S.H.

Hi Mr. Epp,
Thank you so much for running Jumpstart again this year.  I had such a wonderful week.  I really loved all the classes and found them fascinating.  In your session ‘The Devotional Life’ I was really interested in the plan you had for reading your Bible every day as I had recently been losing my enjoyment of reading the Bible and so I tried your idea and I find it is really working for me.  Thank you so much.

I don’t have any recommendations for you, as I loved every minute of it and I am looking forward to Jumpstart 2016!!!!

Thanks for a great week and may God bless you as you continue doing His work.

Dear Scott and Dale
I just wanted to say thank you and give you feedback on the recent camp. Our son attended the camp, and what a delight. He has attended other camps, and the spirit that he came back with was totally different this time. He came back as our boy, the son we love, and I tribute this directly to your values and the spirit that was there at the camp.

We as parents have learnt a lot from him in the few hours that he has been back and awake (it’s been a full-on camp by the sounds of it).

So thank you again, we as parents truly appreciate what you invest in our children.  We are very keen for him to attend another camp in the future. 

Is there a Jumpstart 2.0 for parents, or at least can we have a glimpse at the material that was presented?,… it sounds amazing.
Shalom and Shalom 

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.

Highly recommend this camp! Definitely worthwhile sending your kids to. It's a small intentional camp that helps the kids connect with their faith.

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!

Parents - this is such a great camp! My teens had a blast last year, developing a deeper hunger for God's word and making friendships for life.

Highly recommend going if you're able.

Thank you Dale and all the JumpStart team.

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.

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.

My son and I had a wonderful car ride home together this afternoon, where he told me all about the amazing Jumpstart camp!  We are so thankful to God for your faithful service to Him in putting together this camp, and for the leaders who were such great models of young men and women who love Jesus.  He said his highlights were the new friends he made, and the talks and discussion groups, which he said were really thought provoking.

My daughter attended this camp earlier this year. It has given her a great boost to her own personal walk with Jesus and has also allowed her to connect with other teens, who are now supporting each other daily and building friendships.

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.

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.

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.

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!

It can be difficult for seriously-minded Christian home schooling students to find friends of their own age with whom they are able to easily relate, which often causes them to seek the more mature company of adults. However, the consistent feedback we have had from HSZN students attending Jumpstart camps is how much they have appreciated not just the first class worldview teaching, but also the opportunity to meet and form lasting friendships with quality young people of their own age. This is a worthwhile programme which we highly recommend.

Todd Roughton,
Director of HSNZ

It was really awesome! The study is pretty intense, but there was a good mix of sport and other activities to break it up.. Yes, I do highly recommend it! :)

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 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.

Thank you Dale you have put into making the Jumpstart weeks so successful. It’s a fantastic opportunity for HS teens to have an intensive week of bible study, discussion, reflection as well as just good fun being teenagers together. It must be a huge feat to organise all the aspects of it and a big commitment for you outside of your regular work and family. The Paterson family have certainly benefited greatly from these weeks, over the years, and with 4 teens now having all been,  and I am very appreciative.

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