First Waughtown finishes third Bible Boot Camp
God’s Army continues to grow and advance at First Waughtown Baptist Church. Twenty young people, ages 5 to 16, rose early, studied hard, and proved themselves worthy of graduation in the third annual Bible Boot Camp conducted July 9-13.
The BBC Class of 2018 graduated Friday, July 13, as family members, teachers, and other supporters watched them receive certificates of achievement, camouflage Bibles and gift cards for participation in Bible Challenge events. Throughout camp, recruits also earned prizes from a treasure chest for random acts of kindness.
Recruits were assigned to one of three groups: Prophets, Priests, or Kings. Each day included breakfast and lunch in the FWBC “Mess Hall” along with a rigorous schedule of activities that included lessons on the meaning and organization of the Bible, role plays of biblical events and physical activities with questions and agility tasks to earn points.
Most of the recruits also participated in a new boot camp activity – a service project for H.O.P.E. (Help Our People Eat), a local program that provides fresh produce for families and healthy bag lunches for children who may go hungry on Sundays when resources may be limited. The produce and lunches they prepared were distributed on Sunday, July 15.
In a post-camp excursion, recruits visited the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in Charlotte and The Pit Indoor Kart Racing, an activity center in Mooresville, on July 17-18.
The Bible Challenge, always a camp highlight, featured the three teams competing in a Jeopardy-style game with questions based on the week’s curriculum.
Winners and runners-up were as follows:
*First Place winners – Prophets (receiving $10 gift cards) are: Celiah Cager, Deja Hood, Larry Page, III, Kashyah Ross-Divine, Dakari Thompson, Corian Wardlow and Jaquez Williams.
*Second Place winners – Priests (receiving $8.50 gift cards) are: Chandler Beatty, Syncere Blackwell, Shamara Boston, Knaji Gilbeaux, Jocelyn Hayes and Aeja Hood.
*Third Place winners – Kings (receiving $7 gift cards) are: Ja’Niya Fryer, Kamice Gilbeaux, Nevaeh Harris, I’Zaah Jones, Tallon Page, Terrell Robinson Jr. and Ja’Mari Ross-Divine.
Operating under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief “The Father, Son & Holy Spirit,” Camp Sergeant Major Dennis W. Bishop – senior pastor of FWBC, and Drill Sergeant Tamara Moore – program director, led a core of camp staff and trip chaperones: Deboy Beamon, Marlene Beamon, Beverly Bishop, Senora Boulware, Helen Bracey, Brian Cager, JoCelia Cager, Jay Carlton, Molly Cunningham, Nodia Frazier, Gary Garlington, Myrtle Hairston, Rodney Hairston, Ed Hightower, Brenda Hills, Linda Johnson, Alice Miller, Ashe Mock, Marilyn Roseboro, Kenya Smith, Parogio Stowe, Jeri Wagner and Shameka Wardlow.
