Youth from Greystone Baptist Church joined other middle school and high school students from churches across the southeast for Unidiversity Youth Camp in July, a week of fellowship, recreation, Bible study, and worship.  Unidiversity 2016 was again hosted by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and was held from Monday, July 18 – Saturday, July 23.

Students have an opportunity to participate in seminars and electives of their choice.  Seminar choices included “Praying in Color”, “Islamaphobia”, and “The Gospel According to King of the Hill”, to name just a few.  Elective choices included Pinterest crafts, soccer, and card games, among many others.

The camp’s theme was “ReFocus” and much of the discussion centered around how the world tells students what is important, but Jesus calls students to live differently.  Each day carried a different emphasis.  Many in our lives think competition, being the best at everything we do, is of utmost importance, but Jesus calls us to community.  We are often taught that more is better, but Jesus calls us to be content with what we have.  We are so worried about being certain, but following Jesus can bring some complexity.  We love others when they meet our conditions, but Jesus calls us to be compassionate to all children of God.

Camp offered students plenty of opportunities to reflect on how they have been influenced by the world around them.  While the trip to camp may have only lasted a few days, the connections to God and to one another continue.