The following report was submitted by General VLB Coordinator Joshua Farthing and his wife Karen.
Starting a fire using sticks is a method known as friction fire. This method requires patience and practice but is a traditional technique that can be quite rewarding! When you ignite a fire using this method, you become invested in what you have ignited! You will more likely build the fire and help it grow because of the investment you have made in igniting it. The same cannot be said about striking a match. A lit match will quickly go out. Also, it isn’t as exciting striking a match because no effort was put into igniting it. Spiritually speaking, we must stop using matches to build a fire. If we will be patient, wait upon God, and invest ourselves in prayer and fasting, an exciting and long-lasting spiritual fire will burn!
In IYC this year, we intended to instruct, inspire, and ignite. Needless to say, for those who were present, God did the igniting on the last night of IYC! The Holy Ghost fell and some were immediately healed, others delivered from anxiety and other heavy issues, and some baptized by the Holy Ghost. It was an unforgettable experience. To God be the glory!
So much more can be said about the wonderful International Youth Camp this year, but there isn’t adequate space to describe all that God truly did.
It is our prayer that the fire ignited during the weekend will spread all throughout The Church of God into every camp.
A special thank you to all the staff who helped during this IYC. May God richly bless each one in return! And thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for your sweet Spirit that was felt throughout the entire weekend.
To view photographs from International Youth Camp, visit our Flickr album.
Testimonies from Attendees
Thank God for the Farthing family, for everything they did, and for all the staff. It was wonderful to be a part of the New IYC.
I am thankful to have been to this IYC. God blessed me in such a wonderful way that I needed. I do not know if I would have received what I did from the Lord if I had not come. I feel indebted to the Lord, first of all, and then to those who prepared by laboring, praying, and fasting for this event. I cannot say “thank you” enough for giving to the Lord — “I am a life that was changed!”
I really enjoyed this year’s IYC, especially now that it has been reconstructed.
It was a wonderful, beautiful IYC. This was my first year being there and, like Sis Connie Wilson said, “The first day, as soon as I walked into those doors, I felt the Lord’s presence.” All the classes were beneficial and a blessing. I needed this more than I knew I did. I enjoyed making new friends and I’m more excited now for camp than I have ever been!
I liked the team-building nature of IYC, and I hope we can implement something similar in our youth camp as well. I think some friendly competition keeps people engaged and seeing it in action, IYC reinforced that idea.
It was a wonderful blessing to my soul. The classes were incredibly informative.
I felt the spirit of God throughout. I wish every church throughout the world could feel what we felt.
I feel empowered to use the Spirit and discernment to minister to all types of potential scenarios I might face. Though a comprehensive list could not be compiled of all possible encounters, the teachers did a wonderful job revealing the Spirit needed in every situation to guide me and give me the ability to be used by God.
The power of God proved that this was the direction we as the Church needed to go. Thank you for obeying and listening to God.
I was so blessed by IYC. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The classes were so needed. The spiritual side of things wasn’t disregarded. The practical things that were taught were spot on.
All I know is this: I was instructed, I feel inspired, and I feel ignited.
The services and lessons have provided plenty of inspiration for future VLB lessons at my local church.
It was one of the best experiences of my life. Adding another day may be helpful.
Words fail me to describe the outpouring of the Spirit that was felt. The fellowship was fun, the classes were beneficial, and all the worship and services were amazing, but Sunday night was a service like I’ve never experienced before; it was power-packed, and it felt like the Holy Ghost fire fell on us all straight from heaven. Praise the Lord for the victory and the many blessings!
This IYC was such a great blessing for my wife and me. We were able to get out of our comfort zones and learn new skills to aid in the camping ministry. We really appreciated all the thoughts, prayers, hard work, and dedication that was put into each devotion, class, and sermon. The Spirit of the Lord was so powerful during the entirety of the camp! We look forward to seeing what the Lord has planned for us in the future.
