Youth Went Down to the River

This Wednesday, the Youth Class, led by Pastor Jeff Harper, took 110 young people ages 15 to 18, along with five adults, on a whitewater rafting trip on the Nantahala River with Wildwater Nantahala Rafting & Canopy Tours.

The group left Camp Meeting at 8:45 AM and, upon arriving in Bryson City, NC, received training and safety instructions to prepare for the rafting experience.

This yearly rafting trip gives high school students an opportunity to experience teamwork, trust, and God’s creation all at once.

“When you’re navigating a river together, you learn to depend on each other and on Jesus,” said Pastor Harper. “The kids have to build a lot of trust with one another in order to navigate the river.”

After rafting halfway down the river, the group stopped for lunch. Two of the pastors serving in the youth department brought pizza, watermelon, and carrots to feed the large group of hungry teenagers at a picnic area right beside the river.

During lunch, Pastor Scott Anderson, this year’s speaker for the class, led a discussion about the spiritual lessons that could be learned from rafting. The youth shared meaningful analogies such as, “As we raft down the river of life, we need to let Jesus guide us and follow His directions,” and “The church needs to work together as a team.”

Upon returning to campus, it was clear from their faces that the youth had greatly enjoyed the challenge of navigating the river and were thankful for the opportunity to experience God’s creation in such a memorable way.

The class will continue its morning and evening programs throughout the remainder of Camp Meeting week, featuring powerful messages and inspiring testimonies about developing a closer walk with Jesus.

In addition, the class participated in a special outreach activity this afternoon by performing random acts of kindness around campus to bless others.

Pastor Harper encouraged churches throughout the Carolinas to continue supporting their teens by listening to their ideas and involving them in the life of the church.

“It would be great if every church made it a priority to involve a young person on the church board and in church leadership,” he said. “In addition, it would be wonderful if every adult church member mentored a younger person or at least took a personal interest in them. As we help disciple our young people and point them to Jesus, we strengthen the future of the church.”

— Mauricio Schiavenin