Growing in Faith at Ozark Lakes
Growth Teams
An important ingredient in growing closer to God involves communion with fellow Christians. Summer project makes this close fellowship available to students by dividing them into growth teams. These teams are grouped into four to five people who share their life stories and encourage and strengthen one another daily.
The overall purpose of the growth team is to minister to the personal and spiritual needs of the members. Some of these needs include developing a greater intimacy with Christ, developing bonds with other team members, and ministering in the lives of people outside the team. Growth team meetings are designed specifically to equip the team members for ministry through prayer, Bible study, and accountability.
Reflection Time
Thursday nights are set aside for students to spend individual time with God through prayer and Bible study. In light of the students' busy schedules, reflection time is a practical way for students to be still and to meditate on what the Lord is teaching them. "Reflection time is awesome because it's two whole hours committed to God," says Whitney Lemarr, a junior at Western Kentucky University.
What are some things you do during your quiet time?
- Pray for God's Spirit before reading the Bible
- Journal
- Sing
- Meditate
- Pray on your knees
- Memorize scripture
- Listening to God
- Listen to praise and worship music
- Read a Christian non-fiction book
- Write questions and discuss them later with someone
- Prayer walks
- Fast
- Write down specific qualities about God
- Look at nature for hidden lessons
- Stillness
Adventure Days
Every Friday, students take a break from the workplace to enjoy outdoor activities on Adventure Day. Students have traveled to Arkansas and Missouri to go rock climbing, canoeing, skeet shooting, water skiing, fishing, camping, and caving. Besides being challenged in these physical activities, students apply the lessons learned from their outdoor excursions to their spiritual life to discover more about their personal relationship with the Lord.
"I learned how we sometimes fix our eyes on the wrong goal," says Amy Rogers, a senior at Iowa State University. "The whole rock climbing process taught me that my worth isn't determined by making it to the top. In our Christian walk, God honors perseverance. I also learned that I probably would have given up much sooner without the encouragement from people at the bottom. That makes me want to encourage people more in their walks with God and to appreciate Christian fellowship."
Men's & Women's Time
On Wednesday evenings men and women split up for Bible studies that appeal to their own spiritual needs. During women's time, the ladies of the Ozark Lakes Summer Project gather to encourage one another in the Lord.We hear from staff women about issues that are relevant to women using Biblical perspective.
One vehicle for spiritual growth for the men of the Ozark Lakes Summer Project is the men's time. This time enables the men to participate in the Authentic Manhood program,which teaches men learn the biblical model of manhood and the process of achieving it. Many men describe this program as simply "life-changing."