Discipleship in Action: Scotts Hill's enduring impact

The bikes are a familiar sight that signals one powerful truth: it must be "Scotts Hill Week" at Kennedy Home.

For more than a decade, Scotts Hill Baptist Church (SHBC) in Wilmington has faithfully discipled its congregation—adults, families, college students, youth, and children—by calling them into deep, Christ-centered service alongside Baptist Children's Homes (BCH). As SHBC Student Pastor Tucker Kelly puts it: "We don't want to just do a good thing. We want to do the best thing." And the best thing always includes boldly sharing the Gospel—through words filled with truth and acts overflowing with the love of Jesus.

A Partnership that Runs Deep

Over the years, the relationship between Scotts Hill and BCH has flourished—growing from mission trips into a full-bodied partnership rooted in community, compassion, and consistent presence. Their involvement includes quarterly Family Serve Days, annual Family Serve Week, foster family appreciation, support for foster and adoptive families, interest meetings, and the beloved MTN Camp—a student-led summer camp for BCH children in the mountains of North Carolina.

But perhaps the most remarkable impact has come through their commitment to building genuine relationships with BCH staff, cottage parents, single moms in family care, and the children themselves. Through spiritual encouragement, practical help, and friendship, SHBC has become an extended family to the BCH community.

Family Serve Week: Living the Gospel

During Family Serve Week at Kennedy Home, SHBC embodies the heart of servant leadership. Every BCH staff member is paired with an SHBC member for the entire week—not just for tasks, but for intentional prayer, encouragement, and relationship-building. The SHBC Moms Care Team brings tangible help to single mothers in the family care ministry—deep cleaning cottages, installing car seats, assembling furniture, preparing meals, and hosting a pamper night. Other volunteers paint cabinets, clear trees, and tend to the grounds. Meanwhile, SHBC teens and adults lead daily Bible studies, crafts, worship, skits, and games, filling the campus with joy, laughter, and the presence of God. The hum of bicycle tires echoes the constant motion of ministry and mission.

MTN Camp: A Student-Led Mission

At the heart of SHBC's ministry is MTN Camp—a completely student-led summer experience designed for children in care. This year, 38 high school students and 7 adults led 54 BCH children through three unforgettable days of camp.

These students aren't just volunteers, they're disciples. To serve at MTN Camp, they must first complete church membership requirements (including a profession of faith in Jesus and baptism), submit an application, and commit to a full year of discipleship, planning, and leadership training. They lead every part of the camp—from worship and small groups to recreation and hospitality.

BCH Executive Vice President of Development and Communications Brenda Gray reflected on her visit to camp: "The maturity, the spiritual depth, and their ability to articulate their faith was inspiring."

Larry Still, SHBC student director, says: "One of our church's core values is to love others through service and live on mission. MTN Camp lives out Mark 10:45: 'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.'"

Eternal Impact

For one young BCH girl at camp, the highlight was simply meeting another teen in care from a different BCH campus—a reminder that shared experiences can foster lifelong bonds. For Richard Lyle, a BCH cottage parent attending camp for the first time ever, the week was transformational:

"I'm really impressed with the SHBC staff and their leadership. As cottage parents, it's our job to teach and mentor, but when our kids see SHBC serving, they realize—it's not a job, it's a joy. And they notice that."

From the joyful chaos of bike rides to the quiet power of prayer, Scotts Hill Baptist Church's sacrificial service is changing lives for eternity. And that is discipleship in action.

Visit bchfamily.org/volunteer or contact me at kbutts@bchfamily.org to learn more about how you can serve.

Written By Kristyn Butts, BCH Director of Volunteer Engagement