IMPACT turns 25
Lacey Klotz |
This year IMPACT celebrates 25 years of bringing thousands of teens together to foster and encourage growth in relationships with God. Throughout the years, more than 2,000 teens have surrendered their lives to Jesus and most have been baptized at the Bible camp on Lipscomb University’s campus.
Often described as “summer camp on steroids,” because of the elaborate themes, stage sets and powerful messages, the main focus of IMPACT is Jesus Christ.
“Our mission statement that was developed 25 years ago, has remained the same: IMPACT is a summer event at Lipscomb designed to provide an atmosphere for teens that enables the development of a personal faith, which will impact the world for Christ,” said Steve Davidson, director of IMPACT, associate dean of students and senior campus minister at Lipscomb.
More than 3,000 teens from all over the nation gathered on the Lipscomb University campus, June 17-25, for IMPACT 2016, where they enjoyed the high-spirited combination of fun 
games, skits, Bible studies, worship and, this year, references to the past 25 years of the beloved IMPACT camp.
This year’s theme was “HYDE,” a spin off of the movie Jekyll and Hyde, and it encouraged teens to think of others before themselves. The Biblical text for the theme was Philippians 2 that shares the significance of imitating Christ’s humility.
“This year's theme had been on our radar for a couple of years,” said Todd Loyd, board member and scriptwriter for IMPACT. “I have always been intrigued with the Jekyll and Hyde story, it has very spiritual roots about identity and selfish desire. We always have a daily drama as a part of our teaching to help reinforce our spiritual theme. This year our Biblical text Philippians 2 and the Hyde story really complemented each other.”
Jacob Rudolph from Chattanooga, Tennessee, was a first-year counselor for Otter Creek Church of Christ’s youth group and has been a camper for the past five years. He said this year’s theme really resonated with him.
“Impact has given me a lot of opportunities to be challenged,” said Rudolph. “Growing up in a church, I’ve heard a lot of things over-and-over again, but most times being at IMPACT has brought in fresh perspectives. One of the Thursday night speakers was saying the only way to show true love to someone is to submit your self, because love is not self-seeking. So, if you’re selfish in it, its not really true love.”
Beginning in 1992, Davidson, along with a group of youth ministers including Jim Moss, Lee Milam, Mike Lewis, Dudley Chancy, Marty Dodson and Alex Lloyd, welcomed teens to Lipscomb’s campus for the first ever IMPACT camp with the full trust and support of Lipscomb’s then-president Harold Hazelip. The camp was run solely by the youth ministers and sought to not promote the school, but Christ alone. This emphasis was widely recognized by teens and separated IMPACT from traditional Christian school camps.
As the years progressed, IMPACT began reaching further and challenging itself to take a more active role in making a difference in the community. 
Throughout the past 25 years, IMPACT has donated over $120,000 to various charities including Run4Water, Give Kids The World Village, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Exile International and even adopted a boy and girl in order to free them from service as child soldiers. In 2009 and 2015, the camp teamed up with RBI Baseball Nashville, a charity that helps inner city children be more active in a game that teaches lifelong lessons, to create lifelong memories for players.
IMPACT also helped to launch Best Buddies Tennessee, an organization that partners special needs children and adults with volunteer buddies, has helped Nashville flood victims, built a kitchen in Africa and donated to a local school. This year, IMPACT partnered with Mana International to provide food boxes for thousands of people in need.
“Looking back over the past 25 years, there were times of painful spiritual warfare, heartache and challenges,” said Davidson. “But overshadowing all of these hardships were the countless ways Jesus victoriously showed His power and love. In every circumstance, God would always come through to bring hearts and souls into a relationship with Him.”
Loyd, who has been a part of every IMPACT, as a counselor from 1992-95, a youth minister leading a group and teaching in 1996 and a board member as of 1997, echoed Davidson’s sentiment.
“I have watched lives changed for eternity, I have seen thousands of teens commit to Christ and I have seen amazing changes,” said Loyd. “This is much more than a camp, it is a community. The Spirit of God is present, and it’s not simply a Christian pep rally, it's a launching point for connection with God or a place teens can get away from outside influence and yet still have an amazing time.”
To honor and celebrate Davidson’s commitment and service to IMPACT and Lipscomb University, President L. Randolph Lowry, presented Davidson and his wife, Lisa, a Kopio Award on the first night of this year’s IMPACT camp.
In 2009, Lipscomb established the Kopio Awards to honor those individuals who exemplify tireless service to ministry. The Kopio Awards’ name comes from a transliteration of a Greek 
word that is used to describe a person who labors to the point of utter exhaustion with the help and for the glory of God (Colossians 1:29).
“Both Lisa and I are truly honored to have been chosen as this year’s recipients of the Kopio Award,” said Davidson. “Receiving this award is extremely humbling because I know that I would not be where I am today without the people who have stood by me and poured into my life. There is a group of people that I consider my Mount Rushmore people, and they have invested so much of who they are into me and that has inspired me to give back to others and pour into their lives as well. So, I am honored to have received this award, and would like to share this honor with them.
“IMPACT certainly would not be possible without the tireless effort of the board of directors, counselors, our full-time security and the youth ministers and chaperones who bring their teens to the event. We are very excited to see what God will do in the next 25 years of IMPACT.”