ANNA GREEN

First Baptist Church will host a conference on grace titled “Deeper Encounter ’09,” this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

David Nasser, a renowned Christian speaker, will be leading the conference for both youth and adults.

Jared Cartee, the youth pastor and family life center director at FBC, says that having Nasser come to host the conference is a big deal.

“This is going to be a very beneficial conference. It’s all about grace, not just about the disciplines of grace, but also the beauty and the pains of grace,” Cartee said. “David is one of the most sought after youth evangelists, not just in the Baptist denominations, but also throughout the entire Christian community. We are blessed to have him be able to come.”

Cartee said that the youth are excited to have this conference coincide with their Disciple Now weekend.

“As usual with the Disciple Now youth bible study, the kids will be staying at different houses within the church community, but the difference is that anyone can come to the church wide study sessions. It is basically two different conferences combined into one. A few of the kids studied a book by Nasser this past summer, and they are very excited to have him come.”

The conference will begin with a Friday night session at 7:00, and then two Saturday sessions at 1:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The conclusion of the conference will be held Sunday at the regular morning worship service at 10:15.

“The conference costs $20 for the general public, but that covers David Nasser’s book, ‘A Call to Grace,’ ” Cartee said. “This is a great opportunity for the community and we would like to encourage everyone to attend.”

First Baptist will start a 39 day study on the book the following Monday after the conference.

“The study will be similar to the ‘Purpose Driven Life’ book study. It’s an individual study,” Cartee said. “The difference is that you have to give up something personal each day to read the book and spend time in the Word. For example, instead of watching TV or sitting down to play on the xBox, you would spend time in study.”

Cartee asks that everyone come out and join First Baptist for the conference.

“This is a unique opportunity, and we want everyone to be able to experience it.”

Nasser was born in Iran and left in 1979 in the midst of a revolution. He became a Christian at the age of 18, and since then ministers to over 700,000 people each year. Nasser lives in Alabama with his wife and their two children.