KUMBYAH'S ON BLOCKS
FOR ANOTHER YEAR
A few days ago, I poured the last bit of water on another season of Christian campfires, and packed away my industrial strength, glow-in-the-dark bug spray. Yep, Christian camp is over for another season. Clinically at least, I'm still alive! Praise the Lord!
Last week I was at the Fourteen And Up Camp. It was an interesting experience, especially coming off of the Eight Through Ten Camp the week before. Certainly there were a few contrasts between the two.
- Campers in the Eight Through Ten Camp felt more comfortable praying-interesting, eh?
- Campers in the Eight Through Ten Camp were more eager, more enthusiastic, more obedient.
- Campers in the Eight Through Ten Camp laughed more at my jokes-no big surprise there!
- Campers in the Fourteen And Up Camp were more social, more relaxed, more resistant, less trusting.
- Campers in the Fourteen and Up Camp were more interested in the opposite gender.
- Thus, campers in the Fourteen and Up Camp were more interested in appearance and cleanliness i.e. they didn't have to be told to take a shower!
Which camp did I prefer? Hard to say. I can tell you that I really enjoy both age groups. Obviously, both groups have their own advantages and challenges. One thing I did find interesting at the Fourteen and Up Camp was the opportunity to study the collective camp culture. In a world that constantly reinforces the thought that the individual is all important, I was reminded that there really isn't such a thing as an individual when it comes to viewing a group through spiritual eyes. Let me explain.
Early on in the week it was clear that there were a couple of campers who, by their behavior, really showed us that they weren't interested in the "camp experience" They were negative, uncooperative, and disruptive. Unfortunately they were also quite popular. What were we to do? They were warned a few times that their behavior suggested that they would really prefer to be at home, but such comments fell on deaf ears until a crisis of sorts raised it's ugly head and we really didn't have much choice but to call their parents and send them home. It was quite sad, and all of the staff felt like slugs for doing it, but something had to be done. It was our duty to maintain the order and safety of the camp.
Well, immediately after they left the camp, the tension in the air was thick. Sullen resentment and dark confusion circulated at ground level like the morning fog. As far as the young people were concerned, two of their own had been kicked out, and even though many would have agreed that they deserved it, still such an activity wasn't warmly received at first! I decided the best way to deal with it was to just sit outside and talk to anyone and everyone who wanted to talk. After a bit, the atmosphere began to change. Soon the questions stopped and we were just talking. A few hours later the camp was an entirely different place. The campers were more enthusiastic; more relaxed. So were we! It's hard to relax when you have to keep looking over your shoulder for the next brick to fly, so to speak. But when the threat was removed, we were able to let down our guards.
From that point on, camp was a much better place to be for everyone. Why? Because while it was only one or two people who were a problem, their attitudes, their activities affected everyone from the youngest camper to the oldest staff person. Can the attitude and actions of one person affect the attitude and actions of a group? You bet! That's why Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 12:26, 27, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
Do you see what Paul is saying here? As Christians, each one of us affects the other. If we are part of the same congregation and you suffer, I suffer. If you grow, I grow. If you are negative, then I am negatively affected. Without being too critical here, I am sure that if any of you have been in the Church any length of time, you will realize that often it is one or two people who usually become the stumbling block, the bottleneck, the resistance to any change or growth in any particular congregation. Usually it is one or two squeaky wheels that bring the entire congregation to a screeching halt, right? As a preacher, I know myself that I can get ten "amens" and one "what were you thinking?" and guess which one affects me more? It's so easy to be controlled by the critic and I believe that is one of the biggest pitfalls facing the Church today.
What am I trying to say? Simply this: at camp, it came to the point that something had to be done for the good of everyone. We had to confront a problem even though it was a problem that involved only a couple of people. We approached it with warnings and numerous attempts at communication, but ultimately the behavior of the people involved made it clear that they really weren't interested in what was best for the camp, nor were they interested in honoring God, so we removed them. It was difficult, sad, confrontational, upsetting, but ultimately the most positive step we could have taken.
Obviously, camp is different from the local church. But the problems aren't. Many churches have died, or been seriously crippled because of a small minority of very negative, controlling people. If only we could remove their negative influence in as effective a way as we did at camp last week. Is such leadership, such unity, such decisiveness possible? Something to ponder, that's for sure! Ok, so what do we learn from this last Ode to Camp?
If you are part of a congregation, one way or another, you are affecting the effectiveness and character of that congregation. If you are a negative person, you are contributing negatively to your fellowship. If you are a watcher and not a doer, you are contributing negatively to your congregation. If you are seeking power, or control, or praise in the midst of your congregation, you are contributing negatively to the unity of your church.
Likewise, if you are positive; if you are praying; if you are plugged in and encouraging, you are making your congregation a much better place. Even though we don't see it quite as much, enthusiasm and joy are just as contagious, just as affecting as anything negative that comes our way. Which are you? — positive or negative?
Finally, it may be that your congregation is severely crippled by a few trouble makers. Praise the Lord such isn't the case for our congregation, but I've experienced situations like this in the past. What are you to do? Do you let the negativity affect you so you begin to look at the world and the congregation through grinch colored glasses? Or, do you try with the Lord's help, to turn the tide on the group's attitude by being as positive, as spiritual, as obedient to the Lord as you possibly can?
Lots to ponder, isn't it? I'm off to the Maritime Christian Fellowship and then some holidays so this Whatcha may stand for a bit. But, you never know, I may crawl out of the woods of my self-imposed R N' R and post another Whatcha in the next week or two. If not, you have well over one hundred Whatchas in the archive to dust off and kick around.
If you have any comments or thoughts on this, or any other Whatcha, please write me, I'll reply as soon as I get back. Just click on my name at the bottom of this page.
