Is Oceanside's Youth Camp a Waste of Time?

Tweet

Camp Fusion t-shirt and logo from Eph. 4:5-6

Nope.

Camp 2006

Every year for the past 6 years Oceanside has taken its youth to camp. This will be our seventh year doing youth camp.

Camp 2006

I think sometimes people get confused why we go to camp. Some think we go just because it's the best time we'll have all summer. Some people think it's because we love hearing Johnathan Elrod play music. Some think it's because it gives us a vacation (obviously those people have never gone to camp with us). Still others think we go because we're just trying to keep middle and high school students busy during the summer. Yes all of those things are accomplished, but none of them are the goal.

Face plant! Camp 2007.

Everything at Oceanside's youth camps are designed with purpose and meaning. Games are played to build community, illustrate points, and wear students down. The location is picked to get students out of their comfort zones. The food is great to nourish their ravenous appetites, because a hungry student is a student that isn't paying attention. All of these things are to point students to one person, Jesus Christ.

She cooks a mean tube steak. Camp 2010.

If we went to camp and just had a blast, and only sang a lot of music, and ended it all off on an emotional high it would be a waste. We bring students to camp and great things happen. Most of the fruit that happens through Oceanside's Reality ministry is harvested at camp every summer. Please, support our students the best you can. They need some money (We do it as cheap as we can), but also need your prayers.

Peanut butter isn't just for sandwiches. Camp 2009

Specific prayer points:
1. The Holy Spirit is already moving in the lives of the students going
2. God will give Pastor Trey and myself the words to say as we speak to the students
3. We'll be safe on the trip and while there.
4. The students on the edge of life change will take the step of faith and make Jesus their leader and forgiver.
5. Pray that those who can't decide if they should go will decide to go

In some serious prayer. Camp 2009.

Some Camp Needs:
We need someone who will be willing to drive the van to Lake Greenwood and back to Charleston. This person won't stay at camp during the week, but will pick the van up from Budget Rental and return it on Sunday, June 26 (when we leave) and Friday, July 1 (when we return). This is a tremendous need. It helps with cost and transportation. Click here to let me know if you're interested in helping. Or leave it in the comments.

Camp 2005

Don't Be A Crap Factory!

Tweet As promised, here is the message from Steven Furtick about being grateful for what you have. Watch it, enjoy it, and comment your thoughts below. Thanks Seacoast for getting this video up! My favorite line, watch for it, is about people being crap factories.

Did you think it was as powerful as I did? What are your thoughts? Comment below.

-Ivey

10 Things I'm Grateful For

Tweet

We should be more grateful.

Today I had the privilege of watching Steven Furtick, pastor and Monks Corner native, on Seacoast's stream of their staff meeting. He is now a Pastor in Charlotte of Elevation Church. Really cool guy. He talked about being grateful to God for what he has given. It would be really difficult for me to summarize the sermon. Hopefully when Seacoast gets it up on Vimeo I'll post the link here. It was a great message that I encourage you to watch. Here are the 10 things I'm grateful for.

10 things I'm Grateful for

1. My wife who puts up with my crazy dreaming.
2. My kids who put up with my need to irritate and wrestle.
3. My church who offers me pay to do what I'm compelled to do. Don't tell them, but I'd do it for free.
4. My second job that helps me have a little financial breathing room.
5. My car that despite its age keeps going.
6. My sweet gadgets that keep me connected, but are totally not needed.
7. My dad and mom who give advice and wisdom yet still support even when I do things that may not be exactly what they said to do...
8. All four of my parents who give, and give, give.
9. My God who puts up with my crazy doubts and questions.
10. My ability to enjoy, play, sing, and stumble through music.

I could keep going but I'm getting a little overwhelmed.

What are you grateful to God for? Please list some in the comments below. With your permission I'd love to read some of these in church this Sunday.

The End of the World. Save the Date.

Tweet

I thought you might want to know. It’s the end of the world. Yeah, I’m hearing it all over the place. Save the date. Harold Camping tells us that Jesus is coming back May 21. The Mayan calendar ends next year. So if Jesus doesn’t come back May 21, 2011, “2012” will surely get us. The government tells us that if we don’t raise the debt ceiling it’s going to be the end of the world. The Middle East is on fire, and joblessness is the highest it has been in a long time. The world is a crazy place.

Harold Camping will be wrong about when Jesus is coming back. He may come back today before you finish reading this blog post, but He won’t be coming back on May 21.

Camping has predicted these events before in 1994. He was wrong then. The Bible tells us that prophets must always be right. The fact that a Camping was ever wrong in a prediction identifies that he’s as a false prophet (See Deuteronomy 18:21-22). Harold Camping is a false prophet. So stop worrying about the Mayan calendar, May 21, the debt ceiling, or high gas prices.

Luke 12:25 tells us, “Can any of you add a cubit to his height by worrying?” In case you are wondering, the answer is no. You have no control over any of the events I listed above. If they happen, they do, if they don’t they don’t. Stop worrying and start praying more (see Philippians 4:6). God is the only one who can change those events anyway.

A date you might want to think about is, well, today. You have control over you. The decisions you make today will affect you for the rest of your life. No, Jesus isn’t coming to see you May 21, but you may be going to see Him. No one is promised to wake up alive tomorrow (See Proverbs 27:1; James 4:13-15). So instead of waiting to get your life right before 5/21/11 you might want to check yourself and get your life right today.

Simply admit you’ve done wrong things that the Bible calls sin. Ask for forgiveness for those sins. Believe that Jesus died for your sins, and rose again after three days to conquer them. Turn away from all the bad stuff you’re doing and follow Jesus with all your heart, and do it today.

Is everything right between you and God?