What would you do if you were stranded in a mountain cabin for days with no electricity, no running water, and with a group of people with whom you cannot see eye to eye?
Summersalt staff on opening night of camp.That question was posed to more than 1,500 students this summer at Summersalt, the South Carolina Baptist Convention youth camp held annually at White Oak Conference Center.
This year’s theme, “The Gathering: Survival Depends on More Than You,” focused on Acts 1-2 and the early years of the church. Students were challenged with tough questions such as: What is the church? What does my youth group look and act like? Are we a group of believers who love each other?
Each student was placed in a Bible study group in which they unpacked the theme, studied scripture and worked together in team-building challenges. The groups also participated in volleyball and water games at the lake and pool.
Each night, Matt Rogers, camp pastor and youth minister at CrossPoint Church in Clemson, challenged the students to look at the early church and compare the gatherings in Acts to their youth ministry and church. Lee Clamp, youth minister at First Baptist Barnwell, served as camp pastor the last two weeks.
Each evening also included a drama following a group of students stranded in a mountain cabin with no electricity, no running water and forceful dislike of one another, yet their circumstances required them to work as a team. The drama depicted the importance of unity among believers and the church.
“Why does your student ministry gather? To make much of Jesus – to make Jesus look good?” Rogers asked.
Rogers also challenged the students to listen to the Holy Spirit as a guide for their ministry.
“When the Holy Spirit dwells somewhere, things change,” he said. Rogers also told the group that unity and love for one another as a church come from the Holy Spirit. “You are united in God’s spirit.”
Rogers also challenged the students that with the Spirit of God, they can accomplish more than they know.
“You as a 13-year-old middle-school girl have more power than you can imagine when you have the Spirit of God in your life.”