Christian Skaters announces that it will be hosting its 2008 U.S. Skate Conference in Huntington Beach, Calif., September 1-3. The event will be held at The Sanctuary Church, 8642 Westminster Blvd., Westminster, CA 92683. Call 714.893.7437 or register online at www.SkateConference.com
Join pro skaters, am skaters, youth pastors, skate companies and skate park owners as we equip, encourage and pray for one another at this event.
Hear the stories of how skate ministry has impacted the lives of today’s top skaters. Learn from those who are veterans at skate ministry. Even build a ramp!
This three-day conference, is packed with information intended to inspire those who love skateboarding and want to make an impact on today’s youth culture. Nightly
events will feature an Art Show Skate Event at a local park.
Sports Illustrated said, “Skateboarding, second perhaps only to hip-hop, was the greatest influence on American youth culture of the late 20th century. There is no sport as inextricably linked with America’s alternative subculture.” Skateboarding has become a huge part of the youth culture today. You walk through the mall and see the influence it has had on fashion. XGames is the largest viewed sporting event in the 13-24-year-old demographic. Twenty percent of young people in the United States alone skateboard, which is more than 15 million people. To top that off, more than 38 million more have expressed a desire to learn an “extreme sport.”
Youth today are being bombarded by temptation. We see the statistics on youth involved in sexual activity, drugs, alcohol and crime. These rates are alarming. In fact, youth ages 12-17 who are frequently bored are 50 percent more likely than those not often bored to smoke, drink, get drunk and use illegal drugs. As recess is being
cut from schools, our youth are replacing physical play with MTV and MySpace. As the youth culture turns more to media for stimulation, the need to focus on relationship-building is evident and crucial.
So, how do we reach these youth? Jesus met people right where they were and continues to do so today. As pastors begin to see this cultural shift, this need to
reach our youth with culturally relevant ministry becomes apparent. To meet this need, skate ministries have begun to pop up all over the world. Ministries like Skatechurch, Christian Skaters, Livin’ It, Boarders for Christ and Steelroots have stepped up to the plate to present the gospel in a way that reaches this culture.
Maybe you are a pastor or parent who constantly finds themselves chasing skaters off their property. Maybe you have a heart for “the hippies of the 21st century” and want to reach out like Jesus did. Maybe you were a skater yourself and your heart breaks for those in the next generation. Or, maybe you have found yourself
planted right in the middle of skate ministry and feel like you just need some help.
Audio from many of the 2007 speakers has been uploaded to YouTube.com Download these sessions from speakers like Christian Hosoi (Hosoi Skateboards/The Sanctuary), Steven Wolfe (Touch The World Ministries/Solid Foundation Skatepark), Mark Janetta (Splinter Skatepark), and more.
