Why Passion Camp?: A Little Background on Special Events for Youth

I want all of the youth at our church to be defined by their relationship with Jesus. And I believe that, as a Christ-following parent, you want that too.

In 1 Corinthians 3:8-9, we read: “He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers.”

That verse helps me see a picture of diligent parents and an intentional local-church working together on God’s team. We, as limited people, can’t make our kids love Jesus. We can’t engineer their sanctification. But we can really plant and water in meaningful ways, trusting that “God gives the growth” (1 Cor 3:8).

A big part of that is the daily planting and watering is done at home of prayer, family worship, and selfless living. Another big part is the weekly (or twice-weekly) work done at church with preaching and teaching, corporate prayer, Bible study, musical worship, and more. And part might be the work that can be done through special events.

In the Old Testament, there were special events. From Noah to Moses to David to Ezra, you can see special events aiming the mind and heart at God. These had a profound effect because God made them effective. In the New Testament, there were special events. From John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness to the Sermon on the Mount to Pentecost, you can see special events through which God worked. The events worked because God worked.

The power was not in the event, but in the God who was working through it by the sharp sword of his Word (Heb 4:12). When Peter preached God’s Word at Pentecost here is the response: “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37).

I am praying that God would do something like this in our youth. I am praying that He would use the labors of parents and youth-leaders to put our kids in position to be pierced to the heart by his Word. I am praying that they would be compelled by the Holy Spirit to respond. I would love for it to happen at home. I would love for it to happen at church. And I would love for it to happen at a special event. 

This is a big part of why I want to encourage you to sign up your youth for Passion Camp this summer. Not because Passion Camp is magical, but because it will be an out-of-their-norm, distraction-free time focused on God and his Word.

Note: There will be other special events that are not out-of-town (like our local OutReach Week that will be June 9-12).