Tom
Wanted to send you a quick note to say thanks for your ministry and specifically for Teen Encounter.  I was so excited to see that you had sent this out to everyone.  After 6 years in our current ministry I truly believe our Teen Encounter weekend was one of the most beneficial things we have ever done.  And honestly, I must admit I was quite skeptical going into it.  I wanted to share some of the things our students and leaders have been saying, and emailing since that first weekend in December

“I don’t know what happened to me.  I am like a different person.  I was at a place where I was constantly, well all I could think about was suicide.  Now I, well I am happy and not thinking about suicide.  I feel like a different person.”

“Now I understand what people were talking about when they said they had joy in salvation.”   

Student: “Can I talk next week? I think God is telling me to be a talker.”
Me: “A what?” 
Student: “You know, do what you do.  I think God wants me to do that. You know be a talker about God stuff.”

“It has been hard for me to accept different events that have happened in my life but God has helped me come to terms with them in ONE night! I feel as if he has broken me, in a good way, and is starting to rebuild me. I feel that a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The truth is I used to question his existence but now I do not.”

Lastly, this is the final paragraph of a long email I receive from one of our middle school girls:

“I think every youth pastor needs to, not should, but needs to do one (Teen Encounter).  It changes lives completely. Even the people that think they know god should do this so they can be changed to a higher level.  The Teen encounter is seriously life changing.  It changed me, so why not give it a chance to change others?

Tom thanks again for you commitment and passion to see the lives of students in Oregon transformed by an amazingly powerful, and loving God!  And I must say I agree whole-heartedly with Kiya!  Teen Encounter did for our ministry everything you promised and then some.  Our students and leaders are already asking when the next one will be.

Josh Donaldson
Berean Assembly of God

Tom,

Just wanted to drop you a line to tell you what an incredible experience Teen Encounter was for us.  Teens that have been to every event that we have had from Acquire the Fire, to Beach Freak, to our own Discipleship Retreats say that this was the most incredible experience of their life.  We grew together and learned about each other.  We learned more about our group in one weekend than we have in the 10 months we have been here as youth pastors. 

I want to personally thank you for your obedience to God’s will and sensitivity to His calling for you to reach students.  Teen Encounter is like no other event in America, and I believe every youth pastor in America should allow his or her students to take part in this weekend encounter.  Don’t stop what you’re doing, you’re touching students for eternity and helping youth pastors fulfill their calling.

God Bless You,
Carl Nichols
Gulf Coast Worship Center
Long Beach, Mississippi

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To whom it may concern:
I highly recommend Tom Bachman’s ministry with Teen Encounter.  We have done a Teen Encounter at our church twice, and both times it exceeded our expectations.  The bonds that were built between students and with the leadership of our youth ministry was phenomenal.

If you are considering a Teen Encounter for your church, get ready for God to do some incredible things.  It will bring unity and forgiveness like you have never experienced, and it also strengthens parental relationships with the students and youth leader.  I would not think twice about having Tom come to your church

God Bless,
Pastor Brian and Kimberlee Eldridge
Youth Pastors
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Hello!
I am a youth pastor’s wife, in Hermiston, Oregon, and I am writing this letter to recommend that you take YOUR teens through the Teen Encounter experience!

We recently took our youth group through it and ‘encounter’ we did!  We ‘encountered’ each other, and ‘encountered’ God, in a mighty and dynamic way.  God changed us through the life changing subjects presented, the times of sharing we participated in and the opportunities we accepted to worship at The Almighty’s feet!  What an incredible time we had together!  Nothing could have explained to me, beforehand, how significant this time would be to our kids, to my husband, and me!

  I whole heartedly urge you to prayerfully consider giving this special ‘gift’ to your youth group.  It will strengthen and build up their relationships to each other and, also, between you and your students.  But more than that, it’s a tool, which the Holy Spirit will use, to open up areas of the heart and soul that need the searchlight of His truth shined into them.  Our group is now enjoying a new openness and honesty with each other, in a way they never had before, and that is being used by God to take us to new heights in Him.

Teen Encounter was an investment we made into our teens that is producing benefits right now.  However, I know that because of the deep spiritual work God did in them, we will continue to reap even more benefits in the future as well.

I’m very thankful we took the time to offer this experience to our group!  It changed them and it changed me personally.   Thanks to God Almighty, we will never be the same!

Respectfully,
Eileen D. Sproule

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To any youth pastor wanting to impact their students in a deep and lasting way, I would reccomend Teen Encounter.  Tom Bachman has done 5 Teen  Encounters at our church, and we have him back every year.  This is probably the deepest most emotional connection I have ever experienced with my students.  In an atmosphere of openess and healing, we share our joint hurts and struggles, and then we go after God together for each other's healing.  This is truly an amazing experience.  I had a Teen Encounter shortly after coming to my church, and this was the best way to get to know my students deeply.  No other event or activity that I have participated in
has ever brought this deep of a result in my students and youth
ministry.  It truly is the greatest gift a youth pastor can give to his
youth ministry!

Jim Leach

More testimonies come!!!!