Making Camp

“Abide in Christ”. Words often used in scripture to speak of Christ living and working in the believer. A definition often used to define this is indwelling. As a former camp director getting ready to teach a bible study, an obscure definition caught my attention for the word abide; making camp.

I invite you as a camp ministry person (anyone really) to join me in making camp. Come to a place where you can sit a spell and we can consider ministry together. A safe place. A place filled with warmth and reflection. A place allowing you to pause and think with your ministry heart. Pull up a chair, grab a mug, the coffee’s hot, the fire is cracklin and the fellowship is good. Let’s dwell together and focus our ministries on pulling others to the fire to “make camp” with Christ.

A Family Camp Night Hike, Disappearing Heads and Owl Calls

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A family camp night hike was a first for me. I’ve done a bunch with young people and adults but never a group with this wide of an age mix. It turned out to be a real hoot!

Hiking in the dark makes people chatty. The younger kids were all verbally transparent and very animated, speaking as if no else was around to hear their commentary. When doing an activity demonstrating our night vision capabilities, I was amused by  spontaneous responses. Circled up, the group watches the head of the person across  from them. “His head disappeared”, came the exclamation, “it’s gone black!” Our eyes see color to the center and black and white on the periphery. The amazement began and we were off to an energetic start. Another teachable moment for a marvelous creator.

Leaving the woods and entering a clearing, I stopped the group to circle up, explaining that this would be a good spot to do my Barred Owl call and perhaps even see one. Its rare, but  the ultimate experience when it happens. There’s always a good chance I’ll get one to call back.

After a half dozen or more Barred Owl Calls and no response we took some time to do some star constellations. About fifteen minutes past by and suddenly the void of the night darkness was filled with that throaty baritone return call. We heard it 3-4 times. It was  too good to be someone’s imitation. Then the magic occurred and out of the darkness the owl flew its silhouette across a dimly moon lit sky. AWEsome! A definite O WOW experience that needed no interpretation.It was another unforgettable memory to instill the creative delight of the Almighty creator.

It takes a commitment to keep camp and group size manageable for these kinds of memories to happen. It takes takes commitment and planning to preserved outdoor areas for these kinds of encounters to focus on Christ the Creator. A commitment to outdoor nature programming is needs to be desired too.

For my tastes, camps tend to grow and become little amusement parks. They develop outdoor areas needed to make teaching the testimony of the creator possible and replace it with artificial fun. Outdoor programming also has the added advantage of including strength of relationship in teaching and experience. Superslides are fun, but the common experience of shared discovery creates lasting impressions and memorable learning.

I love ministry outdoors in a the natural world. Lets work to preserve and keep these O WOW learning opportunities available.

Summer Camp Speaker’s Prayer

Summer begins this weekend. Its the beginning of the summer camp season. Best season of the year. Kids come out to camp to enjoy the outdoors and hear about the message of the creator who takes a special interest in  their lives.

I was asked a couple of years ago to be a summer camp speaker. Switching from camp director to camp speaker challenged me, but rewarded me in special ways. This summer I have the opportunity to go to four camps and speak to four very different groups. The expectation of God creating in me a message to glorify His name and then experience it all coming together is a joy for which I really have no description .

This weekend I start with a family camp. My first as speaker. Again a new experience in this role. Ministry excites my soul in this wonderful opportunity to bring God’s Word to life. I wrote this prayer out last winter. Its been my guide and accountability in preparation for summer ministry and for opportunities given to me before now. You’re welcome to pray along with me. I count it a sacred privilege to have you join me in this ministry.

Dear Lord, prepare my heart, engage my mind to deliver your message, using your words spoken by my lips in the leading of your Spirit. Transform the lives you wish to touch with your grace. I need you to preserve me for this mission so that I may minister with a blameless heart. Thank you precious Savior, my Lord and friend. May your name be glorified. Amen

My blogging will be sure to slow down. It already has. But I’ll have new inspiration for future post, especially for the camping ministry that is so special to me. Keep Looking up everyone!

The Power of the Christian Camp Staff

Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.” I Corinthians 11.1

These words from the Apostle Paul set the challenge for Christian Camp staff each summer. They will be the real living gospel to campers each week.

Wally, Pete, Lyle and Jerry; these were my camp counselors. Forty years later I remember them and the impact they made on my life. The power of camp is in the personal touch that comes from staff connecting with campers and living the gospel message. When Christ ask the disciples to “touch me and know that I am real” (Luke 24:39), He was giving to them a personal reminder that His ministry, His sacrifice, and His message were all real and intimately personal.

And so it is for the camp staff to say boldly to campers, watch me and see that I am real; a living testimony of Christ living in my changed life. See the love of Christ at work in my actions and do as I do. The power of camp rests in the hands of godly young men and women who take the challenge of being imitators of Christ. It’s long lasting ministry of amazing impact with eternity consequence. Wally, Pete, Lyle and Jerry are living proof enough for me.

O Wow! The Testimony of God’s Creation

Remember now your creator in the days of your youth. Ecclesiastes 12:1

When teaching camp counselors to take a nature hike, no matter what their experience knowledge was outdoors, I told them they only need to know the words, “O WOW”! The key  getting kids plugged in outdoors is not teaching a lot of facts (those can come latter) but to create a desire in them to explore with youthful curiosity the wonder of God’s creation. All you need to know is O WOW! If they found it, its cool. If they discover something new, its exciting. If they begin to randomly explore their newly found outdoor world then I’m really happy.

The beauty of creation, its intelligent design, intricate patterns and interwoven life cycles all point to the creator. The testimony of creation is God’s testimony found in the wisdom and handiwork and His sustaining power of the natural world. God’s power seen and handled by campers fosters an intimate link between what He created and those who will take the time to marvel at it.

A camp’s outdoor environment is a powerful connection to reach campers. Kids do not have the freedom to explore anymore. So at camp they enjoy the freedom of unstructured exploring time to engage the  natural world. Camp is a time to be away from normal routines at home. Exploring cool outdoor places is time away from the normal camp routine. These times become great relational connections. They become part of the shared experiences of camp. They offer a different pace. It’s during these times that kids have time to think, process and make connections between the messages they are receiving and life.

Is it any wonder that Bible time leaders were trained in the away places of the wilderness? Jacob, Abraham, David, Elijah, Paul, were prepared with outdoor experiences. Even Christ went to the wilderness. Much of the Psalms gives praise to the creator and Christ used outdoor spaces and illustrations to spread His message.

When campers come to camp their senses come alive. All the wonder and new experiences opens the mind to receive and understand the gospel message presented during the week of Christian Camp. Just as Christ used the senses to engage the disciples after his resurrection, we can too with the power of the testimony of His creation.

The Power of Simple Camp Ministry

Camp in its outdoor setting away from daily chaos is meant to be a simple ministry. The example from the early church gives us a simple pattern for ministry. Camp as a ministry supports local churches and should reflect good ministry practice, and simple ministry reflects Christian camping at its best.

Acts 2:42 gives us a simple ministry template for the church and camp.  ^“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

First is the attention given to Bible study and doctrine. Doctrine brought to life with every day application should never be boring. Especially at camp where experiential application applies so easily.

Second is the power of sharing or fellowship. Giving testimony of God at work before and during camp bonds the Word of God to the heart.

Remembering Christ life and teaching the Gospel message in camp makes for spiritually healthy breaking of bread. Given the time spent at camp for this message to root, the example of Christ can take hold of a campers life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer and its work at camp. The consistent pattern and results of prayer at camp sets a wonderful example to take home. The Spirit of God grows and mature those who give attention to meeting regularly Him.

In the context of this verse the Holy Spirit is abiding and working in the church and in its believers. It is in fact the Spirit of God at work in simplicity and in the absence of complexity that should grab our attention. Complexity takes us away from the very ministry tools above that  God is asking us to employ. Complexity overwhelms needed time for Bible study, relational sharing and prayer focus that God intends His servants to use, work through and bring glory to His name.

To paraphrase J.C Macaulay, a Moody Bible Institute professor from another generation, “When we lack the fulness of the Spirit we turn to substitutes like religious entertainment and gimmicks to hold and attract an audience…so that we can compete with the world.”

What will you do to keep program complexity in check and simple ministry central in your Christian camp ministry this summer? Feel free to share.

Life in the Spirit, J.C. Macaulay, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids MI, 1955

Bringing God’s Word to Life

Ministry it seems to me is bringing God’s word to life. A play on words to some extent; we bring the Words of God to the hearing of each individual life with the ultimate intent of seeing those Words come to life in each of them. This transforming life change comes from God working through His spirit. He brings the understanding that Jesus is the giver of eternal life as a sacrificial redeemer for sin. Not only a savior, but a spiritual guide for a life lived acceptably before God.

Camp ministry done well powerfully brings God’s Words to life. In a 24 hour living experience, camp can let the Word become a part of living and make it come to life. I John 1:1-3 shows to us that we are share that which we have heard, seen, looked upon and our hands have handled regarding The Word of life and pass it on to others. I think John has in his mind’s eye here the moment when he saw the resurrected Jesus.  (see previous post on hands on learning) The message is clear, we are to take what has become real to us in our Christian life and share it a real way with others.

Camp with all of its true life experiences gives to us the precious opportunities to apply God’s Word to life. I hope you all are thinking of what you can share to help others make the Word come to life this summer with your own hands on learning experiences. More to come, please jump in with a comment.

Hands on Learning – Opening Minds to Understand

The informal hands on learning experience that happens at camp attracted me to outdoor ministry. That’s a big reason I often write an “Inspired by Creation” post; it has some kind of informal “on the trail” Bible life application.

This experienced based learning, as we often call it, was very much in the mainstream of Christ’s teaching methods. His very life gave many experienced based lessons to His followers. Luke 24:39-44 introduces Christ to His followers after His resurrection. This reincarnation to His friends provides a sensory attestation of His presence; His resurrection as promised becomes a tangible, indelible memory and teachable moment.

To the disbelief surrounding Him He says, “Behold my hands, my feet and see that I am He… handle Me and see!”

Our senses bring our minds to life. I think a lot of minds are instantly engaged with Jesus at this moment! Their senses now engaged their minds to thought, interaction and memory. And so we read in verse 45, after he has engaged their minds with this extraordinary experiential learning moment that “He opened their minds to understand the Scripture.” His teaching not understood before now becomes real. The ultimate hands on learning experience!

Campers come to camp and their senses come alive. New sights, new sounds, smells, routines…. All these new experiences engage minds to open and hear the gospel message.

I’ll be expanding this concept in the days ahead. I’ll be interested in hearing how you are inviting campers to come, touch and see the gospel with hands on lessons that so naturally happen at camp.