During the week of June 16-20 Heather, Annabelle, and I travelled south down less-than-interesting Interstate 16 to toasty Jekyll Island, Georgia. I was to speak that week for a summer camp that's pretty near to my heart. SuperWow. Besides having the coolest name on earth, there are many other reasons I love this camp so much. This is the same camp I use to travel to as a High School student years ago with my youth group. It's the place I first saw Dave Busby preach. It's the place I first felt GOD's leading to surrender my life to full-time vocational ministry. The place where I first sensed a clear call to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus loudly and passionately until I either die or go mute (whichever comes first).
During the evenings I preached on a variety of different topics; Noah the righteous man, Jonathan the warrior, the parable of the warrior king, and the parable of the sower. During the morning sessions, however, I felt a leading to teach on the topic of Heaven. I first taught on this topic about 6 months ago when we were still in California. The thought was to set up the topic of Heaven in the first session and then answer a ton of frequently asked questions in the last two sessions including, "Who goes to heaven?", "Do we become angels in heaven?", "Are there animals in heaven?", "Will we know each other in heaven?", "Is there sexual intercourse in heaven?" and the all so popular "Will we use the bathroom in heaven?". Now- before you get upset at my crassness you must understand that these are the questions teenagers are asking today! One of the problems with student ministries today (in my opinion) is that we're answering a bunch of questions that nobody is asking! That may actually be the problem with a lot of churches too for that matter. So on-and-on we go each week as more and more people stare glassy-eyed at the preacher and wonder how much longer it will last. By-the-way, is it just me or does it seem like for a place we as Christ-followers will spend all eternity, Heaven is a topic that seems to be conspicuously missing from our teaching series calendars?!!!
Anyway, it was incredible to hear the responses of people throughout the week as we spent time on this topic. The Lord did it again! He alone knows what people most need to hear! It's amazing to watch what the Holy Spirit does in the hearts of spiritually lost people when you discuss the place called Heaven and spend time teaching the scripture texts in GOD's Word that speak of it. Many students came to Jesus. Not because of the preacher. Not because of the music. Not because of the illusions. But because of the promise to be in the presence of Christ forever......... in the place called Heaven.
