Learning From A Camper
By Lincoln, Summer Intern at Flemingdon Park
Teaching about the Bible is not easy, especially to a younger group of kids that are 6-7 years old. Some questions I’ve asked myself throughout camp include: How much do they already know? How much will they be able to understand? How much of the lesson will stick with them? How can you keep them engaged? How can you simplify the lesson without watering down the message? All these questions are burdensome and it makes teaching Bible lessons less enjoyable. This stress of mine stems from eagerness and control. The eagerness to teach Bible lessons is not the issue, but rather having high expectations of the outcome as a result of my lesson. I have been stressing myself out because I was relying on my own ability to work in the kids rather than God’s ability to work. I realized that, yes, a good lesson gets the key points across efficiently; however, I am not in control of how much information a child retains. I’m not saying that I can just take it easy and stop trying, but I still have to do my part to the best of my ability and let God do the rest. It’s a faith journey. As Christians, our faith did not come to be within a day, but through countless encounters with God over a period of time. God has His timing for each and every one of those kids. We can only do our best and let God do the rest.
There is an emphasis of being a witness to God as interns, but I found that camp is also the perfect setting to witness God revealing Himself to us through the kids. Andy* is a young boy in my small group that asks questions about Jesus. He earnestly wants to know about the Bible despite growing up within a non-Christian household. Some of the questions he asks include: “Who is more powerful than the government? Who is in charge of God? If we sin, do we go to hell?” I remember seeing the delight and excitement on Andy’s face when I told him that God is everywhere, but also with him right now. Another memorable moment was when he understood the Gospel illustration of the two cliffs and how the cross was the bridge. He made the connection that Jesus was the bridge between us and God. This is all coming from someone who’s in Grade 2. It was simply amazing because I am witnessing God slowly growing him.
What can we learn from Andy’s growth? Well, he never stopped asking questions. His persistent curiosity about the Bible, God, Jesus, etc. is something we can learn from. Proverbs 2:1-5 talks about seeking God’s wisdom and how it’s like hidden treasure. Asking questions is a way to dig deeper and uncover hidden treasures that God has in store for us. Sermons, commentaries, and reading books can help us understand God’s Word, but it comes from the perspective of someone else’s relationship with God. They are the products of the speakers or authors who search for God’s hidden treasures. We must make God’s treasure and His relationship and our understanding of Him, our own.
*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the child.
It is Lincoln's first time as a summer intern at Flemingdon Park. He became an intern with the intent to serve the community and to share Christ's love to others.