Growing Up Leaders: KICK's Lasting Impact of Discipleship

As the end of the school year approaches, anticipation builds for Kids in Christ Kamp, KICK, MACC’s official start to the summer. KICK is a five-day experience that combines high-energy worship, interactive Bible teaching, intentional small group time, exciting games, hilarious skits, and much more, all with the purpose of connecting kids to a growing relationship with Jesus. KICK also provides separate morning and evening programs designed specifically for preschool and elementary kids. This year, KICK had a combined total of 314 kids in attendance.

But it’s not just the crazy games, yummy snacks, and fun worship music that makes KICK a memorable event year after year. It’s the volunteers who go above and beyond to make sure each kid knows that they belong in God’s family. This year, 130 people volunteered, creating a joy-filled environment that was contagious.

Some of these volunteers know firsthand just how important this week can be in the life of a kid because, not too long ago, they attended as kids themselves. The impact of KICK over the years is evident in the lives of its volunteers.

“I can make a difference in someone’s faith journey, just like others did for me,” said Ava Shay, a junior at Arundel High School.

Ava shared how much she looked forward to KICK growing up. It was a place where she heard God’s Word and understood it in a real, life-changing way. Worship was a special time, singing at the top of her lungs, alongside her friends. She recalled how God’s love felt so near in those moments.

Now as a volunteer, God is still using KICK in Ava’s life. He is growing her as a leader, teaching her patience and how to serve others.

“I hope to show the kids that God is for them, no matter how young they are,” said Ava. She loves seeing the excitement on the kids’ faces when they learn something new about God. She saw God working as the kids opened up during small group time and encouraged one another.

Allison Stegmeier, a senior at South River High School, volunteers with the hope that kids will experience God the way she did as a kid at KICK. She desires to be that smiling face, welcoming them and providing a place where they feel safe and known.

Sometimes kids aren’t ready to join in on the fun right away, especially a preschooler. Allison celebrated one of the kids in her group overcoming his fears on the first day and making new friends.

By being the kids friend first, Allison is an open door to Jesus. This comes from her own experiences. The friends Allison has made through KICK, both as a kid and now as a volunteer, have impacted her walk with Jesus and showed her God’s love in tangible ways.

Sharing God’s love with these kids looks like making KICK a fun and special experience. Allison does this specifically on color day (the day you wear your team’s color), which was her favorite day of the week as a kid.

“I always went all out for color day — glitter, face paint, tutus, making shirts, everything,” said Allison. “Now, as a volunteer, I continue to go all out because you are never too old for a little fun.”

Ashley Londot, a sophomore in college and Children’s Ministry intern at MACC, serves from a place of gratitude as she thinks back on how her leaders poured into her. She hopes to give back and make a difference in these kids’ lives in the same way.

“One week of KICK can really open someone’s eyes to Jesus and his love,” said Ashley.

On Thursday, during KICK, there is a dedicated time of sharing the gospel and allowing kids to respond. This year, 59 kids made the decision to follow Jesus. Ashley said that after this, she was intentional about providing a space for her group to ask questions. They were curious to know the truth about Jesus and felt comfortable to tackle big questions together.

“I hope my campers are able to walk out of KICK with a seed planted that God will continue to grow throughout their lives,” said Ashley.

Emma Shay, a college student at UMBC, desires to be a part of KICK’s legacy of making disciples. She wants to be like the leaders she had, sharing Jesus and the gospel with these kids with the hope that they will do the same someday.

After attending as a kid, Emma began serving by dancing on the KICK worship team. As someone who had been dancing at a studio since she was three years old, being a part of the worship team allowed her to connect her love for worship with her love for dance.

“Dancing on the worship team was a way to use the gifts the Lord has given me to share Jesus with the community,” said Emma. Knowing that she was able to encourage others through dance to worship God was an incredible experience.

This was Emma’s first year volunteering with a group of kids, and she was encouraged by how excited the kids were to learn about what an awesome God we serve.

Chloe Friel, MACC’s Children’s Ministry director, shared that these young people know just how impactful it is to have a leader show up for them and love them because Jesus loves them.

“We encourage leaders to be the influence in a child’s life that they either had or wish they had as a child, and these teens did exactly that,” said Chloe.

Chloe has known some of these volunteers since they were in elementary school. She was even a fourth and fifth grade small group leader for some. Chloe has watched them grow up and mature in their relationships with Jesus. Now she gets a front-row seat to see how God is using them. She said that God has placed them in leadership roles to share the good news of Jesus with the next generation.

Chloe reflected on the impact of all the volunteers who served. “We have the absolute best leaders who do an amazing job at creating a safe place as kids discover their own relationship with Jesus.”

She noted that a highlight of the week for her was the intentionality of the small group leaders and helpers, making every moment with their kids count. “From day one, you would have thought all of these kids and their leaders had been lifelong friends,” said Chloe. Even with many kids new to KICK and the church, the volunteers welcomed these kids as if they had been expecting them, said Chloe.

Her favorite part of the week was walking by small groups during their discussion times. Nothing is better than seeing these young kids ask their leaders questions full of pure wonder about the Bible and who God is, said Chloe.

This year at KICK, kids discovered they can love like Jesus and just how to live it out in their daily lives. They found out through the Bible stories shared in large group and unpacked further in small groups that this looks like loving one another, being kind to one another, forgiving one another, praying for one another, and serving one another. The kids got to live out God’s love by raising $3,300 for Casa Benjamin, an orphanage being built in Mexico for children with cancer and special needs.

If you are interested in making a difference in the next generation, you can join the MACC Kids Team and serve on Sunday mornings. Whether it’s leading a small group, connecting with new families, or serving behind the scenes, there’s a place for you to use your gifts to help lead kids into an authentic relationship with Jesus. To learn more, email children@themacc.org.

Written by Lydia MacBride