The Christ-centered youth camp Impact kicked off last week, celebrating its 25th consecutive year on campus with teens, counselors and adults worshiping God.
Impact has two programs — Impact Junior, for grades 6-8, and Impact Senior, for grades 9-12. The Junior Camp is a weekend program and was held June 17th-20th. The Senior Camp is a week-long program and was held June 20th-25th.
Senior Campus Minister Steve Davidson started the program after prayer and a lot of work nearly 30 years ago.
“I really wanted to follow [God] and honor Him,” Davidson said, adding that he was “prayerful of a vision to spark my heart.”
Davidson said God did give him a vision, and that vision was Impact.
Impact has grown tremendously over the past 25 years, bringing people in from all over Tennessee.
It started in 1992 with 250 campers, counselors, and adults coming together to worship. Impact 2016 had almost 3,100 students on campus.
Most importantly, though, Davidson noted that “over the past 24 years, 2,124 teens have surrendered their lives to Jesus.”
Most of these teens were baptized on campus in varying places, such as the swimming pool underneath McQuiddy Gym, to feeding troughs, above ground pools and in the fountain in Bison Square.
Impact activities vary from worship with all students gathered together in Allen Arena to small-group studies to recreational activities such as “Frisbee football” to get to know fellow campers better.
Recently-graduated high school senior Sarah Kate Robinson attended Impact for her first time this year. Robinson said the lessons she learned at Impact were “incredible.”
“The theme of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ was one that I really needed to hear because I struggle with confession and bringing my sins to light so that they lose their shame,” Robinson said. “Hearing that Jesus loves me regardless over and over was so needed.”
Robinson said she also loved how she was able to develop stronger relationships with others during the week.
“I really got to bond with my youth group’s summer interns and get to know them on a deeper level and hear their thoughts during the quiet time in the morning and the group devo time at night.”
“My favorite part of Impact was definitely evening Impact and the worship time!” Robinson said. “I loved the singing with the praise team, and the lessons were all fantastic. They were all so relevant and hit home with me.”
For more information about Impact, one can visit the Impact website.