so it's christmas break, and i'm back at Hidden Acres after spending a little over a week at home with family.
i've been using this blog simply to do assignments for LAUNCH (the leadership program i'm doing at camp), except for once. in September a long time master science teacher from my high school died, and i posted something on here just to work through some thoughts. i found out over christmas break that someone who i never would have expected to read my blog read that post and found inspiration in something i said. so now i'm thinking, "what if i did that more often? what sort of unknown effect could i have on maybe just one more person?" and i like writing; i feel like i can communicate more effectively by writing and process things better, so this is my attempt at starting to blog regularly. i hope that God uses something i say to touch someone else's life and mine in the process.
i feel that i have to confess that i'm much better at talking the talk than walking the walk (that's Christian talk for doing what you say you're going to, just in case any non Christians are reading this. we have a bad habit of using words only mean something to us, sorry!) for example, in that september blog i said,"i'll admit right out that i've spent my time here on this earth unwisely so far, but i don't want that to continue, and i hope and pray that you'll join me in examining your life and challenging yourself and learning to trust God and chasing after God and cherishing love and your loved ones. but most of all God i pray that i would not continue wasting what you have generously given to me and that i would be able to use your gifts to me to give glory back to you as you created me to." yeah, not much of that really happened in my life. if anything i've been backsliding into some sinful habits and behaviors, but one thing that i've been learning is that GOD DOESN'T CARE. it's not that He doesn't mind when i sin, but it never once affects His love for me. i've been learning that Christians can be just as sinful as non Christians, and it's not my place to judge anyone. my job is to let the love of God flow through me and show Jesus to them. and, God, i pray that you would help me with that!
one more thing; we're doing the Truefaced study in LAUNCH right now, and i would highly reccomend it to anyone. it is a message of hope and grace for the Christian and non Christian alike. God bless you!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Sunstream Retreat Center
today, instead of having class in the morning, we visited Sunstream Retreat Center in Ogden, Iowa. our assignment was to have five questions to ask, but we only have blog about three of them and the answers.
i asked, "what is your focus, is the board or director more in-charge of the center, and when was sunstream founded?"
ok, Sunstream was founded in 1973 because the Assemblies of God church district wanted a conference center in a centrally located.......location, so they wouldn't have to keep changing centers and going to minnesota or missouri.
Sunstream does not have a board, so the director has most of the say in things that go on at the center.
the question about focus was really, "are you more focused on the retreats in the off season (august through may) or summer camp, like hidden acres is?" the answer is that Sunstream is more focused on the retreat season because that is when most of their revenue is brought in. Sunstream does not run camp like we do here; they hire summer staff to run the kitchen, activities, and for maintenance, but they do not plan camps. they play host to whatever group wants to put on a camp, and they just provide the facilities, food, and activities, and the group provides the counselors.
i asked, "what is your focus, is the board or director more in-charge of the center, and when was sunstream founded?"
ok, Sunstream was founded in 1973 because the Assemblies of God church district wanted a conference center in a centrally located.......location, so they wouldn't have to keep changing centers and going to minnesota or missouri.
Sunstream does not have a board, so the director has most of the say in things that go on at the center.
the question about focus was really, "are you more focused on the retreats in the off season (august through may) or summer camp, like hidden acres is?" the answer is that Sunstream is more focused on the retreat season because that is when most of their revenue is brought in. Sunstream does not run camp like we do here; they hire summer staff to run the kitchen, activities, and for maintenance, but they do not plan camps. they play host to whatever group wants to put on a camp, and they just provide the facilities, food, and activities, and the group provides the counselors.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
so my last post was about my values, mission, and vision. and since it's about what we can see ourselves doing, it follows that we should find out what we're good at or what we're cut out to do.
Strengths: working (serving, my spiritual gift), according to Strengths Finder my strengths are: adaptability (or flexibility) belief, harmony, and responsibility. i don't like conflict (harmony), but increasingly i find myself not really minding conflict if it means putting something right that i view as wrong. if i am given a job to do i do feel a moral obligation to finish it and do a good job (responsibility). i am very good at doing different jobs simultaneously, in fact, i work better if i have two or more jobs to alternate working at cause it gives me a break from the monotonousness of doing the same thing over and over (adaptability)
Weaknesses: ticklishness, girls (i'd like a relationship, but God keeps saying no) i'm not really self motivated, i can be incredibly lazy when there's nothing to do, but maybe that's allowed of there's nothing to do,
Opportunities: well, here in America i have the opportunity for an extended education. i have the opportunity this year to study camps and conference centers to see if i could make a life at one.
i also have the opportunity this year and the years to come to learn how to live on my own and handle adult responsibilities......responsibly.......
Threats: my sin nature.......me myself and i. as i'm looking into college for next year about the only thing that will keep it from happening is me and my laziness. unless God says, "NO".
Strengths: working (serving, my spiritual gift), according to Strengths Finder my strengths are: adaptability (or flexibility) belief, harmony, and responsibility. i don't like conflict (harmony), but increasingly i find myself not really minding conflict if it means putting something right that i view as wrong. if i am given a job to do i do feel a moral obligation to finish it and do a good job (responsibility). i am very good at doing different jobs simultaneously, in fact, i work better if i have two or more jobs to alternate working at cause it gives me a break from the monotonousness of doing the same thing over and over (adaptability)
Weaknesses: ticklishness, girls (i'd like a relationship, but God keeps saying no) i'm not really self motivated, i can be incredibly lazy when there's nothing to do, but maybe that's allowed of there's nothing to do,
Opportunities: well, here in America i have the opportunity for an extended education. i have the opportunity this year to study camps and conference centers to see if i could make a life at one.
i also have the opportunity this year and the years to come to learn how to live on my own and handle adult responsibilities......responsibly.......
Threats: my sin nature.......me myself and i. as i'm looking into college for next year about the only thing that will keep it from happening is me and my laziness. unless God says, "NO".
Values, Mission, Vision.......mine!
so we've been talking about organizational structure in class and every organization has to have a clear statement of values, mission and vision. so Brett wants us to write out our values, mission, and vision statements. so, here goes!
Values: I value children, family, friends, and justice.
Mission: My mission is to help people and help them to right the wrongs that have been done to them or have just happened in their lives.
Vision: I can see myself being married and having 3 or 4 kids and running an orphanage or being a foster parent for children who have been abused.
Values: I value children, family, friends, and justice.
Mission: My mission is to help people and help them to right the wrongs that have been done to them or have just happened in their lives.
Vision: I can see myself being married and having 3 or 4 kids and running an orphanage or being a foster parent for children who have been abused.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Hidden Acres mission statement.......my version!
our assignment is to come up with what we think the mission statement of Hidden Acres is based on what we have seen and experienced here. and then in light of that to tell what we think our purpose for being at camp is. ready? i'm not!!
The mission of Hidden Acres is to:
-Provide a Christ focused campground set apart for the purpose of running summer camp programs and retreats throughout the year in the hope that people who step onto our property will experience the love of Jesus Christ like they never have before and will come to a saving knowledge of Him.
So, in light of that, I suppose my mission should be to show the love of Christ to the people who come through my actions and words. But I think that my purpose for being here is mostly selfish in that I'm trying to use this year to grow up some more before attending college and to get used to being on my own in an already familiar environment. But nobody's perfect and we will always have something to work towards until the day we day, so I guess I know what I should be striving for this year!
The mission of Hidden Acres is to:
-Provide a Christ focused campground set apart for the purpose of running summer camp programs and retreats throughout the year in the hope that people who step onto our property will experience the love of Jesus Christ like they never have before and will come to a saving knowledge of Him.
So, in light of that, I suppose my mission should be to show the love of Christ to the people who come through my actions and words. But I think that my purpose for being here is mostly selfish in that I'm trying to use this year to grow up some more before attending college and to get used to being on my own in an already familiar environment. But nobody's perfect and we will always have something to work towards until the day we day, so I guess I know what I should be striving for this year!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Organizational Structures
so today in class we were learning about different types of organizational structures. we were shown a diagram that looked like a graph from math class (bad memories!) except without all of the tiny squares. there were four quadrants divided by two perpendicular lines like the x and y axises on the math graph. on the left side of the "x-axis" was the word "internal", and on the right, "external". on the top of the "y-axis" is "flexibility", and on the bottom is "control". in each of the four quadrants is a term describing the type of organizational structures, and it is our blog assignment to explain this diagram to you, our wonderful follwers!!! and also to explain where hidden acres stands on the diagram.
so, the top left corner between "internal" and "flexibility" is "clan". the "clan" is focused on teamwork within the organizational structure. it could be considered more of a family than an organization because people within the structure don't view one person as more important than another, from the camp director to the lowly peons.
the top right quadrant between "flexibility" and "external" says, "adhocracy". an "adhocracy" is an organizational structure that emphasizes creativity in the programs and external activities and people. instead of just doing things the same way that they've been done. any idea from anywhere or anyone is given fair and equal consideration.
the bottom left quadrant between "internal" and "control" says "hierarchy". a "hierarchy" emphasizes conformity to the highest authority. what the big man says goes. the peons might not answer directly to the director, but if he pulls you aside and says, "go do this" or "son, do this this way", you don't question it, you just obey!
the bottom right quadrant between "external" and "control" says "market". a "market" sees other companies or camps in our situation as competition and tries to out distance the competition. the mentality isn't, "how can we better serve our customers?" it's, "how can we get people away from those other camps and into ours?"
we talked some in class about where hidden acres sits on the diagram, and we thought that it's somewhere in between a clan and a hierarchy. we are a lot like a family here, and we help each other as much as we can. but we also have Earl. what Earl says goes, but even he is usually a part of the clan. however, if Earl sees something being done not right, he'll tell you and expect you to do it the way he says. so we kind of alternate between a clan and a hierarchy.
so, the top left corner between "internal" and "flexibility" is "clan". the "clan" is focused on teamwork within the organizational structure. it could be considered more of a family than an organization because people within the structure don't view one person as more important than another, from the camp director to the lowly peons.
the top right quadrant between "flexibility" and "external" says, "adhocracy". an "adhocracy" is an organizational structure that emphasizes creativity in the programs and external activities and people. instead of just doing things the same way that they've been done. any idea from anywhere or anyone is given fair and equal consideration.
the bottom left quadrant between "internal" and "control" says "hierarchy". a "hierarchy" emphasizes conformity to the highest authority. what the big man says goes. the peons might not answer directly to the director, but if he pulls you aside and says, "go do this" or "son, do this this way", you don't question it, you just obey!
the bottom right quadrant between "external" and "control" says "market". a "market" sees other companies or camps in our situation as competition and tries to out distance the competition. the mentality isn't, "how can we better serve our customers?" it's, "how can we get people away from those other camps and into ours?"
we talked some in class about where hidden acres sits on the diagram, and we thought that it's somewhere in between a clan and a hierarchy. we are a lot like a family here, and we help each other as much as we can. but we also have Earl. what Earl says goes, but even he is usually a part of the clan. however, if Earl sees something being done not right, he'll tell you and expect you to do it the way he says. so we kind of alternate between a clan and a hierarchy.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Bruce Almighty
The assignment was to watch a movie over the weekend and choose some questions to answer about the movie in an effort to write a pseudo-review about the movie. I chose to watch Bruce Almighty because I figured it could have some interesting themes and produce some good answers to the questions.
Bruce Almighty is about a man who thinks that God is out to get him. Seemingly everything in his life is falling apart and he feels as though God is picking on him. And then one day God meets with Bruce and gives him all of His power. He does not become God; he just gets all of God's powers. Bruce proceeds to use God's powers to "fix" his life (aka....get everything he ever wanted).
question #1: What does it (the movie) say about God and humanity?
Well Bruce Almighty is an interesting movie because where some movies don't ever mention God the main plot line is full of God. God (Morgan Freeman) is portrayed as an omnipotent, personal, caring character. Every aspect that they give to Him is Biblically accurate, however; they did not tell the whole story of who the person of God is. Never do they mention God's wrath or judgment against sin, and never does God condemn Bruce and his girlfriend, Grace for living together. And never in the movie is man's fallen nature discussed and therefore his need of a savior. It more leans toward man being incapable of doing God's job, which is true, but due to the fact that we are finite and simply put, not God.
question #2: Does it convey a sense of hope or hopelessness?
Well at one point God tells Bruce to "be the miracle". So I would say that it definitely gives a sense of hope because in addition to that it shows that when we surrender to God and His plan for our lives, He does what is best for us. That's not only when we surrender to Him, but all the time God does what is best for us, even if we don't agree with Him. We may not like it and think that God is being mean, but in reality it is exactly what we need. And if you ask Him, God will change your desires to match His.
question #3: What does it say about how to treat others?
Well, Bruce Almighty kind of does a flip flop in the middle of the movie. At first when he is granted God's power he only uses them for his enjoyment and to get things for himself no matter the cost to others. He makes a co-worker lose his job so that Bruce can have it. He uses his power to get revenge on a gang that had beaten him up earlier in the movie. He changes his car into a super sweet sports car (that I wouldn't mind having myself by the way). But being "God" Bruce also has the responsibility of answering people's prayers. At first he just wants to get through them, so he can go on enjoying his powers. However, his plan of just saying yes to every prayer backfires and the city goes nuts. At that point God tells Bruce that the answer isn't always "yes" and shows him that he has to give people what is best for them even if it means saying no. Bruce then turns into a nice guy, giving his co-worker back his job and things like that.
question #4: How is the family portrayed?
Well, considering that Bruce lives with his girlfriend, Grace, I would say my impression is that the family does not matter. However, as the movie goes on, Grace's sister keeps telling her how wonderful marriage and motherhood is, and it's obvious that Grace wants what her sister has. When Grace dumps Bruce because a different co-worker (a female this time) was coming on to Bruce, Bruce finally snaps and gives up trying to fix his life and asks God to do it for him. At the end of the movie Grace anounced as the future Mrs. Bruce. One other thing I'd like to mention though about love is that in one scene after Grace has dumped Bruce and he's given in to God, God asks Bruce if he wants Grace back. Bruce thinks about it and then says something remarkable. He says, "No. I want her to meet someone who is right for her and will love her because he sees her as I see her now, through Your eyes." It turns out that Bruce is "the one", but just that statement is remarkable, and I think that that is what love is all about.
question #5 What character traits are promoted as positive or negative?
Bruce is told by God that he has "the divine spark", the ability to make others laugh. At the beggining of the movie Bruce is chasing the anchor job at his news studio because he's tired of doing the dirty work out on the location. But at the end of the movie he is back to being on location and using his gift to make people laugh. He also tries to help a homeless man and ends up getting pounded by street gang, but that was because he couldn't keep his mouth closed. Praying is surprisingly shown in a positive light as Grace is cast as a devoted praying woman. Selfishness is shown to be not what you should do because it only gets you messed up.But when you get over yourself and try to help others wonderful things happen. And when you surrender to God and tell Him, "I can't run my life on my own" good things also happen.
So over all, I thought it was a pretty good movie. There was quite a bit of crude content, so it is not for children, but for adults it can be quite the teachable moment for yourself.
Bruce Almighty is about a man who thinks that God is out to get him. Seemingly everything in his life is falling apart and he feels as though God is picking on him. And then one day God meets with Bruce and gives him all of His power. He does not become God; he just gets all of God's powers. Bruce proceeds to use God's powers to "fix" his life (aka....get everything he ever wanted).
question #1: What does it (the movie) say about God and humanity?
Well Bruce Almighty is an interesting movie because where some movies don't ever mention God the main plot line is full of God. God (Morgan Freeman) is portrayed as an omnipotent, personal, caring character. Every aspect that they give to Him is Biblically accurate, however; they did not tell the whole story of who the person of God is. Never do they mention God's wrath or judgment against sin, and never does God condemn Bruce and his girlfriend, Grace for living together. And never in the movie is man's fallen nature discussed and therefore his need of a savior. It more leans toward man being incapable of doing God's job, which is true, but due to the fact that we are finite and simply put, not God.
question #2: Does it convey a sense of hope or hopelessness?
Well at one point God tells Bruce to "be the miracle". So I would say that it definitely gives a sense of hope because in addition to that it shows that when we surrender to God and His plan for our lives, He does what is best for us. That's not only when we surrender to Him, but all the time God does what is best for us, even if we don't agree with Him. We may not like it and think that God is being mean, but in reality it is exactly what we need. And if you ask Him, God will change your desires to match His.
question #3: What does it say about how to treat others?
Well, Bruce Almighty kind of does a flip flop in the middle of the movie. At first when he is granted God's power he only uses them for his enjoyment and to get things for himself no matter the cost to others. He makes a co-worker lose his job so that Bruce can have it. He uses his power to get revenge on a gang that had beaten him up earlier in the movie. He changes his car into a super sweet sports car (that I wouldn't mind having myself by the way). But being "God" Bruce also has the responsibility of answering people's prayers. At first he just wants to get through them, so he can go on enjoying his powers. However, his plan of just saying yes to every prayer backfires and the city goes nuts. At that point God tells Bruce that the answer isn't always "yes" and shows him that he has to give people what is best for them even if it means saying no. Bruce then turns into a nice guy, giving his co-worker back his job and things like that.
question #4: How is the family portrayed?
Well, considering that Bruce lives with his girlfriend, Grace, I would say my impression is that the family does not matter. However, as the movie goes on, Grace's sister keeps telling her how wonderful marriage and motherhood is, and it's obvious that Grace wants what her sister has. When Grace dumps Bruce because a different co-worker (a female this time) was coming on to Bruce, Bruce finally snaps and gives up trying to fix his life and asks God to do it for him. At the end of the movie Grace anounced as the future Mrs. Bruce. One other thing I'd like to mention though about love is that in one scene after Grace has dumped Bruce and he's given in to God, God asks Bruce if he wants Grace back. Bruce thinks about it and then says something remarkable. He says, "No. I want her to meet someone who is right for her and will love her because he sees her as I see her now, through Your eyes." It turns out that Bruce is "the one", but just that statement is remarkable, and I think that that is what love is all about.
question #5 What character traits are promoted as positive or negative?
Bruce is told by God that he has "the divine spark", the ability to make others laugh. At the beggining of the movie Bruce is chasing the anchor job at his news studio because he's tired of doing the dirty work out on the location. But at the end of the movie he is back to being on location and using his gift to make people laugh. He also tries to help a homeless man and ends up getting pounded by street gang, but that was because he couldn't keep his mouth closed. Praying is surprisingly shown in a positive light as Grace is cast as a devoted praying woman. Selfishness is shown to be not what you should do because it only gets you messed up.But when you get over yourself and try to help others wonderful things happen. And when you surrender to God and tell Him, "I can't run my life on my own" good things also happen.
So over all, I thought it was a pretty good movie. There was quite a bit of crude content, so it is not for children, but for adults it can be quite the teachable moment for yourself.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
So, the first question is, "What could you do to better relate and be salt to the culture?" And the second one is exactly the same except that it's what can camp do better?
I think that I need to learn how to love people with the love of Christ. In the past I have built friendships not to be friends but to bring someone to Christ, and I was not very good at even that. I need to be friends with people to be friends not solely to share Christ with them. Being friends with people involves talking to them, and that is one that I am not very good at either. I'll work my.....rear......off all day long, but if you tell me I have to talk to people, I might shrivel up and become a human raisin. So, improving my people skills is another thing to work on.
I honestly have no idea how Hidden acres could better relate to culture or be salt to the world. I think that it is doing a very good job on both fronts. This is not to say that Hidden Acres is perfect. I'm sure that there are several ways for us to improve, I just can't think of any at the moment.
I think that I need to learn how to love people with the love of Christ. In the past I have built friendships not to be friends but to bring someone to Christ, and I was not very good at even that. I need to be friends with people to be friends not solely to share Christ with them. Being friends with people involves talking to them, and that is one that I am not very good at either. I'll work my.....rear......off all day long, but if you tell me I have to talk to people, I might shrivel up and become a human raisin. So, improving my people skills is another thing to work on.
I honestly have no idea how Hidden acres could better relate to culture or be salt to the world. I think that it is doing a very good job on both fronts. This is not to say that Hidden Acres is perfect. I'm sure that there are several ways for us to improve, I just can't think of any at the moment.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Trends in Christian Camping
1) Declining Loyalties: People are starting to leave their traditional camps and shop around for a new one or a camp that is more of what they want. I suppose that this generation is starting to question traditions that had been a part of their growing, but now they have families of their own, so they want to make sure that they are getting the best that people have to offer.
2) Better Business: Camps are starting to do a better job in the business aspect of running a camp. A couple decades ago they weren't very business savvy, but now they are hiring marketing specialists that connect with potential clients on a more personal level.
3) Extreme Market Segmentation: The market for camps, and really for everything now, has become extremely wide and varied. There are a lot more groups, ethnic or otherwise, in the market, and most of them want things a certain way, so camps have to figure out how to cater to everyone's desires at basically the same time.
4) Tentative Exemptions: I know that Hidden Acres is a non-profit organization and is thus tax exempt. But some people (government folks) don't really like that because they're trying to come up with more revenue for themselves.
5) Technological Advances: There has been an explosion in technological advances so much so that now people sometimes don't even think to look for things anywhere other than the internet. So camps are having to learn how computers work and how to keep a website up to date. If you combine all that with new business methods of traveling around and advertising, you need to look for different kinds of people with unique skill sets like a big personality, a people person, and someone who can handle technology.
6) Compromised Values: The culture is always changing, and a worldview that many people hold right now is Post-Modernism. People think that there is no such thing as absolute truth and that everything is relative and truth is what you decide it is. With this mentality in people it is difficult to stay relevant and know how to minister effectively to people while not compromising the Gospel.
I think that in order to deal with the values being compromised in our culture the first move is to become informed about what is going on and what exactly people are thinking about truth and church and God. I read an incredible book by Timothy Keller recently called The Reason for God. In it he talks about different arguments that people are using against Christianity, and Timothy then takes those arguments and shows how they are actually proof for God. He addresses post-modernism and the relativistic society that we live in. Since this issue is a matter of the heart there isn't a lot more that we can do other than know and present the truth in a gracious way other than, the way Lee Brice puts it, "Never lets your praying knees get lazy." God does Crazy things when we ask Him. For some reason He chooses to listen to His children when they implore Him with a humble and contrite heart. Praise God!!!
2) Better Business: Camps are starting to do a better job in the business aspect of running a camp. A couple decades ago they weren't very business savvy, but now they are hiring marketing specialists that connect with potential clients on a more personal level.
3) Extreme Market Segmentation: The market for camps, and really for everything now, has become extremely wide and varied. There are a lot more groups, ethnic or otherwise, in the market, and most of them want things a certain way, so camps have to figure out how to cater to everyone's desires at basically the same time.
4) Tentative Exemptions: I know that Hidden Acres is a non-profit organization and is thus tax exempt. But some people (government folks) don't really like that because they're trying to come up with more revenue for themselves.
5) Technological Advances: There has been an explosion in technological advances so much so that now people sometimes don't even think to look for things anywhere other than the internet. So camps are having to learn how computers work and how to keep a website up to date. If you combine all that with new business methods of traveling around and advertising, you need to look for different kinds of people with unique skill sets like a big personality, a people person, and someone who can handle technology.
6) Compromised Values: The culture is always changing, and a worldview that many people hold right now is Post-Modernism. People think that there is no such thing as absolute truth and that everything is relative and truth is what you decide it is. With this mentality in people it is difficult to stay relevant and know how to minister effectively to people while not compromising the Gospel.
I think that in order to deal with the values being compromised in our culture the first move is to become informed about what is going on and what exactly people are thinking about truth and church and God. I read an incredible book by Timothy Keller recently called The Reason for God. In it he talks about different arguments that people are using against Christianity, and Timothy then takes those arguments and shows how they are actually proof for God. He addresses post-modernism and the relativistic society that we live in. Since this issue is a matter of the heart there isn't a lot more that we can do other than know and present the truth in a gracious way other than, the way Lee Brice puts it, "Never lets your praying knees get lazy." God does Crazy things when we ask Him. For some reason He chooses to listen to His children when they implore Him with a humble and contrite heart. Praise God!!!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Arlington Beach Camp and Conference Centre
Arlington Beach is located on the shores of Last Mountain Lake in Cymric, Saskatchewan. They are affiliated with the Free Methodist Church in Canada. It has been running since 1960. The Arlington Beach House, which seems to be their logo, was originally built in 1910 as a hotel on the lake and has been an attraction to the lake ever since.
Statement of Faith:
I could not find a statement of faith on the Arlington Beach website, but I'm assuming that since they are a part of CCI, they had to agree with CCI's statement of faith, so here it is.
We believe in:
The Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct;
The triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His substitutionary atonement for sin, His bodily resurrection and His personal, visible return to earth to reign in righteousness and glory;
The person of the Holy Spirit and His work of conviction, regeneration and sanctification, who indwells every believer equipping them with gifts for service and witness;
The necessity of new birth, in salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone, and the importance of a life fully committed to the will of God in Christ;
The church as the one, universal body of Christ who is the Head, called to be God's redeemed people.
Mission Statement:
I also could not find a clear cut mission statement for Arlington Beach, but i did find something similar to a mission statement. It was in the "school" section of their website, so this particular statement might only be for the outdoor classroom part of their program.
Our goal here at Arlington Beach is to turn the natural setting that surrounds us into a classroom like no other – a classroom without limits – and an exciting adventure in learning.
This program exists to provide honor to our creator through environments and experiences where children of all ages can gain increased awareness of the restoration, protection and respect of the earth.
Activities:
Arlington Beach offers a wide variety of activities on their lake like swimming or canoeing and their wilderness area such as hiking. They have a lot of sports related activities like beach volleyball or whatever you can come up with on their sports field. They also have some special activities like the climbing wall, zip line, and the mud bog. Arlingon Beach also has some winter activities such as ice fishing, ice skating, and, my personal favorite, quinzee building. Quinzees are shleters made from hollowing out a mound of snow, kind of like and igloo except that a quinzee is one whole piece of snow, not blocks of snow.
I think that Hidden Acres may want to look into getting a trampoline of some sort because it seems like those are fairly popular with other camps. If Hidden Acres doesn't want to look at a trampoline then maybe we would look at a quinzee building contest, but that could just be a canadian thing.......:)
Statement of Faith:
I could not find a statement of faith on the Arlington Beach website, but I'm assuming that since they are a part of CCI, they had to agree with CCI's statement of faith, so here it is.
We believe in:
The Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct;
The triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His substitutionary atonement for sin, His bodily resurrection and His personal, visible return to earth to reign in righteousness and glory;
The person of the Holy Spirit and His work of conviction, regeneration and sanctification, who indwells every believer equipping them with gifts for service and witness;
The necessity of new birth, in salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone, and the importance of a life fully committed to the will of God in Christ;
The church as the one, universal body of Christ who is the Head, called to be God's redeemed people.
Mission Statement:
I also could not find a clear cut mission statement for Arlington Beach, but i did find something similar to a mission statement. It was in the "school" section of their website, so this particular statement might only be for the outdoor classroom part of their program.
Our goal here at Arlington Beach is to turn the natural setting that surrounds us into a classroom like no other – a classroom without limits – and an exciting adventure in learning.
This program exists to provide honor to our creator through environments and experiences where children of all ages can gain increased awareness of the restoration, protection and respect of the earth.
Activities:
Arlington Beach offers a wide variety of activities on their lake like swimming or canoeing and their wilderness area such as hiking. They have a lot of sports related activities like beach volleyball or whatever you can come up with on their sports field. They also have some special activities like the climbing wall, zip line, and the mud bog. Arlingon Beach also has some winter activities such as ice fishing, ice skating, and, my personal favorite, quinzee building. Quinzees are shleters made from hollowing out a mound of snow, kind of like and igloo except that a quinzee is one whole piece of snow, not blocks of snow.
I think that Hidden Acres may want to look into getting a trampoline of some sort because it seems like those are fairly popular with other camps. If Hidden Acres doesn't want to look at a trampoline then maybe we would look at a quinzee building contest, but that could just be a canadian thing.......:)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Separation vs. Accommodation
2nd Corinthians 6:16-18 “What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
“Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord almighty.”
People can quote this passage in defense of a separation view of the world which is where people think that Christians should be completely removed from society and not have anything to do with modern culture in order to not be corrupted by society. However when you take the context of this passage, Paul is talking about marriage between believers and unbelievers. So when I read that passage it sounds like he is saying, “Don’t marry an unbeliever because you don’t share the fundamental beliefs about life.” Yes, Paul is quoting scripture found in Isaiah 52:11, but the phrase “come out and be separate” was often used as a prophetic warning like in Revelation 18:4.
John 17:14-19 “I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that You take them out of the world, but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You have sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”
An accommodating view of the world is where people think that Christians should be culturally relevant and change their “style” to accommodate the changing culture. People who hold this view of the world can cite john 17:14-19 in defense of their view. I think this view is a little more “right” than the separation view partly because of this scripture and probably because I was raised on the “in the world but not of the world” doctrine. (side note: we couldn’t find a reference for that exact phrase anywhere in the Bible) I wouldn’t say that I’m completely for the accommodating view, but I would say that I lean more toward accommodation than separation at least when the truth of the Gospel hasn’t been compromised.
I think that being a younger generation also has given me a little slant towards accommodation. I’ve grown up in this culture and that’s really all I’ve known, so it’s not hard for me to take an accommodating view.
One example is that of Bible teaching and activities at a retreat or conference. Yes, theoretically it's good to have an entire weekend taken up with Bible teaching and nothing else, but if you spend four hours in chapel listening to a speaker or studying the Word, I'll guarantee that you're gonna lose one or two people from your audience. however if you balance the teaching and preaching with some physical activities and fun things to do then it gives stimulation to both the body and soul, and I think that you'll get better "results" from the teaching if you have times in between sessions to process things. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing, but not enough is bad also. So it's another tension.
Another example could be music. I suppose that if everyone in the world had been raised on hymns and praise songs that there wouldn't be much conflict, however, not everyone has a taste for hymns, and sometimes newer music speaks louder to some people. So it becomes another tension trying to figure out what type of music will speak best to the group you are serving, or what they need to hear. And I think that it would be beneficial for some people to remember that the people on stage are praising God also with the music that they are playing and the lyrics they are singing.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Trail Markers
So, today in class we learned about different stages in the christian walk and were given six different "trail markers" in every Christian's life. Our assignment is to blog about our personal journey and where we are with these "trail markers" in our own life; tell our story. So here goes mine.......
Pre-conversion:
I didn't live a whole lot of life before I became a Christian, and I grew up going to church every sunday even nine months before I was born. I suppose that I was a normal child growing up, and by "normal" I mean whiny and fussy and completely self-centered. In fact we have a home video of myself taking my older sister's doll from her and then screaming when big brother tried to take charge and give Laura's doll back to her. So I guess I had a fairly normal pre-conversion childhood in a Christian home.
Conversion:
Well, I don't remember much about my conversion. I know that I was in Sparkys at the time, so I guesstimate that I was about 6. What I do remember is that one night after Sparkys as I was getting tucked into bed I told my mom that I wanted to "pray the prayer" and ask Jesus into my heart. So, I did and have been saved ever since.
Growth in Intimacy:
Well, being so young when I got saved I didn't really understand what I was doing or what was going on. Only recently have I started to really understand that I was probably just reacting to expectations. But also recently I have started understanding what the Christian life is all about. Sure, around eighth grade I started thinking that I needed to get serious about my faith, but that just simply resulted in me feeling bad that I wasn't stronger in my faith. I haven't really ever felt close to God, but just recently I started trying to spend time getting to know God and spend time with Him.
Development of Skills:
Well, I have always wanted to learn how to work with my hands and how to make things. I've never really had a chance to learn those things at home, but here at camp I'm working at the new chapel and learning many new skills that I've wanted to.
Servanthood Ministry:
Well, I have always liked to work and serve others in addition to being raised that way. I had suspected that my spiritual gift is serving, and when we took our spiritual gifts test at the beginning of LAUNCH, it was!!! So, I guess I think I'm doing a lot of servanthood ministry. I think that I'll probably be serving all my life.
Evangelism and Mentoring:
Well, during high school I had the opportunity to help a a troubled underclassman with his school work. Looking back now, I realize that instead of just trying to be his friend and letting Christ shine through my life, I tried to share Christ with him and show him "the error of his way". Unfortunately he died this past summer. While I was hanging out with him at school I was introduced to another guy, and we struck up a friendship. However for me, it was just taking him and his brother to youth group and saying "hi" in the halls. Looking back I regret my actions and hope that in the future I will be a more loving and friendly person.
Where I Would Like to Grow:
I think that the area I would most like to grow in would be intimacy with God. I think that if my relationship with God is right, then everything else will fall into place, at least that's what the Bible and other people have told me. Plus I want to know God more.
Pre-conversion:
I didn't live a whole lot of life before I became a Christian, and I grew up going to church every sunday even nine months before I was born. I suppose that I was a normal child growing up, and by "normal" I mean whiny and fussy and completely self-centered. In fact we have a home video of myself taking my older sister's doll from her and then screaming when big brother tried to take charge and give Laura's doll back to her. So I guess I had a fairly normal pre-conversion childhood in a Christian home.
Conversion:
Well, I don't remember much about my conversion. I know that I was in Sparkys at the time, so I guesstimate that I was about 6. What I do remember is that one night after Sparkys as I was getting tucked into bed I told my mom that I wanted to "pray the prayer" and ask Jesus into my heart. So, I did and have been saved ever since.
Growth in Intimacy:
Well, being so young when I got saved I didn't really understand what I was doing or what was going on. Only recently have I started to really understand that I was probably just reacting to expectations. But also recently I have started understanding what the Christian life is all about. Sure, around eighth grade I started thinking that I needed to get serious about my faith, but that just simply resulted in me feeling bad that I wasn't stronger in my faith. I haven't really ever felt close to God, but just recently I started trying to spend time getting to know God and spend time with Him.
Development of Skills:
Well, I have always wanted to learn how to work with my hands and how to make things. I've never really had a chance to learn those things at home, but here at camp I'm working at the new chapel and learning many new skills that I've wanted to.
Servanthood Ministry:
Well, I have always liked to work and serve others in addition to being raised that way. I had suspected that my spiritual gift is serving, and when we took our spiritual gifts test at the beginning of LAUNCH, it was!!! So, I guess I think I'm doing a lot of servanthood ministry. I think that I'll probably be serving all my life.
Evangelism and Mentoring:
Well, during high school I had the opportunity to help a a troubled underclassman with his school work. Looking back now, I realize that instead of just trying to be his friend and letting Christ shine through my life, I tried to share Christ with him and show him "the error of his way". Unfortunately he died this past summer. While I was hanging out with him at school I was introduced to another guy, and we struck up a friendship. However for me, it was just taking him and his brother to youth group and saying "hi" in the halls. Looking back I regret my actions and hope that in the future I will be a more loving and friendly person.
Where I Would Like to Grow:
I think that the area I would most like to grow in would be intimacy with God. I think that if my relationship with God is right, then everything else will fall into place, at least that's what the Bible and other people have told me. Plus I want to know God more.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Research: Kanakuk Kamps
History:
Kanakuk Kamps, located in Branson, MO, started in 1926 as Kugaho Kamp when 50 boys from Texas spent 8 weeks in the Ozarks to build character and stamina alongside good Christian role models. In 1932 Coach Bill Lantz became the director of Kugaho and changed the name to Kanakuk. He also brought in the Four Squares and I am Third doctrines (see below in The Mission). Then in 1934 the Coach purchased Kanakuk. In 1955 Spike and Darnell White purchased Kankuk from Coach Bill, and then in 1976 Jo and Debbie-Jo White purchased Kanakuk from Spike and Darnell. In 1978 Kanakuk opened it's K-2 Kamp and since then it has opened 7 more Kamps for a total of 9 today.
Statement of Faith:
These are the foundational truths of scripture that guide Kanakuk Kamps in it's mission.
ONE TRUE GOD: Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 43:10 - 11 We believe the one true God has revealed Himself the eternally self-existent "I AM", the creator of Heaven and Earth.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST: Colossians 1:15-22; I Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Peter 3:18 We believe that Jesus Christ is the "Image of the invisible God" and that in Him "all deity dwells in bodily form." We believe in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross as the substitutionary atonement for sin, His literal bodily resurrection from the dead, His present ministry of intercession in Heaven, and His personal future return to the earth.
THE HOLY SPIRIT: John 14:16; Romans 8:14, 16; Ephesians 1:13; Philippians 1:6; Philippians 2:13 We believe the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin and regenerates, indwells, seals, sets apart, and empowers believers for service and for holy living and a holy life. We believe that "God is at work within us both to will and work to His good pleasure" and that "He will continue to perfect us until the day of Christ Jesus."
THE GODHEAD: Genesis 1:26; John 1:14, 15:26, 17:21; Ephesians 4:4-6 We believe in the unity and trinity of the Godhead existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. These three persons are One God having the same nature, attributes, and perfection.
MAN: Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:22; Romans 3:23; Hebrews 9:27; Romans 5:12 We believe that man was created in the image of God but was separated from God by sin and shall be judged; And only through the Blood of Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
SALVATION: Ephesians 2:8-10; I Corinthians 15:3-4; John 1:12 We believe in salvation by grace, a free gift from God apart from works. Salvation comes through repentance, a turning from one's own way to God's way, and accepting Jesus Christ in personal faith.
THE SCRIPTURES: II Timothy 3:15, 16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21 We believe both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible to be the inerrant holy word of God, inspired in every part by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the revelation of God for the equipping of man and is the supreme and final authority for faith and life.
The Mission:
Developing dynamic Christian leaders through life changing experiences Godly relationships, and spiritual training.
Kanakuk Kamps' motto is "Exciting Adventure in Christian Athletics."
Kanakuk Kamps is not like typical summer camps. We incorporate the best of sports camps and the best of Christian camps together with 2,500 hand-picked, dedicated, kid-loving Christian athletic staff to offer your child a summer camping experience like no other.
Kanakuk is based on four main principles:
The Activities:
Kanakuk offers a great variety of activities which includes all of their sport camps, quite a few activities just at their outdoor pool including a blob and water slides, another few activities on their lake including water skiing, tubing, swimming, canoeing, sailing and kayaking, an archery and rifle range, a tower and ropes course with a multi-person zip line, mini golf, and adventure kamps which are survival kamp, scuba kamp, and aviation kamp.
Idea for Camp:
I think it would be a fun idea to look into building a floating diving board for the lake or get a floating trampoline for the lake. If not that, then I also think it would be fun to look into setting up a multi-person zip line so that family members or friends can go at the same time.
Kanakuk Kamps, located in Branson, MO, started in 1926 as Kugaho Kamp when 50 boys from Texas spent 8 weeks in the Ozarks to build character and stamina alongside good Christian role models. In 1932 Coach Bill Lantz became the director of Kugaho and changed the name to Kanakuk. He also brought in the Four Squares and I am Third doctrines (see below in The Mission). Then in 1934 the Coach purchased Kanakuk. In 1955 Spike and Darnell White purchased Kankuk from Coach Bill, and then in 1976 Jo and Debbie-Jo White purchased Kanakuk from Spike and Darnell. In 1978 Kanakuk opened it's K-2 Kamp and since then it has opened 7 more Kamps for a total of 9 today.
Statement of Faith:
These are the foundational truths of scripture that guide Kanakuk Kamps in it's mission.
ONE TRUE GOD: Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 43:10 - 11 We believe the one true God has revealed Himself the eternally self-existent "I AM", the creator of Heaven and Earth.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST: Colossians 1:15-22; I Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Peter 3:18 We believe that Jesus Christ is the "Image of the invisible God" and that in Him "all deity dwells in bodily form." We believe in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross as the substitutionary atonement for sin, His literal bodily resurrection from the dead, His present ministry of intercession in Heaven, and His personal future return to the earth.
THE HOLY SPIRIT: John 14:16; Romans 8:14, 16; Ephesians 1:13; Philippians 1:6; Philippians 2:13 We believe the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin and regenerates, indwells, seals, sets apart, and empowers believers for service and for holy living and a holy life. We believe that "God is at work within us both to will and work to His good pleasure" and that "He will continue to perfect us until the day of Christ Jesus."
THE GODHEAD: Genesis 1:26; John 1:14, 15:26, 17:21; Ephesians 4:4-6 We believe in the unity and trinity of the Godhead existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. These three persons are One God having the same nature, attributes, and perfection.
MAN: Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:22; Romans 3:23; Hebrews 9:27; Romans 5:12 We believe that man was created in the image of God but was separated from God by sin and shall be judged; And only through the Blood of Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
SALVATION: Ephesians 2:8-10; I Corinthians 15:3-4; John 1:12 We believe in salvation by grace, a free gift from God apart from works. Salvation comes through repentance, a turning from one's own way to God's way, and accepting Jesus Christ in personal faith.
THE SCRIPTURES: II Timothy 3:15, 16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21 We believe both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible to be the inerrant holy word of God, inspired in every part by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the revelation of God for the equipping of man and is the supreme and final authority for faith and life.
The Mission:
Developing dynamic Christian leaders through life changing experiences Godly relationships, and spiritual training.
Kanakuk Kamps' motto is "Exciting Adventure in Christian Athletics."
Kanakuk Kamps is not like typical summer camps. We incorporate the best of sports camps and the best of Christian camps together with 2,500 hand-picked, dedicated, kid-loving Christian athletic staff to offer your child a summer camping experience like no other.
Kanakuk is based on four main principles:
- I'm Third
God First...Others Second...I'm Third - Four Square Life
"And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man." -- Luke 2:52 - Let Your Light So Shine
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." -- Matthew 5:16 - A Rock at a Time
Big things may be accomplished - one small step after another.
The Activities:
Kanakuk offers a great variety of activities which includes all of their sport camps, quite a few activities just at their outdoor pool including a blob and water slides, another few activities on their lake including water skiing, tubing, swimming, canoeing, sailing and kayaking, an archery and rifle range, a tower and ropes course with a multi-person zip line, mini golf, and adventure kamps which are survival kamp, scuba kamp, and aviation kamp.
Idea for Camp:
I think it would be a fun idea to look into building a floating diving board for the lake or get a floating trampoline for the lake. If not that, then I also think it would be fun to look into setting up a multi-person zip line so that family members or friends can go at the same time.
Monday, September 19, 2011
What are the pros and of cons of being: A) a denominational camp and B) and nondenominational camp
I'll start with denominational camps.
Well the pros would be that you have not only one, but two Statements of Faith to go back to to help guide you through issues. Being a denominational church would also probably give people of that denomination more incentive to support your camp, so you can have a good solid foundation of people.
Cons would be that you do have two Statements of Faith, and that can give you some headaches especially with hiring people on staff or especially summer staff, making sure everybody agrees with the basics. Being denominational also means that you have to a little more selective about different retreats that come so that you don't have people on camp who are doing things or teaching things that expressly go against what you believe.
Nondenominational camps don't necessarily have to be as picky with who they let use the facilities. They could still get some weird traditions, but as long as they don't go against the fundamentals of Christianity then it should be ok. But it could also back fire on them just as quickly as it could work.
So, I guess the problem that i seem to be focused on is the same for both denominational and nondenominational camps, and the solution is the same also. Be wise.
Well the pros would be that you have not only one, but two Statements of Faith to go back to to help guide you through issues. Being a denominational church would also probably give people of that denomination more incentive to support your camp, so you can have a good solid foundation of people.
Cons would be that you do have two Statements of Faith, and that can give you some headaches especially with hiring people on staff or especially summer staff, making sure everybody agrees with the basics. Being denominational also means that you have to a little more selective about different retreats that come so that you don't have people on camp who are doing things or teaching things that expressly go against what you believe.
Nondenominational camps don't necessarily have to be as picky with who they let use the facilities. They could still get some weird traditions, but as long as they don't go against the fundamentals of Christianity then it should be ok. But it could also back fire on them just as quickly as it could work.
So, I guess the problem that i seem to be focused on is the same for both denominational and nondenominational camps, and the solution is the same also. Be wise.
contemplations
Well, right now i'm supposed to be blogging about the pros and cons of being a denominatinal or nondenominational camp. but at the moment my mind isn't on denominations; it's on my general science and physics teacher from clear lake, Mr. Blake Lobdell, who passed away this weekend from a heart attack. so if you don't mind i'm going to let my mind wander and my fingers follow where it goes.
it's crazy to think that Mr. Lobdell could be gone. he was one of the most alive people i think i've ever met. sure he had open heart surgery when i was a freshmen, but at the end of the year he was back to normal self which we got to then experience three years later in physics. Mr. Lobdell was a master teacher. i think his classes were probably my favorite in four years of high school. he would take a seemingly impossible problem and break it down into small understandable parts, and then proceed to show us how everything related back to each other in the big picture. i remember the problems about critical velocity every time i'm going around a curve a little bit fast.
i guess what i'm really thinking is, if Mr. Lobdell can be taken just like that (*snap*) then how do any of us know how much monger we have on this earth before God calls us to give an account for what we've done with our time here, and how are we spending our time? do we live with an eternal perspective in our minds and the love of God in our hearts? or are we wasting our time squabbling over petty differences that don't make a lick of good whether or not someone spends eternity in heaven or hell? i'll admit right out that i've spent my time here on this earth unwisely so far, but i don't want that to continue, and i hope and pray that you'll join me in examining your life and challenging yourself and learning to trust God and chasing after God and cherishing love and your loved ones. but most of all God i pray that i would not continue wasting what you have generously given to me and that i would be able to use your gifts to me to give glory back to you as you created me to.
as for denominations and nondenominations, they seem a little petty from where i'm sitting in the kitchen at Hidden Acres, but rest assured i'll get the assignment done in my next blog. but please please, don't waste this opportunity to consider eternity and where you'll be spending it, and what you can do about it.
it's crazy to think that Mr. Lobdell could be gone. he was one of the most alive people i think i've ever met. sure he had open heart surgery when i was a freshmen, but at the end of the year he was back to normal self which we got to then experience three years later in physics. Mr. Lobdell was a master teacher. i think his classes were probably my favorite in four years of high school. he would take a seemingly impossible problem and break it down into small understandable parts, and then proceed to show us how everything related back to each other in the big picture. i remember the problems about critical velocity every time i'm going around a curve a little bit fast.
i guess what i'm really thinking is, if Mr. Lobdell can be taken just like that (*snap*) then how do any of us know how much monger we have on this earth before God calls us to give an account for what we've done with our time here, and how are we spending our time? do we live with an eternal perspective in our minds and the love of God in our hearts? or are we wasting our time squabbling over petty differences that don't make a lick of good whether or not someone spends eternity in heaven or hell? i'll admit right out that i've spent my time here on this earth unwisely so far, but i don't want that to continue, and i hope and pray that you'll join me in examining your life and challenging yourself and learning to trust God and chasing after God and cherishing love and your loved ones. but most of all God i pray that i would not continue wasting what you have generously given to me and that i would be able to use your gifts to me to give glory back to you as you created me to.
as for denominations and nondenominations, they seem a little petty from where i'm sitting in the kitchen at Hidden Acres, but rest assured i'll get the assignment done in my next blog. but please please, don't waste this opportunity to consider eternity and where you'll be spending it, and what you can do about it.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
how does understanding the worldview of other religions help you minister to other's needs?
Well I guess the most obvious way is that it helps you to know where other people are coming from. If you know nothing about someone else's background it is extremely easy to misunderstand actions that, to them, might be completely normal. Understanding their worldview helps you to know their thought patterns (sort of), and be compassionate and understanding.
Another way understanding other religion's worldviews helps is so you can find a common ground, if any exists, in your beliefs from which to start a relationship and be able to minister to others.
Another way understanding other religion's worldviews helps is so you can find a common ground, if any exists, in your beliefs from which to start a relationship and be able to minister to others.
Monday, September 12, 2011
why is understanding a ministry's statement of faith important?
so, why is understanding a ministry's statement of faith important?
well i've come up a couple answers neither of which i think are too brilliant, but what the heck!
1) I think it's important to to know the statement of faith first of all so that you can know if you agree with it. If you're thinking about getting a job somewhere (*ahem* Hidden Acres) that requires you to sign their statement of faith, I think it would be pretty important to know whether or not you agree with it.
2) My second answer is that it is important to know and understand what you are representing when you do sign that statement or do get that job. And it's not just when you're on camp and there are campers or retreaters around. Ideally it should be everywhere you are and everything you do is representing your camp and by osmosis or diffusion or the transitive property representing that statement of faith.
well i've come up a couple answers neither of which i think are too brilliant, but what the heck!
1) I think it's important to to know the statement of faith first of all so that you can know if you agree with it. If you're thinking about getting a job somewhere (*ahem* Hidden Acres) that requires you to sign their statement of faith, I think it would be pretty important to know whether or not you agree with it.
2) My second answer is that it is important to know and understand what you are representing when you do sign that statement or do get that job. And it's not just when you're on camp and there are campers or retreaters around. Ideally it should be everywhere you are and everything you do is representing your camp and by osmosis or diffusion or the transitive property representing that statement of faith.
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