JoAnne and I made it to Family Camp July 6-10 this year. From one standpoint, district pastors are supposed to go at least for one weekend. But from another and in my view more important one, it is crucial to put oneself in an atmosphere where God has a chance to speak to you. Preachers get little opportunity to sit and listen; they are usually the ones talking. So I value the times in the year like family camp when I can listen to messages from others and God can speak into my life through his chosen medium of preaching (1 Co. 1:21). It addition to evening messages, family camp also provides seminars and Bible classes. Though I don’t usually get to all the studies and seminars, I generally find the ones I do get to very helpful. Two seminars I attended this year (one on missions and one on influencing our culture) will help resource me for the year to come. Two of the three evening messages I heard spoke to me personally and were a great blessing.
In addition, at camp we see so many people that we know. This year, as last, we visited a high school friend of JoAnne’s who is also a Houghton Alum, Linda Long. We also ate dinner at camp today (July 10) with extended family we had not seen in a little while, my Mom’s first cousin Janet and her husband Al Benning. We had delightful conversation. In addition we saw many friends we have known in our previous church and in the district.
We were excited to learn that the camp and district are considering putting a building over the tent pad. I think it should have been done years ago. But now is a good time to get it done. It will help the camp very much. The big tent is so vulnerable to bad weather. One year, while I was family camp director, it blew down. It was a wonder no one was killed. Another year, when I had H. B. London on the platform, probably the most nationally known speaker we have had, a lightning bolt crossed right in front of him. God has graciously spared us, but it’s time to end this roulette with weather; do the wise thing, and get the building done!