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How many times will the Young Preachers preach at the Festival?
Only once (except for 2 or 3 who will be selected by the other young preachers to preach his or her sermon for the entire festival at the final assembly). Each young preacher is assigned to a team of 12 young preachers; these teams are called Preaching Circles. All the young preachers have received via email a packet of information that lists all the members of your Preaching Circle and when you and your members will preach. All menbers of a Preaching Circle will hear everyone else in the Circle preach. In addition, there is opportunity to hear another 13 young preachers during the festival.
What if a Young Preacher does not have a mentor?
You must have a mentor to register for the Festival. An important element of our philosophy is the necessity of a mentor. Every young preacher needs a mentor. Now the question is, where do you get a mentor? A mentor must be a minister who has experience in preaching. It can be a father or grandfather, mother or grandmother, campus minister or professor, pastor or supervisor, or friend. Identify someone you wish to guide and influence you in preaching and approach him/her with your request. Most ministers are honored and readily available. A person may serve as mentor to more than one young preacher. Remember: your mentor must come with you to the Festival; see question 7 below.
What about housing at the Festival?
All young preachers will be expected to stay at the festival hotel. This change from the inaugural year comes at the encouragement of the young preachers, who consistantly report they want more time for fellowship and community. While this housing arrangment is more expensive for some, especially for those who stay at home or with friends, extra effort has been taken to make these hotel rooms very affordable. It is quite possible that mentors or sponsoring churches will provide funds for the young preacher.
Can a Young Preacher preach any sermon he/she wishes?
Well, yes and no. First, we are not going to tell any preacher what to preach and what not to preach. This would interfer with the spiritual freedom that a preacher has from God. But we do insist that preachers do not use the National Festival for a "soapbox" to promote some agenda, especially a social or political agenda. One of the marks of preaching is a sense of occasion. Just as a funeral or an ordination calls for a certain kind of sermon so this ecumenical festival celebrating gospel preaching calls for a certain kind of sermon. All Young Preachers at the 2011 National Festival will be asked to preach a sermon on one of the Ten Commandments. In addition, we will provide a list of supplementary texts for each of the commandments to help in the preparation of the sermon.
How long will the Young Preachers be at the Festival?
All young preachers are expected to participate in the entire 3 day event, from Thursday morning through Saturday noon. The preaching will begin at 1pm on Thursday afternoon. All young preachers will remain at the Festival through the final assembly, at noon on Saturday. One of the last elements of the Festival is the public induction of these young preachers as members of the Academy of Preachers which will occur at this final Saturday assembly. It is, however, not necessary for all mentors to be present for the entire three days, but only to introduce their young preacher at the appointed time.
Who can attend the Festival of Young Preachers?
The short answer is: anyone and everyone; the whole event is open to the public and we encourage everyone to attend. Of course, there are only 96 young preachers; the deadline for registering is October 1, 2010. These young preachers will have a mentor. Each preaching session will have a convener and musicians. There will be plenary worship during the National Fesetival. Friends and family of each young preacher are encouraged to attend to support the young preachers; in fact, we are giving two scholarship prizes, worth $1,000 and $500, to the two young preachers who have the largest Fan Club at the Festival. There is no charge for the event; programs will be sold for $1 each and offerings will be taken at each plenary session with the money support the Academy.
Does a mentor have to be at the Festival the whole time?
No. The mentor must be present only when his or her young preacher stands to preach. It is the role of the mentor to introduce the young preacher, taking no longer 2 minutes to say what needs to be said and to generate interest of what is about to be said. The young preacher, though, must be on site on Thursday, and stay until 1pm on Saturday.
What about food?
First, the festival provides no food for this event except for the reception following the first plenary session. There is a food court within one block of the festival site in downtown Louisville.
How can I help?
First, you can attend the event; these young preachers need the support and encouragement of everyone. The festival is structured so that you can come when you can and leave when you must. Second, you can volunteer to help: set up on Wednesday afternoon or clean up on Saturday afternoon; or help with lunches, snacks, recordings, errands, transportation, backage, directions, emergencies; contact
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. Third, you can make a financial contribution. The festival is very expensive; plus we are raising money for scholarships for the preaching camps, the international preaching missions, and the young preachers trip to the Holy Land. There is an offering envelop in the program, and offerings will be received at each worship service.
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