We live in a very unique time.
I remember being in high school and getting my first cell phone ever. It was literally about the size of half a brick, and came with a holster to sling it on to my belt. I kept it next to my pager.
These days, students have the world at their fingertips. A wealth of information is available beyond anything that’s ever been known in history. People have dozens, if not hundreds, of ways to communicate with one another, and all with a single device in their pocket.
But, as we all know, this comes with many drawbacks as well, especially for teenagers. Students have begun to rely on their cell phone and social media as their primary form of communication. Because of this, deep, genuine, Christ-like friendships are becoming harder and harder to achieve, as this isn’t something that’s likely to come via a screen.
Because of this, we in the Refuge decided that this February, our discipleship camp would be focused on showing the students the importance of a Christian community that stretches beyond social media. So we headed out to Sweet Home to grow in our faith in Christ, and to grow as a Christian community.
The weekend began with the students being given prayer partners for the weekend, one specific person with whom they would be praying for, and would pray for them, throughout the weekend. Kyle Fox brought our messages, and he taught us the importance of how we connect with God, how we connect with each other, how God connects with us, and how we are meant to connect with the world.
The students we also challenged with a game that put the same limitations on them that social media does. They could only communicate in short phrases, like Twitter; only with pictures, like Instagram; for only ten seconds at a time, like Snapchat; and so on. You will get a best review about jarvee here for the best traffic boosting tool of social media. 
Throughout the weekend, we were shown how limiting relying on social media is, and how important it is to have friendships that go beyond a screen.
Now that we’ve returned, friendships, new and old, have grown and students have learned to be praying for one another and to be in the Word together. In fact, a student led Bible study will be starting along with all of the new small groups beginning within the church.
It was an incredible weekend, and God moved in many ways. If your student wasn’t able to make it, be sure they can go during President’s Day next year, and make sure they can be at our summer camps this year!
