Church youth in Ogden, Utah, began a 26-night “New Beginnings” evangelistic series on Feb. 25. Nine young people, ages 13 to 23, gave Bible lectures while several others delivered health message and managed child care programs.

Twenty-one non-Adventists attended opening night, and by the April 2 conclusion of the series, more than 60 non-Adventists had attended.

“We believe the youth are the now of our church. Rightly directed, our young people are the most powerful pool of evangelists we have,” explained Kevin James, pastor.

There were many bumps along the way — technology failed and DVDs didn’t work right, but the presenters maintained a calm that kept the audience attuned to their message. “It has been nothing short of thrilling to see even the most shy of these young people deliver a message with clarity, power and conviction,” said James.

“I look forward to doing it again,” said Daniel Cruz, a college student and presenter.

“Thanks for helping me find my religion,” said Marcelis Ashley, another presenter.

Ogden is on the road to building up an “army of youth” for God. Baptisms and Bible studies are in the works and so are plans for another series. The mother of two presenters later reported that her life was changed after seeing God use the youth in such a profound way.