Whew, what a trip! Having a youth camp up at the Gold Coast with 36 crew, over half who have never been to church before was an intense ride! Thanks so much for your prayers and for your support, we have seen God do some amazing things on this camp, and see many lives changed!
The theme for the camp was connect. In a society where relationships and interactions are so often disconnected from the real world and face-to-face dialogue, personal relationships are so crucial. We made an effort to ensure that there was always a staff member with a crew, not to 'check-up on them' or keep them in line, but simply to hang out, talk to them, have a good time, and hopefully open up some dialogue about where they are at, and if we can help at all.
This is exhausting, but so worth it! Trying to keep up with a whole bunch of guys who don't want sleep, but love sugar can be a tough time, but luckily for me, I love sugar too! We got to spend a lot of time hanging out with these guys, talking to them about life, about God, about the future. There was no planned Christian ministry to them for the whole camp but for the last night, where we would unashamedly present to them the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So that's what we did, hung out, during shopping, swimming, water-skiing, talent shows and gross games eating blended foods.
The last night rolls around, we had a crew give his testimony about how God had changed his life this time last year on camp, and then a dance crew performed and shared their testimony briefly. Them our fearless leader Sez gave a message and we saw many crew respond to it. I don't know the exact number, but most of those who hadn't responded did so now.
We separated the group into three. Those who want to make a commitment, those who already have an want to go deeper, and those who are on the fence and don't want tot commit to anything right now.
I was in the last group, and got to talk to a few guys about where they are at, what they believe and why they chose what they did. It was an awesome time, and they took another step closer to God that night.
So the camp is over, but reflecting on our time there God has been showing me some stuff. As the title states, life together is what saw the change in these guys. Yes there is power in a Gospel message, and they can and people will continue to be changed through the preaching of that exclusively. But I believe that God wants so much more from us. He doesn't want that disconnected reality, where we care for them, but never get to know them.
It's the same with each other. During this last 8 months with YWAM I have seen the power that living life with other people has. I don't mean physically sharing a massive house, although that is what we do. But including other people into your life, and they into yours. Sharing God, sharing possessions. Sharing your very food and cloths sometimes, or a simply word of encouragement.
I wonder how in our society we think it is the best thing to live alone, work alone, and walk alone with God. There is a place for personal devotion to God, I would be lost without that. But for generations people have walked together, as a family, as friends, as a tribe or whatever.
Let us release the burden on each other and see the whole body of Christ released to do the amazing work that He has called us to accomplish.
Peace,
Daniel