P.P.

I attended Jumpstart at the beginning of this year (2021). It was such an inspiring camp! Because of the teaching and encouragement, I have started reading the Bible pretty much every day, which I have been struggling with as long as I can remember. Because of you and Mr Brown my understanding of many spiritual concepts has grown a lot.

I just thought I should send a big belated THANKS for providing teaching that is really applicable and has actually made a difference in my walk with God through his help. 

Thanks! 

We highly recommend Jumpstart for all young adults.  It offers absolutely exceptional bible teaching and discipleship and a whole lot of fun as well.  It seeks to solidly ground young people in the Word of God and view the big issues of life from a godly perspective – to honour the Lord with their whole life.  The teaching is “meat” but it is also interspersed with a truckload of fun.  Our children say that they never laugh so hard and so much anywhere else!  It has been such a blessing to our family and is always one of the highlights of the year for our teenagers.  We reckon no Christian family should miss out on this wonderful opportunity.

Dear Dale, Patti, and all involved in Jumpstart,
I just want to say how deeply I appreciate Jumpstart being available for Christian young people. 

My daughter first attended in 2019.  Shortly afterwards we were driving together and I mentioned that I was struggling to understand "the old man".  Immediately, she explained what she had learned at camp and let me borrow her notes on Colossians.  They were a great help to me.  

She returned with full notes from Jumpstart 2020 and I was able to take a week's retreat to read through and copy them for myself.  It was a rewarding investment of my time.  I am grateful for the clear teaching both in Eschatology and Life Issues.  I well remember struggling to apply the spiritual to the practical when I was young.  Jumpstart would have been a great help!

I am thankful to the Lord for including me in the ripples of blessing that extend from what you have allowed Him to do through you.

Yours because His,

Thank you for jumpstart. It's a blessing to my family, and I pray it continues a long time into the future.

Thank you so much for organising this camp! My sister and I had an amazing time! There was a perfect balance of fellowship and learning. The only thing that could be improved about it would be if it was longer!

I can't really write in words how Jumpstart impacted me. It was really a combination of everything. The amazing teachings, the people there, The Crossing itself and the absolute fun with games and activities we had. It made me see that there ARE other people out there who have a desire to learn more about our Creator but also to have a lot fun doing it! Everyone was kind, enthusiastic, funny and open. It was wonderful to see that all had a real desire to learn. The games were a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed themselves and had an absolute blast. The Staff gave their absolute all! The only thing I didn't like about it was that it was only 5 days!

I’d like to thank you for all that you’ve done in running Jumpstart. God used the Jumpstarts that I went on to really change my life. Before then, I was at a point when I was beginning in some ways to backslide. Finally when I came to the end of myself I cried out to God to conform me to the image of Christ. Around a month later I went to Jumpstart. I was really challenged then to seriously study the Bible and I began a regular quiet time each day of studying the Bible that I haven’t abandoned since. The subsequent two Jumpstarts continued to help to build my faith. Now I’m studying at Bible College and loving it! I look back over the Jumpstarts that I went to and thank God for using them in my life to bring me closer to Him. All glory be to God!

My daughter had an absolutely fabulous time. She made some wonderful friends whom she hopes to keep in contact with. She really enjoyed the way in which the camp was run - it wasn’t too stressful like others she had been on, and she was really encouraged in her faith. She also says it was worth taking the week off school for, as she was reluctant to do so initially. It’s a shame you couldn’t run two a year or something similar.

The Crossing is a great place to learn and have fun. The talent show and night games were very fun. I enjoyed the deep understanding of God that the teachers and small group leaders had which was ever present. I am definitely keen to go again.

Jumpstart was an awesome way to study God's word with some very knowledgeable adults that shed a light on it that one's parents don't.

Thanks so much for what you guys do - it was honestly such a wonderful experience for Max and seeing him come back a different kid was great. What he showed me he learnt warmed my heart so much - tackling the big topics and sharing truth. It was such an absolute blessing. 

So many friends asked if you ran a weekend one for school kids - desperate to see their children taught solid biblical concepts that aren’t watered down!!! 

Will definitely be praying for you guys in all aspects but for widening the area of influence. 

Thanks for all you and the team do - it’s appreciated more than you guys can realise.

I got say that jumpstart was a fundamental part of my Christian walk as a teen and I'm so glad it's still being run.

My daughter attended Jumpstart 2011 alongside other homeschooled teenagers and I cannot express how wonderful it was for her. She had the best and most valued time she has ever experienced away from home. Take all these testimonials above, multiply it and believe it. Their feedback has had to be edited for the sheer size of their positive testimonies to the value and impact of Jumpstart and its teachers. I highly recommend you give your Christian teenagers the gift of attending jumpstart. Jessica is definitely going again in 2012!

We are so very grateful to Dale and team, for establishing the Jumpstart camps for home-schooling teens. I had earnestly asked the LORD specifically for solid Bible based camps for our teens, to support the Biblical foundation and development of a deep, personal relationship with Christ, that we were striving to emulate in our home. Jumpstart camps have done this, with plenty of fun and friendship as part of the package. We thank God for His faithfulness, and the on-going opportunities for some of our children to be leaders themselves and give back to the next group of young people following them.
Thank you.

All the parents I know who sent their children previously have been so impressed with the venue, teaching, atmosphere and value for money and have booked them in for next year. They seem to have the right balance of clean loopy fun and deep thought-provoking, faith-stretching teaching and discussion. I am hoping that all my children will be able to go at least twice to deepen their faith, make great friends, both with other homeschoolers and also the wonderful students and teachers at The Crossing, and to experience the fun and great teaching that is Jumpstart. My 2 older children are both keen to go again and again.

I wish something like Jumpstart had been available when I was a teenager. In just one week, campers can gain a solid foundation in both the written and living Word of God—enough to give them a truthful framework for navigating life. They also benefit from meaningful shared experiences with their “tribe,” forming positive relationships that can last a lifetime. I highly recommend Jumpstart camps for homeschoolers.

Next week my son Jake will attend his third Jumpstart in Hamilton.  He loves these camps because they don’t simply have activities and a speaker, but they get you involved in Bible study too.  It’s Fun, inspiring, and challenging!!!

After years of hearing about JumpStart through close associates, I finally had the opportunity of meeting Dale Epp and participating in JumpStart as a speaker. It was such an exceptional time of great fellowship and connecting with the heart of God PLUS "mandatory fun!". It was great to see kids excited about their relationship with God and taking a serious look at the scriptures. I also loved the natural tendency of all the leaders and campers to include everyone in! The content, context and community of the whole camp were excellent!

Sincerely, Michael Thomas
Celebrate Messiah New Zealand

I found jumpstart to be very helpful in bringing the word of God alive. And the way Dale and Kris and Doug taught us also helped me understand what they were talking about. I realised that I did not read the word as often as I should to have a proper friendship with Christ. Jumpstart is awesome and I think it is worth the time.

My daughter has been gushing up with great reports of how camp & staff & campers were.  At Jumpstart her perspective about Bible Reading has changed from a duty to a desire.