“Will you respond?”

That was the big question of Thursday, Day 4 of Holiday Clubs and Camp of Champions. 

“Will you respond?”

After three days of setting up, that question — proclaiming that God loves us all, explaining that sin separates us from God, and celebrating how Jesus rescues us — clubs and camps asked that question. With all of this in mind, “Will you respond?”

It was an important day for many reasons. Today was the final step in our gospel presentation. It was also likely the last time we will see many of the children who have been served this week. Additionally, the various family groups had the extra opportunity to share the gospel with participants’ parents as each site hosted a free barbecue or pizza party.

Our students served literally hundreds of children and their parents across five different locations. It was an added opportunity for our teams to present the gospel directly and clearly to this new audience. What a blessing it was to expand the mission week in this way.

Though our time in England is brief, we are reminded that God is always at work beyond what we can see. Our team partnered with UK-USA Ministries to build relationships and share the hope of the gospel. We may not see the full harvest, but we joyfully trust that the seeds planted this week will take root and flourish, bearing fruit in God’s perfect timing.

However, there have been victories witnessed throughout the week. Along with those mentioned in Wednesday’s blog, groups have seen those with strong resistance to the gospel early in the week begin to soften and become receptive. There were preteen girls more interested in TikTok dances on Tuesday who showed up at Thursday’s family BBQ and sat attentively through a student testimony and a full gospel message. There have been some JF Students, normally reticent and reserved, who have boldly shone in new opportunities to share the love of Christ. Thursday, for one family group and the individual whom they had “adopted” for the week, included a sweet moment of seeing her move from death to life as she answered that important question. When asked, “Will you respond?” she said, “Yes,” and prayed to receive Jesus for the first time.

These kinds of stories have been happening all week, and our students have led faithfully in them.

After the various BBQ and pizza parties, the entire group worshipped together again, praising God for all that He has done this week. Pastor Logan taught from Ephesians 2:10 and asked the senior students, essentially, a very similar question to the question of the day. “Will you respond to the calling that you were specifically and specially made for?” Logan reminded each of them that “you were created on purpose for a purpose.” There is a calling on the life of every believer, and for many of the graduating seniors, that call could be approaching soon (if it hasn’t already been heard).

As we reflect on all that God has done this week, that same question continues to linger—not just for the children and families we met in England, but for each of us: how will we respond to the story of a God who loves us deeply, who made a way for us through Jesus, and who invites us into a restored relationship with Him? And for those who have already said “yes,” how will we respond to the purpose He has placed on our lives? It’s the same question our students have been wrestling with all week, and one that doesn’t end when the trip does.