WINTERFEST 2026
Winterfest 2026 is in the books!
Winterfest 2026 is in the books!
Twenty-seven of us made the journey to Gatlinburg, TN this year to worship, learn, and grow together as the family of God that meets Inside the Shed. It was an amazing weekend. The students came home spiritually invigorated — and pretty tired. I know I did. (You can ask me about my 6:30 a.m. run.)
The theme for this year’s conference was “Greater Than.” The focus was simple and powerful: the Spirit within us is greater than the spirit of the world. We spent time in John 14, where Jesus tells his followers that once he leaves, they will do even greater things than he did.
At the end of each day, I asked the students to reflect on the day with these two questions.
What was your favorite part?
How might “Greater Than” impact your life?
Worship
To prevent this post from being repetitive, I will tell you from the jump that the favorite thing was worship led by Steve Maxwell.
There is nothing quite like thousands of teenagers lifting their voices together in praise. Steve Maxwell is an adept leader and director of that praise. With infectious laughter, his demeanor sets the tone for the worship. With a deft hand, he connects each voice into one, allowing individuals to forget themselves and find unity in the whole.
The praise team is composed of adults and teenagers, displaying intergenerational ministry and helping students see how they can use their gifts. For those old heads in the room, you might know Maxwell from the Christian supergroup Acappella.
There are four sessions: one Friday, two Saturday, and one Sunday. At each session, students mob the front of the stage like it’s a concert, yearning for God’s presence in a real way. We sing for a long time, and this old head occasionally wants to sit down.
Year after year, they talk about the worship.
One student said it “gives [her] goosebumps when the whole convention room sings.”
The Teachings
Each session features a powerful speaker. This year was no different.
Night One — David Skidmore
We heard from David Skidmore, a youth minister from Tennessee who has served his church for 25 years.
We often say the phrase “How Great Is Our God” as an exclamation. But sometimes it functions as a question: How great is our God? Sometimes we are confused, since it often feels like God is far from us, or we don’t understand in what ways God is truly great.
Skidmore introduced us to the interrobang — a punctuation mark invented in the 1960s that combines a question mark and an exclamation point. That’s the spirit of the phrase.
To illustrate the greatness of God, Skidmore talked about the vastness of space and the complex nature of human DNA. If uncoiled, he said, DNA could make the trip from Earth to the Moon not once, not twice, not 20 times, not even 100 times, but almost 150,000 times! One student reflected this way:
“My favorite part about the session tonight was the worship and the part where Mr. Skidmore talked about the elaborate creation of the galaxy and cells. I loved singing my favorite worship song, 10,000 Reasons, and he made a wonderful point about how only God can create something so special and unique as life.”
If our God created the DNA sequence and a universe containing 200 sextillion stars, then He is greater than anything we can comprehend. And yet, that same God chose to come to Earth as a human — to love, comfort, and ultimately save us.
Another student shared:
“My favorite part of service [was] worship and the Skidmore guy because he brought up some very important points that related to me personally. With his points I’ve learned that God is most definitely greater than all of my worst lows- even mistakes.”
Day Two — Chris Seidman
On Saturday, we heard from Chris Seidman, lead minister of The Branch Church.
He told the story of an Indian missionary who, by God’s “greater than” power, saw an entire village convert from Hinduism. I think what made this story impactful was how Seidman recounted the miraculous healing of the village priestess, the subsequent conversion, and the ripple effect that had on the community.
Seidman then led us into a time of prayer similar to what we practice every Sunday. Students gathered in small groups and prayed for one another, asking God to shape their hearts and reveal His “greater than” plan for their lives.
For many of our students, this was uniquely powerful. And during our group devotional, they talked about how that moment impacted them.
Day Three — Phil Brookman
On Sunday, Phil Brookman spoke about escaping the comparison game — the exhausting cycle of feeling superior one moment and inferior the next, and how neither of those emotions helps us get closer to God.
I heard Phil Brookman when I was in youth group going to conventions, and he was powerful for me and my faith. Sunday was no different.
He invited volunteers onto the stage to reenact a story from his childhood about asking a girl to a summer camp bonfire who was wildly out of his league. One of our own students was selected — and successfully broke the heart of an unsuspecting 7th grader.
I plan to write a full post unpacking Brookman’s message, so stay tuned.
The Fun
Winterfest isn’t only about learning; it’s also about joy.
We watched Christian comedians, an intense juggling act, and the Sandman tell Bible stories through sand art. We explored arcades, walked through Gatlinburg, and shared late-night conversations that probably mattered more than the students realize.
Most importantly, we grew closer to God and to each other.
It was a great weekend.
And we can’t wait for next year.
Winter fest 2026 has changed me in ways I cannot put into words. It was an extremely eye opening and heart warming experience. The energy of thousands of people calling out to god is incredible. And brought me to tears. I feel so much closer to the church family and god ❤️