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...