More than 13,000 attended the Hearts on Fire Student Conference (HOF), with hundreds making decisions to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
The conference, which featured attendees from 20 states, was held on Nov. 21–22 at the LeConte Center, a multipurpose gathering space located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Hearts on Fire founder Scott Carter told The Christian Post on Monday that 290 students made decisions for Christ, 260 re-committed their lives to Jesus, and 52 decided to be baptized.
“There were many highlights, but my favorite is when I see students reaching out to Christ for a personal relationship,” said Carter. “That is the reason HOF exists; our goal is to evangelize the lost.”
Carter recounted how, following the last evening session, he prayed with two male high school students who had invited a nonbelieving friend to the conference.
“These two guys worked together and had been praying for months for their friend to be saved. They invited their friend to HOF, and God moved in his life, and he gave his heart to Christ,” he shared.
In addition to the prayer and worship at the event, an offering was taken up among the attendees, in which over $19,000 was raised for the benefit of a Tennessee-based food bank.
Carter told CP that he attributed the high attendance at the conference to the fact that the gathering has been held since the 1980s, which helps to grow awareness.
“We have many youth workers bringing their youth to the conference who attended when they were teenagers years ago,” he said. “I think having great communicators of the Gospel is a draw as well as dynamic praise and worship music.”
“The message of HOF never changes: Christ crucified, risen and coming again. We always share the love of Christ by sharing the Gospel. In comparison to previous conferences, [this] remains the common theme.”
For those who made the decision to follow Christ at last weekend’s event, Carter told CP that his ministry has a process to help disciple new believers as they continue their walk of faith.
“Every person who makes a decision completes a duplicate form,” Carter said. “We keep a copy and the pastor they attended with is given the original for their follow-up when they get home.”
Additionally, those who made decisions are given a tract by the Rev. Billy Graham titled “Steps to Peace with God” as well as a brochure from the Southern Baptist Convention North American Mission Board titled “Welcome To The Family.”
According to its website, Hearts on Fire held its first youth conference in 1987, with around 150 students in attendance. Over the years, it has featured such notable speakers as Louie Giglio, Tim Tebow, Kirk Cameron and Will Graham.
