SALT 2008

I just got back from West Virginia. For the past 3 years, I've spent the first week of August with around 30 Bethel College athletes learning and growing in the area of Spiritual Leadership. The retreat is called SALT and was started by my dad 4 years ago. I spent the summer of 2006 interning for my dad at Bethel helping to plan for this retreat, so it has become very important to me. I actually posted about last year's retreat here.

I love this week. I love the students that I get to experience life with. This year, I got to serve alongside my entire family which was definitely a highlight. I got to see God use my dad as the athletic director at Bethel in a unique way in challenging these talented athletes to pursue Christ above all else.

Again, the vulnerability, honesty, and brokenness was so visible. There is something very unique about working with college athletes. First of all, any games that take place are all out wars. Secondly, there are unique walls and facades that often build up in the lives of athletes. These were moved and torn down this week. Third, it is so cool to watch a bunch of people who do not know each other well at all unite together and bond so strongly in 6 days. Fourth, my mom cooks so we eat like kings.

My experience could be summed up by the following sentence:

SALT 2008 encouraged me in ministry with college students (athletes in particular), with my family (so cool to do this together), and to my heart (a lot of things going on but I was encouraged).

This is something that I would love to see duplicated at Taylor and other Christian university athletic departments. We'll see if I'll ever have that opportunity. This is not just another retreat. It is a time where God has changed lives. I hope to share some of those stories later.