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You may be asking yourself, “So what exactly is a summer project?” Imagine you are a junior in college who makes the decision to follow Jesus while attending a winter conference with Campus Crusade. When you return to your campus, you might be faced with some daunting decisions. How will you continue to grow in your new faith when you don’t have any Christian friends? What changes will you need to make in the way you spend your time so that you can create space for God to be the new love of your life? Now that you know Jesus as your new savior, how do you go about figuring out how to share this news with your friends?
Summer Project is an opportunity for students from all over the nation to come and live in intentional community, go deep in Bible study together, and get practical training and experience sharing the Good News about Jesus with a dying world. On state-side Summer Projects (like the one we staffed in Los Angeles this summer) the Staff actually turns the leadership of the project over to the students half-way through and leaves! This gives the students ownership of the project and it’s amazing to see these students step up to serve and lead for the glory of God. What an amazing transformation God can do through a few weeks devoted to Him!
Our Experience... This summer in Santa Monica has brought a lot of growth in the lives of both staff and students. Whether through sharing our faith at the promenade (an outdoor mall), discipling our students at Santa Monica City College, or the late night conversations in the apartments, each week brought plenty of opportunity for students to study the Word and live it out together. Ken enjoyed his role as Launching a movement at Santa Monica City College with a team of students and discipling four men one on one. While I loved coaching the prayer and worship teams and watching God cause amazing growth in them as lead worshipers and organizing a pivotal night for the students on world vision, the “international dinner”. Our students grew in their love for the Lord and in their desire to see the people they work with and encounter in LA know Him and have their lives transformed by him. Students have been challenged to actively take their role in being part of the Great Commission both here, on their campuses, and to the people groups of the world. Many of the students here with us in LA have been walking with the Lord for less than a year and its been fun to see them make decisions here that God will use to continue to transform them for their whole lives. What a great summer!
Most of the time it can be hard to try to explain what actually happens on a summer project. Here is what a normal week looked like at the Santa Monica Summer Project 2009.
During the days: The students worked at places like McDonalds, kids camps, bakeries, fast-food chains, clothing stores. The staff meet with students for discipleship, planned Bible study, attended staff meetings, planned outreaches to the community and performed tasks that related to their staff job role and here is a breakdown of the evenings.
SUNDAY: Church & time with the Lord. Then we did a big outreach to the city of LA in the afternoon. We were challenged to step out in faith, initiating conversations and leaving the results to God. Lastly we had men’s & women’s time at night. Always a very busy day.
MONDAY: Weekly Meeting night, which is a teaching meeting, students were taught from the word. Each week had a different theme: Gospel in our hearts, Gospel on the GO, Gospel in our midst & Gospel to the world.
TUESDAY: Action Groups night, we studied the Bible together. We discussed and studied important topics like how to be filled with the Holy Spirit, financial stewardship, & how to live missionally.
WEDNESDAY: Ministry Team meeting night: I coached the prayer and worship teams while Ken coached a movement launching team for Santa Monica City College. This was followed by a night of prayer/worship (I called it my mini main meeting as that is what it turned out to be each week.)
THURSDAY: Teach and Go night. We taught all 64 students a new approach to share their faith each week. Then we all went out into the city and practiced our new skills.
FRIDAY: Officially our day off. As a group one Friday we went to Disneyland to celebrate Mia’s 3rd Birthday! It was so much fun! We had four days off in five weeks.
SATURDAY: We have socials for the team to bond and invite those in LA our students shared the gospel with. One night it was a thrift store dance party.
Well, I hope that gives you an idea of what our summer experience was like it was an exhilarating an exhausting experience… but well worth it! Check out our photos page for lots of pictures of project.
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