An Extreme Week at CRC & Creationfest

This week the staff at CRC faced some extreme challenges with over seventy 10 & 11 year olds. Their biggest challenge, beyond the normal pre-teen overly hyper riotous behavior, was connecting with the campers on a personal level and sharing their faith. For the staff, made up of teenagers and four college students, sharing their faith with a bunch of “kids” means stepping outside their comfort zone and going beyond the box they have so comfortably come to live in each and everyday. By Tuesday morning at the staff meeting we knew without a doubt they needed to be challenged with an “in your face” approach as to why we are at CRC and what our number one priority is for this summer.

We all know and have read Matthew 28:19-20;

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We know this verse as The Great Commission, but sadly many have taken this as The Great Suggestion. It took extreme faith as I sat in the staff meeting and firmly but lovely reminded everyone of Jesus’ commands to us to GO. For the rest of the day the mood was unsettling and I was not sure whether they wanted to thank me or lynch me. It wasn’t until the next morning as I made my way one by one to each staff member for our “mid-week spiritual check up.” Everyone was extremely thankful for the extreme challenge given to them and was thankful for the reminder. That day all of us stepped out in extreme faith, connected with the campers, built relationships on the love of Christ, and shared our faith. What was the result? More then 10 campers put their faith in Christ alone. Now that is extreme!

Something else that was extreme this week was attending Creation on Thursday and listening to my friend Greg Stier preach his sermon; Heaven, Hell and everything in between. Preaching about heaven is easy, but preaching about hell is a whole other story. Greg took and extreme challenge from God and preached an extreme message about both in the same sermon. He also did something else I’ve never heard him do in the same sermon; he read A Letter from Heaven and A Letter from Hell. As I stood there by the stage listening to him pound away with the feverish energy he’s known for while preaching, my heart and thoughts went to the campers at CRC and what I and the staff need to focus on these next two weeks and everyday…“shine like the brightness of the heavens” and “lead many to righteousness.” (Daniel 12:2-4) Later that afternoon while standing in line at a local Subway just a few miles from Creation, Greg asked me what I thought of the message. What else could I say but…awesome! As for those uncomfortable with someone preaching about hell just keep this in mind, twelve times hell is mentioned in the New Testament, and eleven of those times is from the mouth of Jesus. Now that is extreme!

This coming week CRC is hosting three different camps; 12 & 13 year olds, Rodeo camp, & Paintball Camp. Running three camps in one week is a real challenge so pray for continued extreme faith.