Na Kampu!

Bog je dobro (God is good). He blessed our youth Bible camp at the sea. Last Friday, we left for Krk, a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. Croatia is a beautiful country and we were surrounded by His creative workmanship as we studied God's written revelation.

The first day, we traveled and set up camp. The drive was just a few hours. Chris and I rode with two of the students from TBA (Theological Bible Academy in Krapina, Croatia). It was a profitable time. We also listened to Steve Lawson's message from the recent Grace Community Church Shepherd's conference. He spoke on the life of George Whitefield. It is an excellent message. If I could share a few things that stuck with me...Whitefield was the example of a minister to many. Spurgeon said that his example in the ministry was George Whitefield. He is said to be the greatest preacher Britain has ever known (including consideration of John Owen, C.H. Spurgeon and others). He is remarked to commonly have begun his messages with the statement "I am here to talk to you about your souls." He is said to have preached to 30,000 people at one time without the help of a microphone. It is evident that the life of Whitefield has had an impact on Lawson's life. I have heard him speak about Whitefield at other times. The subject often brings him close to tears. Lawson's love for the Scriptures and the glory of God lead him to want to be a better preacher (among preachers from my perspective, Pastor Lawson is one of the finest). He said in this message that studying the life of Whitefield makes you want to get on a horse and go preach the gospel. Needless to say, the message pumped up 4 men, eager to preach the word, in a small hatchback car on the way to a camp mininstry (we actually listened to the message again on the way back).

Our camp included about 8 tents and a meeting/dining tent area. Each day, we held evangelistic Bible study meetings in the evenings and mornings. Other campers regularly stopped to listen to what we were saying and even to join us on a few occasions. We preached God's word! We declared the character of God as righteous judge, holy, and omniscient King; man and his sinfulness before the Lord and inability to ever be righteous before God on his own; how God can be a righteous judge and still forgive sin (2 Cor. 5:21); and salvation coming by faith and not self-righteous works.

We were encouraged by many campers wrestling through the implications of this message and sincere conversations with many. Also, we were encouraged by the growth in one girl's life and her desire to be baptized and publically proclaim God's work in her life. I was personally challenged to trust the Lord, who alone can save. Please continue to pray that the Word which was sown would take root and produce a crop that bears good fruit, through many coming to trust Christ alone for salvation.