MISSION New leaders

Focused discipleship turns following into leading for high school students.

Aback-to-basics approach to student discipleship may seem an unlikely attraction for the upcoming generation, but for future leaders at IBSA’s Super Summer, the concept was a winner.

“I wouldn’t call it a camp,” Kendall Hempkin said. “Super Summer is more like a Bible school where actual teachers and preachers teach you.” And for this 13-year-old, that was just the ticket.

“It is very Christ oriented,” she said. The fun activities don’t overwhelm the larger purpose, which is to develop young believers into strong leaders. “Even if you do some of the fun activities, they incorporate a lot of Christ stuff into it. Like in vocal basics, we sang Christian songs. And in Stomp, we looked at the Word of God and see where it shows us how to worship him.” Stomp is a music class led by Pastor Tony Muñoz using buckets, trash cans, and drum sticks.

There were a total of 222 students and volunteer staff at Super Summer in July.

For Lindsay Wineinger, a veteran serving as Super Summer director for the first time, this reaction to the 2023 theme “Elements of Faith” is just what she hoped to hear.

“With the ‘basics’ approach, we wanted to solidify why we do what we do, and who we do it for,” Wineinger said. “So often our students are getting bombarded with why this is wrong and that’s not OK, but we chose a more positive approach. (The students) need to remember why we choose to love Jesus and why we choose to live” as his followers.

The students are divided by school grades and each one is assigned a color. Then each group has a series of Bible studies and classes in worship, missions, and electives.

One of the electives I thought was really good was biblical womanhood,” Kendall said. “We talked about a bunch of hard stuff and stuff some people are uncomfortable talking about. It was good to have the opportunity to share if you wanted to. Honestly it felt like a safe place to share.”

Likewise, Javen Sweitzer, 18, from Albion First Baptist named the class on biblical manhood. “It’s something that is really important to our generation, how to be a biblical man and lead this world to have a Christian view.”

He found the atmosphere at Hannibal LaGrange University, host to the annual IBSA camp, especially encouraging. “I just love this place,” he said, with the Spirit of God “filling us up to inspire the world to share among all nations that Jesus

Christ is Lord.”

For Bella Daubs of Living Faith Church in Sherman, the positive environment was encouraging. “I was really nervous when I first got here,” she said. “But I really enjoy my roommate. I’ve had some people come over and play board games and it’s been really fun, even though I didn’t think it would be.”

The 14-year-old hopes the week will carry over into her life back home. “I can’t wait to tell my friends that I have met some really good girls that I know know the Lord. They will help me in my faith. I am so excited to tell them about the positive people I have met.”

Young people building up each other is a running theme at Super Summer. The big orange wall is one example. “Tony wanted it to be like a ‘social media wall’ similar to Facebook,” Annie Rhodus posted later. “So, every kid took a picture of themselves, put it on a bag they decorated, and hung it on the wall. Throughout the week students were able to put notes in their friends’ bags to read after Super Summer was over.”

Wineinger related the stories of a couple of young people who have struggled in past years. “I watched one girl through high school and a boy who dealt with big hurdles. But seeing them progress through their struggles and get ready to go to college, it’s so encouraging.

“They are ready for college, ready for their next step, and ready to go back into church and into life and into leadership,” Wineinger said. “I don’t see any fear.”

– With photography and field reporting by Maykayla Proctor

1. MUSIC TRACK – Guitar class is a popular elective choice.

2. QUIET TIME LESSONS – Gray school (seniors) learn to “experience being alone with God in prayer” taught by Pastor Phil Nelson.

3. MISSIONS CLASS – IBSA’s Shannon Ford shares from his years an IMB missionary.

4. COMPANIONABLE SILENCE – Green school (juniors) turns Bible study into a creative experience.

5. WORSHIP – The auditorium at Hannibal-LaGrange University serves as home for daily worship sessions.

6. FINAL LAP – On the last day, yellow school (sophomores) make a play for victory in the messy relay race.

7. GROWING – Camp leader Adam Anglin guides worship in green school.