“Who you are becoming is more important than what you are doing,” Clayton and Sharie King told the Momentum audience this morning during the main session. “But, what you are becoming is evidenced by what you are doing. What you do matters.”
Married for almost 19 years, the couple admitted that they are still fighting for sexual purity in their relationship.
“Marriage doesn’t mean there is nothing to tempt you,” said Sharie, as they started their talk on sexual purity, promising to “keep it classy.”
They stressed that the way to stay pure was to stay close to Jesus. Citing Philippians 2:12-14, Sharie said, “We can’t will to live within ourselves unless we are becoming like Him,” adding, “Jesus loves us for who we are, not for what we do. He loves you because you are His.”
Clayton, a South Carolina pastor and popular conference speaker, stressed that finding the right person doesn’t make one happy. “Happiness is not the goal; holiness is.”
The duo stressed that the blood of Jesus is what makes one pure.
She noted that when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God came looking for them. “He asked them questions about what they’d done,” Sharie said, “because he wanted them to see what is in their hearts.”
She added, “God would say to you, if you’ve messed up, don’t give up.”
“When you mess up, ‘fess up,” said Clayton. “We are going to mess up; we are going to fail. It will never go away.”
They encouraged students to get into Scripture and to know the Word of God. “When God says ‘don’t,’ He isn’t saying, ‘Don’t hurt yourself.’ It’s from a heart of love,” he said.
The couple recently collaborated on a project with Lifeway, True Love Project (a relaunch of True Love Waits). Many of the concepts they talked about this morning are included in the book and study guide, which has a subtitle, “fighting to keep Jesus first.”
They ended with Clayton encouraging those who had never given their hearts to Jesus to do so. About 14 people responded to the invitation by a show of hands. In an “old-fashioned altar call,” He invited them to come forward, along with others, and kneel before King Jesus, turning the platform into an impromptu altar.
Previously in the session, Courtney Cherest spoke about the importance of prayer. “It’s not about how we do it; it matters who hears us,” she stressed. Two students read the scripture for the morning, Psalm 17:6 and 1 John 5:14-15.
Timothy Kurtaneck and Jeff Bogue reminded students of two upcoming events in the week — one when students who are considering a full-time call to ministry will have an opportunity to respond on Saturday night; and the National Youth Offering, which will be taken at tonight’s main session and will benefit the new Urban Hope Los Angeles.
The conference, which is sponsored by CE National, began last evening at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind. It continues through Sunday morning. Students from 92 churches are participating, including nine that are new to the event. A total of 2,175 students, youth leaders, guests, and others are attending.
This afternoon, students had the options of a variety of activities, including sports tournaments, open activities, and off-campus ministry opportunities.