By Mark Kneubuhl
Special to LIVE!
September 9, 2007

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

This is the underlying concept behind this year’s Unite & Conquer Christian Festival and citywide youth rally in San Angelo.

This is a free event with high octane, wholesome entertainment that is non-denominational. Everyone is invited to attend. Unite & Conquer begins at 1:00 p.m. September 15, 2007 at the Kirby Community Park Pavilion located along the 1400 block of Edmund Blvd.

The three-fold goal of the event, according to primary organizer Chris Aldridge, is to unite the community and all churches to work together in spreading the Gospel, provide fun but wholesome entertainment, and to reach out to the youth to show them a better way.

This year, U&C will feature a message from Ryan Dobson based on his book Be Intolerant. Musical guests include Stellar Kart, Redemption Cry, Eowin, Vertical Worship and Nameless Faceless. Christian comedian Joby Saad or the “Village Idiot,” as he prefers to be called, will entertain the masses.

This will be U&C’s first year, although last year the same people hosted a similar event named “Operation Generation Rescue.”

“We had virtually no advertising and put that event together pretty quickly but still over 400 kids showed up,” said Aldridge of last year’s rally. But this year’s rally has benefited from a longer preparation time. There is also a major sponsor this time. Compassionate International, a non-profit Christian organization that focuses on missionary work all over the world, is helping to underwrite the event.

Compassionate International will also be sending “Big Daddy Keas,” a Christian values motivational speaker to address the crowd.

In organizing this year’s event, Aldridge and other volunteers, are working with more than 20 youth pastors who represent denominations from all over San Angelo.

“It’s looks like we could have 2,000 people show up this year… maybe more. We’re getting inquires from all over the region. We hope that this will grow each year into something like the “Rock the Desert” festival,” said Aldridge.

Rock The Desert is an immensely popular annual event for Christian youth held in the flatlands between Odessa and Midland. Its mission statement pretty much echoes that of U&C: "To reach today's generation through contemporary Christian music and recreational facilities so that they may hear the life changing message of Jesus Christ."

Learn more about this year’s festival at uniteandconquersa.org.