By Lois Ann Glessner, Bible Adventure Training and Curriculum Coordinator I serve at a Bible Adventure program (a released time program that allows public school students to leave their classrooms for an hour a week for religious instruction) where I go to the school office meet my students to walk them to the nearby church…
By Jackie Boyer, Assistant Director This past weekend I had the privilege of serving as a counselor for the December Bible Adventure Weekend retreat. Bible Adventure is a released time program where public school students in grades 3-5 are released from school for an hour during the school day for religious instruction. My junior counselor…
By Jeanette Biesecker, Director of Ministry Advancement I know many Christians who provide financial support to the work of overseas missionaries. For generations, the American Church has been a great “sending” nation for the gospel of Christ in reaching people in other nations and cultures. The idea of going to a foreign land and living…
By Aaron E. Ziebarth, Executive Director My family and I were in Canada for a Christian camp leadership conference. After arriving at the Calgary, Alberta airport, we hopped in the shuttle van that would take us to the rental car facility. After jockeying back and forth regarding the rate, I began reading and signing all…
I am very thankful! By Aaron E. Ziebarth, Executive Director Recently the Joy El Staff team paused from our normal routine for a day of prayer and fasting. Even though our main offices are at a Christian camp and retreat center right in the heart of PA, it doesn’t make it easy to stop,…
By Aaron E. Ziebarth, Executive Director We just completed our Father Son weekend retreat. One dad told me, “My son told me this is the best thing we have ever done together. I have spent a lot of money on things, we even went scuba diving, but this Christian Camp is the best ever. I…
By Stephanie Ziebarth, Barnabas Program Coordinator Neil Suders and Garnet Henry have known each other since Garnet was born, but their relationship took a significant turn earlier this year. Garnet and Neil have been meeting together as a part of the Barnabas Program as a mentoring pair for over two years, and Neil asked Garnet…
By Aaron E. Ziebarth, Executive Director Every morning I spend time in God‘s word for my personal devotions. My desire for these times is that the Lord would speak truth to me, truth that will be spiritual food for the day. The prophet Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy…
By Jeanette Biesecker, Director of Ministry Advancement One of the core values of our ministry is that we are Bible-based. The lessons we create for Bible Adventure students and campers alike all come right from the Word of God, and scripture is central in our teaching and equipping. We know that God speaks from and…
By Nate Marshall, Director of the 4.12 Leadership Training Program “What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 1:13) I love these words from the apostle Paul to Timothy, a younger partner with Paul in the gospel. What a tremendous privilege…