A group of 92 high school students from across South Carolina rang in the New Year by sharing the Gospel.

These students attended SUMMIT, an SCBaptist event focused on equipping high schoolers to share the Gospel and exposing them to the urgency of the Great Commission.

After learning from SCBaptist and International Mission Board leaders, students were sent out to Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, NC, to practice what they learned and to share their faith with as many people as possible.

Initiating Gospel Conversations

Among these students were Keaton and Christian, students from the Church at Cane Bay. Like many others at Summit, Keaton and Christian found themselves initiating Gospel conversations in unconventional locations, such as waiting in line for rides or while enjoying meals at the park.

Their approach involved using conversation starters to find common ground with strangers. This provided an opportunity to connect on a personal level before delving into deeper discussions.

One of the valuable lessons learned was that sharing the Gospel is about getting to know the individual as a person before sharing it with them.

“A lot of is just, let’s have a conversation. Let’s develop that relationship and that time we talk with them and then go from there,” Christian said. He emphasized the importance of genuine interest in others, leading to natural conversations about faith.

Aside from the hands-on sharing experience, students sat under teaching from SCBaptist leaders and missionaries. For Christian, the main session speaker, Dallas Wilson, pastor at Upstate Church, reminded him about the holiness of God. “God is much bigger than we could possibly imagine,” Christian said.

Personal Growth at SUMMIT

Students also attended breakout sessions that ranged in topic from exploring callings to ministry and the mission field, dealing with contemporary cultural issues, and reclaiming biblical manhood. Students also had time set aside daily for personal devotion and prayer.

In addition to the adult leaders, the high school students were also led by 43 students from the Palmetto Collective (PC), a group of college juniors and seniors from campuses across South Carolina who are passionate about being missional leaders.

PC students were able to share in the experience, help lead in worship, and provide peer mentorship to the high schoolers.

A Life-Changing Weekend

Keaton and Christian both expressed their desire for more students to experience events like SUMMIT. They encouraged fellow students to step out of their comfort zones and engage in conversations that can impact lives no matter where they are.

The impact of SUMMIT was evident in the numbers: over 540 conversations were held, with 91 of them leading to full Gospel shares and 181 partial shares of the Gospel. Most excitingly, two individuals made the life-changing decision to accept Christ during the event.

For students like Keaton and Christian, their experiences at SUMMIT have strengthened and equipped them to bring the Gospel into everyday conversations.

By raising up a generation of students who are ready and excited to share the Gospel, we can be one step closer to seeing every life saturated and transformed by the hope of the Gospel.