T.G

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!

Jumpstart is a program that offers five fun-filled days of intensive Bible teaching for homeschoolers. The program’s motto, “God’s Word + Mandatory Fun” perfectly captures the balance between learning and recreation that Dale has perfected.

It is impressive to see how willing and eager the kids are to listen to in-depth Bible teaching. They are not only engaging, but they also ask inquiring and insightful questions that are indicative of their hunger to learn the Word. This is a testament to the amazing job their parents are doing with their homeschooling.

As someone who was part of Jumpstart in November 2023, I can attest to the program’s effectiveness in developing an ever-increasing love for God’s Word in young people. The kids’ interaction with each other was a joy to observe. They have something in common that binds them together: not only are they all homeschooled, but they are also followers of Messiah Jesus. These commonalities must be nurtured and developed, and this is exactly what Jumpstart does.

The leadership team equally impressed me. Dale has put together a bunch of amazing young people who gave 100% all the time to make this experience the best.

Ariel Ministries New Zealand is all about disciple-making through intensive Bible teaching, and therefore we highly endorse Jumpstart.

Johan Jansen van Vuuren
Director, Ariel Ministries New Zealand

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.

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.

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 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,

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

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.

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

Jumpstart is fantastic because it is so God focused. In every aspect of the week you have at Jumpstart, God is evident

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

Both of my kids came home having grown in their faith further.

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 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.

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.