A Trail of Evidence

Our theme verse for 2015 was Acts 4.13: When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 

Peter stood and spoke. The result? These powerful Jewish leaders were astonished. They saw Peter and John’s courage. And they knew this depth of conviction and character didn’t come from a privileged background or advanced education. They attributed the quality they saw in Peter and John’s lives to the fact that they had been with Jesus.

The incident that started this ordeal for Peter and John was that they had healed a man. They were careful to give the credit to Jesus Christ, of course. The Jewish leaders could not deny the evidence. The man was healed. The question we considered at the start of our summer season was what would be the evidence resulting from our ministry this summer? Every day during camp, in every role, we make choices. We leave a trail of evidence.  Our challenge is to be sure the evidence shows that we “have been with Jesus.”

The evidence from our summer of ministry is clear. Boys found Jesus. Boys watched noncoms demonstrate what it means to live a life sold out for Jesus Christ. Night after night following campfire there were quiet conversations in every corner of the dining hall. Those were spiritual conversations where campers asked questions and our leaders responded with God-directed wisdom.

Our theme verse says that folks took note that Peter and John had been with Jesus. The question we asked on the first training back in June was, “How can you be sure people know that you’ve been with Jesus?” The answer is…be with Jesus. People will know.

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Acts 4.13

We’ve just concluded another summer of adventure and growth for hundreds of boys and young men, as well as dozens of dads and sons. We were blessed with a very positive spirit in camp this summer. Campers were fully engaged with learning new skills, playing all-camp adventure games, doing activities with their cabin groups, and studying the life of Peter during our Bible Exploration times.

Our staff and noncoms displayed commitment and competence as they led the program and guided campers’ experiences. Our theme verse for the summer, quoted above, served as a direct challenge to noncoms and staff to make it clear through their life and words that they have been with Jesus. And it was clear.

One of the most exciting parts of the day is looking around the dining hall following evening campfire and seeing four or five campers sitting one-on-one with noncoms having significant spiritual conversations. That’s the culmination of the teaching and modeling that happens throughout each day.

Camp Nathanael offers a great Christ-centered adventure for boys. Our campers and parents appreciate our commitment to raising up young men to be Christ-following leaders for his kingdom. And a week at Nathanael is a great value, financially. So even though attendance this summer was down about seven percent compared to 2014, we’re optimistic about Camp Nathanael’s future and the potential for growth.

Our best advertising is word of mouth referrals and recommendations. Since, as a friend of Nathanael you understand and appreciate this ministry we’d be grateful if you would tell the people in your sphere of influence about us. As always, we welcome your insights and feedback. And if the ministry at Nathanael has had an impact on your life or on the life of someone close to you, we’d love to hear about that, too.

Anticipation

People look forward to lots of different things, whether it’s Christmas or a birthday or a visit from family and friends. At Nathanael we’re anticipating many good things, too! Spring is our time of greatest anticipation. There is a long list of things we begin looking forward to when the days get a little longer and the sun a little warmer.

Camper registrations are arriving daily so we know there are already dozens of boys (and dads) who are anticipating a great week at camp. Hundreds more will sign up over the next few months. Soon more than 500 campers will be ready and waiting; that’s a lot of anticipation going on.

And we love getting camp ready for them! We spend hundreds of hours each spring “waking camp up” from it’s winter slumber. This year we’re sprucing up the dining hall with all new windows, and new doors on the east end. The dining hall will also get a new roof, and we’re adding a porch roof along the south side of the building to provide some shade and shelter. Also new this summer is our 9-hole disc golf course. The course was finished just in time for MANCamp last September, so this will be its inaugural season.

Trail Biking Base Camp is the newest addition to our adventure trips. Following some orientation and instruction at camp, these campers will head out to some of Minnesota’s mountain biking areas, including Cuyuna Country State Recreation area. Guys entering grades nine and up are eligible.

We’re always on the edge of our seats wondering what this year’s noncom team will look like. We’re in the midst of recruiting our summer leadership team. We’re receiving applications from the high school guys who will serve as new and returning noncoms. What unique personalities and abilities will they bring, and how will those things contribute to Nathanael’s ministry this summer? They’re going to make a huge impact on hundreds of boys, so this recruiting process is vital.

We’re also assembling our program staff leadership team, including the positions of Assistant Director, Program Director, Resource Director, Waterfront Director, Maintenance Director and Quartermaster. In addition to their specific areas of responsibility this group trains, coaches and mentors the noncoms. So it’s important that they have a heart not only for camp in general, but specifically for the development of high school aged young men. As Director, I greatly look forward to sharing the leadership of camp with this group every summer.

We’d love for you get in on the anticipation and excitement. There are many ways you can connect with Nathanael and lend a hand. Spread the word about camp to your friends, come and help on a work day, pray often for Nathanael, or help provide the financial support we need to sustain this exciting and impactful ministry. We’re always happy to connect with you about the possibilities.