Youth Camp 2009: "Obedience is a Blessing"
Youth ages 13-26 gathered for two back-to-back camps (split by age), and the power of the Holy Spirit was tangible. These young people were challenged by Pastor Abby Nelson and her messages on radical obedience, forgiveness, and surrendering your strongholds to God. Their stories were stunning, and the crumbling of the strongholds was evidenced from one session to another. In one session, a young person would respond to the the Spirit's pull on his/her heart, and the next time we came together the entire demeanor of that same youth was markedly changed. The Burundian team repeatedly expressed their amazement at the absolute transparency of the youth as they laid down burden after burden at the foot of the cross…and left it there. Cultural barriers, like public tears, were smashed through, and He prevailed on their hearts to bring deep healing.
We could sense the lifting of a very heavy oppression as the teaching and one-on-one counseling broke down walls behind which their souls were barricaded. The 18-26 year olds are the demographic of our “kids” who were all very likely witnesses to their fathers' murders, and to so much other violence. They're old enough to remember not only the trauma, but life as it was before their daddies died. What fertile ground for Satan and his forces. What fertile ground for the Spirit of the Most High God and his more powerful angels!
Here are examples of some of the false teachings/beliefs of these youth:
- A boy named Moses had it in his mind (he recalls no teaching specifically on this, just something he believed) that until he has been baptized, he cannot have a relationship with Jesus. This would render the camp and any other teachings and admonitions in that regard to be futile for him. Imagine his discouragement and confusion.
- A boy named Origin believed that because he sometimes got angry with an uncle who had hurt him so badly years earlier, that his forgiveness of his uncle was continually being nullified. While he and his uncle had come to a reconciliation and understanding several years ago, they don't always get along. Each time Origin gets upset with his uncle, he believed he hadn't really forgiven his uncle. After the teaching on forgiveness, he wanted us to help him find that "true" forgiveness. We talked with him at length, and learned from his testimony that he had genuinely forgiven his uncle years ago. When I told him that "forgive" doesn't mean "never get upset again," he was visibly relieved and even smiled!
- For several years Aaron attended school in a largely Islamic community and was influenced by the teaching. When he returned home his mother, a devout follower of Jesus, prayed for him to return to Jesus. He eventually turned his back on Islam and became a diligent follower of Jesus. We questioned him about his pursuit of Jesus. He studies the Word, spends time in prayer, attends church, and expressed his determination to stay on the path of Jesus. YET, he was tormented with horrible fear that he was going to ‘misstep' and backslide and lose it all—almost like God was up there waiting for him to slip up, somehow, and it would all be over. Aaron wasn't struggling with any need of his own to forgive; he was struggling with a false teaching that God is not a God of forgiveness, but a God of wrath.
There seemed to be an overall belief among our youth that temptation itself is a sin and cannot be withstood. Each seemed to believe that they were sinners because they were tempted, and once tempted, there was no reason to resist the temptation because they had already sinned. There was a tangible sense of relief and even strength in their demeanor when they learned that God's word says quite the contrary. Temptation is not sin, it's the pursuit of that temptation that is sinful.
This camp was one of the most powerful and productive we've had. We think it's because of the foundation laid in previous camps. The young people of Sister Connection were brought to a new level of freedom, healing and understanding through God's truth and God's Spirit. Being able to divide the group by age made a big difference. The young people of Sister Connection are starting to believe the truth that they are worthy of love and acceptance and God's favor. As they receive the truth, they are being healed, their dignity is being validated, and hope is breaking through the clouds that have hung over them for way too long.
God answered the prayers of our widowed families, and provided all the resources we needed: teachers, funds, gifts, His presence. Praise His name!
Camp Stats:
All Sister Connection youth were invited
610 youth attended camp (many had work & internship scheduling conflicts)
299 made public confessions and commitments
