Students and youth pastors called to ‘grow as leaders’ at Super Summer

By Lauren Urtel
July 18, 2008

LEESBURG (FBC)—Kneeling together in prayer, youth pastors Eric Botley and Todd Carr’s pray for the impact their students could have on their churches, communities and the state.

The two men came together with others from across Florida to support the 271 students and each other as they worked to create a stronger statewide youth ministry through Super Summer.

The week-long camp, held July 7-11 at Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center in Leesburg, was an opportunity for students, as well as their pastors, to connect over common experiences and grow as leaders.

“At camp the students are not just getting their feet wet,” said Botley of Providence Baptist Church in Palatka. “It is complete immersion into discipleship and a deeper faith.”

Botley believes the discipleship and leadership training his students experienced during the 2007 camp changed the Palatka congregation.

“The deepening spiritual walks at camp transferred to our church through the passion of the youth,” said Botley. “The testimonies youth gave to the congregation spurred on the entire church to come forward during the service. They wanted to be like the students with a deeper passion for the lost.”

During the past year the church grew by 15 percent.

“More importantly, there is an increased testimony of people actively involved in evangelism,” said Botley. “I am excited about what Super Summer 2008 means for the Kingdom and what it means for the individual students and how they will change their homes, schools and churches.”

Carr, from First Baptist Church of Callahan, also saw a change in his students after the 2007 camp.

“Mediocre students stepped up to be worship leaders,” said Carr. “Apathetic students became involved in ministry teams and students who were once quiet became outspoken on secular campuses.”

For Carr, the decision to be involved in the 2008 camp was based on the “depth of the experience and the ability of the camp to push students to be leaders.”

“Super Summer allows youth leaders to impact the overall experience the campers will have,” said camp director Jeff Hessinger, who serves as director of the Florida Baptist Convention’s Personal Evangelism Department. “The dynamics of multiple youth pastors and churches working together has developed a strong network of ministries across the state.”

Florida’s youth pastors comprise the staff of the camp serving as the deans, assistant deans, worship leaders and team leaders.

Lessons, taught from the “Leadership Rocks” study by Jay Strack of Student Leadership University, emphasized spiritual leadership, focusing heavily on evangelism. Daily lessons were reinforced through worship led by Larry Grays, senior pastor of Midtown Bridge Baptist in Atlanta, Ga.

“We want students to get a holistic approach on how to function biblically in today’s world,” said Hessinger.

While at camp, students participated in large, small and individual Bible studies. They also took part in recreation, including paint ball, swimming, organized sports and relays.

It was not the recreation but the idea of many Florida churches uniting that brought camper Jimmy Wilkerson to camp. “I like the idea of finding other Christians you can build relationships with or maybe someday a church with,” said Wilkerson, a Bradford High School senior.

On the first day of camps his youth group from Madison Street Baptist Church learned the news that another youth in his church and his mother were killed in a car accident.

“It was a difficult week,” said Wilkerson. “The news shook us to the core and made us think of the urgency of life.”

That night, while the Madison Street youth comforted each other in a common room, students from the camp surrounded the building and prayed.

“Seeing the body of Christ minister like that was amazing and God has unified us through this. We developed a passion to see people saved. Not just to see them come to church but to see them know a real God that saves,” said Wilkerson.

“Camp has made me more confident in my God and His power. Sometimes you can know God is there and still not rely on Him but this experience has solidified me in Him.”

During the camp, 20 students made professions of faith, 58 made other spiritual decisions and five students felt called to the ministry.

In 2009 students will be “challenged to live radically for God and to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” said Hessinger. Worship leader will be Alvin Reid, professor of Evangelism at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of seven books.