How do we as parents, pastors, and church leaders prepare for the hundreds of stories, testimonies, and changed lives that will be returning home from camp this week? God’s Word shows us that youth have been the fire all through history…the disciples, Stephen, Timothy Joseph, David, Josiah and more. 1 Timothy 4:12-13 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.” They are ready for revival, so we must cultivate fertile homes of spiritual growth for the fire to stay lit! HOW?
#1 Don’t let the enemy lie to you and approach this with a “I have seen this before” spirit of negativity.
#2 Find out what they have committed to God. commit with them and support it.
#3 Take them to your local bookstore and purchase them a new Bible (NIV would be a recommended translation).
#4 Pray with them every night.
#5 Share with them what you are reading each day in the word of God.
#6 Sign them up for volunteering in your local church and student ministry.
#7 Let them sleep and get rested up then have the BIG Camp rundown.
#8 Make church opportunities priority!
#9 Tell your friends, co-workers and family the decisions your child has made with passion. (You tell them about that A, that touchdown, that 3 pointer)
Begin right now preparing your homecoming for students and kids ready to have church in their house daily.
Carlotta Mattox says,
Thank you for this information. As parents we realize our children are a gift and only ours for a short while. We don’t want to get in the way of GOD’s plans for their future. Reality this week proved this is very hard!Thank you for your leadership&vision it’s changing lives!Staying focused on GOD daily is the key&sharing with them is our goal!
on 16 July 2010 / 6:18 AM
Justin Williams says,
I would like to put this on my blog as a guest post. I have a lot of students coming back from camp next week, and I thought it would be a good read. Do you mind if I post this as a guest post on my blog? You will recieve all credit.
on 16 July 2010 / 10:12 AM