Barry Peppers was able to bring his oldest son, Stephen, to Christ in the Smokies’ Passage to Manhood camp at a truly special time—just after Stephen graduated from high school. One of Barry’s lifelong friends, Jason Carr, gifted the camp to the two men through a Taylor Strickland Legacy Foundation scholarship.

As they prepared to attend Passage to Manhood camp, Barry was looking forward to blessing his son and officially welcoming him into manhood. Stephen was less sure about the camp. “Stephen and I have always had a good relationship, but he was hesitant to attend,” Barry reflects.

However, Stephen was to be pleasantly surprised by his experience at camp with his father. Barry shares, “We were really excited to share that time together and he was truly glad that I had asked him to attend.”

Barry and Stephen have had less time to spend together after camp, as Stephen has transitioned into the workforce, but the two still have meaningful conversations and moments together. “Watching my son engage in meaningful conversation during the sessions was a proud parent moment,” Barry remembers. “It was encouraging to know that I have an arrow (Psalm 127) that I can let fly to make a difference in the world.”

“It was a joy to be a part of Christ in the Smokies, and I plan to attend with both of my other sons in the future,” Barry shares.