about the Teen Talent program, to register or to view photos from past events, visit www.cogyouth.org.
