What is RESPOND!:
RESPOND! is a
monthly event that incorporates aspects of a concert, open mic and a talk show designed to inspire young adults to live out their faith within their sphere of influence. RESPOND! is a ministry of Creátre, a Christian based non-profit organization that uses the arts for the purpose of skill training, outreach and to display community leadership - www.creatre.org.
What Can I Expect?:
There are several distinctive elements that make RESPOND! a unique ministry. At RESPOND! you can expect:
1. The Music:
The Scriptures encourage us to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. At RESPOND! we feature music artists with a variety of styles including Reggae, Hip-Hop, Alternative, Spoken Word and more. For the attendant, this is a great opportunity for you to be ministered to. For the artist, this is a great opportunity for you to encourage others through your music.
2. The Interview:
Many young adults struggle with how to effectively use their gifts and talents in response to God's call on their lives. This struggle often leads many to become inactive regarding ministry while getting more preoccupied with "life." Our interview segment was designed to expose young adults to the stories of community leaders who have a passion for the Lord and for living out His call in practical ways. Through the interviews, attendants are exposed to Christian leaders from an array of vocations with various different skill sets. Our hope is that attendants will be inspired to use whatever skills, abilities and/or experiences that the Lord has entrusted to them, and that they be faithful in doing so.
3. The Open Mic:
Even the name of our ministry encourages attendance to do something in response to God's call. What better place to RESPOND! than at our Open Mic? The Open Mic segment allows attendants to become a part of the program as they are led by the Spirit. Since each event is centered on a specific theme, the Open Mic allows attendants to do a spoken word, rap, or give a short word of encouragement.
4. The Food:
One thing that can definitely bring people together is FOOD! Whether its a wedding, family reunion or special event, the presence of great food sets the occasion. Even Christ took time to eat with His disciples before His ascension and ask that we remember Him using food items!
RESPOND! gives you the opportunity to enjoy our delicious Caribbean food while you fellowship with attendants from various churches in Central Florida.
RESPOND! gives you the opportunity to enjoy our delicious Caribbean food while you fellowship with attendants from various churches in Central Florida.
5. The Activity:
Due to the fact that many of our attendants are from different churches, RESPOND! has a very diverse atmosphere. One can experience the same kind of diversity at a concert, however RESPOND! is a bit more personal. Based on the theme for that night, each event incorporates an activity time where attendants break into groups. The activity time gives you the opportunity to fellowship while collaborate with others on a group activity.
How RESPOND! began:
After living in Orlando a few years, the RESPOND! Team noticed an interesting trend. Many churches had vibrant youth and adult ministries, but lacked in providing effective ministry to urban young adults in college and post-college. Many of these young adults had not found ways to utilize their gifts due to lack of exposure. Some settled and began pursing alternative avenues of using their gifts, while others became preoccupied with entertaining themselves. These young adults were also seeking social interaction, yet there were few platforms in existence that would allow believers from different churches and backgrounds to consistently fellowship. This need gave birth to RESPOND! an interactive ministry that combines several approaches with the aim to motivate young adults to live out their faith in practical ways.