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Here it is... Saturday... time for everyone to return home. The day some have longed for since they arrived last Monday. However, after a few days with this amazing generation, every adult in this camp is no doubt finding it hard to leave. Why? What God has allowed us to see from the first day until now is simply INDESCRIBABLE!
INDESCRIBABLE... to write anything with that word in it is one tall order. When I think of the word INDESCRIBABLE and its connection to this year's 2008 LA Youth Camp, I am hard-pressed to know where to begin. If you have ever been to the LA Youth Camp in Idyllwild, CA, tucked away high in the mountains, you know full well the blessing of looking up into the night sky. It is here you truly see some of the greatest stars in all the world. Psalms 8 says, , O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise. However, the stars that I write about are not the ones in the heavens. All be it amazing, those stars fail to shine as brightly as the stars I saw this week at camp.
As I watched the Staff arrive Monday morning, I was awe struck that this is almost the same exact Staff that has served in this camp since it began in 2000. That testifies to the INDESCRIBABLE family that this camp has brought together, year after year! Disciples from around the I.C.O.C. family of churches returned from Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Nashville to be apart of this great camp. Compelled by a deep and unyielding love for our family, the preteens and God, this INDESCRIBABLE family comes together, year after year to love and serve this generation. The Staff of the LA Youth Camp testifies that when God's people are focused on Him and His will, the family always comes together in perfect unity! It also testifies to the love and devotion these amazing servants feel for the children of past and present camps. I say, these are the brightest stars our God has created and they truly proclaim, 'God, your love is simply INDESCRIBABLE!' Another area that changes a bit from year to year is the Counselors. I was most inspired to see Counselors who at one time where Preteens in this camp back in 2000-2003. To see past campers such as Jake Rock, Kyle Winje, Christian O'Connor, Eric Vargas, Brandon Byrd, Jessica Evans, Michelle Sweeney, Jackie Blanco, James Johnson, Diana Amaya and many others, who are now faithful and strong Disciples of Christ, serving and loving the children of this camp... is simply INDESCRIBABLE!
Of all eight camps I have been blessed to be a part of, this camp was by far the greatest. Why? Every year the children have many different things that move them. The starlight devotional, water wars, lessons and so on. One area of inspiration that has never been easy is the singing. I must say, what set this camp apart from all others was the Worship. Jay Minor and the Turning Point band did something I have never seen. Something so INDESCRIBABLE... Again, Psalms 8 From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise and God did just that at camp this week. Before a lesson or video, these great stars, used by the Holy Spirit, brought out the glory with in these children. As they sang songs like, How Great is Our God, Hosanna, Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord, all of Heaven itself, no doubt opened up and took in the greatest praise any human could give. One night, as I stood alone, in a dark field preparing for the starlight devotional, all I could do was sit there, in silent awe and listen to those little voices praise and honor God... I know God no doubt looking at all His creation, the sun and stars above, then at these children singing to Him, God must have said, 'Now that is INDESCRIBABLE!' No doubt, this is what Heaven sounds like. I will never... ever be the same. To Jay Minor and the Turning Point band, thank you for sharing the gift that Jesus Christ has given you. God did something through you never accomplished before in the history of the camp... INDESCRIBABLE Worship through the children!
To the parents of these precious stars and to all my family in the Los Angeles Church. My humble plea is that you would not overlook this generation in waiting. As we seek to win the world to Christ, do not forget this generation who quietly watches and waits for their time. This generation has seen how INDESCRIBABLE God truly is. They know How Great is Our God! The appeal that was made to them was to not be impressed with church, but for their hearts to be captivated by God and all His glory. Then and only then will the church get the best of them! It is with this in mind that the real work begins when your child returns home. To all the Elders, Evangelists and to all the Los Angeles Church, we must come together to support the family like never before. This generation is ours to lose (Judges 2:10) and we must continually do all we can through prayer, our personal example and preaching of God's words to remind this generation of How Great is Our God! Isaiah 40:25 says, 'To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?' says the Holy One. The children know there is no comparrsion to God and His greatness! Parents, church, remind them that there is no equal, in all the world that deserves our love and devotion more than Christ! The one thing this generation needs from the church is to move them beyond belief to deep, life long convictions. Whenever a sermon is preached, remember the preteens and teens. Learn to become a "Generational Preacher!"
Finally, to John Mannel, Geo and Karen Garces and all the leadership of the Los Angeles Church... thank you for allowing me, Julie and our family the blessing of being a part of this family and the 2008 camp. The Los Angeles church has been so blessed to have Grandpa Shark (John Mannel) and the Garces serving the LA Youth Camp. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. It has been an honor and one of the greatest blessings of our lives to be connected with you and this camp. I look forward to hearing and learning from you and one of the greatest camps in all the world! No matter where we are in this world, we will labor with one heart to move these children beyond belief to deep convictions. Then one day in Heaven, we will once again hear this children sing! How Great is Our God? INDESCRIBABLE
Until Every Child Hears,
Frank Williams
Congregational Evangelist of the Greater Nashville Church
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