Steve Gambill shares on the heart of Rocknations and their stunning summer conference

Steve Gambill

RockNations is fast emerging as a significant force in reaching and engaging with today's youth generation. They run weekly youth events, have a weekly radio programme on Cross Rhythms, and this year's Summer conference in August looks set to be a stormer, with the appearance of Switchfoot. Cross Rhythms asked Steve Gambill who heads up RockNations to share a little about what makes him and RockNations tick:

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth...(Ecc 12.1) Have you ever forgotten where you left your mobile phone or your house keys? Have you ever had the 'feeling' that you have forgotten something important, but are not able to remember what it was? Forgetting little things can be annoying and frustrating, but forgetting that God is your Creator will affect the whole outcome of your life. To forget God, is to forget who you are and why you are here.

The fact is you belong to the same all-powerful God who set the moon and the stars in place and yet he takes notice of every detail of your life, even down to the number of hairs on your head! The truth is God is unforgettable. How is it then that so many young people fail to remember Him? I believe that is because so many have not yet experienced how awesome God is.

Providing opportunity for young people to experience God is the job of the local church youth ministry. Through the ministry of Rocknations, our aim is help empower youthworkers to do just that. As a local church youth pastor for over a decade, I have learned how important it is to consistently provide this opportunity. Longevity has given me the benefit of seeing young people grow over the years in God and emerge as powerful men and women for God. Every week young people gather on the ALC campus to hear RPM launch into the presence of God. It is the highlight of my week.

In the challenge of building up musicians, singers, youthworkers and all of the necessary serving teams I have had to learn how to take a photo of a special moment and then remember that all week. These "special moment photos" consist of young people: finding Jesus for the first time, of another being healed, of hundreds of young people with their hands lifted in worship. Some of these "special moment photos" are just a memory of what God has said to me in a quiet moment. Nearly everyday I remind myself of things, good things. When I do that I am refueled and ready to go forward. Now more than ever our work at Rocknations is going forward.

Recently SWITCHFOOT contacted us to come to Rocknations in little old Bradford, England. If you haven't heard Switchfoot you are missing out. In 1999 they won a Dove award for song of the year and in recent years strongly crossed over with their soundtrack from the smash movie "Spider Man 2". But if I had failed to remember how awesome God is, the obstacles of life would have prevented us from getting to this place of victory.

August 10 Switchfoot will kick of RN06. From that moment until the huge Finale of Rocknations the combination of speakers, special music, & activities over the four days will be unforgettable. Our great friend Matthew Barnett (LA Dream Center) will be back and two new friends Andy Hawthorne (The Message), & Mal Fletcher (Next Wave Int.) will be joining us. Another RN favourite, 'Chezz' will be joining our RN team. We are thrilled to have Onehundredhours, thebandwithnoname, Titus, & Electralyte, joining with RPM, for the first time. For your enjoyment; Battle of the Bands, outdoor concerts, football competitions, Xtreme activities, latte bars, "Lavish" Beauty Zone, SK8city & so much more will be taking place before & after the main meetings.

If you are going to remember one thing this year, remember to get to Rocknations. It will be an exceptional opportunity to experience God and create unforgettable memories. It will be an opportunity for you to take some incredible photos of what God desires to do with this generation through your life. Once you have this image, hold onto it. Never surrender your dream to the pressures of life. Hold on, Rocknations is coming!