Posts Tagged ‘Perspective’

River Valley Ranch: What’s Your Vantage Point?

I was privileged to be a part of a ministry to Middle and High-Schoolers this past weekend at River Valley Ranch in upstate Maryland, near the border of Pennsylvania. It was a pretty intense weekend called “Winter Meltdown.” It is a GGRREEAATTT weekend retreat for both the students AND the leaders and volunteers. The RVR staff takes care of everything so they can achieve their goal, which is

 

to provide a place free from the distractions of everyday life, where students and leaders can focus on God and build meaningful relationships with each other.

 

From my perspective, they did just that. I am posting my slide packs here, so if any of the youth leaders want to refer back to these, they can. Use everything at will!

WMD Session 1

WMD Session 2

WMD Session 3

WMD Session 4

 

If anyone needs a great camp to go to for any of several reasons, RVR is the place to be!

Valley of Vision 1

LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,

where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter the stars shine;

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow,

Thy grace in my sin,

Thy riches in my poverty,

Thy glory in my valley.

A picture is definitely worth 1,000 words

I have often tried to keep and offer perspective on how we view the Church in out local fellowships by drawing attention to brothers and sisters in the Church in other parts of the world. Some of the things that we get really worked up about, don’t matter – yea are not even existent for countless Christian family in other parts of the world.

Today, I was preaching at a seminary gathering and mentioned, in a bit of tirade fashion, that clearly the church cannot be defined by bricks, mortar and buildings, lest we should have to think less of most of the Christian world that resides outside the Red-White-and-Blue.

Then a dear brother sent me these pics of an African meeting place for a local Christian fellowship. Thanks, man.

We should be so blessed . . .