Camelback Camp
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Much thanks must be given to my precious heavenly Father, for without Him, this last weekend would have been a total and complete failure. However, by the grace of God, I had the amazing opportunity to have been the camp speaker for the junior high winter retreat for Camelback Bible, and I saw the Spirit move. The weekend started out by having an amazing time of encouragement and prayer with my beloved friend Isaac Weinhausen. We met at IN-N-OUT right before I headed off to Camelback Bible, and it was there that Isaac reminded me that I shouldn’t worry about the results of my teaching, for God was in control of that, and he told me that I just needed to be faithful. Thanks Isaac, you’re faithfulness and friendship mean so much. You are a Godly man, and a dear brother and friend!
Following an excellent time with Isaac, I trekked my way over to Camelback where I began meeting the students that I would be speaking to. After the first twenty minutes on the 15 passenger van with the junior high boys, I quickly realized that at least 5 of the guys in the van were not Christians. Though they may have claimed to have been believers, their lives readily screamed the opposite. I didn’t confront them on their sin as I was in the bus, for I wanted their lives to continue to reap judgment on themselves and I wanted to see what I was dealing with. After having sat with them in the back few rows of the van for about an hour I made my way to the front of the van where the main discipleship leader Andrew was sitting. Almost through tears, he proclaimed his deep love for these guys and his acknowledgement with me that they were all very lost and in deep need of a savior. We prayed some big prayers, and I looked forward to sharing the gospel with these lost souls.
After getting up to Pine Summit in Prescott, we unloaded and soon arrived at the meeting time. After an interesting game, we worshipped to some great songs and then I got up to teach.
The first session was filled with some pretty weighty material as I was going over the rich young ruler from Luke 18. They left knowing that they were either on their way to heaven or hell and of the 18 students that were there, about 7 claimed to not know for sure if their destination was heaven. I was encouraged by their honesty and looked forward to giving them the good news of the gospel the next three sessions.
The next morning’s session included a talk about the idols that get in the way of following Christ and this is where I could really start to see people connecting a few of the dots. I had relaxed a lot, having gotten to know some of the kids, and I was much more interactive since it was such a small group.
The third session Saturday night was absolutely my favorite. I shared about the brutality of the crucifixion of Jesus, and I could see people amazed at what Jesus did for sin. . . however, I left them with the point that they could not just feel pity about Jesus’s death, but that they needed to turn to Christ in repentance and faith.
After this session we had an awesome time of praise and worship, and then some of the kids shared what God was doing in their life. I was encouraged by some of the responses and was also in prayer that God would reap a harvest of righteousness even in the years to come for those that did not come to Christ. I don’t know if any kids got saved, but I know for sure that they are all left without excuse, for the gospel was clearly presented at least four times . . . praise His name!
The final session was great as well, as I talked to the students about how they will be “prone to wander” when they get home, and how they need to really be ready to count the cost of being disciples for Jesus. Overall, I praise God for the opportunity to have shared the gospel. I was also stoked that I was able to encourage some young believers to blaze for Jesus.
Here are some things that were extremely encouraging about Camelback:
1. Bill Pinalto the youth pastor was a huge encouragement as I saw him shepherd his students and staff. What a great brother in Christ!
2. Their music was so God centered . . . every song they sang was directly from Scripture.
3. Their staff (Denise, Kelly, and especially Andrew) had such a bleeding heart of compassion for their students.
4. A high school guy and girl (Stacy and Rob) were invited as well to help shepherd the students and be examples. This was a great idea, and they added so much by their love for God that was seen by the junior high students.
5. They had a camp dad named Randy who helped out amazingly! He rocked and had such a servants heart . . . he has been faithfully serving and attending Camelback for 30 years. WOW!
6. The students were honest and genuine, even though many were unsaved.
7. They have fun! In fact, they played the coolest game while I was there. We did a staff hunt where the kids had to come and find the staff as we went and hid. Bill told the kids if they found me they would get extra points, so naturally in my competitiveness, I wanted to find a really good spot. So, I squeezed myself into a small trash barrel and threw trash on top of me so no one would find me even if they opened the trash lid. Though it was traumatic and cramped being in a stinky trash can, it was all worth it when after 30 minutes the kids gave up because I had hid so well. Andrew finally told the kids that I was in the trash can and what was hilarious was the fact that the kids tipped the trash can over and still didn’t see me. After they started rolling me down the mountain, I finally came out. What a great time! Bill said that in 20 years of doing that game, he had never seen someone go to such lengths to be kept from being found. YEAH BUDDY!
Well, to God be all the glory for anything good that came out of my mouth this last week. I am just so grateful to have had the opportunity serving in a way that I am so passionate about. Though I was sure before, I am even more convinced that I love student ministries and I would love it if God would keep using me in this capacity and even more in the future.
Much thanks must be given to my precious heavenly Father, for without Him, this last weekend would have been a total and complete failure. However, by the grace of God, I had the amazing opportunity to have been the camp speaker for the junior high winter retreat for Camelback Bible, and I saw the Spirit move. The weekend started out by having an amazing time of encouragement and prayer with my beloved friend Isaac Weinhausen. We met at IN-N-OUT right before I headed off to Camelback Bible, and it was there that Isaac reminded me that I shouldn’t worry about the results of my teaching, for God was in control of that, and he told me that I just needed to be faithful. Thanks Isaac, you’re faithfulness and friendship mean so much. You are a Godly man, and a dear brother and friend!
Following an excellent time with Isaac, I trekked my way over to Camelback where I began meeting the students that I would be speaking to. After the first twenty minutes on the 15 passenger van with the junior high boys, I quickly realized that at least 5 of the guys in the van were not Christians. Though they may have claimed to have been believers, their lives readily screamed the opposite. I didn’t confront them on their sin as I was in the bus, for I wanted their lives to continue to reap judgment on themselves and I wanted to see what I was dealing with. After having sat with them in the back few rows of the van for about an hour I made my way to the front of the van where the main discipleship leader Andrew was sitting. Almost through tears, he proclaimed his deep love for these guys and his acknowledgement with me that they were all very lost and in deep need of a savior. We prayed some big prayers, and I looked forward to sharing the gospel with these lost souls.
After getting up to Pine Summit in Prescott, we unloaded and soon arrived at the meeting time. After an interesting game, we worshipped to some great songs and then I got up to teach.
The first session was filled with some pretty weighty material as I was going over the rich young ruler from Luke 18. They left knowing that they were either on their way to heaven or hell and of the 18 students that were there, about 7 claimed to not know for sure if their destination was heaven. I was encouraged by their honesty and looked forward to giving them the good news of the gospel the next three sessions.
The next morning’s session included a talk about the idols that get in the way of following Christ and this is where I could really start to see people connecting a few of the dots. I had relaxed a lot, having gotten to know some of the kids, and I was much more interactive since it was such a small group.
The third session Saturday night was absolutely my favorite. I shared about the brutality of the crucifixion of Jesus, and I could see people amazed at what Jesus did for sin. . . however, I left them with the point that they could not just feel pity about Jesus’s death, but that they needed to turn to Christ in repentance and faith.
After this session we had an awesome time of praise and worship, and then some of the kids shared what God was doing in their life. I was encouraged by some of the responses and was also in prayer that God would reap a harvest of righteousness even in the years to come for those that did not come to Christ. I don’t know if any kids got saved, but I know for sure that they are all left without excuse, for the gospel was clearly presented at least four times . . . praise His name!
The final session was great as well, as I talked to the students about how they will be “prone to wander” when they get home, and how they need to really be ready to count the cost of being disciples for Jesus. Overall, I praise God for the opportunity to have shared the gospel. I was also stoked that I was able to encourage some young believers to blaze for Jesus.
Here are some things that were extremely encouraging about Camelback:
1. Bill Pinalto the youth pastor was a huge encouragement as I saw him shepherd his students and staff. What a great brother in Christ!
2. Their music was so God centered . . . every song they sang was directly from Scripture.
3. Their staff (Denise, Kelly, and especially Andrew) had such a bleeding heart of compassion for their students.
4. A high school guy and girl (Stacy and Rob) were invited as well to help shepherd the students and be examples. This was a great idea, and they added so much by their love for God that was seen by the junior high students.
5. They had a camp dad named Randy who helped out amazingly! He rocked and had such a servants heart . . . he has been faithfully serving and attending Camelback for 30 years. WOW!
6. The students were honest and genuine, even though many were unsaved.
7. They have fun! In fact, they played the coolest game while I was there. We did a staff hunt where the kids had to come and find the staff as we went and hid. Bill told the kids if they found me they would get extra points, so naturally in my competitiveness, I wanted to find a really good spot. So, I squeezed myself into a small trash barrel and threw trash on top of me so no one would find me even if they opened the trash lid. Though it was traumatic and cramped being in a stinky trash can, it was all worth it when after 30 minutes the kids gave up because I had hid so well. Andrew finally told the kids that I was in the trash can and what was hilarious was the fact that the kids tipped the trash can over and still didn’t see me. After they started rolling me down the mountain, I finally came out. What a great time! Bill said that in 20 years of doing that game, he had never seen someone go to such lengths to be kept from being found. YEAH BUDDY!
Well, to God be all the glory for anything good that came out of my mouth this last week. I am just so grateful to have had the opportunity serving in a way that I am so passionate about. Though I was sure before, I am even more convinced that I love student ministries and I would love it if God would keep using me in this capacity and even more in the future.
posted by Brent Klontz at 9:08 PM
5 Comments:
Brent,
Thanks so much for the encouraging report. I'm glad to hear that our Lord provided for you (as we both knew He would =)).
It sounds like you faithfully and boldly proclaimed the gospel of peace to the group, and for that, God was honored.
As far as your hiding place goes - mando impressed.
I will be praying for the students of that congregation - the believers and unbelievers. Might God bless the believers with a renewed passion for Christ, and the unbelievers with repentance unto life.
In Christ,
Case
Much Loved Brently: I've been reading your blogs off and on for nearly a year now and you know what, "you blow my socks off" I am so blessed and grateful to you. I always am left with a hunger to "be" and "do" what God desires. Eternity with Jesus is the reward for these dear young guys who respond to your teaching, and a crown for you young man to lay at Jesus feet. Yeah!!
Brent, you are such an encouragement to me all the time. Its so awesome to hear about your teaching experience. I'm glad that I was able to help you refine some ideas for it.
BTW, you are a freak when it comes to HnS. I can't believe you hid in a trash can with trash on top of your. Wow!
Nanny- I have to say that you are the coolest! I am also always encouraged by you as well.
JJ- Thank you so much for helping me think through the Luke 18 passage . . . that was very helpful!
Case- Thanks for your prayers and encouragement over the phone before I went.
As for HnS in a trash can, I'd do it again in a heart beat. . . besides I got a really cool Chewbaca lollypop holder for 1st place. Yeah!
a Chewbacca lollypop holder?! i think some MAJOR w00tage is in order =)
CoB
Post a Comment
<< Home