During the week of May 1-7, Navigator students from across Canada came together at Snider Mountain Ranch in New Brunswick to learn more about deepening their faith in Jesus. Throughout the week, the students heard from veteran Navigator staff on such topics as discipleship, community and grace, and also had the opportunity to get involved in service opportunities with local ministries. Here is what two participants had to say about their experiences:

“This camp gave me a firmer understanding of why it is so important to be in a Christian community. The main speaker, Craig Parker, taught that the Kingdom of God grows through committed cores of Christians. Not only did I learn the scriptural reasons for why it is important to be surrounding by committed Christians who can encourage, support and uplift each other, but Craig also illustrated his point through examples from his own life.

The examples from his life showed how living in a community who strove to build each other up will continue to do so even 20-30 years later. These stories from Craig’s life challenged me to intentionally encourage and stir the community that God has placed around me on towards love and good works.

Another significant part of this camp was how my knowledge of discipleship increased. We explored the biblical foundations for discipleship and were given practical tools for how to disciple someone. Through learning about how to disciple someone, the Holy Spirit urged me to begin discipling a friend that he has been putting on my heart. Furthermore, God used the sessions about spiritual practices to remind me of the importance of scripture memory and meditating on His Word.

This camp also provided me the opportunity to meet Navigators from other parts of the country. It was super encouraging to see how God has been working in their lives and how there are others who are also striving to become more like Christ.”

– Hana Clark (Edmonton, AB)

“We went with the expectation that God would meet us and teach us how to root ourselves in him. We were not disappointed. Veteran US Navigator staff Craig Parker taught about foundational concepts like grace, truth, community, and discipleship.

Everyone got to participate in four workshops on spiritual practices that can help us grow closer to Jesus. The workshops involved 15 minutes of teaching, 30 minutes of trying it out and a 15 minute debrief discussion. I had the opportunity to facilitate a workshop on scripture memory. Memorizing parts of the Bible has been an extremely helpful practice for me and I was keen to pass on what I’ve learned to the students. Many of them found it helpful and were eager to introduce that practice into their everyday lives.

We were also involved in two service projects during our time in New Brunswick. The first one involved helping out around the ranch with several different odd jobs. I spent more than 2 hours removing nails from pieces of wood so that they could be re-purposed. Not only did it help the camp out, but it was a great bonding experience to work alongside a few of the guys. We also split into groups and helped different ministries in nearby cities. My crew did lawn work at a long term women’s rehab centre and got to eat with the residents, while others spent time with Syrian families who recently came to Canada.

Though the week was fun and meaningful, I am most excited by what comes next. The students spent a week investing in their spiritual lives. They were developing a deep root network, preparing for a future of following Jesus. As the students interacted with Craig, they glimpsed the amazing result of years spent with deep roots in God. If they are to flourish in their faith and bear abundant fruit, they must first be firmly planted in Jesus. It was incredibly encouraging to see that process in action.”

– Bruce Narbaitz (Ottawa, ON)