KERRVILLE?In an upstairs classroom in an aged building on the campus of Schreiner University, eight fairly seasoned guitarists strummed their strings in unison to songs such as “Your Grace is Enough’ and the Newsboys’ “He Reigns”.

Guitar instructor Michael Bridges of Sunnyvale, also the camp worship leader, had an easy task; these teens were having no trouble keeping up. In the adjacent room, a group of guitar beginners were honing their skills during an elective class at Summer Worship University/Student Leadership Training (SWU/SLT).

The week of July 10-14, 154 students from SBTC churches were preparing to return to their home churches equipped to serve in some form of Bible teaching, music ministry or technical media operation as part of a camp dedicated to training student leaders.

This year’s SWU/SLT camp marks the fourth consecutive year the SBTC has offered it, said Ken Lasater, SBTC church ministries associate and director of the SWU portion of the camp, which focuses on music and multimedia ministry.

Lasater and Brad Bunting, SBTC student evangelism associate, led the camp with Bunting coordinating SLT for future ministry leaders interested in preaching and other teaching ministries of the church.

In fact, Bunting said by week’s end that students would be leading the camp’s evening worship services in music and preaching. At some point, every participant must have demonstrated a ministry skill in front of the entire camp.

Justin Nava, 18, of Houston, one of the guitarists in Bridges’ class, said the camp was helping him in “just learning to better lead the youth worship and prepare for a lifetime of ministry. You can feel the Lord’s presence and just can tell he’s doing something great. It’s like no camp I’ve experienced so far.”

By design, the camp is not a series of games and recreational outings.

“It’s a totally different kind of youth camp.” Bunting said. “It’s really geared toward (the students), giving them practical skills that they can use in ministry. When they leave here they should be able to go back to their church and participate in some kind of ministry.”

For example, some of the students have been charged by their churches to organize and lead a fall festival outreach at their respective churches, Bunting said.

Lasater said it has been rewarding in years past to hear of students who have “started brass ensembles, drama teams, or led in worship in their churches from that day forward.”

Across campus during the camps’ second day, Bunting worked with future ministry leaders, helping them learn to share their testimony with others and teaching them to turn conversations with family, friends and strangers into springboards for sharing the gospel.

“Let me say this: You are never going to witness too much,” Bunting said. “Take advantage of every opportunity?even ones that are uncomfortable.” Never, however, use false pretenses to gain a hearing. If you do you’ll lose your credibility, Bunting told the students.

Ultimately, a failure to share the gospel with friends or family for fear is the same as putting one’s self before others?in disobedience to Christ’s second-great command to love one’s neighbor first.

Whatever the context, always be respectful and loving, Bunting noted. “We need to genuinely love people. We need to genuinely care about people.”