While the adults enjoy sessions with Pastor Jim Cymbala, senior pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York, during the Bridge the Gap conference next weekend, Cornerstone Bible Fellowship is also seeking to make an impression on the Island?s young people with a special teen conference.

Part of the mini-conference package includes a Thursday morning session based on the world-renowned Walk Thru The Old Testament training guide, but the highlights for most teenagers will be the Thursday evening Youth Explosion featuring rapper and Cross Movement recording artist Da Truth, and the Friday night, ?Been There, Done That Teen Talks? with former Los Angeles gang member, Fernando Aranda.

?In light of the recent development soft gang activities in Bermuda, we are very fortunate to have these gentlemen scheduled to speak with our youth,? Gary Simons, senior pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, explained.

?The information they have to share is both stunning and compelling and will equip our youth on how to deal with the counter-culture that is destroying our society.?

From a young age, Fernando Aranda was involved in gang culture and crime, including theft, fighting and intimidation, with violence escalating to robbery, extortion, black mail, kidnapping and stabbings.

However, after serving in prison, he decided it was time to turn his life around and give back to society by speaking on gangs. He now travels across the United States in hopes of deterring young people from joining gangs.

?I was one mean, nasty guy,? he says of his former life. ?You wouldn?t want to have met me in a dark alley. I am so glad that my life has totally changed so that I know can be a part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem.?

Mr. Aranda will be joined by rapper Da Truth during the Friday night session, who bring a message of hope to young people on how the music of some popular rap artists negatively effects young people into feelings of hatred and violence.

?The influence that today?s music has on young people is a very power force in brining our youth into gangs. Our young peoyouth into gangs. Our young people need to understand how that music is used to motivate this generation.?

He adds: ?Teens can be led into thinking that there is safety in the gang mentality of, ?I?ve got your back, you?ve got mine.? While a sense of camaraderie is important to youth, the gang is not a substitute for family.?

Tickets for the Bridge the Gap conference are available from Cornerstone Bible Fellowship and cost $50 per teen and $20 for just the Youth Explosion concert. The teen conference begins on Thursday, August 31 at 8am with registration and a continental breakfast, and will run until 4 p.m., including lunch. The Youth Explosion begins at 7 p.m. the same evening, and the teen talk on Friday, September 1 begins at 6 p.m.

A children?s programme on Saturday, September 2 is also planned, as well as the general Adult programme, which will run September 1 and 2. All events are planned for the Fairmont Southampton Hotel, except the ?I?m Amazed? Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir concert, which will be held at 7 p.m. at the National Sports Centre.

Registration is also available online at Cornerstone?s website, http://events.cornerstone.bm. For more information, call 295-9640.