Follow Me: 2024 Vertical Three Conference | July 21-24 | Tampa Florida

By Claire Ryan

Your eyes open blearily, blinking away sleep. You turn your head, and see your mom standing in the middle of the hotel room, giving you the look.

That’s when it all comes rushing back. You’re in Tampa, Florida, at the Vertical Three Conference. CTS final competition starts in an hour, and you’re still in your pajamas! You jump to your feet, smile sheepishly at your mom, and throw on some clothes.

Competition this week has been a blur. You recall meeting your team, running through last minute lines and vocal warm-ups, and then approaching the stage when your name was called. Other than that, you only remember the watching crowd, the proud look on your dad’s face, and the pounding of your own heart in your ears. All that’s left now is the awards ceremony on Wednesday night.

With the rest of the day free, you decide to explore the convention center with friends. You find V3-Preschool on the top floor and peek into Ballroom D, where V3-Kids enjoyed hours of great fun and energy. You stop by Ballroom A, where Pastor Steve and his team led V3-456. This week, they taught kids the importance of following Jesus, no matter the cost, and provided students the opportunity to become closer to the Lord by going deeper into His Word. Exciting games included Bible verse memorization, the “Screen Game” relays, and funny skits.

You enter TCC West Hall where the V3-Teen services were held. Your eyes roam the high ceilings, and your skin tingles with the electric memory of the atmosphere. Few experiences compare to unashamed worship in a room full of fellow Christians. And the nights only got better, because two of the world’s greatest goofballs, Jon Forrest and Neil Gilliland, were on stage giving out — you guessed it — free stuff.

V3-Teen services were incredible. Blake Nance started the week strong on Sunday morning with a sermon about walking a counter-cultural Christian life based on Daniel 3. Derek Altom spoke Sunday evening from Luke 5, exploring more from the Matthew 4 “Follow Me” passage. Derek challenged the audience in three ways: ensure you know Jesus, be willing to obey what He says, and readily leave everything to follow Him. Monday, Fuad Farhat discussed “A Call to Sacrifice All,” how the Christian life is not easy but requires sacrifice of comfort, competing commitments, and our past. Tuesday, Tyler Penn discussed the mission of Vertical Three, how listening to the voice of the Lord can (and should) alter your future in a mighty way. He focused on the importance of reaching others for Christ. Worship, led by the Youth Evangelistic Team, was amazing! They shared their phenomenal program of worship on Monday evening. Tuesday night, Michael Boggs shared songs and stories for the V3 Event.

Just up the grand central staircase you find a much-anticipated area of the National Convention, the Exhibit Hall. With a deep breath you take in the greatest smell for any Free Will Baptist: free stuff! After perusing the aisles, and spending way too much time looking through old photos at the IM booth, you finally make your way from the hall with a billowing D6 Hero cape, three coasters, several tangled lanyards, a battery pack, and too many luggage tags to count. You’ve collected every type of candy available and entered three drawings in the hopes of winning a prize that will likely end up on a dusty, random shelf.

But since there is nothing quite like hearing your name announced, echoing through the Exhibit Hall with exciting reverb, you make certain to fill out all the entry cards in large, legible handwriting no one can miss. Wow! You hit the jackpot! Your three hours in the Exhibit Hall were well-spent.

It’s nearly dinner time. Do you scour the area for something to eat, like every other Free Will Baptist in the city? You’ve heard The Columbia restaurant has the best Cuban sandwich
and salad in the state (and their churros are to die for). Or do you take your chances munching on Exhibit Hall goodies on a return trip? You choose the obvious answer, turn on your heel, and head straight for the free stuff.

Later that evening, you reflect on your incredible day. You are physically hungry because the pizza place was overcrowded and the steak bistro was way too expensive (and you filled up on candy at the Exhibit Hall), but at least you also filled up on good times with good people worshiping a great God! You close your eyes, sigh contentedly, and doze off with a big smile.

CTS Ministry Expo. Every year, hundreds of young people spend countless hours in preparation for the CTS Ministry Expo, where they compete against fellow students. But competition itself is not the end goal. The end goal is that the countless hours spent worshiping the Lord, speaking His Truths, or studying His Word will ground students with a spiritual foundation able to withstand the trials of this life. The true purpose is not a medal or trophy but the promise of Christ and His Kingdom, brought down through Scripture and those faithful to follow Him. Hundreds of students from kindergarten through 12th grade competed in various music, drama, Bible, and arts categories, submitting a total of 878 entries.

Truth & Peace Student Leadership Conference was comprised of 129 students and 16 staff members in 2024. The Olympic-themed conference focused on training students for life in service to Christ and His Kingdom. Students learned how to grow in their faith using best personal Bible study practices and were trained in methods for teaching God’s Word to others.

Students arrived on the campus of Welch College July 10 and immediately began leadership training, which included leadership development courses, team building opportunities, and service projects. Participants had this to say about the conference:

• “Truth and Peace was exactly what I needed at exactly the right time to prepare me for the next season of my life” (Molly Hicks, 301).
  

• “If I could describe Truth and Peace with one word, it would be refreshing. It’s the greatest experience to come together with other like-minded teens who want to learn more on how to lead and serve others for God’s glory” (Lilly McClintock, 201).
  

• “This year’s conference is the culmination of the past three years. It’s awesome to use what I have learned in the past three years and then pour it out into my fellow Truth & Peace students” (Trey Mygatt, 401).
  

Youth Evangelistic Team (YET). Bryan and Kinsley Houser and Caleb Carroll served as leaders for the 12-student worship team. All students arrived in Nashville Sunday, June 17, to begin preparations for the 2024 summer tour. The team rehearsed at The Donelson Fellowship then traveled to four states, with 11 services.

The 2025 Youth Evangelistic Team members will be Jaxon Aldridge (FL), Luke Donoho (NC), Allie Garren (MO), Andy Garren (MO), Cy Hylton (OK), Madison Masters (NC), Joel Miller (NC), Aly Postlewaite (GA), Andrew Riggs (OK), and Daisy Villegas (NC).

The annual Buck-a-Week Offering collected on Tuesday evening during V3-Teen service netted $4,080.10. This year, recipients were Bradley and Madison Mercer and the Justin and Allison Feight family.

2024 Vertical Three Conference
Registration – 3,030
Truth & Peace – 129 participants
Competitive Entries: 878
Buck-A-Week Offering: $4,080*

* Initial count may be adjusted.