Youth Camp at Falls Creek, OK
There are few things in life that truly surprise us anymore. Outside of the hysterical and innocent comment from a young child and the spontaneous affections of a loved one, the idea of the unknown or unplanned is completely foreign to today’s culture. Being new in the role of student ministry has placed me right at the heart of constant surprise. As Falls Creek 2019 quickly approached, my efforts were focused primarily on being available to what God had in store for our student ministry; and upon further reflection of the great things that God did, I have learned that this is the mentality I will always take going forward.
If you have never been to Falls Creek, words cannot express the enormity of the ministry that takes place there and calling it “Camp” only serves to simplify how God is using that place to minister to students and adults alike. Departing for Falls Creek Sunday morning included a whirlwind of excitement and expectation, and as the week unfolded, God clearly revealed that He had much more in store than we could have dreamed. I had the joy of serving 29 students, 3 Collegiate Sponsors and eight other adult leaders for the course of a week and it was truly my privilege to see them humbly serving alongside one another and how God was at work in each and every one of their lives.
Week 7 at Falls Creek saw over 6000 students and leaders immersed in exceptional praise and worship and applicable Bible teaching that lead to over 500 individuals coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ during our shared Tabernacle times and countless others coming to Jesus during their own in-cabin study times. We celebrated God’s great work in 4 of our own students recommitting their lives to Jesus, five students coming to saving faith in Jesus, and even 1 of our adult leaders surrendering his life to Jesus. Praise God!!! In addition to this, there was a strong element of unification among the students that saw friendships restored, new bonds created, and a strong time of corporate worship in our cabin that was refreshing and engaging.
But God still had more in store! Sunday evening after we returned, I received a text from one of the young ladies that joined us at Falls Creek. Instead of me telling her story, she will be sharing her story with you personally Sunday 8/4 at our 10 am service. Let’s just say that her time at Falls Creek and the moving of God in her life in the days following, has had an amazing impact on her life; but don’t take my word, come share in her excitement this Sunday!
In light of all the amazing things that God has done over the past couple weeks, I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to thank some of the amazing people who helped make the Falls Creek experience so good. So, a huge thank you to those of you who sacrificially gave financially to make this trip a reality for our students. Thank you to those of you who picked up a bracelet and prayed over the individuals that were at camp that week; your prayers were needed more than you can imagine. And an especially huge THANK YOU to the adult leaders, chefs, and collegiate sponsors who poured their time and love into our students. And last but not least, my deepest gratitude goes out to Rory Tucker, who in a time of transition stepped up to ensure that the Falls Creek experience would be available for our students and oversaw all the details of our trip.
Let us corporately celebrate the victory that God has had amidst our congregation and continue to support these young men and women who have been eternally impacted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Christ is All
Pastor J.
