We got to have Winter Camp! It was stressful with all that was going on with COVID, but we still took about 440 people out to Sky Ranch for our first Winter Camp in 2 years. Rikk Watts, who spoke back in 2016, came back to do a set of follow-on lessons. His goal was to present a compelling apologetic, helping young people see that the modern world and most of what we value in it was made possible by the gospel of Jesus Christ. He argued from an extensive understanding of history that the gospel of Jesus Christ is why things change (including technology), why we value humans and human rights, and why modern science is possible (valuing experiential testing over detached philosophy, among others. These young people are understanding in a new way that they can hold their heads high as Christians rather than being embarrassed or trying to hide it. It's heady stuff, but well worth listening to and pondering. You can listen to or watch all of the talks here!
Showcase is on February 26!
We are getting ready for our annual Showcase fundraiser to raise money to send new student leaders to SICM, the Student Institute of Campus Ministry. You can find all the details and buy tickets at anyfocus.org/showcase. This event is SO fun. It's not a talent show, but rather a carefully curated show featuring many of the most talented performers from among our students and alumni. It also features an artisan market with art and various products made by people in our community. SICM is a great deal, but it's still out of range for many of our students, and this event helps make it possible every year for us to continue raising up the next generation of student leaders.
