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.
Monday, September 19, 2011
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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