“WHO ARE WE?!” “FORERUNNER!”

Every Friday in our after-school program we sing our Forerunner rap. It goes something like this:

“Who are WE? Forerunner! What do we BELIEVE? Relationships change lives! And how do we LIVE? With responsibility, humility, integrity, leadership and respect!”

It is easily the highlight of my week. But, beyond the joy of watching a group of 1st and 2nd graders dance and sing at the top of their lungs is the undeniable feeling of being a part of something that is bigger than us.

Forerunner is so many things throughout the year. It’s relationships. It’s raps at after school programs. It’s meals at moms nights. It’s friday night football games with your mentor cheering you on in the stands. But during June and July, it can look a little different. For a few months, Forerunner looks like FUN SUMMER CAMPS.

During the summer, we send kids to camp. We partner with local overnight and day camps to provide our students with opportunities to make life-long friends, create unforgettable memories, and take part in a culture saturated with the love of Jesus.

And yet, there is a lie told by fear that our students might not fit in, that they won't enjoy camp, or that they would feel alone being so far from the familiarity of our building and faces.

This past week I showed up to camp and was met with immediate joy. One student in particular was ecstatic.

“Coach Quinn! What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you!”

“What?! Everyone look who it is! That’s my coach at Forerunner!” Samuel was not just glad to see me, but proud to be a Forerunner.

The next verse in our Forerunner rap starts: Who am I? Man of God!

All the students at camp knew about Forerunner. For weeks they have heard stories about who we are, what we do, and what we believe. They watched our boys from different classes and different age groups share the common bond of the Forerunner Brotherhood.

To Samuel and the others, Forerunner is more than a building. Forerunner is more than a group of coaches or staff. Forerunner is who they are and who they are becoming – men of God.