We are officially halfway through 2023 and want to take a moment to celebrate how God has been at work through the Katoomba Christian Convention (KCC) ministry to date.
April was a big month for KCC, as we had the privilege of hosting over 7,300 delegates across two conventions—Katoomba Easter Convention (KEC) and KYCK conference for high-schoolers. Over 4 weekends, people of all ages and life-stages left the distractions and pressures of everyday life to gather as ‘One in Christ Jesus’ in Katoomba. In doing so, the mountains came alive with powerful preaching and meaningful fellowship; the echo of singing and laughter giving thousands a ‘slice of heaven’ on earth.
Like all our events, every element of KEC and KYCK is thoughtfully planned to fulfill our vision: to see our nation transformed by Jesus Christ through the powerful preaching of the Bible. Here are 7 ways we have seen this happen this year:
- As the gospel was preached powerfully and faithfully, God rescued people to Himself!
“One of our youths has literally been counting down the days for KYCK since he heard about it. He became a Christian on Saturday night, and asked if we could have a party to welcome him home. We had a party. Thanks for doing what you do, KYCK changes so many lives for Christ!”
Youth Leader at KYCK 2023
“Two of my youth girls became Christians – by far the most important experience for me as a youth pastor. I’m so thankful for this ministry.”
James, Youth Pastor at KYCK 2023
“We had four of our youth make commitments to Christ on the Saturday night – including one of my sons. Praise God for the message of the gospel and the power to save.”
Dave, Youth Leader at KYCK 2023
2. Long-time delegates were moved by God’s faithfulness to them over decades
“I’ve been coming to KEC for most of my life, and in Sam Chan’s first talk he put up John 20:31. I immediately began to sing it in my head, as it had been the memory verse for the Junior High program one year. In that moment, I was just thankful I’d spent well over a decade having had the Bible well-taught at KEC by people who loved Jesus and were willing to give up time and money so the conference could happen. I’m thankful for all that I’ve learnt about the Bible, and that the leaders of the Kid’s Programs and KEC speakers never shied away from the fact that life can be hard, but God and His Word are true and unchanging and that He is worth following.”
Lizzie, KEC 2023
3. After years of isolation, God used our large-scale gatherings to sustain and embolden His people
“KYCK feels like the only place other than church, where you can connect with people who have the same beliefs as you whilst learning new things to take home and cherish. This was my first ever KYCK and it was the highlight of the year. Definitely going to come back next year and be fully committed to listening to God’s Word, following Him and loving like Jesus did.”
Youth at KYCK 2023
“[I was encouraged by] a feeling of unity and community with fellow Christians when it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of people who don’t know Jesus, but there are so many brothers and sisters out there believing the same thing I do.”
Kayla, KEC 2023
“[My favourite thing about KYCK was] worshipping with over a thousand teenagers and being able to sing and let my heart out without fear of judgement.”
Grace, Youth at KYCK 2023
4. As God’s word was preached, believers were encouraged to persevere in faith, hope and love
“To say I was refreshed, encouraged, inspired, challenged, provoked and filled…is a small response. We were filled with the sustaining love of Jesus for us and for others; with teaching, thinking and experiences to go onwards and to reach others. I can’t fully describe or encapsulate what you guys did to include all this, but this is something unique and special in the Christian world that you have created.”
Grant, KEC 2023
“The Bible teaching was most important as I am grieving the loss of my husband and I needed the encouragement reinforced that God does comfort us through His people and Word and that He is there through the darkness.”
Kim, KEC 2023
5. The next generation of believers are being inspired and grown in Christ-likeness
“I didn’t have a relationship with God for most of my life. I still have a long way to go with my faith, but now I’m putting in an effort to read his Word and pray more often. Being surrounded by so many people in a God-praising environment is just so incredibly amazing.”
Izabelle, Youth at KYCK 2023
“[I was encouraged by] the senior high program, being able to meet people my age and talk about the Bible, doubting, failure and all sorts of things in discussion groups. Meeting with like-minded people from all over Sydney and NSW has opened by eyes to how many people believe the same thing as me.”
Stormlee, Youth at KEC 2023
6. At a time where society is increasingly sceptical towards the Bible, God refreshed eyes and softened hearts to hear and respond to His Word
“KYCK has really changed the way I’ve thought about Christianity. I now have a newfound joy for worship and confidence to approach my non-Christian friends.”
Youth at KYCK 2023
“I felt encouraged to get back into my Bible more. Life has been busy and stressful the last 12 months and my quiet time with God has become neglected. This weekend spurred me on to make the time for it again and to dig into the Word more.”
Tim, KEC 2023
7. Delegates returned home empowered to serve God in their homes, workplaces and local churches
“It was good to be reminded of God’s master plan and how His Word makes so much sense in our fallen world. It also challenged me to share the good news with others again. God is good even in the midst of pain. God’s Word will go out to accomplish what God intends.”
Kristina, KEC 2023
“We have made KEC an annual family retreat. We were encouraged by the range of speakers all speaking on a coordinated program. Hearing the range of testimonies and other ministries gave great insight into what the wider church is working hard at. It encouraged us to do our best where God has planted us.”
Joanne, KEC 2023
We want to see more people love Jesus more. Can you help?
Our aim is to call and inspire Christians to single-mindedly dedicate their whole lives to God, and we want to see more people come to love Jesus more.
You can help us
Help us continue this ministry that impacts so many. In tougher economic times we appreciate your gift more than ever.
Tax deductible gifts are a huge help to KCC because they enable us to use KCC One (our mobile app) and its huge talk library to reach thousands of people with life-changing preaching.
