Super Summer students return home ready ‘to proclaim the excellencies of God’

By Lindsey Carraway
Writing Specialist

CLINTON, Miss. – “Chosen. Called. Commissioned.” stood out on the t-shirts of every Super Summer student and leader as they gathered on the campus of Mississippi Christian University (MCU) July 7 – 11. 

Super Summer, more than a summer camp, commits to the discipleship and development of eighth–12th grade students who demonstrate spiritual maturity and leadership potential. Student pastors and next-gen ministers arrive from all over the state to lead small groups and “Color Schools” – student teams divided into the number of years they have attended Super Summer. 

As student Kylie Bates described, “everything at Super Summer is focused on God, even the fun.” Amid break times, friends — old and new — were seen across campus playing card games or sports in the summer heat. Rooms were abuzz with cheerful conversation. Everyone, leaders and students, remarked on the obvious excitement permeating every part of the week. 

This week would not be possible without the planning team, consisting of student pastors, Baptist Student Union (BSU) leadership, and Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) staff, who work together to coordinate all the components of Super Summer many months in advance. 

“Over the past two years, Super Summer has experienced a transition in leadership following many years of dedicated service by those who faithfully led the ministry,” said Dwayne Parker, director of the MBCB Discipleship/Sunday School Department. “Super Summer 2026 marks the second year of Zach DePriest, Student Ministries consultant, serving as director of Super Summer, and first year of Trey Hess, Southwest Mississippi Community College BSU director, serving as assistant director. Super Summer is also blessed by the leadership of Mallory McCoy, team leader coordinator, and Meghan McKee, office/housing coordinator.

“After serving alongside these leaders, I can confidently say that Super Summer is in great hands for years to come. As Super Summer prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2027, under this capable leadership, we will continue to be strong and impactful.”

Hess, who has served previously on the servant staff and as team leader coordinator, admitted that the role of assistant director was much more complicated than he expected. The reward, however, outweighed the effort as he watched the whole picture become reality. 

“On the planning team, you get to see the background work and how every meticulous detail comes together,” said Hess. “It’s neat seeing how God can take all the little pieces and turn it into something like Super Summer, so these kids can understand who He is and what He’s all about in their life.”

Proclaiming

Jack Hickey, student pastor at Hillcrest Baptist Church, New Albany, served on the servant staff and as “dean of Orange School.” The Orange School encompasses first year students who completed the ninth grade. On the planning team, Hess and Hickey were asked to decide on the theme of this year’s Super Summer. The word proclaim from 1 Peter 2:9 jumped out to them. 

“That word proclaim,” said Hickey, “is the only time that word is used in the New Testament. The word is sandwich between these other concepts of, ‘You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart for God’s own possession.’ Then the following verses tell us we didn’t have mercy, now we have mercy; we weren’t a people, now we’re God’s people.

“In between this identity of who you are is the essence of what we are to do and that is ‘to proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.’ We want to help these students understand that they, as young Christian leaders, need to be grounded in who their identity is in Christ, and He has called us to proclaim Him.”

Sermons, songs, and studies pointed back to the theme of Proclaim. Jason Cook, pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Ga., and Crescent City Worship, a band of worship leaders and students from Leavell College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, were invited as the guest speaker and worship team. 

“Jason Cook did a great job making our theme come alive,” said Hess.

Kylie Bates, planning to attend MCU in the fall, and Mac Taylor, rising junior, shared their experiences amid the exciting week. Both have attended Super Summer for three years. This year, Bates appreciated the highly applicable sermons and the small group studies which highlighted biblical examples from Hebrews 11. Taylor commented on his gratitude for the in-depth Bible studies and the theme which has helped him to reflect on his faith as he looks to the future.

Bates recognized that the environment of Super Summer makes intentional worship and prayer easy. 

“When you’re in the moment here, you feel so connected to God,” said Bates. “I know what it’s like to be on that mountain, completely focused on God and surrounded by godly leaders, and then to come home and not have that. I feel challenged to make intentionally glorying God apart of my daily life.”

Taylor remarked that Super Summer challenged him to leave his comfort zone and initiate new relationships. With so many servant-hearted students in one place, Super Summer is a great place to form encouraging and potentially life-long friendships. 

“Super Summer is also a good reminder that we need to surround ourselves with the kind of people that are around here when we go back home,” said Taylor. “Everybody here is all in for Jesus.”

Moving Forward

As student ministers and young fathers, Hess and Hickey shared about the difficulty of being away from family amid a busy summer, as well as meeting other ministry obligations from afar. But to them and other Super Summer leaders, the surrender is worth the joy of seeing students grow deeper in their faith and commitment to Christ and be molded into disciple-making leaders. 

“One thing I’ve learned with my experience of Super Summer is to challenge students,” said Hickey. “We often think they can’t handle a hard challenge, but I’ve seen them rise to it. If we set the bar low, they’re going to keep going low, but if we raise the bar and hold them to it, they can meet it.”

“We have to understand what a true leader looks like, which is not pounding students over the head with the Bible, but it’s about living life alongside of them to show them Christ,” added Hess. “That’s what we’re doing here at Super Summer: teaching these students what true discipleship looks like and how to live it out. They’re learning more about Christ, but then they’re also going and proclaiming Christ to the next generation in a way that’s more tangible. We’re being there for them and walking alongside of them and teaching them who they are in Christ.”

“I want to give a huge thanks to Zach, Trey, and all of Mississippi Baptists for their leadership in this,” said Hickey. “A lot goes into Super Summer as it’s a really strategic ministry. The whole design of Super Summer provides student pastors with the opportunity for year-long discipleship. I really appreciate that, the leadership, and all the work they do to make it happen.”