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Youth Winter Camps 2016

 

Winter Camps 2016– Image 1 of 10

 

 

Recently, our middle school and high school students went up to Pine Summit Christian Camp for our annual winter camp. Here are a few brief reflections I wanted to share with our church family so the joy is not mine alone.

1) Our Students Are Hungry

Both winter camps taught on the theme of holiness. From Friday night to Sunday morning, the students heard 4 sermons, participated in four small groups, and completed one devotional focusing on the theme of living holy lives in an unholy world. Contrary to popular expectations, the kids loved it! God’s Word is always a joy to God’s people; even the young ones!

2) Our Students Are Growing

It is a joy for me as the youth pastor to witness the growth of our students over the years they’re with us. For both of our camps, I had a unique view into how our students are being matured by Jesus. At the end of each camp, we had student post instaragm pictures with captions that finish the following sentence, “This weekend, God has blessed me by…” Here are some of the responses.

“God has blessed me by making me become more holy and coming closer to God and the word of God thank you for my brothers and sisters that where here learning more about the word of God and not to love the things of the world but to love Jesus himself…”

“This weekend God has blessed me with amazing friends and pastors that have shown me that we should not love the world, but the one who has created it. My love and faith for Jesus Christ has definitely grown these past few days and I can't wait to see what's in store for us in the future!!”

“God has blessed me in a multitude of ways. He has provided me with amazing leaders and pastors to guide me toward God and the cross. He also provided me with his word, so I can learn more about him. And finally he has provided me with friends and family that I love.”

“God has blessed me with the Bible to help me grow closer to him and become holy. He has also blessed me with the most wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ…I am thankful for all of the things especially my church leaders who show me the glory of God.”

Our students are growing in their faith in Jesus and love for others. Praise God for our Good Shepherds who gathers us and grows us!

3) Our Students Are Well Cared For

One of my favorite takeaways from each camp was realizing afresh how involved our leaders are in the lives of our students. Whether it was during free time or session time, I continued to see our students choosing to hang out with their leaders because they love them! I witnessed leaders praying over their students about needs. I saw leaders crying with their students about hardships they’re going through. I watched as our leaders challenged students with the truth of God’s Word. Needless to say, our students are well cared for by their small group leaders.

4) God is Still Adding to His Church

Above all these, the greatest joy coming away from camp was having two students profess faith in Jesus Christ and two other students were brought to a place where they are seriously counting the cost of following Jesus (see Luke 14:25-33). Please pray for those two students that, after counting the cost, they would realize the treasures Christ is calling them to give up are nothing with the treasures He is offering them in the gospel.

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