Summit Ministries

Greetings from Manitou Springs, CO! My name is Klint McInturff and I am on staff here at the Summit. I've been asked to give my experience working this summer, how it has impacted my relationship with the Lord, my goals, intellect, and relationships with others. If being a student here last summer wasn't impactful enough, being on staff has somehow dwarfed last summer's impact.

It amazes me that the more I learn about God, the more I realize how much I don't know. We, the staff, have what we call "learning contracts," which are written documents that articulate what we want to spiritually pursue; improving prayer life, spiritual disciplines, things of that sort. I contracted to learn more about what it means to "walk in the spirit." Though I must admit, I wasn't excited about the idea of a "learning contract." It seemed legalistic to me. But actually, in the context of Christ being the source of my pursuit, it has been a wonderful growing experience. Learning to walk by faith has been freeing in the purest way.

If there only one thing that Summit excels at - though there are many things - it is the art of pondering. There are many opportunities for me to get away from the hotel and just think and pray. One of the things I pray for is what God's calling is for my life. I've come to realize that His calling doesn't necessarily have to be a permanent one. I believe He called me to Summit, but only for a time.

I cannot overemphasize the awesomeness of the friendships the Lord has brought to me this summer! These are the kind of relationships the Lord intended all along, the kind where no spiritual topic is off limits to talk about, the kind of friends where no matter how long it's been since you've seen each other, you pick up right where you left off.

It's difficult to explain everything the Lord has done these past two months. But just know I will look back at this time as when I learned HOW to grow in Christ. Peace!

Tuesday...

The third day in and a routine is forming. I heard one staff worker liken this routine to that of a "continual drinking from a water hose". There is much truth to that statement.

Our whole schedule is a balance of having our minds boggled, and having our spirits refreshed. I'm also starting to see the intentions behind this schedule too... it is a communal mini-calendar (a phrase highly influenced by the hippies of Manitou!) Today we had our first field day, and it was explosion of personality, raw talent, and honest effort. I, not being the most competitive individual, loved seeing the intensity of others I would normally look over in the classroom compliment and encourage those who appear to be more timid.

This has been the same for the classroom as well. Whether I'm looking at those that are naturally endowed with the gifts of brilliance, or those who would consider themselves more of seekers, I see willingness. I see interest rising more and more, and it has been encouraging me. I was so grateful that Eric Smith brought this out of our after lunch discussion in Ethics. The question raised of what does it mean to live a good life, and it was great to see the responses brought forth. There seemed an universal concern to get to the heart of the matter, sincerely. I remembered a phrase from a sermon I heard recently while mulling over the responses in Eric's discussions..."oh the potential for the nations that is in this place." I have seen a sea of lights and sponges around me, one that I pray will continue to spread throughout the world.

From our focus on God's word in the morning with Dr. Noebel, to the re-affirmation of it in every lecture thus far, the appreciation of God's word being active and living has been thickly laid upon us. Anyone could see this in Kevin Bywater's lectures today. 4 religious groups (Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, Muslims and Christians), a plethora of questions, and 1 Triune God were all rediscovered in light of God's Word. Kevin's ginormous heart for God's Word to be taken seriously, coupled with a hysterical approach to lecturing inspired me to keep him in my prayers as he undertakes Summit Oxford. During his open session after free time, Kevin was a porch-talking, joke-cracking, gospel-resounding, awe-inspiring machine. He is the kind of professor I'd want to take home to mom... and knowing that there are several other speakers to come, I'm starting to wonder if I need to bring her out here.

I also noticed that I'm falling in love out here... with the staff. What was an instant appreciation has grown to a firework-esque status of enjoyment, based on their hearts to go above and beyond (even in the simple things). If quality servants come at a high dollar, then this staff must be making a fortune!

I guess what I've seen today from others is this: like-mindedness represented in so many different forms...

And what I've seen from the staff and lectures is this: A channeling (in everything we do) of those forms toward a Christ-exulting end... deliberate efforts to demonstrate Philippians 2:5.

In a appreciative state...

I sit here in the lobby of the beloved Summit hotel and initially, given that this is only the second night, I feared that I would not have much to blog about. However, having anticipated this moment all evening I have realized that after a mere 48 hours, lives have been changed. To my right is a group of rambunctious teenagers/young adults playing a game that makes no sense... yet it is bringing an incredible amount of joy to them, as well as to their onlookers. It is in moments like these that people who were strangers from not just around the country, but around the world, become knit together as family. Also, outside on the quaint front porch, there is a group circled around some talented individuals playing guitar, while everyone else soaks in the moment and reflects on the day. Other people in the lobby are plugging away on their computers, signing up for white water rafting, or playing in the game room. I think my roommates (since I am in the old lady room :-) are debriefing and prepping for bed. Although it is only 10pm, after the Garden of the Gods, the bluegrass concert, and the all-you-can-eat Cowboy dinner, we are exhausted.

Tonight, Session 4 Summit students have found their niche and are getting comfortable with the people who they will be spending the next 2 weeks with. Today, sitting in a classroom, elbow to elbow, they were less than comfortable. One of our speakers, Chuck Edwards, morphed into a relentless university professor and challenged the class on their beliefs. Student after student anxiously raised their hand, anticipating their brilliant idea that would bring the "atheistic" professor to his knees and cause him to wave the white flag of surrender. It didn't happen. Instead, these young adults, full of faith, were belittled, frustrated, angry, and slowly discouraged. Given the heightened tension level in the room, it felt far from a mock situation. I have had my share of angry challengers to my faith and am not as easily derailed as I once was. However, even today, I felt my pulse quicken and noticed my heart raging in my chest. I shifted in my seat.

I have to admit that I loved it. As frustrating as it was for the students who were so eager to be with one with the save-the-professor response who got stiff-armed, it was pivotal. How much better is it to be rendered speechless in a place like Summit, than next year in their entry level philosophy or bio class? I am confident that every person in the room felt the "realness" of the moment, and despite any other reason for coming to Summit, became convinced that they never wanted that to happen to them. Whether it is fear of the confrontation itself, or wanting to have those difficult questions answered, or simply out of obedience to the call of God to "always be ready to explain [your Christian hope]" (1 Peter 3:15), we are ready for the answers. We are ready to be equipped for every good work.

So, people at home, we need your prayers. We need diligence, patience, rest, clear minds, no distractions, self-discipline, soft hearts, absorbent minds... and anything else the Lord wants to give us so that we when leave we will remain eager to love and serve Him with all of our heart, with all of our soul, and with all of our mind.

"May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." (2Thes 3:18)

Peace.

I have been asked to do the impossible... share about my experience here at Summit in a few paragraphs. That's like asking the sun to rise in the west, or expecting Wile E. Coyote to actually catch Road Runner. However, I will give it a valiant effort and hope for the best!

You could almost hear the collective sigh as Friday dawned. Exhausted as we all might have been, no one wanted Summit to end. Luggage was dragged out to be packed, massive picture taking began, and tour buses headed to the Air Force Academy and Focus on the Family. I stayed back to take advantage of the quiet and try and figure out what in the world to say at graduation. The night before, Judson had asked me to speak at graduation, and amidst my shock I blurted out, "Sure, I'd love to!" Now I sat in the floor of my room, honored to have the opportunity to share, but clueless as to how to do justice to my time at Summit.

Every factor of Summit was vital to the experience for me. The lectures, sports time, worship, forums, free time, devotions, access to faculty, amazing food, fantastic staff, small groups, incredible fellowship. If one thing had been missing, it just would not have been the same. It fosters an atmosphere of learning and achieving the most out of every moment. I was challenged by two thoughts through all of this, and it's what I shared with my fellow students at graduation.

First, I am called to excellence. I was surrounded day after day by faculty members who are top players in their fields of study and work. It was humbling to learn from them, and see how they sacrifice their valuable time to invest in my generation because they recognize the importance of our impact on the world. Each speaker required us to think and to question in different ways, but they all directed us to Christ. They are the best at what they do not for personal gain, but to honor the God they serve. We serve an excellent God, and He deserves nothing less than the best that we have to give.

Second, I am called to be a Christian. No, that was not a shocking new realization for me, just in case you were wondering, but everything about my time here reminded me of that simple, but important fact. Day after day new concepts and challenges flooded my mind, and there were moments that I was completely overwhelmed with my inadequacy and lack of understanding and wondered, "Where do I start?!" But God stepped in and reminded me that no matter what vocation I am called to, no matter what area of study I'm supposed to pursue, above all I am to be a Christian. That is my life purpose. I am to simply use my education and vocation to live that out in the most dynamic way possible. He placed me here to have an impact on those around me as a child of God. I am to step out of the shadows of Christianity and be bold about my faith, no matter what, no matter where.

These truths are valuable to me and I'm grateful to Summit for bringing them to the forefront of my mind. I was honored and humbled to share these thoughts on Friday night with my fellow classmates, 180 incredible individuals who came together with the desire to be more than average. After the ceremony, we all had "more fun than a human oughta have", eating ice cream, playing games, singing, saying goodbyes. The evening came to an end for most, but I was in the group of the privileged few who won the bid at staff auction to stay up with Night Watch, so pulling an all-nighter was on the agenda. And you know, I would love to tell you all about it, but then I would have to kill you, so....all I will say is that weight rooms and quesadillas will never be the same for me.

To close this out, I feel privileged to have spent two weeks learning from the best and sharing life with amazing people. God bless Summit!

How can I thank the Lord for all He has done for me? There are no words, He is so good! I believe that He has worked these past two weeks for His glory, honor, and praise.

I have to admit, it was really hard for me to adjust to The Summit at first, as this was the first time I had been away from my parents for two weeks. The temptation to withdraw and isolate myself was very strong, but God provided a way out through my wonderful small group. These godly young women are amazing! The strength and support of this group greatly encouraged me to grow and make the most of all the things I was learning. In addition to this, God revealed Himself in a very real way as my ultimate source of joy. He is so amazingly good!

Of course, God also revealed Himself through the speakers. Even those I disagreed with sharpened me, causing me to study more about what I believe. In my opinion, the highlights were Dr. Frank Beckwith's logical defense of the existence of God, and Debbie Brezina's moving defense of Biblical femininity and masculinity. It is so encouraging to see people who are passionate about what they believe and are willing to make such a sacrifice to share it with the next generation.

All in all, God was definitely teaching us more about Himself, whether through a speaker, a kind word from a friend, or His own overwhelming presence. I thank Him and praise Him for all He has done! He is so good!

My two weeks here at Summit have been an eye opening experience! The things that I have learned have equipped me to be more effective for the Gospel as I move into my college years. Not only do I know more about the world around me, I walk away with a confidence in my faith that is new and vibrant. I came to Summit with a desire to learn, but I had no concept as to what I would be learning. As I listened to the lectures I learned more about the negative ideas that are becoming pervasive throughout our society, and how to combat them with logic and a strong Biblical Worldview.

I think one of the most important tools that I will be taking home with me is the large reading list that I have compiled while here at Summit. I think I have already bought 15 books and I plan on getting a few more back at home. Now, I think that it is important to say here, that one does not need to purchase such a large amount of books in order to understand the Christian Worldview. The reason why I bought so many is because I never realized how great our resources really are. I think often times Christians get discouraged because they do not think that there are good arguments in support of our Worldview. I myself used to doubt that there were a good amount of resources for studying the Christian worldview, aside from the Bible. I now know that there is an abundance of information and arguments, you simply need to know where to look. I look forward to taking the resources I have been given here at Summit and sharing them with my friends back at home.

During the last two weeks I have learned how to apply the Christian Worldview to subjects like Bio-Ethics, Economics, and even place myself in a position of leadership and influence in society. We have about 6 hours of class every day, so we absorb a lot of information, but the staff helps us find a balance between fun and study. I have really enjoyed getting to know all the staff here. I can tell that they all genuinely care for the students and desire for us to get the most out of our experience. The ladies at the front desk are really helpful, all our small group leaders have helped us grow closer to one another, night watch has kept us to a good sleep schedule, and the kitchen staff has been keeping us well fed with amazing meals! I wish I could tell you all the names of the staff who have influenced my time here at Summit, but I'm glad to say that there are so many of them, it would take me an entire blog to do so!

To all the parents out there, I would like to encourage you by saying that you will be very glad that you sent your children here to Summit. As I watch my fellow students grow, I cannot wait to hear about the great things they do in their futures.

To summarize my experience here at Summit I would say that I have grown tremendously in my walk with God, met brothers and sisters who sharpen my faith, and found a deep understanding of what it means to live my life according to Scripture and the Christian Worldview. I am so grateful that I have had this opportunity, and I will remain diligent when I return home in order to honor God and bring more people into the great joy of knowing Jesus as Savior.

Thanks to all of you who make this event possible!!!
God's Peace,

My experience with Summit Ministries thus far has surpassed any expectations I could have previously had. The Summit is one of those places where you can be honest about who you are and where you are in your spiritual development. For example, one of the first things we were told when we got here was that no question is out of the question, everything is free game. This may not seem like a big deal but there are often very few places in life one can turn to without fear of the consequences of being completely honest. There are also few places in life where one can come, and be so unified. It blows my mind! During the first worship service I was almost moved me to tears, because I realized that young men and women from all over the country who do not even know each other could instantly become one in spirit by worshiping our Lord and Savior. I truly feel blessed to have experienced something so real and encouraging, and wish everyone could take part in an experience like it.

On a more activity based review, Summit is not lacking in the least. There is always something to do! Dr. Noebel likes to say, "This is the only place in the world where kids cry to go to sleep." When we are not in the classroom, where we spend 7 to 8 hours every day, you will find us window shopping at the local shops, hiking up "Red Mountain" or "The Incline", playing foosball, exercising, reading the millions of books that are always being added to our suggested reading list (Warning: Parents Be prepared to spend a small fortune on books for your Summit graduates, because "Leaders are Readers"), having quiet time with God, napping, or just fellowshipping with each other. This is not to mention rafting, surviving Pikes Peak, paintball, horse-back riding, passing a Bible exam, community service, or the countless activities that go on during sports time.

I suppose some people might have been amazed that so many people would spend two weeks of their precious summer locked away in a class room for 8 hours a day at some academic camp in Colorado, but every speaker is passionate, relevant, wise, and interesting (also very funny). Every staff member is compassionate, available (there when you need them), and enthusiastic (also very funny). Knowing what I do now, I cannot think of a better place to spend two weeks of my summer! It has been an unforgettable experience that has strengthened my Christian walk, and taught me how to defend myself as well as others against opposing world views.

Thank you so much Summit Staff, Speakers, Donors, and everyone else that makes this camp such a real, and life long experience.

Thank you parents, family, mentors, and friends of fellow Summiteers, for influencing the people who are now here influencing the Summit staff, residents of Manitou Springs, and the other 179 world changers that have attended Session 3 for the kingdom of God.

Hi Friends,
Another beautiful day at Summit is winding down, and the students are hopefully falling deep into a restful sleep. Today started out similar to most days here--the students went to some awesome sessions. Dr. Noebel kicked off the morning talking about the Bible (always a good thing to talk about). He was followed by Dr. J.P. Moreland who spoke about Naturalism and Post Modernism. Then, David Wheaton talked about the destruction of the universities. As a staff member, I get to see a unique view of the student's thoughts on the speakers. It is exciting to see their desire to learn and the understanding they gain of the topics discussed.

One unique aspect of today was the "Manference" and the "Feminar." The speakers (all of whom are staff) humbly spoke to the ladies and the men separately about topics that are often not discussed in Christian circles. It is beautiful to see both students and staff from different areas and walks of life, being able to connect about common issues.

Now, it's time for me to fall into that deep restful sleep. Goodnight.

This morning at Summit started a little differently than the previous mornings. Something along the lines of: "Good Morning, it is 5:15 a.m. if you are planning on climbing Pikes Peak meet in the lobby at 5:40, if you are going White-water rafting meet at the picnic tables at 5:45. If you are not planning on doing either you can disregard this message and go back to bed." Most of the students, including myself, pulled ourselves out of bed so we could start our day of adventure activities. . .

I was a part of the group that made the 14 mile climb to the top of Pikes Peak. We left the Summit Hotel a couple of minutes late and walked through town until we reached the bottom of the trail. The leaders told us that in order to complete the climb we had to make it to Barr Camp, approx. 8 miles up the trail, by 9:05. Those who didn't make the "cut" were instructed to turn back. My group was at the camp by 8 or so and we were very appreciative of the short rest. After about 15 minutes, and some water and trail mix, a group of six of us headed off for the final miles of the trip. Our group of six was lovingly termed the "human robots" because we were climbing machines. . . The scenery on the trail was beautiful, and once we made it above tree-line it became amazing. I could not stop thinking about how beautiful it was, or how some people can believe that an earth this beautiful and amazing could be the product of a "Big Bang" billions of years ago. We truly have an awesome God and Creator! We reached the summit at 11:20 (which I have been told is one of the Summit records) and after a couple pictures decided to go into the Pikes Peak store to hang out. The first van was coming to get us at 1 so we had plenty of time. A few of us dropped small fortunes at the store buying either food or souvenirs, but that's another story.

After awhile we started to see other Summit students meandering their way to the top and after more pictures and shopping the vans showed up. The ride back down took about an hour and the showers at the hotel were starting to sound pretty good. It was a great experience and a very fun hike; I would like to do it again someday, just not anytime in the immediate future. . .

The rafters started to get back to the hotel around 3 o'clock and from all of the students and staff I talked to it sounded like they had a great time. After dinner and some more free time we had praise and worship led by Kirk, followed by Dr. Noebel's lecture/talk on Secular Humanism and its influence on the entire country, college students especially. This was followed by a British documentary about the "Global Warming Swindle." It was a very interesting documentary, but I have to admit it was a chore to stay awake through the slower parts. . . I am thinking this will be the best night's sleep I have had yet at Summit and cannot wait to wake up tomorrow to start a new week of classes at Summit.

As an upcoming college freshman with 12 years of Christian education under my belt, I figured I needed some help in the area of defending my faith at a public college that will present issues I've never dealt with before. That, combined with a family tradition of attending Summit the summer before freshman year got me here right now. And I have absolutely loved every moment I've been here. I've met wonderful people and made so many new friends. My roommates and suite mates are insanely fun and we stay up in the wee hours of the morning talking and getting in trouble with Night Watch. I've got my GUNO friends (if you've never heard of it, it's only the best card game EVER!), my volleyball pals, and many other friends. Not only are there great new friends, the staff is incredible. You've got guys like Trevor Depp, a single, dashing, and charming staffer who willingly does dishes every day (ladies, take note). I've met Rowan, the crazy cameraman who is at this moment forcing me to write this blog, and his bump-set-spiking brother, Kennan. And of course, there's Andy who persistently calls me Lauren every time he sees me. So as you can see, the people here are wonderful.

The classes each day, although sometimes exhausting, are so informative and eye-opening, and I've learned so much from all the speakers. Today Doc Noebel gave us multiple reasons for why we should believe in the Bible; we heard all about New Age and Islam from Kevin Bywater, and we just got out of class with Mike Haley who taught us everything he knows about homosexuality in our world today.

Earlier this day we had extreme sports time and a delicious cookout (thank you, cooks), and to be honest, I could have kept on going for several more hours. I played wicked games of volleyball where my teams dominated the court, and...lost miserably too. We even got a short game of soccer going before we had to leave, but everyone was full from hotdogs and hamburgers, so...it wasn't exactly the best situation.

And now, here I am writing and about to go play some killer foosball with Jacob and preparing for a bright and early morning of white water rafting (5:45 is waaaay too early for any human being to be awake). So I bid you good night, and Remember the Alamo!