Before you dive into this blog post I want to reassure you that it is not going to be three or four paragraphs of me complaining about stuff. I understand the title may lead you to think that, but by the end of reading this post I am sure you see that is not our goal. Without further ado, lets jump right into it!
Why #1 Since the start of the new year, I have been asked many times if I know the “why” behind what it is I do at camp, what it is we do at camp, and what I am doing in my personal walk with Christ. This all started when Alan came back from a meeting one day and told me about a video Phil Young (our Director of Mission) had shown them. It was a video about “knowing your why” where Christian comedian and public speaker Michael Jr. uses a crowd member to show the entire audience at one of his shows how important it is to know why you are doing what you are doing before you get caught up in the what’s, how’s, when’s, and where’s. (I highly recommend you watch this video if you have not ever seen it! Just google Michael Jr. Knowing your why!) During the video, Michael Jr. asks a gentleman in the audience, who happens to be a music teacher, to sing a few bars of Amazing Grace. The guy crushes it, but Michael Jr. looks at him when he is done and asks him to sing it again. This time he request that the gentleman sing it as if he just lost a loved one, was recently relieved from prison, etc.(sing from past traumatic experiences), and when the gentleman knows the why behind his singing of Amazing Grace it takes the song to a whole different level that will send goose bumps up your arm. This idea of knowing why you do something gives it more power because you have an intimate desire to do it now is a reality that we as Christians miss out on. Don’t continue to miss out on having powerful and impactful what’s. how’s, when’s, and where’s because you don’t truly understand your why! Why #2 When I was presented with this challenge to figure out what my why was it really got me thinking. I realized that for most of my proclaiming Christian life I had been working off the wrong why. Here are just a few examples:
Why #3 The final why is for why we do what we do here at camp. Of course we want to provide a place for kids to come in the summer to create lifelong memories and make lifelong friends, but our actual why is not to get caught up in lifelong things but rather eternal things. We do what we do so that kids can have an opportunity to meet Christ! We do what we do so that kids who don’t see and feel love on a day to day basis can see, feel, and understand that real love comes from Christ and the sacrifice He made on the cross. Our why can be wrapped up in one sentence: Every child deserves a chance to meet the God who created them in His image; a chance to know about His love; a chance to know about Christ's sacrifice; and a chance to start a relationship with Him that will last for an eternity!
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Reflection & Preparation:
Reflection: With Mid-Winter being this weekend it has caused me to reflect on the handful of Mid-Winters I have been able to be a part of in the past. I remember my first Mid-Winter in January of 2013 when I didn’t know anyone and had only been a counselor for a few weeks the summer prior. It was very nerve racking because I try to stay below the radar when possible, but at an event like Mid-Winter when you are an unknown person everyone wants to get to know you. During that weekend I was able to make friends that I still have today, and meet great Godly young men and women who I got to, and still get to, learn from every time we are together. It causes me to think about Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”. Over my time being able to work at Camp Ba-Yo-Ca I have realized that year after year we put together a team of incredible staff and counselors that are the epitome of this verse being lived out! Mid-Winter is just one of the venues used to do so. Preparation: It is my hope that everyone who comes to Mid-Winter leaves with their lives changed for the better the same way mine was after my first Mid-Winter. For this to happen we all need to prepare for Mid-Winter with purposeful prayer, and an open heart for what will be taught to us this year as we go through what it means to be a “Doer” of God’s word. Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer is an effort of will.” We believe it is God’s will for our staff and counselors to grow spiritually in ways they never thought imaginable at this years Mid-Winter. Will you join us in aligning our will with that of God by living out the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 “Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”? God is prepared to do marvelous things with the staff and counselors He has for us this year, and you can be a part of it through prayer! Over the years we have been on again off again with our blog posts. However, with the new year close in the rearview mirror we have decided to take on a resolution of our own. We will be introducing bi-weekly blog posts! During the off-season they will consist of material used in our bible studies, inspirational events in the lives of our staff and counselors, plans we have for things around camp to keep people in the loop, etc. During our summer season they will consist of stories about what God is doing in the life of our campers and counselors. We hope that this new approach to how we do our blog posts will be as encouraging for those who read it as the experiences were for those whose stories we are telling! We cannot wait to spread the good works of God in the lives of those we care so much about. If you have a story about what God is doing in your life and would like for us to share it please contact Matthew via e-mail at matthew@campbayoca.com or at the office 865-453-6274. 2017 is going to be great year!
God’s Call For Continuous Improvement: As we strive to be the camp that God has inspired us to be, we find ourselves trying to continuously improve. Over the years we have done whatever it takes to make camp available to kids so that they could have an experience that will make an eternal impact. However, getting kids to camp is only half the battle. God has made it clear to us in recent years that in order to fulfill His call for continuous improvement we must be willing to do even more. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 ESV “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.” The idea that God might be pleased with us because of the work we are blessed to be doing here is amazing! It would be easy to find rest in that idea, but God doesn’t ask us to find rest in a comfort zone of His pleasing, He asks us to do “more and more”. On our journey to do more and more God has continued to bless us with some great additions to camp that have better equipped us to be a place set apart to create experiences that will make an eternal impact. These additions include: Worship area by the lake Resources for our Leadership Development New structured activities for our fun time area New structures around our lake i.e. fishing dock, blob tower, canoe racks, water slide It is our hope that, as we answer God’s call for continuous improvement, you will partner with us in prayer that these new additions will be useful tools in sharing the love of Christ with the kids that come to camp and that we will be faithful to accept His challenge to continuously improve! With school being a few weeks in we at Camp BaYoCa want to encourage all of our campers, past and present, to take Christ with them. We have come up with a “simple” three step process that will help you in your journey of taking Christ with you. Those steps are as follows:
1. You Must KNOW God. 2. You Must SHARE God. 3. You Must TRUST God. Knowing God: Things to know… 1. God made you- Genesis 1:26-27 a. We were made in His image & likeness b. We are ‘very good’ in His eyes-Genesis 1:31 2. God is Love- 1 John 4:8 a. Real love is given directly from Him b. His love allows us to live- John 3:16 c. His love allows us to not be anxious- 1 Peter 5:6-7 Sharing God: Why we should share… 1. Not sharing has consequences- Matthew 10:32-33 a. If we stand up for Him, He will stand up for us b. If we disown Him, He will disown us 2. Your testimony has power- Revelations 12:11 a. Your testimony leads to spiritual victories b. You get the opportunity to plant the seed for Christ c. You could be the tool God uses to lead them to salvation Trust God: Trust Him to… 1. Know your limits- 1 Corinthians 10:13 a. He won’t put more on your plate than you can handle 2. Go with you- Joshua 1:9 a. He is with you wherever you go 3. Protect us- Psalm 121:7-8 a. He watches over us as we come and go By following these three steps we can all be the light in our community that God has called us to be! It was another great Mid Winter Retreat. It was a blessing to get to reconnect with all of the attending Staff and Counselors. We had alot of fun with the group games and the Ba Yo Ca Games. We also had time to just hang out with each other and get reconnected. It always amazes me the quality of these guys. The Lord always provides Camp with the very best!
We had three sessions: God's Intense Love, Being Intense for Christ, and being "In a Tent for Christ". The speakers did a great job challenging us! Please to continue to PRAY for Camp and it's staff as we perpare for another exciting summer! Have you been to camp? Have you met your kids as they are dropped off from camp? If so, you know how exciting camp can be. You have experienced and get to hear firsthand about the stories of swimming, hiking, horseback riding and the connection they made with God. Even if they have God in their heart, the experiences at camp strengthen their walk with the Lord. But today, I want you to think about the friendships that have been made at camp. As a staff member, I formed friendships that are still strong today. I had no idea how those friendships would still be strong and important in my life. We have an opportunity for you to help make sure we can continue God’s work and help campers and staff form friendships that will serve Knoxville Ministries for years to come. It is simple. All you have to do is become a Camp Ba Yo Ca Alumni. By signing up below, you will pay an annual fee of $25 and you will receive a Quarterly Alumni Newsletter of all of the good news that is happening here at camp. It will be full of photos, stories and ways God is working in the lives of our campers, counselors and staff. What a great way to get some good news of how God is working in our community. You will also receive a Camp Ba Yo Ca alumni t-shirt in the size of your choice. Every time you see the logo, it will bring back those fond memories of camp. Please consider becoming a Camp Ba Yo Ca Alumni. It is a gift that will touch lives for eternity. Send us an email with shirt size and the years that you served at Camp. You can make your donation using the donate button. Thanks for your continued prayer and support. Alan Amazing is the best word that can describe this summer. The Lord has blessed Camp Ba Yo Ca and Ministry of the Knox County Association of Baptists. I thought the best way to share with you would be just give you the stats and let them speak for themselves.
Attendance:
Total 1851 Campers 291 Children made some type of spiritual decision while at camp. Thanks for all your prayers as we continue to reach out to the Youth of East Tennessee Alan During our Midwinter Retreat for our summer camp counselors and staff, Alan Snyder outlined 10 areas the a student can be seeking after Jesus in their day-to-day.
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AuthorMatthew Archives
May 2018
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