Great Lakes:
'The Case for Christ'
Discovery Weekend

By Jim Valekis

BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio—"Is Jesus truly the only way to God?" the 100-plus audience was challenged to consider at the Friday night, Jan. 17, opening service of the Great Lakes District winter Discovery Weekend.

A resounding "yes" was the answer by the Sunday morning, Jan. 19 service, as nearly 120 final-day participants came forward to profess allegiance to him and to join in a communion and candlelighting service in his honor. This was the concluding event of a weekend that included high-powered worship, four original worship dramas, skiing, sledding and a Saturday night dance.

The Great Lakes district was host for this Discovery Weekend, which took place at Camp Cotubic in Bellefontaine, site of the Ohio Summer Educational Program. The weekend’s theme was "The Case for Christ," and was geared to help participants to "know and be able to show" others why they worship and serve Jesus as the only way to God.

The opening service began with worship led by Total Praise, an eight member contemporary praise and worship band headed by Jake Burnett, a Muskingum College sophomore and WCG member from Sabina, Ohio.

The first of four dramas delivered during the weekend was titled "The Case Against Christ," and through contemporary characters ranging from Britney Peers to Bill Nye the Science Guy, various witnesses stepped forward to offer their alternatives to Jesus.

The next morning, the second drama, titled "The Case for Christ," brought up a list of witnesses from history to modern times. Witnesses included the testimonies of Abraham, Moses, a spokesman for the prophets, the Virgin Mary, the apostle Paul and finally, a scientist who was also a believer—all offering evidence on Jesus’ behalf.

After an afternoon of skiing, sledding, basketball and fellowship, participants gathered before the evening dance for a skit titled "The Case Against You," showing the need everyone has for a perfect Savior. The answer to that need was presented in a final service Sunday morning titled "The Case for You," which was a presentation of the story of Christ’s entrance into the world as a baby in a manger destined not only to die on our behalf, but to be not only Judge, but the One who also pays all spiritual penalties on our behalf.

"I really enjoyed what you and your staff have done as it relates to the program and operation of the camp weekend," wrote Carl Adams, a member of the Toledo, Ohio, congregation, who brought three young people to the weekend.

"The program was great, to say the least. You and your staff relate so well to the kids." He added: "I believe you and your performing crew made the case crystal clear, the case for Christ and for us. My daughter and her friend couldn’t stop talking about the weekend. It was a joy to hear that kind of yapping on the way home." Carl’s daughter Alisha was one of the teens who accepted Christ at the close of the weekend.

Camp Cotubic is the site of SEP Ohio, scheduled this summer for June 22 to 28. It’s a beautiful facility located on 150 acres of rolling Ohio countryside, offering camper dorms and cabins, a 180-foot waterslide, a 450-foot zip-line, basketball, playing fields, water polo and other water events.

You can learn more about SEP Ohio by visiting the Youth Ministries link of the WCG website (wcg.org/youth/SEPOHIO), or simply by typing in the word Cotubic in the online search space of your computer screen. Applications to summer camp can be accessed there as well.

Copyright © Grace Communion International, 2003