In a weeks-worth of nights full of persistence and community encouragement, 230 kids gathered at Immanuel Church in Lansdale to participate in a Ninja Warrior-themed vacation bible school.
The Immanuel Ninja Warrior Camp was introduced in 2019 after members of the Immanuel Church wanted to make their vacation bible school unique and interactive.
“We wanted to do something that nobody else was doing that still shares the gospel message,” children's ministry director Allison Wetzel said.
They connected with Daniel Gil, eight-time National Finalist and 2020 Champion of American Ninja Warrior, who hosted the event in 2019.
“As soon as I got the platform and the notoriety through American Ninja Warrior and Obstacle Course Racing, I thought to myself, ‘I'm going to be a role model for kids whether I want to or not, kids are going to look up to me,’” Gil said. “Now I use that passion to intentionally seek out events and go and be in front of as many people as I can, not just for my own benefit or for my own joy or because I love people, but because I see the impact that it has. Everybody needs a hero. If I can help one kid at any of these events, it's all worth it for me.”
While the event served as the church’s version of a vacation bible school, the week-long event was open to the entire community, allowing participants of all religious or non-religious backgrounds to join.
“[This is] a place where, regardless of where you come from, you still have a place here where you're going to experience the love of Christ,” Andrea Sawtelle, young adult/next generation pastor of Immanuel Church, said.
This year, the church partnered with Overcoming Obstacles Ministries, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Grandview, Texas that leads faith-based Ninja Warrior events nationwide. Overcoming Obstacles Ministries is led by Jared Greer, who is a three-time competitor on American Ninja Warrior.
“I was a youth pastor for 12 years, and then I got to compete on Ninja Warrior. I saw it as a way to encourage kids and to share my faith,” Greer said. “[When Immanuel Church] invited our organization to be a part of [their event] and they told me they're trying to reach their community, I said I definitely want to be a part of that.”
Over the last five years, Overcoming Obstacles Ministries has done over 300 events throughout the country. Their goal is to allow people to experience Ninja Warrior obstacles while encouraging and inspiring others through their faith in Jesus.
Each night begins with an opening ceremony after pre-registration. During the opening ceremony, the kids do a group dance and hear a few words from some of the organizers.
After the opening ceremony, the kids split up into two groups: one group goes to a lesson with a teacher, and another goes through the obstacle courses. During the second session, the groups switch activities.
The event had obstacles seen on American Ninja Warrior, including a warped wall, spider wall, and salmon ladder. Despite the obstacles being a major challenge for many, the kids persevered and cheered on their teammates.
“We didn't make [the obstacles] easy on purpose because we want the kids to experience success, but we also want to experience that whenever you do not succeed the first time that you get back up, you try again, and you learn so many lessons through that,” Greer said.
Over 100 volunteers signed up to help serve snacks, teach in the classroom, help families pre-register, and lead groups.
“It's an all-hands-on-deck event, meaning it's not just a children's event. It's not just a youth event,” Sawtelle said. “It's literally we want as many people from our church to show up every night to love on our community because the church isn't just the building, the church is people going into the community and, hopefully, sharing the love of Jesus and giving hope to a world that is searching for hope.”
The event also has a fundraising component that acts as a competition between the boys and the girls. The competition involves dropping coins in a cup that is in a fish tank, and the group who has the most money in their cup wins something from Yum Yum Donuts or Freddie Hill. The money goes toward Manna on Main Street. On Friday night, the last night of the event, the winner is announced and Gil gets slimed.
While this is an opportunity to inspire kids, many of the organizers also end up feeling inspired and are given hope that good things are happening.
“You watch these little kids, and they have no fear and there’s a whole bunch of people cheering them on, and it's this beautiful picture of what you hope the world looks like — people just encouraging and loving on each other,” Sawtelle said.
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American Ninja Warrior Champion Daniel Gil Hosting Ninja Warrior Camp at Immanuel Church This Week
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