Saturday, October 16, 2004
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
The more Ray Fuentes, Joe Rolla, James Dvorak, Zack Cogley, Steve Hood and Dan Holloway listened and took in the hip-hop music and messages, the more the six found themselves getting into a positive groove.
There was more to the recent Christian music concert the teenagers attended than hip-hop music, however. There was a strong beat -- and also a strong feeling of hope.
"A lot of people see church as boring, but we came together and had an awesome time in the name of God," Cogley, 16, said. "Music can be a down-and-out thing, and their music is positive."
"It was cool for a bunch of Christians to get together and have a good time," added Rolla, 15.
The teenagers, all between 15 and 17 and all members of a youth group at Old North Church of Canfield, were among more than 250 people at last month's John Reuben concert at the church.
Reuben, a Christian rap artist from Columbus, was the main performer and was among several musicians to have taken part in the Sept. 11 See You at the Pole rally at Old North.
Although the bands played in a variety of genres, the musicians were united in sharing with their audience how God has affected their lives.
The rally was also set up to encourage teenagers to go to a nearby flagpole at the church so they could pray for their community, school, classmates and teachers.
Focus
The event, sponsored by TeenFusion, combined Christian principles and testimonials with the hip-hop, R & amp;B and rap music. During the concert, Reuben, as well as members of the bands Falling Up and Deron 5L, entertained the audience with their music and took time to share their personal testimony and religious faith.
One of the main goals of the interdenominational TeenFusion group, founded last March, is to promote and bring national and regional Christian bands to the area three or four times a year to stage concerts and reach out to youth, explained Janyse Cain, an advertising representative for Mahoning Valley Parent magazine and one of the group's co-founders.
TeenFusion also conducts seminars and workshops for youth pastors at several Mahoning Valley churches.
"[Band] members talk to kids one on one and get the kids going in the right direction. Each concert has a qualified speaker to talk to kids about issues," said Cain, who also is director of the Youngstown chapter.
The group hosts a banquet for youth ministers before each performance. The ministers try to get as many teens as possible to attend the upcoming event, Cain added.
So far, TeenFusion has worked with ministers at Elin Christian Center, Warren; New Hope Community Church, Boardman; New Life Assembly of God, Poland; Lynkirk Church of Christ, Austintown; and several Youngstown churches, Cain noted.
The group, based in Sterling Heights, Mich., has about 1,000 youth pastors in its network and about 90 locally, she said, adding that TeenFusion is forming a Pittsburgh chapter.
Purpose
TeenFusion members talk to kids about the importance of standing up for their beliefs, despite peer and other pressures, Cain said. Another of its goals is to "help improve youth ministries, not compete with them," and to get young people to see the positive aspects of living in Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, Cain continued.
"We want to give kids value for life and the area," she said. "There's a lot of power in kids who are in large groups at Christian band concerts."
TeenFusion is planning other events that include a concert scheduled for Jan. 15 at New Life Assembly of God in Poland. The group is also working with a youth ministry group to promote a youth convention next May at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh that will feature a series of motivational speakers for the kids, Cain said.
On the bill for the January concert are Sanctus Real and Hawk Nelson, both Christian rock bands. The Toledo-based Sanctus Real's song "Everything About You" recently hit No. 1 on Christian Hit Radio.
One of the main themes of the event will be to show the kids how they can positively influence others and have a positive impact in the world, Cain noted.
To prepare for the concert, a youth pastor breakfast is slated for Nov. 6 at New Life Assembly to bring together youth groups from all over the area.