Take seventeen teens, two adults, eight guitars, three keyboards and a couple of drum sets. Mix well with lots of hands-on instruction, prayer, and worship for five days and what do you get? Three energetic bands with the desire and basic skills to lead and live a lifestyle of worship. That’s what happened August 7-10, 2006 during the first ever Teen Worship Boot Camp at Church of the Word in Gainesville, VA.
“These kids are our future—it’s important to invest in them,” explains Doris MacDonald. She and Sharon Dennis, COTW worship team leaders, created and lead Boot Camp each summer. “It’s amazing, the transformation we witnessed over one week—these kids just needed someone to give them permission.”
MacDonald and Dennis, of The Braeded Chord, conceived of the Boot Camp idea as a way to encourage the church's youth to be involved in the worship service. Each day the campers received instruction in guitar, keyboard, drums, vocal performance, band-building, and sound and visual tech skills. In addition, they learn a dance/drama which they perform for the parents on the last day of camp, along with performances by each band.
The camps continue to grow and evolve, and now several returning alumni have joined the staff as instructors so that both basic and advanced training is offered. This summer marks the fifth TWBC with sessions in two locations-- the first session will be held at Alum Spring Baptist Church, 11058 Dutch Hollow Road in Culpeper, VA, and the second at the original Gainesville site.
NOTE: Due to construction on Route 29 in front of Church of the Word, be sure to check here for updates on how to enter the church. Presently you can enter through the shared access road off of 29 between McDonald's and Church of the Word on the north side of the church and continue into the rear parking lot entrance.
