KOSMOS 2008
Over 500 people gathered in San Jose, Costa Rica for KOSMOS 2008 last week. “KOSMOS is about sharing the Gospel of Christ and reaching out to those who may not hear otherwise,” said Lisa Katherine Elder, an 18-year old member of Blackshear Place Baptist Church in Georgia.
This is a week of new experiences,” said pastor Randy Ray. “Some flew on an airplane, visited a foreign country, and shared the gospel in a foreign language–all for the first time.”
Each morning young people met to study the Word before entering the capital city to do ministry. The youth ministered in various areas including medical clinics, sports clinics, tract distribution, manual labor and public school activities.
“God has been breaking my heart for Him,” said Nayeli Canada, a missionary kid from Mexico who attended the conference. “I’ve developed a deep passion for missions.”
At 5 p.m. everyone met again in a conference room to sing praises lead by the praise team of First Baptist Church of Woodstock and to hear preaching. At 6:30 p.m. the hotel served dinner and at 7:30 p.m. the main service began. Speakers from all over the United States addressed those at KOSMOS challenging them to focus on God, live out their potential, and to listen to God’s calling.
“Stop living life complacently,” said former missionary to Iraq Carrie McDonnall. “Gentlemen, it’s time for you to put your big boy toupees on,” she said after encouraging the women to look to God for fulfillment and satisfaction in their lives. Carrie was shot 22 times and lost her husband during a terrorist attack in Mosul in 2004.
Pastor Johnny Hunt spoke after Carrie and challenged the youth to use the gift God has given them for His glory. “Every person here is a missionary or a mission field,” he said on Friday night.
“We’ve been changed,” said Lisa Katherine Elder about her youth group. “We will take back a passion and a new excitement about what the Lord can do.”
