I stood at the back of the convention hall and just smiled. The nearly 2600 youth were laughing as they tried to follow the motions they had just learned to the fast music. The band came on stage and started to lead the group in worship and I could not help but feel excited by the young people who were singing whole-heartedly. This was the scene each day at this years Faith and 3D conference in Orlando.

Several things struck me as I walked around the conference (mostly trying to not get in the way). The first thing was what a great idea to have youth from three different Christian traditions (Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist), come together to worship together and learn about each tradition. The youth seemed to enjoy sharing their traditions with each other and dialoging about the differences. What a way to catch a glimpse of the mystery of the God that we serve as evidenced in Gods’ church.

The second thing that stuck with me, was the value that these youth placed on their Christian tradition. There was real identity in the conversations and the participation in worship as each group took their turn to lead in worship. This might surprise many given the conversations that occur regularly about the loss of or turning away from the different Christian faith traditions. These youth not only valued their tradition, they also valued the tradition of the ones they were meeting that weekend. Similarities were discussed, differences explained, and a common sense of purpose and fellowship was uncovered.

The final thing that struck me occurred during the Sunday morning time when we had the World Pavilion at Epcot reserved for the group until 11am. Groups spread out all in different countries learning about the cultures and religions. I walked along stopping to listen and observe and I heard groups grappling with poverty, immigration, worldview, faith sharing, and the reality of the world that we now live in. As I walked about that Sunday morning, I reflected on globalization. I thought about the clash of worldviews, and the impact of the global markets on each corner of the globe. It can be overwhelming. These youth were being prepared, not only for the differences between traditions within the Christian faith, but how to be salt and light as Christians in a new world.