iRock Ministries

intentionally Reaching Our Community Kids

Spirit led and Spirit filled camp

PrayerGod has been intentional in the way He has been leading me and how I then lead kids camp. Over the past few years He has moved me from being intensely focused on the details of running camp to being intensely focused on providing opportunity for kids to connect with God in a real and personal way. Being obedient to that leading has truly opened the doors for the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of everyone at camp.

Three years ago our week of district camp piloted a different way of allowing kids to respond to God through several response areas that appealed to not only the audible learners but also to the visual, and tactile learners. We saw amazing things happening as kids were now open to hearing God’s voice in different ways. Each year we continued to educate both the kids and chaperones in the benefits of response areas and again the Holy Spirit touched hearts and lives.

Last year God impressed on me to take on a different role than I had previously filled and become more actively involved in the altar time as the Holy Spirit allowed me to be used to speak His truth and help lead the kids into the throne room of God. I’ve been in awe at what God was doing and I couldn’t fathom how it could get any better, but it did and there was no question that the Holy Spirit was in charge of what was happening each and every day.

If you want to be touched by the openness of the kids at camp just take a look at one of our times of worship during the week of camp.

A bit on the Wildside!!

campwild4Is kids camp ever anything less than wild? Camp generally allows kids to operate a bit on the wild side and we, which included myself, Caleb and Tanner, were about to get a taste of inner city kids on the wild side. Adrian Black, youth leader at The Hope Center in Hagerstown was the master mind and we were there to give him a hand. From the moment we arrived there was activity; bounds of it as the kids were playing basketball, ping pong, video games and make shift volleyball.

Teens and young adults from local churches had rallied together to both guide and maintain some semblance of order. I was actually surprised at how well they did and how positively the kids responded to the rules that were shared at the very beginning of the week.

So let’s throw that together with small group time, a service to talk about Jesus, lunch, a short ride to the outdoor campgrounds and an afternoon of letting loose playing in the creek, ziplining, snacks and activities to learn more about the country of Africa and you have a full day of Camp Wild.

I suspect the staff was more tired at the end of the day than the kids but they came back each day to do it all over again. Not only did we get a glimpse into the lives of these kids but for many this was the first time they had ever been exposed to the person of Jesus and what He offers. What a privilege to share the love of Jesus and the hope that He freely gives. We are trusting that seeds have been planted and these kids will return for the weekly ministry of Wildside Youth Ministries.

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NEW in 2016! Leadership Camp

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Leadership Experience for 5th – 7th Graders

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s a kid flying down a zip line!! Look mom, no hands!! Harnesses, helmets, ropes and heights. We provide the safety, you provide the courage. When faced with difficulties, peer pressure and possible danger do you back down or do you have the courage to face those fears? As adults we may still be struggling with that question. Wouldn’t it be great if someone had come into our lives to help us figure that out when we were kids?

Several years ago God gave me a desire to provide a training camp for kids that would help them develop their leadership potential. But it wasn’t enough to develop the skills, He wanted me to help kids see how they could use those skills to influence people and guide them to a relationship with Jesus.

Leadership is fun, exciting, challenging and sometimes frustrating but it’s always worth it when you have had a hand in leading someone to Jesus. It is my heart to empower kids to use their God-given gifts and talents, couple them with skills that can be learned and then send them out to impact the kingdom of God.

This past summer, with the help of Valley Forge student intern Rebecca Chambers, that desire became a reality. Rebecca and I worked together to take the concept and bring it to reality. We started looking for a location that offered both low and high ropes courses as well as games/initiatives and challenge courses that would emphasize team work and leadership skills. Cedar Ridge Adventures in Williamsport Maryland offered all of the elements that we were looking for in an adventure camp. After 8 months of planning and collaborating we have scheduled our first camp for April 8-10, 2016 and are accepting applications from students currently in 5th – 7th grade.

I may not know fully what God has in store for this camp but I do know that He will speak into the lives of kids and provide them with the power and courage they need to complete the work which He has started until all come to the knowledge of His saving grace. Keep the camp staff and those that will be attending in your prayers as we anticipate God doing great things in staff and campers alike.

If you’d like more information on the camp take a look through the iRock Adventures Handbook and check out our page containing even more Resources and Forms

 

Meet the Summer Students

caleb_tannerSummer of 2015 our ministry had two amazing additions to the team. We were joined by Caleb and Tanner, both from Harrisonburg Virginia. Within two weeks following high school graduation, Tanner joined us with his guitar, bike, and a suitcase in tow. As we adjusted to an additional person in the house we were reminded of the energy a teenager brings. Peace and quiet were no more although having the house filled with guitar music and conversations navigating life’s emotional and social challenges provided insight to the issues our young people are facing every day. Caleb joined us a week later. Perhaps a bit more reserved he also found his guitar to be a source of comfort and reflection as he too navigated thoughts of the future as he ended his junior year of college and joined us. Two different personalities yet they balanced each other.
After identifying the gifts and talents that each student brought to the summer ministry they were immediately thrust into the summer camp mode. I was impressed at their focus and ability to reach into the hearts of the kids and live out their faith walk as an example of Jesus’s love. The value they brought to the kingdom work can not be measured. They have changed me, our ministry and have set into motion plans for expanding summer team member opportunities for more students in the upcoming years. Keep Caleb and Tanner in your prayers as they continue their studies and as they continue to influence the direction of future students as a vital part of our ministry.

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2016 Trip Being Planned to Mormon Community

In October 2014, I attended a conference that gathered together Missionaries that have made the United States their mission field. During that time I met two couples from Utah who were reaching out to the mormon community. As we were talking I felt compelled to ask if they would like for me to seek God and try to bring together a team of people to come and pour some time and energy into their newly forming church. mega-sports-camp-huddleAs we talked further, I discovered the enormous task God had given them. Their church is located in Utah County, the cultural hub of the Mormon religion.  It is where Brigham Young University is, it’s where the Missionary Training Center is– where the Latter Day Saints church trains and sends out its 56,000 missionaries worldwide– and this is where Mormon couples come from all over the country to raise their families in a Mormon environment that underpins what they believe & what they are teaching their families.

Orem is 97% mormon and here are missionaries J.D. and Angela right in the middle. In the same way that Jesus “became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) the Elleman’s believe that it takes more than just telling people about the love of God, it takes getting close enough to people to show them God’s love in tangible ways.

MegaSportsCampLogoOur ministry would love to come alongside of them and show that same message of Jesus and His love through the use of MEGA Sports Camp but we need your involvement and commitment to reaching the children in Utah. We are looking for 15-20 people, ages 10+, to serve alongside the local church to coordinate and operate sports camp while building relationships with the kids.

Follow this link to take you to a page with more detail and information on how you can become part of this team. We are believing God to form the perfect team to show Jesus to this community.