Camp Idlewild 2013

Another year of Camp Idlewild is in the books. Camp has been a labor of love for me since I went for the first time when I was 9 years old. There haven’t been too many summers in my life that I wasn't trudging around many of those 72 acres in Surry County, As I get more mature (i.e. “old”), it is harder to generate the needed energy for camp each year, but I am always glad that I went back.

The 2013 installment of Camp Idlewild was one of our best. We certainly were blessed with the best weather ever; I didn't have to reschedule a singe event because of rain or heat (first time that has happened). Our overall numbers were off a bit— 17 girls and 9 boys, but what we lacked in sheer numbers we made up with enthusiasm and volume! We did have one serious injury as Esther Stevens broke her collarbone the very first day, but we are glad to hear that she won't need the surgery they feared that might be required. In fact, Esther went back to camp this week with the senior high group.

Our theme for the week was “The Amazing (G)Race.” We looked at the "Amazing Race" we are called to

live in the Christian life and we can only live in through God's grace. Our Bible classes were based in Philippians and God’s call to “press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Our devotionals at night looked at the “Fork in the Road” decisions that some Old Testament characters (Daniel, Joseph, David, Abraham, and Josiah) had to make in their amazing race and how we make many similar decisions that impact our lives both now and in the future. The kids did a great job staying with us in classes and during devotionals. One highlight was when Peter Stephens and Jacob Potts stepped in to lead singing at devo after Roger and David left camp earlier Friday.

Thanks to all who worked so hard to make camp such a success-- Roger Brown (my right hand man who abandoned us a day early... though I have no hard feeling), Sean Goodyeon (our wild and crazy athletic director), David Stevens and Sarah Reasons (who did a great job as Bible Teachers), Lynn Tucker (our camp nurse), Bruce Gaynon and Scott Carr (our “Energizer Bunny” handymen who never stopped the whole week), Cindy Byrd and Dawn Tanner (great job with crafts, canteen and several other jobs), Wally Nooner (our intrepid head cook) Sara Goodyeon (Wally right-hand assistant) and Angela Johnson (who took care of the dining hall). I can say enough about the job Will Respess, Jacob Potts, Afton Adkins, Kimberly Respess and Crystal Sweatt did as my youngest group of counselors ever... and some of the best.

Thanks to everyone who made this week special-- campers, staff, our Denbigh church family... and especially thanks be to our God.

Being Smart

I was watching a newscast the other day on PBS about a new law recently in D.C. requiring that large companies that operate in the district pay a “living minimum wage” of $12.50 an hour. Wal-Mart has threatened to shelve plans to expand into the area if this law is passed. Two financial experts with opposing views presented the pros and cons of this law, disagreeing strongly with each other. It wasn't their points I noticed; it was how they conducted themselves.

Both of the experts were respectful, they never interrupted one another or attacked each other even though they plainly disagreed and clearly thought the other guy was completely wrong. There were no personal attacks or charges how “you people” always are. I didn't just think they were both smart guys; I also thought they were nice guys. How different is that from the sideshow of CNN, Fox News or MSNBC where people scream at each other, wave their arms and constantly interrupt as they talk over and past each other. It was just refreshing to listen to an exchange of ideas without all the theatrics.

In Acts 17, Paul is invited to speak before the philosophers and at the Aeropagus in Athens. They were people who had nothing to do but sit around and talk “about and listening to the latest ideas” (Acts 17:21). Paul had to have been a little annoyed at this point; he had just been run out of Thessalonica and Berea, and all the shrines to pagan idols around him were bothering him. So how does Paul conduct himself as he speaks to these pagan professors? Well, Paul compliments them on their displays of piety and faith (17:22), points to one of their shrines (17:23), and even quotes from their poets (17:28). His presentation of God and faith is respectful, He seems to go out of his way to find both common ground and something to commend about their beliefs. He doesn’t compromise anything about the message of the gospel, but he wants to find the best way to communicate. He refuses to be argumentative or combative. He isn’t about winning arguments; he is trying to win hearts and souls.

Maybe there is a reminder here when we get into discussions of issues, politics or even our faith. Volume and theatrics may make a good show, but they don’t convince anyone who doesn’t already agree with you anyway. Maybe in our discussions, we need not to not try so hard to be smart... and try harder to be nice.

Teens for Him

Our teens did a great job last night sharing some of their experiences from the Mid Ohio Valley Work Camp (MOVWC) that they participated in last month.  One of the inconveniences that happens when you have small groups on Sunday nights (rather than a single large group gathering) is that you don't have ready-made opportunities to have special events shared with the church family.  I'm glad we had this chance to get all the teens that participated up front of the church talking with us about this special time of service and sharing with youth groups from all over the eastern part of the country.

Below is the quickly thrown together (but then extremely low quality) video that we showed last night of the specific houses that our teens had a hand in painting.  These were all houses that shared two things in common-- they desperately needed a coat or two of paint and their owners were not financially or physically able to do the work themselves.  If giving a cup of cold water in Jesus name doesn't loose it's reward, how wonderful is it to paint someone's entire house!



 What a great opportunity to serve others in the name of Jesus and meet other teens that were committed to serving in the same way.  Below is a link to local news coverage of this ministry.

http://www.thenewscenter.tv/home/headlines/MOV-Work-Camp--212392081.html

Jesus Friend of Sinners

A church recently observed a special anniversary as a congregation, and everyone who had ever attended there was invited to come back for a special service. A facility was rented for an after-church meal and several past and present preachers were asked to speak. People travelled from far and wide to attend this special service. In fact, the service was so special that one family member who had not been to any church churches in more than thirty years decided to come to honor the memory of a grandfather who was a former elder and “who would want me to be there.”

Timing (as they say) is everything. It just so happens that the week before this anniversary, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act and refused to reinstate Proposition 8, cases that both have a profound impact on the recognition of same-sex marriage. One of the speakers for this special anniversary service used the event as a bully pulpit to rail against the Supreme Court, the homosexual agenda and called the church to take a stand against militant homosexuals. There were stirring “amens” as many agreed with his points. But as it turned out, the family member who had not been in church in more than thirty years is a homosexual. He is not “militant,” but he is indeed smart enough to know where he is not wanted— and he will likely never come back to that church. Or nay church.  Jesus was known as someone who “receives sinners and eats with them.” Sadly, His church has never seemed to work very hard to build up that same reputation.

I understand the frustration many feel with “the direction of our country.” I sympathize with those who fear our culture is going to hell in a hand-basket. I pray that our country’s leaders will lead us in the ways of peace and holiness even as I doubt that they can really lead us anywhere at all. I do believe that the practice of homosexuality is a sin… just as I believe that heterosexual sex outside of marriage, divorce for reasons other than adultery, and married people abusing alcohol are all sins as well. All of those things are legal. All of those things are bad for the institution of marriage. None of those things were prohibited by the Defense of Marriage Act.

Christians must stand for Christian morality, but we do that by living it. Seriously. Graciously. We do not stand up for Christian morality by holding up signs (literally or metaphorically) proclaiming that God hates certain people. We do not stand up for Christianity morality by standing in our pulpits railing against people  that we don’t think are there anyway. Jesus never attacked the sins of His culture of his day by standing on a street corner or in a pulpit screaming at people. He attacked the sins of His culture by sitting around a table and eating with sinners and calling them to “go your way and sin no more.”

Standing up for Christian morality has nothing to do with the political direction of our country and everything to do with us as sinners holding up the crucified Christ so He draws other sinners to Himself. We will never be followers of the One who was a friend of sinners if we are intent on driving sinners away from Him. We are not the true friends of sinners if we say nothing to them about Jesus and His will for their lives, but the chances are pretty good that we will never get to do that if we are too busy screaming at them. I can't help but think of the words of a song by Casting Crowns—

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners,
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy;
 Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours