“So, how can I talk to my dad about Jesus?”
This was just one of many great conversations for Browncroft Students this past weekend as we, Lakeshore, and Harvest Bible’s student ministries scrambled to beat the snow and head up to the Adirondacks for Word of Life’s “Snow Camp” near Lake George.
Upon arriving, the students and leaders were met with a beautifully expansive facility and a truckload of snow. When we awoke in our 20 person cabins atop our concave mattresses, a fresh powdery layer of 12” coated the entire camp. Our 3 rental vans fell victim to the wintery weather as they slipped and slid to a permanent stop for the weekend.
But no worries! Our students enjoyed archery, tag, sledding, ping pong, foosball, Pac-Man, billiards, trampolines, and more. And the three Rochester churches quickly bonded together to form the “Yellow” team (based on our unique yellow lanyards) in a camp-wide competition with other youth groups assembled there.
Students also heard a Gospel presentation, as well as a great sermon on sharing the Gospel with others. The speaker explained how sharing our faith should not start with a burdening obligation or a carefully scripted faith presentation. Rather it starts with an opportunity for prayer, care, and investment in the lives of others. Through a clever (and slightly cheesy) dramatic stage performance, students were able to tangibly see what it looks like to pray for someone who does not know the Lord, practically care for them, and share their faith.
The camp was well in tune with the topics our teens engage daily. On Saturday I personally attended a breakout session on “Godly Gaming” where a panel of “gamers” discussed how to honor God and others while participating in video games with discernment. Others attended sessions on mental health, loneliness, and a session titled “Can I trust the Bible?”
When all was said and done the weekend concluded with 25 total miles walked, 18 servings of unlimited chocolate milk, 2 cardboard sleds created, 36 students singing “Into the Unknown” all too loudly… and 1 amazing God who allowed us to go and grow closer to Him at Snow Camp.
