I thought I knew God. I thought I was His child. I was 17 and living a double life. Although I grew up in a Christian home, in Christian schools, and in Gospel preaching churches, God didn’t choose to save me through those means.
God saved me at camp, but not your typical summer camp. At this camp, yes – we had fun, we laughed a ton, and we played all the games, but that wasn’t the point of the camp. At this camp, we learned how to engage in a relationship with God through knowing His Word.
Day one, I absolutely hated it. It was hard. It required work. I had to think. Also, I didn’t have the Holy Spirit yet—that’s kind of an important detail when you’re studying the Bible. Two days in, I kept going, learning how to observe the text to see what it says.
Three or four days in, we were still using the Precept Bible Study Method—read, mark, list, think, context . . . observe, interpret, and apply—I came to find out those would be important tools on my journey to know God through His Word. We made a list on the child of God and child of the devil from all of I John.
It’s amazing to see the “Aha!” moments happen in the lives of students.
I used to say that the Spirit hit me, but it was more like cutting out all of the background noise so that I could hear Him whisper in His Word. I used to say that He wrecked me like a Mack Truck, but in reality, it was just a realization—an “Oh, My God, Lord, what are You saying?!” moment where He helped me realize that I was not a child of God.
It was not through a charismatic speaker. It was not through a service that was perfectly planned or orchestrated by man. Get this: it was a list.
It was observation. It was the Spirit of God using the Word of God to open my eyes to my need for the Son of God.
Now, thanks to the generous support of partners like you who support the work of Precept Young Leaders, I have the humble privilege of seeing 14- to 18-year-old students, college students and staff engage on the same journey—engaging in a relationship with God through knowing His Word. It’s amazing to see the “Aha!” moments happen in the lives of students.
Even more amazing is that in God’s sovereign goodness, He has given me the privilege to serve in the development of these amazing student leaders. The students, college leaders, and interns are empowered to help others engage with God through knowing His Word! The excitement that they have when they discover truth for themselves is amplified when their friends and family at home get that same excitement too!
Students from all over North America come to Precept’s campus in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to engage with God. They learn the same tools God used to save me—read, mark, list, think, context… observe, interpret, and apply—and leave empowered to make disciples, others who engage in a relationship with God through knowing His Word!