Lessons Learned - Part 3

The percentage "game" continues to be a huge part of the problem of discipleship. It is certainly not unique to teenagers, though playing the percentage game as a Christian teen significantly impacts the continuance of the problem as an adult.

Colossians 3.4 reads, "When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (emphasis obviously added)

So the question I pose to myself often (but not often enough), and present to both teens and adults, is simple yet telling...is Christ part of your life, or is He your life?

I wish Midland or any other youth ministry had the opportunity and direction to hold a week of youth camp "by invitation only." Coordinating with youth pastors a list of students who seem to be intent and intentional on serving the Lord would be put together, invitations sent, and a week of genuine "feeding of the sheep" rather than trying to "entertain the goats" would transpire.

In most camps there is a "fun" event after the evening chapel...thus students and staff are torn between responding to God's challenge and recognizing that "hey, I might miss the fun" or "what if our schedule gets off track"?

In over thirty summers of speaking at 5-8 youth camps each year I can recall only twice when the evening "event" was cancelled...and both of those incidents (one in Maryland, the other in Missouri) were as close to Biblical revival as I've seen.

Lord, do it again...and help us to get out of the way, out of "the way we do it," out of our bondage to schedules.