What would have been a bustling week at the Community of the Cross instead became a jam-packed ONLINE week of growing in the Power of Prayer with Upward Challenge Global Edition!
Things were different this year for Upward Challenge, as we held our annual youth camp ages 14-18. This included 12 lessons adapted for youth from the Dunamis Project: The Power of Prayer teaching materials.
A camp filled with teens singing and praising had not been found in person. Rather, camp was online and it was amazing!
2020 has become a year full of many changes for our young people.
The Lord still had plans to meet with us in a powerful way, beyond the distance created from the Corona-virus pandemic.
From All Around The World
Four countries, six time zones, and one zoom call was all it took to connect us for the week. The “hangouts” before and after “live time” involved crafts, fellowship and listening prayer.
Some teens heard the voice of the Lord clearly and witnessed confirmation from other Spirit-filled believers.
During our live time we had “word and worship” streamed from the United Kingdom followed by testimonies from the USA and Canada.
These powerful times of connection to the teaching, the Holy Spirit moved our youth into closer relationships with the Lord.
The best take-away in all this had been the learning we all received about prayer. For several this was the first time they were able to understand what intercession is and how they are already doing it!
Global Impact and Intercession
Teens feel called to intercede for their peers, their churches, schools, family and more. We take seriously that there is no junior Holy Spirit and we fully realized and experienced mature prayers from some of the youngest among us.
God truly met each teen this week at Upward Challenge: Global Edition!
He did it through a home computer screen and willing participants.
We have witnessed a pioneering effort of the Kingdom of God to meet and minister through the pandemic storm.
During Upward Challenge: Global Edition, I learned just how powerful and necessary intercession really is! My personal favorite part was the Word & Worship time. The whole week was beautifully led by the Holy Spirit.
Zack Payton- Student Director and participant
At Upward Challenge: Global Edition, I began to understand the power of Moses workers, and the wonderful way that they dance with Holy Spirit and Joshua workers. I really enjoyed Word & Worship, as it was a deep and vulnerable time when Holy Spirit spoke to a good many of us. It was a pretty dang lit week.
Ivy Codington- Student Director and participant
yay!
Praise God, beautiful testimonies!