The pace of change among middle and high school students “is really dramatic,” said Todd Sanders, Falls Creek youth camp program director and Oklahoma Baptists’ youth ministry partner. “Because of the continually changing culture, there are a lot of different issues from what students faced 20 years or even five years ago.
Todd Sanders
“The access to the information that students have today creates some challenges,” Sanders continued. “Students once may have relied on adults in the church for information related to values; they’re now learning from other sources. This extends into sexuality and gender issues previous generations might not have had on their radar… I’m not sure they’re relying on our information as much as on our experience today. That becomes a challenge in helping them think critically.”
This makes time at Falls Creek Youth Camp, discipleship and disciple-making even more important than ever before.
“A week at Falls Creek provides a time for students to break away from culture, from normal patterns, to make time for the Lord to speak to them, to hear from the Lord in ways they might not be willing to listen the rest of the year,” Sanders said. “I think camp provides the corporate experience, personal experience and church experience, where the group can grow together.”
Because of the COVID pandemic, Falls Creek Youth Camp became a “road show” in 2020, moving from one location to another across the state. At least 3,000 teens participated; 120 made professions of faith; more than 100 responded to a call to ministry; and about 200 made other decisions for Christ.
“When you gather students, preach the gospel and call them to faith in Christ, they will respond,” Sanders said. “It was great to see, to be reminded the Holy Spirit is not bound by a location, special as Falls Creek the place is. God still moves in the lives of students and in our churches.”
Because of the generous giving of Oklahoma Baptists through the Cooperative Program, an amazing array of ministries are supported. This unified giving encourages fellowship with other believers all over the world. Collectively, Oklahoma Baptists are advancing the Gospel together.
Todd Sanders was featured in the 2021 Missionary Prayer Guide for Oklahoma Baptists. To see Sanders’ prayer requests, visit www.oklahomabaptists.org/cp
