Preteens COLLIDE with God

This week I’ve been speaking at a preteen camp in Arizona. Saturday I loaded up the SUV with my wife, three kids and all our stuff. We drove through the dessert and got a taste of what 112 degree heat feels like. So hot I think my face burnt off! Sunday afternoon we made it to Prescott Pines Camp in Arizona, where over 300 preteens and leaders would soon arrive.

The camp theme is COLLIDE. Preteens collide with a lot of issues and need some help and direction on how to handle them. They also need and want to collide with God. Not in a bad way, but in a good way. Camp is a place were they can experience God and open themselves up to Him.

The first night was sort of an ice breaker. Everyone getting acquainted with each other and the camp experience. They had a really cool dance group, the Electrolights, that rocked the house!  One of them shared his testimony.  Good stuff!

The next day’s topic was bullying.  Both morning and evening sessions were centered on that topic. The evening sessions was awesome. God showed up big time. Lots of preteens got prayer asking God to help them see bullies the way Jesus does. Many forgave the bullies in their lives. One girls cabin were in tears all during small group. The good kind of tears, where friends share the struggles they face in an open and accepting atmosphere. I even had a 17 year old leader come to me afterward telling me the message hit home for him. It was a really powerful evening.

Today’s topic was focused on God bringing order to the chaos around us. We specifically focused on broken homes.  76% of families in the county the campers live are broken homes. One of the highest in the nation. At lunch after the morning session, i had a preteen come up to me and share his story. As a pre-schooler his dad allowed him to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. Horrible to even imagine! His dad eventually went to jail, where I think he still is, and mom shortly later passed away. He was adopted by his aunt and uncle, who later got divorced. Something happen in that transition and he was later adopted by his older sister, who he now refers to as his mom. He’s only 11 years old and has experienced a lot of pain and hurt. My heart sank as he told me his story. But the good thing is he was at camp and positioned himself for God to enter into his pain and suffering. We gave preteens an opportunity to get prayer at the end of the evening session and ended with a really cool slow worship song.  I again saw many preteens getting prayer and leaders showing their love and support for them. One preteen came up to me afterward and gave me a huge hug telling me thank you for the message tonight. It really hit home and gave her a lot of encouragement. Wow, God is good!

Now, the camp had its bumps and bruises too. Mike Branton, one of the core point leaders for the camp has already taken three trips to the ER with campers who got hurt. He’s probably spent more time there then at camp. One girl got 25 stitches on her leg. Yikes!  I only mention this because odds are you’ll have some injuries at camp. It’s easy to blame yourself, but the reality is that injuries sometimes happen. It’s just a part of the camp experience sometimes. Hopefully Mike won’t have to take any more trips to the ER though.

Camp can be a powerful experience for preteens.  Allowing them to respond to what God is doing is the key. So many times we overlook this part of camp. We do everything to set up an amazing encounter with God, but sometimes don’t allow the opportunity.  But preteens can handle this. They want to do something with the message they were given at camp. They want to respond to what God is doing at that moment. Each church, depending on their worship style, will do that differently. But the key is to provide the opportunity. Don’t overlook what preteens are capable of in their relationship with God.

Wednesday’s topic will be focused on making Jesus the center and allowing him to be the driving force in their lives. I’m super excited about what God is going to do. Can’t wait! Will keep you posted.

One more thing I am stoked about is Thursday’s evening session (the last day). Camp ends Thursday morning.  All campers then drive to Phoenix, about a two hour drive, to meet up with their parents.  The closing chapel with be a recap of all the sessions and parents will be there to experience it.  it’s a way for parents to connect with what their preteens have experienced. I think it is a great idea and am really excited to see the outcome.

I love camp. I was really caught up in the moment as I looked at over 300 preteens worshiping Jesus. Seeing them respond to what God is doing in their lives. Having conversations with preteens and getting a glimpse into their lives. I wish everyday could be like this. But that’s not reality, is it? We’ll all have to go home soon, and then it’s up to the preteen ministries (there are three groups here) to carry on the momentum of summer camp. Thank God for all those leaders!

Hope to give you at least one more update on camp soon. Also hope that your summer events go well!

Read part 2 of this blog post now.