Camps and Conferences
rom the outside someone may look at the ARP’s middle and high school summer conferences, Quest and Horizon, as just summer camps. It’s easy to see them as just another camp in- away a week that would have normally been scheduled for a vacation; just an- other place that stacks kids up into bunk beds, feeds them three meals a day, plays crazy games, and oh yeah, they talk about Jesus too. I’m here to tell you, if you think of Quest and Horizon like that, you are gravely mistaken!
I have had the privilege of attending both Quest and Horizon as a student and as a leader, and each experience heavily impacted my own understanding of the value of a strong and theologically solid youth ministry. Each year the conference - ferent messages that are both biblical and applicable. The speakers don’t shy away from the truths presented in scripture. They don’t stand up and give a “feel good” message, and instead clearly pres- ent the gospel to a room full of students. They unashamedly announce that every- one present at the conference, students and leaders alike, are sinners, hopeless on our own, but that there is hope, and that it is only found in Jesus Christ. As a stu- dent, this is what I needed to hear. As a kid who grew up in the church and knew Christ, I didn’t need the pastor to sugar- coat anything; I needed to hear time and time again about my Savior and His love for me. It’s the message that we all need to hear on repeat.
In addition to the nightly sermons, students are offered the chance to listen to more informal, though still highly in- formational, seminar lessons. As a middle school student, I was able to sit under the teaching of another pastor and hear about prayer, TULIP, and the Solas, as well as the sacraments. Again, I needed to hear these lessons. I needed to have a basis for my beliefs other than the fact that my parents and pastor said these things were true. At Horizon, I was able to pick from a list of different and more specialized sem- inars that I wanted to attend. These were
March/April 2025
Equipped and Encouraged F
By Walker Kirkpatrick
was able to have particular questions answered about my faith, theology, my identity in Christ, and more. These seminars offered at Quest and Horizon helped me understand what we believed as the ARP Church, and later greatly helped me wrestle through a variety of questions I faced in college.
In all of my experiences with Quest and Horizon, the most memorable element of these conferences has been the people who faithfully serve the youth of our denomina- tion. Even as a student, I was aware of this great service. Sure, the games, food, and lodg- ing arrangements were all great, but I was most impacted by the people there. The other ARP churches, the leaders, pastors, workers, and volunteers–these people all wanted the same thing: to equip students in their walk with Christ! That is what these camps are all about, and it was seen across the board. One of the reasons I went to college seeking out fellowship with like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ is because I knew from my experiences at Quest and Horizon that I needed to continually be equipped and encour- aged in my walk. Now, as a youth leader in the ARP, I have only grown in my appreciation for both of these summer youth conferences. I have been able to see how much more work goes into each camp, and how all of the decisions are made intentionally. Everything from wor- ship to the things we do on a daily basis is centered around one common goal: to equip students in their walk with Christ. And each leader, volunteer, and pastor who walks the grounds of Bonclarken during those weeks are of the same mind as they work together to achieve that goal. Each year that I have taken students up the mountain, I have seen my students take immense personal strides in their lives. Whether they are asking hard questions, growing in responsibility, connecting with other groups, or even just growing closer together, everyone changes for the better as the week comes and goes. Each year, I’m left wanting to continue to come back and to introduce more students to Bonclarken. It has even changed how I look at things in student ministry. The constant focus on Christ in intentional worship, seminars, morning devotions, and family times has helped me understand that there is no such thing as a “just for fun event” for a youth group aimed toward creating a solid theological foundation for its students. I now know that the means of grace need to be presented, no mat- ter what we are doing. And, whatever we do, we need to be in fellowship with one another. The closeness of the ARP groups and leaders that I witnessed at Quest and Horizon has inspired me to initiate some events with other ARP churches in my area.
The feelings I had leaving Horizon for the last time as a student propelled me into college looking for Christian fellowship. Now I aim to direct stu- the church (wherever they go) and in campus ministries. As a leader, I expected to appreciate Quest and Horizon as I once did, but I never imagined that I would have been impacted as much as I have been in my adult life and in my ministry.
Walker Kirkpatrick is the Direc- tor of Student Ministries at First Presbyterian Church Lake Wales in Florida.
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