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By Christine Kumar
UMConnection staff

?We?re gonna kick it for Jesus,? shouted Steve Fitzhugh, as he addressed more than 4,800 screaming youth last night at the Convention Center in windy Ocean City for ROCK 2007, an annual youth retreat.This year?s theme, was ?Get off your Island, Spread the Word.?

Fitzhugh, former NFL football player for the Denver Broncos and special guest speaker, asked the youth why they came to ROCK. ?I don?t care who you are, it doesn?t matter what you?ve done: you are here because God of the universe has drawn you here by his spirit.?

The youth cheered and clapped, affirming what Fitzhugh said.  Fitzhugh spoke of how he turned his life around after accepting Jesus Christ.

?I grew up in garbage,? he said. He painfully spoke of witnessing physical abuse in his home. ?I made a critical, critical, critical decision,? he shouted. After reading Jeremiah 29:11, he realized that God had big plans for him.

?He knows all the hairs in your head, he knows everything about you and he has a plan for you but, he?s not going to force you,? he said.

?Life is a privilege, you need to accept Jesus or reject him,? Fitzhugh said.  ?God can change any life-any moment.?

He explained that some young people are like eagles soaring to the sky and others are lost because of the chickens in their lives. ?We don?t have the courage to cut out the chickens in our life,? he said. ?But, chickens don?t fly.?

?Some of you are dodging God?s calling but, it takes a true champion to have the courage to go against the flow,? he said.

Earlier in the evening, alternative rock band, Seventh Day Slumber?s lead singer gave a shout out to the youth telling them that no matter what they look like, what color their hair is or what clothes they wear; that God accepts them just as they are.

The musical group had the youth and their adult chaperones on their feet, clapping and dancing as they worshipped and praised God, rocking the entire center.

Comedian Will McDaniel made them laugh while singing offbeat praise songs and playing his shiny, blue guitar.

The four-hour trip to Ocean City was well worth it for Dawn Reidy, member of Payne Chapel in West Virginia, to bring her niece, Shelly McCoy and her friend Chyna Fries for the first time to ROCK. ?So far, we?re having a good time, shouted 14 year-old McCoy.

?It?s great to see so many people passionate about the Lord,? said Emily Tocknell, the president of the Conference Council on Youth Ministries.