SWU & SLT sends 172 students back to help local church ministries

KERRVILLE?A combined student leadership and worship camp sponsored by the SBTC June 20-24 in Kerrville drew 172 students who learned some of the intricacies of local church ministry.

The aim of Summer Worship University, in its third year, and Student Leadership Training, in its first year, was to prepare students for leadership roles in their local churches and youth groups, said Ken Lasater, SBTC church ministry support associate.

Held simultaneously at Schreiner University, the camps’ participants shared worship services, recreation and meals. Barry Creamer, Criswell College professor, was camp pastor.

Students studied such things as public speaking, guitar, children’s worship leadership, song writing and publishing, spiritual disciplines, media and technology, calendars and budgets and Bible knowledge.

“The purpose of this camp is so the students will go back prepared to serve their local church in every area of the church’s ministry,” Lasater said. “They’ll go back prepared to lead mission trips, prepared to carry out youth ministry, prepared to be involved in the preaching ministry. And also, another thing we do at the camp is we emphasize that what their local church is doing is right. We don’t send them back to change the church. We send them back to support what their ministry staff is doing.”

Lasater said the camp has more than tripled in size since its debut in 2003 with 52 students.