I’ve got a confession to make: I don’t like church camps.
There are all sorts of reasons. By the time I was of age to attend church camp, my hearing was bad enough that chaotic teenage communication stressed my abilities. I didn’t care for large groups. As well, I tired of my peers filling the platform on Sunday evening back at the home church and tearfully recounting commitments that would never last. On top of all that, my first camp experience required us to occupy stuffy rooms and engage in complex Bible studies lasting 3-4 hours at a time; meanwhile, other church groups ran by the window launching water balloons.
So, no…I’m not a camp guy.
Camps are at the top of my Never Projects list, things that I’ve always resisted and have never really considered pursuing. Never Projects are things that others might do (camps, Super Bowl parties, Fall Festivals) with great success, yet have never really attracted me.
These days I’m looking for new ways to reach out to people. I do home visits. We have socials at our house. I’m always ready to paint a room or fix a pipe. I’ll give my testimony at the drop of hat. I keep a laundry list of Bible stories fresh in my mind, prepared to point out what His word has to say on a variety of subjects. I’ll teach anyone at any time anything I can from the Bible.
But it’s not enough.
I’ve come to realize that it’s time to look into methods I’ve never wanted to do. Evangelism, after all, is reaching out to people where they are with things that touch them. The fact that camp is not my thing is of no importance. What matters is whether or not camp is their thing.
Maybe I’ll have to do a camp next year (gag!). Maybe not. At the very least, the size and urgency of my tasks requires me to look beyond what makes me comfortable. If camps will reach our people, then a camp guy I will be. If basket-weaving touches their hearts, then I’ll sign up for a course here to figure it out. Whatever it is I need to do, that’s what I should be doing regardless of my own personal experiences.
What are your Never Projects?
(And yes, I’m looking to steal ideas from people and totally claim all credit. )