Community is desperately needed and Biblically demanded. (Acts 2:42-47, Heb. 10:25, etc.) This summer I got the chance to do ministry with about 60 passionate followers of Jesus Christ from all over the country. One thing about the community formed at camp is that all relationships begin with the understanding that Christ and His Gospel are the center and purpose. This creates an immediate depth with others. As many of you have probably experienced, some of the people that are the hardest to be real and deep with are people with whom you have had a shallow relationship for years. It is easy to grow together at camp, because the reasons that you are together are the gospel and God’s call on your life.
At camp, you are together for weeks doing ministry with passionate followers of Jesus, not just nominal Christians. You are on mission with others. You are working together for one common purpose. You experience the highs and the lows; together. You walk through the hard days together. You rejoice together when you see breakthroughs in kid’s lives. You see the good and bad in just about everybody. All of which God uses to refine and sanctify.
It’s true that camp is not the real world. Camp is filled with Christians. Camp is a controlled environment. Most kids come to learn, grow, or be exposed, which is not like the real world where many not only reject but are hostile the Words of God. However, for a season of life, it is such a blessing to be surrounded by such tight community like that.
God used counselors that were different from me to refine me. It was for my sanctification that I was forced into relationships with people that did not think or act as I do. God knew whom he placed me with. It was to teach me, grow me, stretch me, and to rub off the rough edges.
Side Note: Nothing gets my heart more fired up than to see girls passionately worship, serve, and love our God. Nothing is more important in a wife to me than her love for our Savior. I want to meet my wife in the midst of ministry/on the field/in the battle, and I need community to do that. This summer I got the chance to serve alongside wonderful women of God, without relationship tension or thoughts of pursuit, because we knew what our purpose was. One day when I am ready to pursue, I know what a woman who passionately loves Jesus looks like, and I am thankful towards God for giving me a summer of intense community for that.
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