DBC Students

Derrick Milner, Associate Director of Students, begins by expressing gratitude for the morning's worship and emphasizes the unique opportunity camp provides for personal and spiritual growth. They then pose the question: after finding what you're searching for (like salvation), what do you do with it? Using the story of Saul hiding during his coronation as king, the speaker contrasts hiding with being hidden, suggesting Saul's fear and insecurity led him to hide despite being chosen by God. They then contrast Saul with David, who, despite being hidden as a shepherd, stepped forward when called, exemplified by his fight with Goliath. The speaker urges the audience to consider whether they are hiding from God's calling due to fear or insecurity, or if they are ready to step out in faith like David. They connect this to the message of 2 Timothy 1:7-9, emphasizing the importance of sharing the gospel and answering God's call with love, power, and sound judgment, rather than fear. The speaker concludes with a prayer, asking God to help those who feel called to a deeper faith, baptism, or other acts of obedience to step forward boldly and trust in God's plan.

Student Pastor Brian Smith, at a camp, discusses the theme of rekindling faith, distinguishing between a fleeting "camp high" and a genuine recharging of one's faith. He illustrates this with anecdotes about his own experiences with water, including a near-panic during lifeguard training and a scare when a camper went missing during a late-night swim. He then transitions to the story of Raymond Zach, who drowned while dozens watched, highlighting the bystander effect and the danger of not recognizing the severity of a situation. The speaker connects this to spiritual drowning, arguing that many are surrounded by people struggling with sin and shame, and that true rescue requires actively engaging and sharing the gospel, just as physical drowning requires jumping into the water. He contrasts those who are genuinely rescued and actively seek to rescue others with those who are merely religious, using the story of the paralyzed man lowered through the roof to illustrate the difference between those who bring others to Jesus and those who are present but unmoved by the needs of others.

Associate Director of Students, Derrick Milner discusses the importance of prayer and faith. He emphasizes that the church has been praying for this camp for a long time, and that prayer is powerful and supernatural. He challenges the campers to eliminate distractions and focus on God, asking them what they are searching for in their lives. He tells the story of Jesus calling Matthew, a despised tax collector, to be his disciple, highlighting Jesus's love for the outcast and the transformative power of following him. The speaker connects this to the campers' own lives, asking if they've truly found Jesus and experienced a change, or if they're searching for satisfaction in worldly things like friends, the internet, or even church itself. He stresses that only Jesus can truly satisfy, and encourages anyone wanting to know more about Jesus, baptism, or faith to speak with him after the session.

Student Pastor, Brian Smith speaking the first night of Summer Camp with the theme as fear, specifically how it can paralyze us and be used as a weapon by our spiritual enemy. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about facing his own fears regarding the camp's organization. The core message revolves around 2 Timothy 1:6-7, encouraging the audience to rekindle their faith and remember that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound judgment. The speaker introduces the concept of claiming enemy territory for God's kingdom and challenges the students to claim their culture. He uses the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel chapter 3 as an example of standing firm in faith against cultural pressure to bow down to idols. The speaker emphasizes that their strength to stand came from their prior devotion and worship of God, and encourages the students to identify areas in their own lives where they need to stand firm and not bow to societal pressures, emphasizing the importance of community and support in doing so. He also poses the question of where they need to bow down in worship to God to gain the strength to stand against the world.