Summer Staff Orientation
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Evaluate, adjust, move forward - C12 group, nation’s largest network of Christian CEO’s, business owners and executives. “To lead the movement of God in and through the marketplace.”
Beads, jars, life - do you think a visual reminder like this would force us to evaluate? To stop long enough to really consider if what we are doing is making a kingdom impact.
Ok, so let’s define kingdom one more time: Making the things most important to God most important to me. Letting Jesus be King. You may think it is presumptuous to say Pineywoods is the kingdom of God. But I’m not saying that. If Mr. Eric is obedient, PW will be the kingdom. But the kingdom is not like that. It is brought here by each of us. Anywhere I have a measure of say-so, authority, domain I have the potential of bringing the kingdom to that place. So if I am working the pizzaria then I’ve been given a measure of say-so at that part of PW. Any work done there can be done making the things most important to God most important to me. That means I’m working toward excellence because God wants nothing less than my best. It means that every person that is served there is treated like God would have me treat them, because they are the most loved of all His creation.
The parables Jesus told about the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven described it as A Hidden Treasure, A Pearl of Great Price, Yeast, Mustard Seed, The Sprouting Seed.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,
46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.
27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.
28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
So with an understanding of what the Kingdom of God/Heaven is, we consider every day. We evaluate, adjust and keep moving forward.
Meet the Robinsons - keep moving forward
We spent time trying to answer what is worth pursuing. Why you are pursuing has to be at least as important.
Ever been here as a camper? How would you describe the experience of being here as a camper to someone who has never been here?
Why Camp is Important - Those of you who have been here more than 2 summers: why are you back? How would you describe the experience of working here to someone who has never worked here?
Those of you who have been here more than 2 summers: why are you back?
Anybody the kid who always asked “what do I get if I do”?
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The truth of this experience is that it does offer you something. Is the offer the same as having? Scholarship?
Salvation is the same way. We may have been offered salvation multiple times. But if we have never received salvation, its not really ours.
So what does this experience offer you? The truth is you can benefit from what happens here. Work ethic. Spiritual growth. Tiny amount of cash.
And what will you offer to this experience? What happens here cant happen without people like you. It can happen without you, just not without people like you. But you can offer a camper or a sponsor or even a board member the encouragement of being made to feel as tho they are important. Because of YOUR interaction with them.
You can offer each other the encouragement of listening and caring and supporting. We are called to be part of the body of Christ wherever we are.
You can offer your willingness to work. Your teachability.
I did a funeral with fellow last month. It was his grandad who passed and we shared time talking about him, encouraging the family, sharing scripture. Before the funeral this guy and his wife were visiting with me and PW came up. As it turns out, they were summer staffers here back in the day. Their memories of the time here were 100% positive. They talked about what they called the hardest work they ever did. And about being frustrated by being understaffed. But they talked about the relationships most. The people they worked with and worked for are still esteemed in their eyes.
You, too, may have days when what you are asked to do is the hardest work you’ve ever done. You may have days when you are frustrated because of this or that. Dont feel sorry for yourself. What God is building in you, in this place, is Kingdom work. It will have an eternal impact. It will make you better and it will change the lives of the people who come thru here.
You can offer yourself, in surrender, anew to God.
Right now, you have the choice. You get to choose to do just this. Some days you wake up and the choice is forced on you.
Ella
People come here every year from all over and they find a fresh perspective of who they are in Christ. While here they come to a new understanding of who God is. The LIFE-CHANGING transformation of the gospel happens here.