Another Summer Camp Session Under My Belt

Well, it's Tuesday and I've almost got all the stuff we took to camp last week put up...almost. I've been directing camps almost since I started children's ministry nine years ago. I've been counseling since I graduated from High School. There is so much that makes a session great to me, but when it comes down to one thing, it's memories. What does your mind remember when you look at the pictures of directors covered in whip cream, campers in crazy costumes or a solitary figure in the distance kneeling in prayer? It's camp. And as much as of a headache as it can sometimes be, there's nothing like it.

Camp is what God used to lead me to where and what I'm doing and I will never forget that. I will never forget the little boy who changed my life. His life was so different than mine and all his struggles and frustrations left me dumb-struck. I know the words that came out of my mouth that one day where not mine, but those of the Holy Spirt. I have to admit, I was ready to run off and go home half way through that session, but I didn't and my life has never been the same - thank you Robert. When I finally got home, my mind was a mess. All my plans of a fancy job and wealth from my first year of collage were gone, and I had no idea what I was supposed to do. There was a package waiting for me when I got home. My first Contemporary Christian CDs. I had order them weeks before camp, and really didn't know any of the artists. One of the disk I put in my player that first day back was by Wayne Watson, and one of the songs that started broke my heart and put the Lord's calling in me that has never left. That song, my song, was called "Friend of a Wounded Heart." It still, to this day, gives me goosebumps when I hear it and challenges me to think if I'm really where I need to be and doing what I need to be doing.

It's amazing now to be working with adult counselors who were my campers just a few years ago. I wonder how many lives have been touched by the Lord to work with kids by a grueling week at summer camp? I know one.

How a Children's Minister Prepares to Preach a Sermon

Well, today is over and after nine years as a children's minister, I have officially preached my first sermon. Actually I did it twice...one for each service. The actual delivery of the sermon wasn't what killed me, it was the trying to figure out what to talk about and then how to take what was in my head and put it in an arrangement that would make sense to the kids, teens, parents, young marrieds, seniors, regular attenders and visitors. I knew I didn't want to do some fluffy lesson that would be light and not impact people. I had on my heart a message, but wasn't really sure if I wanted to do it. I tried and tried to find something else to do. Friday and Saturday I really tried to nail down what I was going to do. What was my lesson writing strategy? Friday night I was still struggling, so I hopped on my motorcycle and rode down to United for coffee. Then, when my coffe was gone, around 9:30 pm I headed home to put somethings down on paper. But on the way home I decided, I really didn't want to go home, so a quick right turn and I was on my way to Hastings to look for a biography of Abe Lincoln. Why? I don't know. I watched a show about him while I was home sick last week and wanted to see what was really true, besides, I didn't want to go home. Well, I found my book and looked around a while and headed home. I made it this time some time after 11 pm. Not much got written down that night. Saturday, I decided I needed to get out of the house, so I grabbed my Bible, a notebook and mounting my trusty V-Star, I headed to the park. Two hours later I had several pages of notes, and nothing to work with. So, off to the church I went. Maybe some time in my office would get my juices going. Nope. I went and stood on the stage and looked at the empty auditorium....and nothing. Back in my office, I was looking at the Goliath action figure I had just bought. He was ugly and mean looking. Unlike the flannel graph Goliath I had grown up with. That's kind of why I bought him. Finally, I had an idea. David lived out what I wanted people to think about. "How does your life reflect what you believe?" Or simply how are you living? Like the world or like a Christian? Now, throw in a sword, some toys, a magic trick, power point slides and the lesson was done...about 1:30am. I hope my lesson made people think, that was it's purpose. I'm glad I decided to preach, and I kind of enjoyed it....but don't tell anyone. But for now, I think I'll stick with the kid audiences. I love working with an audience I can interact with (I think it was a bit of a stretch for some when I asked them to talk with the person beside them for a moment this morning). My lessons are much more alive and it keeps me on my toes when I can stop and ask a question- you gotta know what you're talking about because you never know what they're going to say or ask. It was definetly a learning experience and people seemed to enjoy it. Maybe I'll do it again in another nine years. :)