June 23, 1999
DOWN HOME:
If you can't stand the heat, get off the bus
___We had a wonderful week at children's camp. Nine kiddoes accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, and one uninvited guest received his eternal reward.
___Two years ago, the children's minister at our church invited me to be camp pastor at children's camp. The experience highlighted a terrifically fun summer. This year, I received an invitation to repeat the task. What a blessing.
___Some folks who have heard me preach may say that being pastor at children's camp ismy niche. They may be right.
MARV KNOX
Editor
___While I enjoy preaching to adults, I love preaching and teaching the Bible to children. Probably it's because we're on the same level. And that's all right by me. Kids don't quibble about the fine points of doctrine and worship style. But they're quick to focus on the important stuff--God loves them; Jesus died for their sins; the only way to live is the way God wants them to live.
___On the way to camp, I considered ditching my prepared sermons and coming up with a new set. While I don't believe in manipulating children's emotions, I seriously thought about delivering a scorching four-part sermon series on hell.
___The air conditioner went out on the younger boys' bus. The temperature got well above 100 degrees before we convinced the drivers to let us cram the boys on the two other buses the rest of the way to camp. And I was relatively certain I'd have 45 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade boys' attention if I exhorted them to avoid eternal flames.
___Instead, we spent the week talking about courage, particularly the kind exhibited by young people in the Bible: David versus Goliath, Esther and the king, Daniel and the lions' den.
___This focus on courage came in handy Wednesday afternoon. About 80 percent of the younger hikers walked within three feet of a rattlesnake before one boy heard its rattle as he sat on a rock to rest.
___A camp staffer quickly wrangled the 4-foot-long rattler and chopped off his head. For the rest of the afternoon, however, we hiked with kids who heard rattles in every whisper of sage and wondered about snakes at the mouth of every hole and crevice in the earth.
___Still, an oven/bus and an angry rattler didn't dampen the campers' spirits. They sang with gusto, played games with abandon, memorized Scripture voraciously and ate enough candy to fill the canyon where we camped.
___Camp was for the kids, but those of us who took them received amazing blessings. Like the deafening thunder of their singing, the fervency of their prayers, the infectiousness of their laughter. And the privilege of seeing young souls hike into the kingdom of God.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!
