This last week our youth program went down to Bolivar, MO for the Missouri Baptist Convention Supper Summer camp. Summer camp is always a special and unique time and this year kept that tradition. I am very thankful for Dr. Jared Bumpers from MBTS for preaching the main sessions. In addition to the main sessions, the students were separated by age group and sent into large groups. These groups were led by senior pastors from across Missouri and taught through a number of topics including the work of the Holy Spirit and the necessity to share one’s faith.
Yet perhaps the most valuable time this week was the small group discussion times. After large group, the students would break into small groups and discuss that sessions’ topic and personal issues. It was through those groups that many of our students experienced remarkable things including one of our students coming to faith in Christ. These groups were led by Missouri Baptist college students participating in a summer internship program and I am immensely thankful for all the young adults that would spend a week of their summer pouring into our students.
Super Summer was a great experience and did an excellent job at further equipping our students. Nevertheless, one of the key themes from this week was that it is the local church that makes disciples, not summer camps. As great as a summer camp can be, it is the work of the local church that can make radical disciples of Jesus Christ. Parents, pastors, and, most importantly, normal members are the ones responsible for seeing the next generation come to Christ.
There is a great need for our younger generations to come to know Christ and it is only through the local church being the kind of disciples of Jesus who make other disciples. Are we calling others to follow Christ and invest in their lives both personally and spiritually? Are we sharing our lives with others and training others in the ways of Christ? This is what it takes to complete the Great Commission and “complete the task.”
