The Preacher's Pen

One of the areas of controversy between brethren has long been how to encourage young people to obey the Gospel and be faithful disciples. Some brethren have decided that the best way to do reach this noble and important goal is for the church to provide every sort of recreational and social opportunity imaginable. Basketball courts have been constructed, bus rides to theme parks and ski resorts provided, and parties of every sort held in ""fellowship halls."" All of this has been funded from the church's treasury. Other brethren have objected to such arrangements. Asking simply ""Where is the Bible authority for the church to be in the fun and games business?"" they have argued this cannot be God's way of helping young people. Usually such pleas have been met by stonily deaf ears and a derisive ""If the church doesn't do it no one will"" or the equally brilliant ""We'd rather do something wrong than do nothing at all.""

It is my delight to inform you that such comments are simply wrong. It is not so that no one will help young people find and enjoy good clean recreation if the church doesn't pay for it. It is dead wrong to argue that perverting the church's work and mission is preferable to doing nothing. I am sure of this because I have just returned from a three day youth camp in East Texas. It was a youth camp because young people were there, but it was not paid for by any church's treasury. Individual Christians, concerned about teen-agers, found a wonderful camp with cabins, room to run and play, dining facilities and a large meeting room. They reserved the camp with their own money, charged the kids who came a fee, and planned tons of activities (including special devotional periods at which I was privileged to speak from the Bible). Don't tell me it won't be done if the church doesn't do it! Don't tell me the only way to do this is to violate God's pattern for the church. These kind of activities can be done in the right way with respect for Bible authority. That makes everyone, especially the kids, come out the better for it.

P.S. If you are interested in your child attending this exciting camp email or write and I will put you in touch with the folks who organize it each year. Your kids will thank you for it!