Purity Conference Draws 1,200 Students and Parents
January 21, 2010
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| Students gather during a break at the purity conference held in Lakeland. The conference, which was attended by more than 1,200 students and parents, was designed to help young people understand God’s plan for sexuality and to help them prepare for a godly marriage. |
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| Pam Mutz speaks to a group of girls during one of the sessions at the purity conference held in Lakeland. Mutz led the development of the conference because of her burden to promote purity among young people and to help them prepare for a godly marriage. |
LAKELAND, Fla. – Four years ago Pam Mutz was concerned by what she termed as cavalier attitudes towards sex and the overall lack of purity that many young people were exhibiting. She felt a burden for young people who often experienced horrible consequences that came about because they did not understand God’s plan for sexuality and the importance of sexual purity before marriage.
This burden eventually culminated into a vision to establish an event to promote purity among young people and to help them prepare for a godly marriage. As a result, Mutz and several friends worked together to conduct the first Power in Purity conference for girls. The conference eventually grew to include a separate conference for guys called Battle for Honor, which was coordinated by Mutz’s husband Bill.
This new larger dual conference for young men and women in grades 6-12 was coordinated by a team of dedicated parents and community leaders that included Dr. Jerry Haag, president of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes and his wife Christi Haag, Keith and Katie DeLoach, Patsy Goers, Cathy Hayes, Steve and Stephanie Madden, and Matt and Courtney Wade.
This year’s two event conference held last month at Florida Southern College in Lakeland drew more than 1,200 students and parents from across Central Florida. The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes helped expand the conference by serving as the signature sponsor.
“This conference has always been very important to us. This year we were asked if the Children’s Homes would be willing to be the lead sponsor in order to help more kids understand God’s expectations for relationships and marriage,” said Dr. Jerry Haag, president of the Children’s Homes.
“I knew that we needed to get involved. So many kids don’t get to experience God’s best for their life because they get involved in relationships that do not honor God.”
Bill and Pam Mutz attend First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, which was very involved with the conference.
“Pastor Jay Dennis and our entire church were incredibly supportive of this event. In addition, more than 100 churches in Central Florida were represented at the conference. Some brought bus loads of students with them,” Bill Mutz said.
Pam Mutz said that it was obvious that many students were convicted by what they heard and had their hearts changed by the Holy Spirit in a number of the different breakout sessions.
“When young people hear others discuss the emptiness they experienced from going from one relationship to the next, it strikes a chord with them and helps to strengthen convictions to personal purity, which includes waiting for God to guide them to the right relationship at the right time,” Pam Mutz said.
The conference included a number of breakout sessions as well as a special keynote session by Eric and Leslie Ludy, who are bestselling authors and speakers on a wide range of topics related to battling the temptations of our modern culture.
According to Bill Mutz they expect the purity conference to keep growing and expect more than 2,000 for next year’s event.
“We know that students are event oriented when it comes to influencing their thinking and attitudes, and the conference format provides that opportunity,” Bill Mutz said.
The planning process for next year’s conference is already underway. Next year’s conference will be on Saturday, January 8, 2011 at the Lakeland Center from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information about next year’s conference contact B4honor@gmail.com.
