Top Five for Camp Counselors

      I am the "Pastor of the Week" at Camp Wartburg in Waterloo, IL for the next few days.  Here's something I prepared for the camp staff called "The Top Five for Camp Counselors."  There may  be some intersection in the lives of those who aren't camp counselors. 

Act as if there is a camper who doesn’t have faith in Jesus.    God will send kids without faith to camp this summer.  Their introduction to Christ might come through you.  Pray for that.  Look and listen for that camper.  Love them.  And be prepared to share the gospel with them.  Luke 19:10

God uses your work for life-long impact.    God uses relationships to grow and shape his children.  You will have someone come up to you years from now screaming your camp name.  And you won’t have any idea who they are.  But they will tell you that they remember when you were their counselor.  They will remember what you said and what you did.  You’re always “on” at camp, and campers are always watching.  So what do you want them to remember about you?  II Timothy 1:5-7

Camp is not about you.   Camp is a unique place where you can be wild, crazy, and fun.  In this, there is a temptation to make it about yourself.  It’s easy to make camp about getting attention or flirting (I did meet my wife at a camp.).  Of course you’re super cool to a fourth grader.  It doesn’t mean you’re actually cool.  Be humble, and seek to serve.  You may have come here for selfish reasons, but now that you’re here, you must learn the selfless reasons.  Matthew 22:26-28

Just as you care for the kids, care for each other.  Remember that you are all on the same team.  The mission is to live the gospel among these campers and impact their faith for life.  You do this together.  You will each have up days and down days, so carry each other when someone is having an “off” day.  Be patient when someone is crabby or annoying.  Confront out of love when someone is out of line.  I Cor. 12:12-13
You will stumble, so Jesus will have to pick you up.  It’s a perfect storm.  High energy, demanding work.  Lots of crazy kids.  Close quarters with the same people for a summer (It’s like a reality TV show).  Sleep depravation.  The devil uses circumstances like this in order to throw you off.  It can be easy to get angry, frustrated, tempted, gossipy, and stupid.  When (not if) you hit this realization, know that you are weak and vulnerable.  You’re not always a nice person.  So then hear this:  God stays with you anyway.  You’re been died for.  You are loved by God.  He proved it with blood. 
II Corinthians 12:9-10

---