What's the Point? by Steve Faidley

What’s the Point?

Alone.

We don’t function as well alone.

Sometimes we like our alone time, but that’s not the same thing.

We weren’t meant to be alone. Genesis 2:18 says,

 “The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Jesus surrounded himself with his apostles for the duration of his ministry.  When he sent them out to preach the gospel, we see in Mark 6:7-8 that he sent them out in pairs.

Paul was always working with a partner.  Paul and Barnabas.  Paul and Silas.  Paul and Mark.

The book of Ecclesiates tells in 4:9-12,

⁹ Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Every year, as we get into the thick of planning for our annual trip to Spring Mill Bible Camp, I ask myself what benefit for God’s kingdom are we accomplishing with all this expenditure of energy, time and money?

So, what’s the point?  We were not created to be alone, to work alone, to serve alone.  We were created for relationship.

One of the great benefits of camp is the relationships that get created under the banner of and through the bonds of Christ.  It’s a wonderful thing to watch two kids that didn’t know each other on Sunday get to be companions during the week.  It’s a wonderful thing to see kids gravitate toward their Bible class teachers as they get to know them…and then watch their faces light up when they come home and see them at church (or anywhere)! It’s a wonderful thing after a long and fatiguing week to come home and be told, “My child hasn’t stopped talking about camp.”  Or, “We sang camp songs all the way home!”  Or even when a tear is shed because the week is over and they have to come home.  Then my heart melts and tears well up in my eyes, and I’m reminded of the point.

We build relationships within the arms of Christ.

Some of our kids don’t have much spiritual support at home.  Some kids face frequent rejections.  Some are just like your kids.  What we get to do for one week is feed each other spiritually, shelter each other from the treatments of the world, lift up our voices in praise and worship, and share in the love of the Lord.  We get to grow our relationships!  Kids with kids.  Teachers with kids.  Cook with nurse.  Counselor with counselor.  The combination can go on!  But ask just about anyone that has spent a week at camp if they didn’t come back with better relationships within the body of Christ than when they left?  We have a chance at camp to help our kids establish peer and mentor relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ that can help plant their feet on the rock.  And as the camp song goes, “…and when the rains come down, and the floods come up”  that house will stand firm!

I hope camp continues for many years to come!