Road Trip
Posted on July 30, 2008, by steve ingold, under church, parents, teens.
well i am finally back from my two weeks of junior high and high school camp. these past weeks have been exhausting, exciting, educational, and incredibly encouraging. Wow, i didn’t even know that i knew that many words that start with “e”.
From July 13-19 I was at Hume Lake with our junior highers for camp and the best part of that week was not launching one of our students 60 feet into the air off the blob. the best part was not the delicious shakes at the snack shop. The best part of the week proved to be the way in which our junior highers have taken the step towards making their faith their own. My biggest concern for our students in today’s culture is that they will go through their time in the student ministries as zombies and robots. Going to church because their parents do, believing in Christ because they are told to, and doing good things because they want to be glorified. I want our students to have a faith that is real and a faith that is pure. So when a junior high student says that they don’t agree with something the pastor said in his message, then I get extremely excited about the discussion and dialog that is about to happen. We had amazing conversations in our cabin time and i was so encouraged by where our students are at and how they are maturing. I also realized that junior highers haven’t changed much from the last time that i did junior high ministry, 3 years ago.
Our high school trip, July 21-25, was just as exciting and encouraging. The week started with a few bumps and bruises (mainly because of the fact that i slid down the rock we were climbing), but the trip ended up being pretty amazing. We started the week by camping at the kern river, then on tuesday we went white water rafting, followed by six flags on wednesday, wild rivers water park on thursday, and la jolla shores for a day at the beach on friday to end the trip. I had a couple of students from my old churh join us on the last couple days and all our students could do was brag and boast about how incredible the trip was. I know it probably wasn’t right, but it felt good to have our students so excited about what we were doing. However, I think the best part of the trip was when i got home. Not because I was exhausted (which I was), and not because I missed my wife so much (which I did, even though she was with us on the trip), but because of the myspace message i received from one of our students that was a last minute addition to this trip. It was really looking like he was not going to be able to go, but because of some extremely giving hearts in our church body he was able to go. It was definitely well worth the donations. So I will leave you with what he said to me, and i hope you are as encouraged as i was with the direction our students are headed. Love you. Steve.
“dude thanks for putting that trip together and doing ur bible studdies i think that was the best part because i really was more focused on god and not on doing dumb things in my life and screwing it all up and it just really pulled me more in to go and make my relashinship with god way stronger. u and amanda made my weeek just the best i have ever had in my entrie life thanks alot for that trip”
4 Replies to "Road Trip"
Kendra on July 30, 2008
It’s so exciting to see the Jr. High/High School groups thriving! Sounds like the trips were GREAT and God is really working in these kids hearts!! Thanks for all that you and Amanda do Steve!!
alex mclean on July 30, 2008
Our teens are blessed to have a leader that wants them to find their own personal relationship with God and not some manufactured, church in a box, religion. We’re praying for you guys (Steve & Amanda), and for our teens, that they would continue to grow and mature in their relationships with God. Great job!
Jane on August 4, 2008
Steve, thank you so much for sharing a little bit about your two weeks with our teens. You have an incredible gift of being able to show kids that having a real relationship with God is what brings them true joy. As a teenager I never got to experience a youth ministry like we have at Life Church, and neither did my four kids. I am so grateful that my grandchildren are getting to be a part of such an amazing youth ministry (my granddaughter had the time of her life on the high school trip!)
Steve, you and Amanda are a huge blessing. Thank you for your authentic passion for our kids and your dedication to seeing them grow in their relationship with Christ. You know I always tease you about our different giftings:), and you always say you have the coolest job in the world. I thank God that He has gifted you the way He has and that He has you here at Life Church.
Thanks for all that you do!
Jane
heather on July 30, 2008
THANKYOU!