Yes, that’s right! You can be a student intern this summer by being mentored in an experiential fashion. Interns will learn firsthand what it means to serve in full-time ministry and develop their abilities as leaders. Interested? The deadline to apply is this Sunday, April 29th! To download the application, click here.

This month in youth ministry, students are hearing that their relationship with their parents is worth fighting for. And if you are a parent to a teen, this can be especially challenging. But your teen needs you now more than ever.

For April’s PARENT CUE, click here.

Your family is worth fighting for. 

The theme of our week has been IDENTITY. Day One focused on being CHOSEN, by God and for God. Day two centered around the idea that we are all adopted into the Body of Christ. Day Three was all about how we are slaves of Christ. And yesterday’s theme was that we are Ambassadors for Christ. This morning, we are looking at how we are a unified BODY. Last night as we were wrapping up and reflecting on our week, we asked two questions:

1. What did you learn this week as it relates to your identity? 
2. What was one of your favorite parts of the week? What did you learn? 

Here are our answers:

Andrea Camp: I remembered this week that everyone does have a calling: chosen by God to do something bigger than themselves. As Christians, we to be  Light wherever we go. My favorite part of this week by far was doing the VBS at Drexel Gardens, hanging out with kids in the same township as me and getting a chance to work for God in such a fun way. I’ve learned that we always have room to grow, that we have never “arrived” in our journey with God.

Raegan Hadley: The thing that stood out to me the most was being an ambassador for Christ, that we are all chosen. I struggle sometimes being an ambassador, but we are all chosen by God and He knows what we’re capable of with Him. One of my favorite parts of the week was also the VBS and interacting with children and families that were there. I feel like I learned a lot about everyone, people I didn’t really know before coming into this week that I feel grateful to know now. 

Zach Camp: We’re supposed to be ambassadors for Christ, to be a Light in darkness, and tell others about Jesus without being hypocritical. Our actions speak loudly and we can’t let our actions cancel out what we say. My favorite part of the week was… well, five minutes ago when we had a spontaneous worship jam session. I learned to not be near Willis with plywood. 

Taylor Dillinger: My identity isn’t just made up of my identity, but also the identity of the Church. We can’t stand alone without the Church. One of my favorite parts of the week was leading motions for VBS. Everyone in the room was doing it. I learned how to become a little more vulnerable and comfortable in my own skin. 

Willis Overton: I learned how to fit in as a group, knowing each other’s strengths and identities. Also, the day we learned about being a slave of Christ really stood out to me. We normally think of slavery as a bad thing, but Jesus isn’t that kind of slave owner. One of my favorite parts was the VBS and working with the kids–particularly Jayden and Joey.

Emily Burnette: My favorite part was definitely the VBS and getting to hang out with the kids and engage with them. Being able to tell Bible stories and make it fun for the kids was awesome. As far as identity goes, I learned that we’re not supposed to stick to our own “embassy.” That’s the biggest reason I stopped going to a Christian school. For me, I felt like I needed to grow the kingdom outside of those walls. 

We were all in agreement last night that the Kingdom of God isn’t something we do on Sunday mornings, it is a lifestyle that we live out in our everyday environments. Ron told us about how when Mission Indy started, they had this hope that all of their students and leaders at Chapel Rock wouldn’t say, “It’s over now, back to life as normal, let’s just wait until the next event.” He encouraged all of us that we are the Church of right now, not the future.

To say we had an amazing week would be an understatement. We are excited to see ways that Chapel Rock continues to change and grow because of what we learned this week. We hope as you’ve been able to journey along with us that you’ve been challenged like we have. The coming days, weeks, and years will be the test of all that God has taught and shown us through the lives of His people.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Post by Brownsburg Sophomore, Taylor Dillinger

I’m going to start with my favorite part of the day. When we were removing the old roofing, I discovered that it is easier and less time-consuming to rip off the plywood than to tediously remove every nail from it. So, after removing a few nails on one side I would use my “bare” hands (I had gloves on) and tear off the plywood. I did this two or three times with no problem. The third time, however, there was a problem. I owe my gratitude to Raegan Hadley for saving my life as I nearly fell off of the scaffolding after ripping the third piece off.

That was certainly an eventful part of the day, but there was so much more which happened on this lovely 3rd day. One thing was hearing Zach Camp tell his story of sticking a live bird in the microwave in attempt to warm it up because he was caring for it. Another was letting kids who don’t know their left from their right lead you through a course blindfolded. All in all it was an eventful day. But, it was even deeper than that.

I certainly loved all the construction and demolition that we have done on Drexel Garden’s roof this week. I have a heart for serving with my hands (and a hammer). What really captured my heart though was the miniature VBS lesson we lead at the church. Sure, it was fun playing with the kids, but the best part was showing them the love of God. We performed a puppet show, worshipped with songs and motions, told a lesson with a slightly violent skit, taught kids courage through our craft, and spent the rest of the evening playing games with them. I’ve never been more happy to make a fool of myself.

This week my eyes have certainly been opened. We’ve learned how to look at things differently. I’ve been catching myself looking back on what we did on certain days and analyzing God’s work through it. My goal this week has been to not only look back on how God has been there, but to see Him in the midst of our work. Tuesday’s lesson of adoption was the most prevalent to me at our VBS. I really saw the unity of our group. It was more than unity, it was a brotherhood, a church, a family. I saw how we were all children of God called to love one another. I knew that night that I was surrounded by brothers and sisters. I saw God’s love in that place.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Yesterday we ventured over to Drexel Gardens Christian Church in South Wayne. We got a tour of the building and heard all about their history as a church. Then, we got to work on their roof and scraped the sides of their building to be ready to paint for a group this summer. But that’s only the physical part.

We’re learning a lot about the ways we see other people, and the way we identify ourselves. On Monday morning, one of our speakers handed us a post-it note and a marker and said, “I want you to think of the one thing you hate most about yourself that no one knows about you, and write it down on this post-it note. After you’ve done that, stick it on your chest so the rest of us can see it.” After a few awkward moments of silence, she stopped us and said, “Okay, you don’t really have to do it. But isn’t it interesting that the very things we hate about ourselves are the first things we see when we look at others? We label other people, neighborhoods, etc. but the things that appear as the worst characteristics, instead of looking for the best.” Her illustration has been a driving force in conversation and work this week, as we look for the best in each other and our surroundings.

Tonight you’ll hear from Taylor Dillinger, and how her perspective has changed in just a few short days. But for now, here are some photos of our day!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Post by Ben Davis Junior, Andrea Camp

Today was a really interesting and inspiring day. We got the experience to notice and truly learn about the great things that people are doing right here in our own city and community. Even though we’re only a few miles away from home, I feel like we’re a hundred miles away. We heard some wonderful stories by people who walk the very same halls we do at Chapel Rock from Lynn Cole Springer, Lonnie Burley, and several others here in Indianapolis. Something that really stood out and touched me is the fact that all of the people we met who do these projects and run these organizations aren’t doing anything for themselves, but for the glory of God and improvement of their community. Today was a good day, for me and the entire group. It started out our week with a good foundation for what is to come as we continue the week and dig deep into our true identity: Christ.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.