Up in the Air

I'm striving to get employment at a christian camp this summer and have currently been dealing with interviews. I'm not sure I'm the type of christian these people want though. Or maybe more importantly, I'm not sure this organization is the type of christian organization I want to be a part of. I'm worried they are one of those "numbers" camps. What I mean is that most of the campers come, get emotional, and then accept Jesus into their hearts...but then they go home and nothing changes. They don't read the Bible, nor do they get more involved with their church, nor even pray to God more after the first month back from camp. The perfect example of a "mountain top" experience. I don't want that to happen to any campers I take care of. This led to some friction during one interview (I believe).

I'm not going to lie to any kid. Even by omission, I will refrain on important topics. God is one of those topics.

Q: A child wants to accept Jesus into his heart. Give us the step by step process as you help lead him to this goal.

A: ...I don't know. I suppose I would tell him (after who Jesus is to me) that it's not going to be easy at all. At camp, it's cool to be religious but it rarely is outside in the real world. It'll lead a lot of potential friendships and relationships to a less than desirable direction. You will be teased, questioned, and ultimately ridiculed many times in your life for a man you have never even seen with your two eyes. But if you can endure and take the abuse, it's worth every bit and more. Jesus will give you a strength and hope that no woman (for high schoolers), friend, power, or wealth could give you. Your thinking will be cleaner than any of the people around you because your pursuit of God will cleanse your mind. You will be a part of a community that will always be there for you in ways no secular friend group could. And last, you will be able to die in peace and hope loving all of those surrounding you whether friend or foe. But it will cost you everything you have to pursue this man named Jesus and a lot of times you are going to dislike the games He seems to be playing with you. You will cry for Him to reveal Himself to you only to have something coincidental happen that leaves you guessing at if He did it. He will break you in numerous ways you will hate because He will remake you into being whole in a way you could never imagine. Sacrifice is what Jesus was about and so it is what we who follow Him are about. Be willing to pay the cost and you will be saved and fulfilled...(this is a MUCH better way of answering than I did, more poetic if nothing else but I was nervous at the time and didn't really think about it as I have now).

But I'm not sure if that is something they would want to hear. If this camp just wants to say "we brought (insert large #) children to Christ" then I don't think I want to join them. If however they are striving to say "we didn't actually get many people to 'accept Christ' this summer but those who went to our camp left with a yearning for the Lord and the desire to pursue Him through their churches, bibles, and families" then I'm all aboard. But I'm worried about that. I remember last summer listening to some staff members speaking of how some kids in their cabin accepted Christ. Afterwords, I said great (because it really is good if it is genuine) but how many did they convince to read more of their bible, or to get more involved in their church? Some of the staff didn't even address those issues with their children. "What the heck?!" flooded into my mind and I left thinking that I would have to do that every week if I became a staff member. I'm not sure if that's what they want but that's who I am. Looking at the long run is what matters. One of my staff members when I went to camp convinced me to read a chapter of the bible before starting my homework every day and it helped me so much. From that one chapter, I would get a hunger and not start homework until an hour later sometimes, that's what I want for them. I don't want to see anyone come to camp every year and accepting Jesus into their heart every summer. I want a real relationship to happen for them. That's what me loving them would look like. But as I've been writing this, it occurs to me that you are not who I should be telling this to. I need to tell the interviewer this. Whether it hurts or helps me, he should know where I stand when a child comes up to me and asks about accepting Jesus. That's only fair.