Discipleship, Evangelism Conference for Youth Leaders Makes Summer ‘Super’ at Mississippi College

Super Summer made absolutely no sense to Justin Cobb.

After earning his Bachelor’s in business administration at Mississippi College, Cobb was serving as a student minister at Park Place Baptist Church in Pearl when he first learned about the Christian discipleship and evangelism leadership conference at his alma mater.

Super Summer had a proven track record of providing qualitative spiritual growth and helping to develop student leaders for Mississippi churches, but Cobb just couldn’t see its value. The more he heard about the camp – students were divided into a dizzying array of colorful “schools,” and even the counselors had to enroll in something called “plaid university” – the less inclined he was to advocate continuing the program.

“When they described Super Summer to me, I couldn’t comprehend it,” Cobb said. “I had assumed it was a regular Christian camp that included some difficult challenges. I thought we needed to focus our resources in other ways.

“The first thing I scribbled in my notebook was, ‘We’re definitely going to kill this after this year.”

Then a youth minister named James Reardon convinced him to experience the next Super Summer in person. Cobb’s assessment of the program changed overnight.

“I fell in love with it,” he said. “It’s very hard to wrap your mind around, but once you go, it makes sense. It may not sound worth the time and effort, but once you get involved, it becomes this incredibly passionate thing for you and for the kids.”

Cobb has been involved in Super Summer for 13 years . . . and counting. Now the student minister at First Baptist Church in Pontotoc, he brought a group of young leaders to Super Summer at MC for the tenth time this year.

“It’s a development camp, so every year builds on the previous one,” Cobb said. “Some of the students who have been involved in Super Summer for five years come back as team leaders.

“Sometimes ministry can be very isolating because you go through great moments in life and you go through difficult challenges. At Super Summer, you build a family within your “school,” you encourage these kids as they passionately pursue Christ, and you get to know them and help them.”

Chris Layton, associate pastor of students at First Baptist Church Brookhaven, has been bringing future faith leaders to Super Summer for more than two decades. He first attended the camp at MC as a student at Simpson Academy. Soon, he was serving as a team leader and led worship for the “Blue School” under Ken Hall, now Super Summer director.

While attending the University of Southern Mississippi, Layton spent the majority of his time in Hattiesburg – except for the one week in July reserved for Super Summer at MC.

“I made a lot of connections with youth pastors and leaders in our state,” said Layton. “There’s no place like Mississippi when it comes to student pastors who connect with one another. You won’t find that anyplace else.

“I’ve taken a group to Super Summer almost every year that I’ve been a student pastor. Super Summer fits our church’s strategy for discipling students. We’re intentional about engaging students, and Super Summer’s requirements help provide a standard for what it means to follow Christ.”

Layton, who served as dean of the “Orange School” this year, said students in his congregation respond well to Super Summer’s leadership style.

“One of our Super Summer students described the conference’s discipleship process and how incredible it was to be with a group of students who were all sold out for Christ,” he said. “Some of our Super Summer students come back to serve as summer interns in the program.

“I see how Super Summer impacts them when they get to their first year of college and go through struggles with competing worldviews. Super Summer helps equip them to face some of those challenges.”

He said students also benefit from MC’s picturesque university setting, which appeals to those interested in obtaining an excellent undergraduate education in a Christian environment.

“I love being at Mississippi College,” Layton said. “Many students from Brookhaven who attended Super Summer have also ended up going to Mississippi College. Some of our students room at MC with others they met at Super Summer.

“I’m on the Planning Committee, I’ve led the main worship services, and I’ve traveled as an itinerant worship leader. I’ve seen a lot of different sides of Super Summer, and I believe in it. The results speak for themselves. It’s a great tool for discipling students.”

In addition to directing Super Summer, Hall also serves as the student ministry consultant in the Discipleship and Sunday School Department of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. He said the conference is designed specifically for students who have a desire to grow spiritually. It challenges them to not only cultivate their own faith, but to share it with others actively.

“Super Summer trains students in the areas of personal discipleship, evangelism, apologetics, and leadership,” Hall said. “Students who attend are already on the discipleship path and have to meet certain requirements. Some of these include church and youth group attendance, memorizing scripture, participating in a discipleship group, and being involved in campus ministry.

“Super Summer is staffed mostly by youth ministers and college-aged students. Our staff of 300 does not get paid to lead, but actually pay to participate – just like the students.” He said team leaders also go through an extensive vetting process to participate.

The excitement among Super Summer attendees and leaders is palpable. Across the Clinton campus, groups clad in bright hues meet together to talk, laugh, sing, and share the Gospel.

The students are divided into “schools” – referred to by colors – based on their ages and the number of years they have attended the annual event. Each school is led by student ministers and other church leaders selected by the Super Summer Planning Team.

First-year students in red, silver, orange, and gold schools study basic discipleship topics. Second-year students in blue and brown schools cover worldviews, different beliefs, and character issues. Third-year students in yellow and lime schools focus on becoming leaders in all areas of their lives.

Fourth-year students in green school concentrate on the Christian worldview. Fifth-year students in purple school review and refine what they have learned during the previous four years at Super Summer. They spend portions of their week gaining missions experience, usually in the inner-city Jackson area.

Super Summer is designed to build on previous years of training, but a junior or senior in high school who has never been to the conference will still find it meaningful. With the exception of two years in the early 1990s, Super Summer has taken place at Mississippi College since 1987. The conference has become so popular at MC that it tallied a record number of registrants this year.

“We want attendees to be encouraged and equipped to live the life of a mature and passionate disciple of Jesus Christ, ready to fulfill the Great Commission in their homes, churches, schools, community, and world,” Hall said. “Adults and students alike communicate how Super Summer has impacted their lives, to take seriously their walk with Christ, and to become serious about fulfilling the Great Commission.”

Super Summer is organized by a 15-member planning team of youth pastors and ministry leaders who each serve three-year terms. Sue McAllister of Tupelo helped start Super Summer in Mississippi while serving as youth minister at Harrisburg Baptist Church in 1987. She now serves as assistant director of Super Summer.

Shane Pruitt, national next gen director for the North American Mission Board, served as guest speaker for this year’s conference. Pruitt has been in ministry for more than 20 years as a denominational leader, church planter, lead pastor, and student pastor. He is also a traveling communicator, evangelist, and Bible teacher.

Every year, Pruitt speaks to more than 100,000 people about the good news of Jesus Christ. The author of two books – “9 Common Lies Christians Believe: And Why God’s Truth is Infinitely Better,” and “Calling Out the Called: Discipling Those Called to Ministry Leadership” – and a new Bible study, “Revival Generation: Awakening to a Movement of God,” he is a host of the Godsend Podcast.

Cory and Stephanie Epps of Jonesboro, Arkansas, served as worship leaders for this year’s Super Summer at MC. They have been leading worship together for 15 years and serve at Central Baptist. They have released a worship EP, “Greater Still,” and a Christmas EP, “Love Has Come to Save,” that debuted on the iTunes Top 10 Christian and Gospel Album chart.

Cobb said his most cherished Super Summer moment occurs at the close of camp, when members of all the different schools gather together for the last time.

“There are about 1,200 people, and at some point the worship team that’s over the entire camp will pull back from their instruments and all you can hear is 1,200 voices singing at the top of their lungs,” he said. “It’s something that stays with you, because these kids are leaders in their church, and not only do you get to hear and be a part of that worship, but you also feel the Holy Spirit is thick in that moment.

“You realize that all of these other kids are pouring into mine. Iron sharpens iron, and our kids are challenged in their own faith, and they come to realize that they need to step up.

“When you see these kids connect with Christ in a way that you know they’re never going to deny Him again, it’s a beautiful moment.”