The last song has been sung. The last sermon has been preached. The last invitation has been given. The Centennial Summer of Falls Creek has ended. This was a summer to celebrate 100 years of a legacy of faith. But with every summer of youth camps, the history is not about recording of numbers on a page, but the number of individuals deeply and spiritually touched by the work of God at Falls Creek.
This was an historic summer, not just because it was the 100th year of youth camps, but because more young people came to repentance and faith in Christ than in any other summer in the history of Falls Creek. The number of professions of faith was 2,580! AMAZING! AWESOME!
The significance of this number resides in the heart of each person who has come from death to life. These individuals came to Falls Creek for a variety of reasons. Some came to have fun, some came because they were invited by a friend, and others came because some saint paid the way. Most likely, these young people did not come expecting to have their world totally rocked and changed, but that is what happened.
Falls Creek has always been about declaring the simple, yet powerful, Gospel—the power of God unto salvation. Now, 2,580 young people have experienced the power of God deep within their souls. Their lives and eternities have been radically changed forever.
But this is not the end of the story. For 100 years, young people have heard the call of God to full-time Christian ministry and missions. Our God did not disappoint us in this amazing Centennial Summer. As the invitation was extended to respond to God’s call upon their lives, 1,098 young people heard that call. At Falls Creek, God speaks, and people respond. Our churches and the mission fields across America and the world are filled with leaders who heard their call from God at the Creek.
This response to God’s call is the reason thousands of people have given so generously to revitalize and expand the facilities at Falls Creek. These 2,580 souls saved and 1,098 who heard the call to missions and ministry are the reasons Oklahoma Baptists have invested nearly $60 million to provide the best facilities for worship, preaching, teaching and training at Falls Creek. You gave, and God continues to affirm the reason you gave by calling young people, year after year, to salvation and a lifetime of Christian service.
One never knows what God will do with the young people saved and called at Falls Creek. In the days ahead, one of these young people may lead one of the great churches of America like so many who look back to this remarkable place as the spot where God changed the trajectory of their lives. If the Lord tarries and we celebrate the 125th anniversary, the preacher just might have been saved or called at Falls Creek during its Centennial year.
We just cannot predict what God will do with those whose lives were impacted during this Centennial year. I can tell you that, years ago, a Skiatook boy who answered the call of God on his life during that last invitation of the week would never have imagined preaching four youth weeks at Falls Creek and having the joy of leading the work of Oklahoma Baptists for 22 years. We just don’t know what God will do through those who He touched deeply during this Centennial summer.
Join us as Oklahoma Baptists come together on September 2 and 3 to celebrate the mighty acts of God at Falls Creek. You will not want to miss this opportunity to unite with thousands of God’s people in giving thanks, praise and honor to our Lord for His bountiful and gracious work at Falls Creek for the last 100 years.
