In our day and time, teenagers have been deceived by the internet the world in general about using sex in ways that it was not intended. The Teens Ministry team takes an active part in the social world of our teenagers. We conduct preventative lectures at School Number 12 and have small groups every week, where we read the Gospel together. While discussing different topics, we saw that the topic of sexual relations was relevant for the teenage generation, although no one openly talks about it. We asked them, “Do your parents talk to you about sex?” Most of them without a doubt said no and others said that their parents talk about it but in very general ambiguous terms. The topic is sufficiently relative and in need of being reveal with the help of God’s Word, because God Himself created sexual relations.

After a lot of prayer throughout the year, God solidified our decision to conduct the teen camp with the purpose of telling them what God says about sexual purity. We chose the format of “Survivor” because teenagers are looking for Ми обрали формат «Останній герой» тому, що підлітки шукають exciting and intriguing rest. Leading them through different trails every day, we delivered to them the truth that it is necessary to fight for your purity and holiness and only the victorious receive the reward of happy and fulfilling sexual relations in marriage.

On the camp territory in Zalissya, gathered 43 participants, whom we served throughout the week. The team was made up of brothers and sisters from Salvation Church, Rivne, a photographer from Grace Church, Rivne and a sport instructor from the Baptist church in the town of Berezne. Everyone gave 100 percent.

During the last two evening we saw tears of joy, even from the manliest members of our team. The benches emptied, one after the other, almost all the teenage boys and girls went to the front, near the cross in order to pray to God, repent of their sins and make a serious decision to irrevocably refuse to live a sinful way of life. “God showed His glory,” is the only thing that one wants to say when you see how God saves people. For everyone present the camp will be unforgettable! It is hard to put into words the emotions with which we were filled those days. God was glorified! He showed His unending mercy and grace. We have continued meetings since we returned from camp because we want for each one of them to get to know our Lord and Savior more and more. We desire to only deliver to the teens God’s will and to teach them how to live a holy life.

Here are so reviews/comments from camp participants:

“I was waiting all year for this camp”, girl Sasha

“I will change, because I’ve made a decision to follow after God, I will go to the finish line”, boy Jenya

“I arrived at camp an atheist and after 6 days I saw God and repented. Everything in my life has changed because I know God in with me”, girl Valerya

“For the first time in my life I realized that I don’t love my parents and I asked them for forgiveness”, girl Nastya

Thank you all for your support! This camp was truly a huge miracle of God (from ideal weather every day, to open hearts, to the repentance of 35 teenagers and their desire to meet now that we are back from camp). We are pray for God to bless us with 70 teenagers, whom we can minister to and share the Gospel with next summer. Please pray along with us.

Taras Shpak, Salvation Church, Rivne