Awakening Hearts in Every Generation
When Reverend Sam Shick learned about Show Hope’s Pause Campaign, he knew it would be a way to engage the high school students in his congregation with an existing churchwide initiative. As the congregation focused on supporting foster families, he said, “There might be a really cool opportunity for our high schoolers to learn about what adoption is like and then join in with the rest of the congregation in this mission to come alongside and serve families.”
Sam serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Oviedo, Florida. His ministry at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church began as an intern, and after he finished seminary, Sam returned to lead the K-8 school on campus, with an emphasis on leading school ministries, including high school youth and interacting with families.
“One of the reasons I was so excited about ministering at St. Luke’s is because there is such an intergenerational emphasis in ministry,” Sam said. “[The church] launched a new mission statement right before I came back, which is, ‘Awakening hearts in every generation to the power of life in Christ.’”
Going All In
When Sam shared about the opportunity to participate in Pause Campaign, the students took ownership from the very beginning. Sam noticed even many sophomores and freshmen who were previously only minimally engaged stepped up. Twenty students committed to doing the Pause together!
“They surprised me because leaders came out of places that I didn’t know they would,” Sam explained. “And I think the reason for that is because we stumbled upon something that they’re passionate about.”
Together, the students dedicated themselves to taking the seven-day pause from social media and spending time diving into the devotional and scripture. They chose to meditate on what God had for them, reflecting on how he was calling them to make a difference in the lives of children who were vulnerable.
Sam is passionate about encouraging the students to read scripture, so he’s led them in many devotional activities in the past. But with Pause Campaign, he noticed something different.
“It was so cool to see them really rallied around this one. I wish that I could replicate that [level of ownership] easily in everything that we did,” Same said. “That’s really what made Show Hope’s Pause Campaign more successful than any challenge we’ve done before to read the scriptures.”
Becoming Rooted in Scripture
Sam explained that for the high school students, interacting with scripture usually only happened within the context of a church gathering. But when Pause Campaign gave the students permission to take a break from social media, they set aside their phones and discovered creative ways to incorporate God’s Word into their other daily routines.
One group of six high schoolers even met over video games to talk about the devotional! When their parents noticed this, “[they] were energized toward the ministry itself because they saw that it’s actually getting its way into the home,” Sam shared.
Each day, Sam texted the participants in a group chat. The students also kept one another more accountable. They checked in with each other to make sure they were reading verses daily. Pause helped the students realize that instead of picking up social media and scrolling, they can open the Bible app and connect with God.
“I’ve tried to challenge them to try to get into scriptures more,” Sam said “[I tell them] that if you form these habits [of reading Scripture], you’ll engage in healthier ways with the world.”
Growing With Purpose
Sam also noticed that Pause Campaign encouraged spiritual growth but with a distinct purpose of becoming available to serve others.
“It wasn’t for your own sake. It was with the goal of learning more about how to serve others,” Sam said. “When they see faith grow, they don’t want it to stay in their own lives. They want it to go out and actually impact the world.”
Pause helped the students become more aware of where the needs are, so they can recognize practical opportunities to come alongside others. They were empowered to act and make an impact today—no need to wait. “They care about the needs of other people a lot—they just need to know where they are,” Sam explained.
The group engaged in Pause Campaign over the Christmas season in 2024, so at the end of the seven-day campaign, the students participated in a service event. It was an excellent opportunity to put what they had learned into action. Alongside their leaders, the students stuffed stockings for families who were at risk of separation. From toiletries and basic necessities, the students saw firsthand how they could impact children, parents, and families.
“We’re a lot of times focused on what I’m getting for Christmas,” Sam said. “We really enjoyed the opportunity to be able to give a little bit at Christmas. … I can’t really imagine doing [Pause Campaign] without the service event.”
According to Sam, it wasn’t long before the students began asking, “Are we going to do this again next year?” And yes, Sam is planning to lead another Pause Campaign next year. “It just opened their hearts to what Jesus was doing around them and what Jesus could be doing through them.” over the next couple of years, and then hopefully pass it on to people after me.
This story is part of our annual Summer Newsletter. To learn more about Pause Campaign, we encourage you to visit showhope.org/pause.
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