For the second year, high school students met at Camp WOW in Stuart, Oklahoma, for ASCENT, USMB NextGen’s summer camp. The 214 students and 80 leaders—from 18 churches in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and South Dakota—gathered June 7-11 to learn what it means to be “Anchored” in Jesus.
“We wanted to start building some momentum from last year,” says Kyle Goings, USMB NextGen director. “This year, the camp experience exceeded our expectations.”
Throughout the week, campers participated in new and familiar events, including sessions, interactive tracks, theme nights and more.
Sessions highlight ‘Anchored’ theme
Speakers were Aaron Box, USMB national director, and Amy Ratzlaff, associate professor of health and human performance at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas.
Box shared a unique twist on the theme using his rock-climbing experience. He explained how secure anchors allow rock climbers to embrace climbing’s challenges. Similarly, being secured in Jesus allows us to embrace life’s challenges.
Ratzlaff encouraged campers to trust their anchor.
“Although our anchors are sometimes tested without our choosing, when we respond with trust and take action, our faith can empower us to be bold for Christ and do great things for his kingdom,” she said.
New this year was a student testimony time. During three sessions, a different student volunteered to share. Addi Oschner from Cross Timbers Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, said a turning point in her story was being invited to camp two years ago and realizing that no matter what she has done, God is always there for her.
“A simple invite to camp changed a life,” says Derrick Austin, Cross Timbers youth director. “God used that one conversation to start a movement in Addi’s life that we wouldn’t see until years later.”
Multiply representatives Joanna Chapa and Heidi Quiring also led a session, encouraging students to invite others to follow Jesus and do as they are doing.
Interactive tracks, workshops combine faith and action
Interactive tracks allowed students to integrate their faith into hobbies such as hiking, painting, board games and worship.
The band, Generation Worship, from Nashville, Tennessee, led the worship interactive track. Not expecting what would unfold, worship leader Doug Johnson asked the 20 or so participants, “What if we wrote a song?”
Asking students, “Who is Jesus to you?” Johnson used responses to create lyrics for the verses, chorus and bridge of a new song, “Anchor Me.” The band added instrumentation.
During the evening session, Generation Worship invited participants to the stage to sing the song. One student played bass.
“It was a great experience, and it’s something none of us had ever done in that context,” Johnson says. “It’ll forever be a core memory for us.”
In workshops throughout the week, campers discussed topics like spiritual disciplines, how to share your faith and making scripture come alive.
Other activities
On theme nights, students dressed along themes of school spirit, Hawaiian luau, wild safari and thrift shop formal.
Campers also participated in free-time competitions and late-night activities.
To end the final session, students received a white wristband. Ratzlaff instructed them to write a reminder from camp on it—Trust, Love God, Love Others or Anchored—to serve as reminders of the work God did at ASCENT.
Listen to the song “Anchor Me” created by students and Generation Worship at ASCENT.
Cody Meyer is associate pastor of youth and discipleship at Ebenfeld MB Church, Hillsboro, Kansas. He is a 2024 graduate of Tabor College with a major in Adaptive Ministry Leadership and a minor in Communications. Cody credits his time at Tabor and his experience serving at Ebenfeld while in college and at Camp War Eagle, a children’s summer camp, as milestones in his call to ministry.
