Article

Missing a festival or youth camp?

One of the things we’re going to miss most over the summer is going to a bunch of festivals and camps where we get to hang out with mates in all kinds of venues and get inspired to follow Jesus with greater passion and depth. With festivals and camps cancelled loads of our friends are hosting their events online, which is great – we’ll see you at some of them – but we will massively miss not being able to be in a big tent or venue with hundreds or thousands of others, singing out our love of Jesus.

And we’re not alone in that. Around the world, young Christians spend time away at camps to learn more about Jesus, many of which will have had to be cancelled too. For us in the UK, these events may seem like a bit of a lifeline – a high faith point in our years. But just imagine how important they would be if you would normally never be able to speak about your faith, or even had to go to a secret church.

In Malaysia, a largely Muslim country where the minority of Christians face discrimination when it comes to accessing government services, it is technically illegal for Malay people to leave Islam. Pre lockdown, Open Doors partners were running youth camps to help encourage and strengthen the faith of Christian young people.

If you’re feeling a bit nostalgic about old times at Soul Survivor, New Wine, Dreaming the Impossible or Limitless, then check out the video to see what camps for Malaysian young people look like…

Reflect:

• What will you miss most about not going to a festival or camp this summer?
• What differences could you see between the Malaysian camp in the video and a camp or festival you’ve been to?
• Did you hear how some of the young people reacted when seeing a Bible (they kissed it)? How do you view your Bible?
• Did you hear what Pastor Lukas said about having access to a Bible? If we don’t read it for ourselves, if we rely on hearing what others think about it, we may never live our ‘true life’. What do you think he meant by that? How can reading the Bible help you live your true life?

Pray now…

• Jump to the final section of the video and pause on the prayer points screen. Pray through the different prayer needs.

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