By: Analisa Cooper, Hume Lake Winter Camp Director
This winter, we are excited for our theme for Hume’s Winter Camp: Agapolis. Through an Ancient Greek-inspired animation, we will tell the story of biblical love. God, the author of love, demonstrated His perfect, sacrificial, and unconditional love—known as agape—through the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the story, the God of love, Agape, creates Agapolis, a place designed for His love to thrive. But over time, His love is rejected and forgotten, until one character begins to question how the citizens of Agapolis have selfishly distorted the love of Agape.
As we enter into this season, we often focus on spreading good tidings of joy, peace, hope, and love. But while these words are said more frequently, do we truly understand their depth? This winter camp season, we are eager to guide students through their depth? This Winter Camp season, we are eager to guide students through 1 John 4:7-12, revealing the truth about love. It reads:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” —1 John 4:7-12 (ESV)
While the world often reduces love to acceptance, casual preference, or conditional approval, God’s love is infinite, unfathomable, and unconditional. The reality is that God Himself is love. When we believe and receive His love through Jesus, we are compelled to love God and live in obedience to His Word. By abiding in God’s love for us, we learn to love others with grace and truth. This winter, our hope is that students discover the joy, peace, hope, and love that can only be found in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
As Winter Camp begins this month, we are filled with anticipation for how God will move in the lives of students at all three Hume locations. Every weekend brings a new opportunity for campers to encounter the truth of God’s Word, experience His love, and respond to the gospel. We invite you to join us in prayer for this transformative season. Pray for the campers—that they would understand the depth of God’s love and leave camp forever changed. Lift up the speakers, worship leaders, and church leaders as they guide students closer to Christ. Pray for the Hume staff to serve with joy and strength, and for safety throughout each weekend. Let’s cover this winter in prayer, asking God to bring eternal impact to every camper, church, and community involved. Together, we trust that God will do abundantly more than we can ask or imagine!