Super Summer emphasizes Great Commission
By Brian Koonce
Staff Writer
HANNIBAL – Allow yourself to be unleashed.
“At times we just walk around feeling like we have to be conformed to the mold of this world,” said Lyle Witcher, student evangelism specialist for the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC). “Take off the leash and allow yourself to be moved by the Holy Spirit, to be unleashed and live Acts 1:8 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Split across the two weeks at Southwest Baptist University (SBU) in Bolivar and Hannibal-LaGrange College (HLG), 521 students and 104 youth leaders were “unleashed” at Super Summer 2009 .
God also unleashed His Holy Spirit: 14 students committing their lives to Christ; 21 students committing to missions or full-time vocational ministry; 15 students recommitting their lives to Christ in some specific area; and 20 other commitments ranging from short-term missions, to Super Summer Global 2010, joining a church, and more.
Students also participated in an offering, raising $4,300 for the International Mission Board. Students were allowed to “overpay” for pizza, with matching “overpay” from the MBC student ministries team, which brought in $2,700 more.
Alvin Reid, professor of evangelism at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., was the featured speaker at both Super Summer locations June 8-12 and 15-19.
“It’s one thing to talk about missions, but it’s another thing to live it,” Witcher said. “He truly loves the students and loves pouring Biblical insights into them.”
In an evening message based on Psalm 24, Reid challenged the students to fulfill Acts 1:8 by first asking if they would be “the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.”
“Activity does not equal passion,” he said. “Most of you are active in church, but that does not mean you are passionate. Passion comes from sanctification and sanctification comes from the Word and relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Students split into small groups throughout the week and worked through Reid’s book, Join the Movement: God Is Calling You to Change the World. Night sessions were devoted toward a missions emphasis, with interviews with missionaries serving in Missouri, the United States, and Romania.
“A movement from God – that’s what we want to see in these students,” Witcher said. “Not so much here at Super Summer, but beyond Super Summer as they go forth into Acts 1:8. They’re all called. They’re all missionaries.”
Milton Baumgardner, pastor of First Baptist, Monroe City, brought eight students from his church.
“Kids come, experience powerful worship, get to hear from speakers who are sold out and passionate about challenging youth to be what God has called them to be,” he said. “When you put all that together, it makes for an exciting time.”
Baumgardner said one 15-year-old girl from his church accepted Christ during the week, and that has helped inspire the others from Monroe City to begin thinking about ways they can become involved in the Great Commission.
“Our group doesn’t talk a lot, but now they’re talking about how they’re being challenged,” he said. “For the last several years we’ve been trying to get kids to believe in taking part, in doing missions. There’s no reason why they can’t do missions overseas or here locally right now.”
In addition to challenging students, Super Summer is a time for youth pastors to get a “B12 shot in the arm for God,” Witcher said. The MBC trains collegiate students to lead small groups throughout the weeks, giving youth pastors a chance to step back, catch their breath and refocus on God before stepping back in with their students.
Steven Bradshaw has been associate pastor of student ministries at Frederick Boulevard, St. Joseph, about six months. He brought five students to Hannibal.
“It’s been a while without any significant youth ministry going on there and we’ve been starting from scratch. We’ve been doing a lot of foundation and relationship building with parents and students. This has been a great time of my wife and me getting some time to really get to know these kids.”
Super Summer was not without its speed bumps, however. The air-conditioning at HLG failed midweek and a tornado passed within seven miles of SBU’s campus, knocking out power to the chapel and disrupting the planned program.
“The attitude of servanthood was great,” Witcher said. “Even the band was getting down and lighting candles and cleaning wax off the stage floor. God just blew our plans out of the water, but it was an amazing night, a God-filled night.”
