Teenagers.
Beneath their swag and sunglasses lie untamed hearts
that belong to adolescents with bright futures. Those hearts have experienced
enough life to understand the sting of pain and the weight of this world’s burdens.
But how are our youth supposed to deal with the trials they face? As
scripture states in James 1 “with pure joy.”
High-schoolers met this week at King Solomon to “detoxify” and
pursue a pure life. The theme was based on the book of James, which challenged
students and staff to move towards living out their faith in a practical way.
On Monday, campers arrived and were soon divided into family
groups. Represented by colored bracelets, each group sported their own color
and later came up with team names. (Shout out to Neon Scurvy!) In addition to
establishing team names, campers also learned about the Northwest Christian
Mission in
“Physical therapy,” a.k.a. recreation, was a time for
students to play structured games whether it was kickball, volleyball,
dodgeball, ultimate Frisbee, or the ever-popular “kill-ball.” (Ask a fellow
camper about this one… Trust me, they’ll know.) The weather was great this
week, and we didn’t experience any of the intense heat like we have in past
summers. On Monday, a volleyball tournament was held and many students
participated. Later that evening, the whole camp loaded onto buses and trekked
to Solomon for a chilly late night swim. After swimming, we had campfire where
Jose Heredia from OCC played guitar and sang. The evening concluded with MCC
camp-teamers, Brandon Talley and Ethan Pope, sharing their testimonies.
Tuesday’s theme was “Examine.” The day kicked off with breakfast and the
morning show featuring “Not News” hosted by the camp team members. Students
were able to have a designated slot titled “His Time” following the morning
show. Here, they were able to have a special time of Bible reading and prayer. Students
spread out on the campground, found a quiet spot away from others, and focused
on their relationship with God. On Tuesday, they dove into James Chapter 1. The
task set before them was to examine their hearts with honesty and see how their
lives compared with the text James so practically provided. Within that
particular chapter, trials and perseverance were two imperative topics covered.
Trials produce joy and faith, and when we face trials we can have supernatural
joy. We also learned the meaning of the word perseverance is to remain
under. One of the concepts I took away from the day was to look at perseverance
as an act of submission instead of oppression, which is how I often view trials.
However, James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you
face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith
develops perseverance.”
The next day’s big idea was “Do,” which was fitting as
Wednesday was filled with family group time, swimming, a dodgeball tournament,
and a night on the town. Campers listened to the message that challenged them
to live out James 2:14, which says, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man
claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” A course of
action that the students were challenged with came from 1Timothy 6:11. “But
you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.” In addition to fleeing from evil and
pursuing righteousness, we should create an environment of holiness. That can be
through reading scripture, seeking the Holy Spirit, and engaging with the
saints. At campfire, Brandon Marsheider from OCC delivered his testimony which
included his time in Bible College as well as his encounter with the tornado
that hit Joplin , Missouri
Thursday made big waves as students read James 3. The theme
was “Steer,” which went right along with the analogies presented in verses 3-6.
We are to keep our whole bodies in check including the tongue. The tongue is
like a ship’s rudder, a spark that ignites a forest fire, and it is
full of deadly poison. During “His Time” we were all called to examine
ourselves and ask God to steer us into His Truth. Family groups teamed up and participated in the long-awaited Warrior Dash. Here groups ran the camp’s trails, crawled under benches, flipped tires, pulled a tractor with rope, and finally, dove in a massive mud pit. It was one of the muddiest events the camp has hosted in quite some time, and it was a huge hit. Through the Warrior Dash the lesson of perseverance became tangible for staff and students. In the main session that night, the speaker, Nick, identified that we all have “heart problems.” He used the illustration of a time when he didn’t like one of his teammates, and he tried to filter his words towards the other player. Then it was shown to Nick that instead of trying to filter his words, he should focus on his own heart problem instead. So he started praying for his teammate, and God answered that prayer. While Nick was praying for his teammate, God worked in his heart so he no longer needed to filter his words. The problem, not just the symptom, was fixed.
Friday was the last day of Senior High camp. “Rise” was the
theme, and all of us were called to submit to God and resist the devil. It
seems like a simple concept, but students were warned that sin will still be
waiting for them when they get back home, fatigue will also bring its
challenges as they return, and the need for accountability is vital in their
walk of faith. There was a message that went along the lines of “The way we
rise is to humble ourselves.” It was similar to James 4:10, which says,
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
Overall, Senior High camp went smoothly, and it was
encouraging to see many youth seeking the Lord. There were lots of discussions
throughout the week as well as impressionable messages. It is our hope that
students would come away from camp with a sense of peace and move towards a
closer relationship with our Almighty God.
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See
how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he
is for the autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
James 4:7-8
Leah Hill
KSCC Communications Liaison 
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