ServeBG to teach students the value of helping others

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A few members of the
Serve BG program (from left) Kiah Winter, Gracen Dixon, Cody Ruegg, Micah Winter and Mitchel Comes of
Dayspring Church with a banner of the program. (Photo: Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune)

Camping out inside a church and volunteering time around Bowling Green may not sound like a great week
for most students. However, dozens of students will be doing that as part of the inaugural ServeBG
event.
Approximately 80 students from around Ohio will gather at Dayspring Church for services and as a base to
serve the community. Instead of being paid for their work, they will each pay $125 for the opportunity
to learn and to serve. The students participating will range from seventh grade through high school.
"The main goal is to teach the students to live a life of service," said Carrie Johnson, an
organizer of the event.
The events begin Monday with nightly services led by Amanda Valentine, the worship and recovery pastor at
Dayspring. She will be joined by evangelist Cornell Jordan. Cornell Jordan Ministries, based in Kent,
Ohio, has presented programs across the nation and in countries including Kenya.
Johnson said Dayspring youth group members attended a similar event last year in Michigan and wanted to
hold one here.
Those participating will sleep at the church on air mattresses or in sleeping bags. Portable showers are
being brought in on a tractor bed and all the participants will be fed three meals a day at the church.

Monday’s opening service will be held at 8 p.m., with Tuesday through Friday services at 7 p.m.
On June 21, the group will participate in what is called the "Super Summer Slam."
The entire Bowling Green area community is invited to the Super Summer Slam at Bowling Green State
University’s intramural fields from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This will be a carnival-like, free family event
with games, prizes, food, face-painting and music.
While the evening services are targeted toward the students, every service is open to the public.
Johnson said both Valentine and Jordan will try to equip the students to emulate what Jesus taught.
"Our goal is to teach the students how to serve without expecting anything in return – exactly like
Jesus did. We want the students to take away from this the ability to serve out of love and not expect
anything in return," Johnson said.
These services will encourage and equip students in their faith and prepare them for the
servant-evangelism taking place each day.
"Both Amanda and Cornell are excited about impacting the Bowling Green community through service,
discipleship and worship. They are wanting and awaiting students to come ready to dive deep,"
Johnson said.
On June 22 there will also be two "Celebration Services" at the church, at 9 and 11 a.m. These
are also open to the public and will be the conclusion to the week.
Organizers say these services will be "jam-packed with testimonies from students and leaders
alike."
On Tuesday ServeBG has arranged for the Sentinel-Tribune to be distributed to non-subscribers in Bowling
Green, including an insert about their program.
Johnson said the church hopes to make this an annual event.
More information can be found at ServeBG.org.

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