Hickory Cove Powerpoints

Click on the images below for a PDF file of my messages from Hickory Cove Bible Camp

Camp Pastor

I have spent this week as "Camp Pastor" or "Guest Speaker" at Hickory Cove Bible Camp. This is the first time I've been back here in several years and I and my family are having a wonderful week. Of course, this is a special place for Rachel and I as we met here June 22, 2003 (six years and one month ago today). It is also a place of fond memories as I am sitting just a few hundred feet from the place I was able to lead a child to Christ for the first time. Here are some observations thus far this week.

1. Speaking to children in a chapel setting is a difficult task. I speak to to groups of adults several times a week. This, for me, is an exciting task that I rarely am nervous about. With children, however, all the rules are thrown out the window along with many of your notes. I'm glad we have been doing the Good News Club at Cliffside this spring. It was good preparation for this week but it has in no way made it easy.


2. A group of children singing praises to God is a blessed sound. Many times when I have been at children's events or programs, they sing "dinky" kids songs that are not very deep and are some what childish. The worship leader this week has used both kids songs and contemporary worship songs during the chapel services. These worship songs have really touched me as it seems they have been very genuine from the children. I have posted one on Facebook which I invite you to listen to.
3. A church which does not invest in children is failing its Kingdom mission! I am convinced that if every church does not put the children in their church and the ones on the outside as first priority in their church, the might as well turn off the lights, lock up the doors, and throw away the key. There is not future for the Church if there are no Christians to further Its purpose. And this does not include trying to feed our children something cooked up sixty years ago and assume they will like it today. We need fresh, vibrant, and innovative children's ministries that are relevant and engaging.
4. God is still working! I do not know the number of salvations we have had this week, but I am quite sure several children have accepted Christ. We have staff from the U.S., Germany, and Britian and God is moving. There are times when, as I know all of you do, I get down trodden about everything going on in the world. Remeber Galatians 6:9 (NLT) "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."

God is at work, pray for us during the rest of this week.

Dangers of Illustrating Salvation

On a local "Christian" T.V. station I heard a man give an illustration on Christ's sacrifice. It was as follows in paraphrase

Say you were driving and accidentally hit someone as they were crossing the street. You are put on trial for murder and the jury finds you guilty. Just as the judge is about to hand down a verdict that will mean prison, someone steps in and offers to take your punishment for you. That's what Jesus did.

While I am sure that the one presenting this had the best of intentions, we must be careful in using human illustrations for Divine principles. This is not to say that we must not help those whom we teach understand the Divinie. Application is nesscary in preaching/teaching if we are going to be at all effective for Christ's Kingdom. However, as much as possible we should you the applications found in the Scriptures. There is much teaching on salvation, and Biblical examples and illustrations are always preferable to human attempts to explain what we truely will never fully understand.