GO! Camp Update #1

I wasn't planning on blogging the experience of GO! Camp, but the first full day was so overwhelming, I felt the need to share it.

First of all, God is incredible! The evidence of His Power and Love have already covered this camp in so many ways, a blog won't be able to describe it.

Taft Ayers was the opener on Sunday Night...he was incredible! He challenged the group to go ahead and start thinking about next year...how are you gonna walk away from GO! Camp and shine the light of Christ? It was a great start!

Then Monday Happened!  (reminder...IT'S ONLY BEEN ONE DAY!!!!)

First of all...Opening Ceremonies was UNBELIEVABLE!!!! A mix of inspiring videos, campers singing "Home" by Phillip Phillips, Kid President and his sister Lexi singing "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars, and Kevin Olusola "Cello-Boxing"...CRAZY START!!!

"In The Beginning, God Created....therefore...I create!" was the beginning of the Lab on Creativity brought to us by Kevin Olusola (Cello-Boxer, Member of Pentatonix!). Kevin took the teens on a journey through how God took him to where he is now, and challenged them to pursue what God MADE them to do! (Did I mention that Kevin Olusola from Pentatonix just spent time with the kids at GO! Camp!!!!!!!!)

David Skidmore brought a message from The Word challenging the teens to find 4 friends who, no matter how far they fell, would carry them to Jesus! He kicked off his lesson with a pretty awesome illustration about a graffiti artist in the U.K. who went back and forth with those who continuously repainted the wall he painted (Read about it here). The challenge was to never let your Satan or your friends paint over the painting that God and you are painting together. Take what God is doing during this one week of GO! Camp and carry it through the other 51 weeks of your life. He framed the "51 other weeks" challenge by sharing the story of the North Boulevard groups journey to do a service project every week for a year (which was inspired by "52n52"...God does cool things like that!)

Let me say this...Kevin and David spending time with these kids...to completely different people bringing two completely different talents in two completely different ways...just proves how God can take any talent and use it to His glory!

After Lunch...

Brad Montague and Robbie Novak ("Kid President") spent some time sharing their story with the campers. It blows my mind to think that one year ago, Kid President was just a neat little idea in the mind of Brad and Robbie...now...millions of people all over the world have been challenged to "Be More Awesome" by a nine year old boy from Henderson, TN.

Brad and Robbie didn't just come to talk, they came with a challenge. "The World Needs More Standing Ovations." They left the GO! Campers with this thought...What if we gave ordinary people in the world around us the treatment that famous people receive? What if we gave someone an award...for no other reason but Love...or...what if we gave someone A PARADE??!!! How cool would that be?

So we did it!

Meet Dana

Dana works at the local post office in Henderson, TN...and according to her, yesterday was "The Greatest thing that has ever happened to her...except for when she was saved!"

We threw her a parade!

Why? Because everyone desserves to feel love like that! Over 300 people walked the streets of Henderson with a marching band, signs made for her, flowers, a crown and sash...and for 5 minutes, we showered her with love! It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced!

You would think this was enough...that nothing could top all of this...Let me introduce you to Andrew Baker and "The Need"


The Need from The Need on Vimeo.

The concept is this...if you can circle up a group,any group,and allow them to be honest about their needs, by the time the exercise is completed, every need could be met.

We tried it...with over 300 people.

And GOD IS BIG!

Every need was claimed. Over 300 needs! If you want an example, ask Lindsay Kelly. Lindsay wrote, "I need prayers for how I can raise $2000 to fly to the Philippines for a mission trip"

Remember...GOD IS BIG!

Because Lindsay had the courage to ask, God lined her up with a person who blessed her with a plane ticket to the Philippines!

GOD IS BIG!

We had a weeks worth of events, and love, and emotion in one day! I can't wait for the rest of it!!!!

I'm about to begin Tuesday at GO! Camp. I'm exhausted already...but I don't want to miss a second of it, because I know God is going to rock this day just as much as He did yesterday!

Blessings!
Matt