Lifehouse Skit - June 27th, 2008

Last week at the Flat Tops Rodeo Bible Camp in Rifle, CO one of the camp counselors asked if I could display the following video clip to a few of the camp's students. It took a while to download, but I was blown away by the bold message that the video clip proclaims. It shows a few of the struggles that our youth face on a daily basis and how those same struggles can keep pushing us farther and farther away from a dynamic relationship with Christ. Ultimately we are shown how we can push through all of the world's distractions and struggles and discover the peace and security that comes only through faith in Christ. I warn you, the clip is a little graphic in parts. If you are like me this clip will challenge you...

Flat Tops RBC - June 16th-19th, 2008

The Lord is at work in our youth! If you don't believe that you should have traveled with me to the Flat Tops Rodeo Bible Camp in Rifle, Colorado last week (June 16th-19th, 2008).

Like last year, I was asked to both provide instruction in trick riding and preach during the six chapel sessions. Most of the time, at camps were I teach trick riding and preach I get pretty worn out pretty quick (that couldn't have anything to do with 16 hours of non-stop teaching). This year, however, the Lord blessed the trick riding clinics with three students who really had a desire to learn that was so great that it was only surpassed by their desire to walk with our Lord. In fact, the girls' and boys' Walk-the-Talk Buckles were won by trick riding students! (The Walk-the-Talk Buckle is awarded at each camp to one boy and one girl who displays the most Christ-like attitude.)

Just like at the Northern Front Range Rodeo Bible Camp, I preached through the book of 1 John. The age range of the students was from 8-18 (just like the last camp) but I was amazed at how well the students seemed to be paying attention and remembering the major points of our chapel sessions. Over all, it just seemed like the Lord was really at work in the lives of the students. In fact, the first night nearly half of the camp made a decision to either place their faith in Christ or work towards a deeper and dynamic relationship with Him. It only got better as the camp went on!

I was amazed at the energy that the Lord gave me at this camp. Sometimes when I do several camps back to back I get pretty worn out. This was not the case in Rifle though. I believe that this was, in part, due to the great relationship that the Lord has built up between myself and the camp director, Jeff Kehr. This is my third year of preaching at this camp and it is Jeff's fifth year as a camp director. Jeff (and the Flat Tops Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys) have the discipline, maturity, facilities and endurance to run a great camp and the Lord uses them to do just that every year! I feel truly blessed to be a part of that. I was pretty amazed this year as Jeff asked me a question or I asked him a question about chapel or the camp in general, it seemed like we were always of one mind and had the same conclusion to problems or struggles. I really look forward to working with that whole crew again next year!

As with all camps, I would ask for your prayers for the students and staff who made commitments to the Lord. Pray that they will have the endurance they need to keep those commitments and that they will have the wisdom that only comes from a deeper understanding of Scripture. Pray also for those that do not have a home church--we stress pretty hard at each camp the need for commitment to a local church. Last, simply praise the Lord for another great camp in Rifle, Colorado and for the great crew that He has placed there!

Click here for more pictures from Rifle...

Below is a video clip of the baptisms that were perfomed at this camp...

Northern Front Range RBC - June 10th-13th, 2008

Just a few weeks ago, I preached and taught trick riding at the 2008 Northern Front Range Rodeo Bible Camp. The camp was held at the Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley, CO from June 10th-13th.

There were around sixty students at the camp from ages 8-18. That's a pretty big age range for preaching! Each Rodeo Bible Camp has six chapel sessions. For my part, I preached through the book of 1 John and focused on the major themes: (1) Real Joy, (2) Walking in the Light and Confessing Sins, (3) Obeying His Commands and Loving Others, (4) Remaining in His Word, and (5) Definition of Love - Placing Others Needs Before Our Own.

It was my prayer that the Holy Spirit would use the study of 1 John to challenge the students to develop a dynamic relationship with Christ by applying the above mentioned principles. There were quite a few kids who placed their faith in Christ and even more who, at the end of the camp, made a commitment to grow in their relationship with Christ over the next year.

In a bit of a side note, I was encouraged by the opportunity to present the Word at this camp alongside Paul and Linda Scholtz. Paul was the preacher who preached at the Rodeo Bible Camp in 1997 where I was saved. Linda, who is a renowned trick rider and instructor, was the reason why I went to that same camp (to learn trick riding). It was a great blessing to have Paul and Linda leading the music for the morning chapel services at this camp.

Please remember the students and adults who made commitments to Christ at this camp. Pray for their faithfulness and for the Lord to build up in them a hunger for the Word and a desire for fellowship with a local church!

Click here to see pictures from this camp...

Below is a video clip showing the two baptisms that were performed at this camp...

Flint Hills Rodeo Ministry - June 6-7, 2008

Earlier this month I was asked to partner with Flint Hills Community Church in setting up an outreach booth at the Flint Hills Rodeo in Strong City, KS. Strong City is about 15 minutes west of Emporia, KS. The church is one of our oldest support churches and is one of the few Bible-preaching churches located in close proximity to the rodeo grounds.

For the outreach itself, we set up a tent and handed out copies of The Way for Cowboys (a New Testament that includes testimonies from a few professional cowboys and cowboy preachers), a rodeo themed Bible and testimony tract called Are You Ready?, and copies of the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys' monthly magazine The Line Rider.

Despite the overnight destruction of our tent (strong winds are common in the Flint Hills), the team handed out a case of Bibles and built relationships with several spectators. This was the first year of doing this ministry and we are looking forward to partnering again with the Flint Hills Community Church next year for an even greater impact.

Click here for more pictures of our time in the Flint Hills...