Nathan Neighbors
Follower of Christ, Husband, Father, & Youth Pastor
* For all of our new Polish friends and everyone else – this is our devotional for our eighth lesson from the Ignite Summer Camp.
It’s here again – football season. All over the US, high school students and college students are getting their bodies back in shape and preparing for the fall football season. Win or loose I’ll be cheering on the Carolina Gamecocks. One of my friends, CJ Holcombe, (who is a Tiger’s fan) went with us to Poland on our mission trip a few weeks ago. These days he’s preparing his body to play football for the Spartanburg High School Vikings this season. Every morning he heads up to the school to workout. This Saturday I have the privilege to bring the devotional for the football team at one of their two-a-day practices. Sounds like fun, working out, playing football in the hot South Carolina sun until you throw up. That’s football for you.
Throughout our Bible study at camp and our follow up studies we’ve been talking about the basics to being a disciple of Christ. Our final topic is: character. Your character is the set of traits that defines who you are. It’s the things you do when people are watching and when their not. It’s integrity. The apostle Paul had a lot to say about this when he was writing to encourage young Timothy. In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 Paul says, “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
Working out, eating right, learning plays, developing your skills and practicing as a team are all important if your going to be an athlete, but how much more important is it to prepare yourselves to be disciples. This is Paul’s point – holiness matters most. Being godly doesn’t just happen – it’s a daily decision to do what’s right, live like Jesus, and put him first in everything. If we’re going to be Christ’s disciples we need to make sure our lives reflect it (our character).
God bless all of you Polish friends and Morningside teenagers. It was a wonderful summer camp! As Paul said, “Continue in what you’ve learned…” make an impact in the Kingdom for God’s glory!
Tonight was our Poland Mission Trip report at the church. The team shared about our amazing experience by sharing testimonies, songs and seeing the trip video. During our trip I told the 18 students that we took to Poland that I wanted to write down one thing about each one of them that either impressed me or I noticed about their time on the mission trip. Most of our students are on Facebook and always update their, “status” – so I thought what better way to write about them than to give their status from my perspective. This is the list that I read to the congregation tonight:
1. Brittany Eberhart is an amazing self-motivated young leader for the Lord.
2. Lee Lancaster is exploding in her faith and not afraid to tell others.
3. Aimee Godfrey is a dynamic and driven young leader in worship.
4. Anna Grace Hall is now connected to so many Polish and mside friends.
5. Katie Roberts is all grown up and fully devoted to following Christ.
6. Rebekah Dodds is seeking out those who need a friend and reaching beyond the surface.
7. Cathy Dodds is a steady anchor of leadership among the mside youth.
8. Jordan Merck is always able to make us laugh, but is also serious about her Savor.
9. Samantha McSwain is a new addition to the group, but a great asset to the Kingdom.
10. Elise Welch is ready to face college after being such a great example of Christ in Poland.
11. Molly Inclan is a young woman with depth to her faith.
12. Paul Inclan is allowing God to take his passion and energy to communicate the Gospel.
13. Jeff Brisoe is a different guy than before and a great recreation leader.
14. Caleb Hoover is young in age, but maturing greatly as a disciple of Christ.
15. CJ Holcombe is no longer the quiet guy in the back of the Youth Room, but an energetic young man with leadership potential.
16. Chase Robinson isn’t just a guest anymore…he’s an important part of the mside youth.
17. Nic Moore is using his technical mind to bring glory to God through media in worship.
18. Katie Inclan is the girl Nathan saw with her hands raised high, tears flowing down and pouring her heart out to God in worship.
It’s Sunday night around 11pm here in South Carolina and we just got in from our Youth Pool Party and Bible Study. Most of our Polish friends are probably sleeping right now, but when you wake up on Monday here is the devotional thought for our second week after Ignite Camp (it’s session 7 in your books).
Though it’s only been about ten days since summer camp in Poland ended, it seems like longer. So many of our students wish they could go back and keep living life at camp with their Polish friends. It truly was an amazing experience. But, real day-to-day life sets in and life goes on here in Spartanburg, SC. Life goes on in your Polish towns too. However, what kind of life will that be?
Some of the flame that was burning so bright in your heart at the Ignite Camp in Warsaw may be flickering by now. Lesson 7 is all about Satan’s attempts to speak lies into our lives and the Holy Spirit’s attempt to speak the Truth. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Satan would love nothing more than for you to put Ignite Camp in the back of your mind and file it away as just a good week, but nothing more. The Truth is it was life-changing for you and you need to let the commitments you made make a difference in your daily life from now on. Don’t let yourself slip back into the old ways of living. Get plugged into your church, find someone to help you stay accountable, pray, worship the Lord with out ceasing and stay connected to one another through this website, facebook or anyway you can.
God has amazing plans for you, but “the evil one” would love to lie to you and tell you you’re worthless – don’t believe it! Believe the Voice of Truth! Allow God to be the “guide for your life” and the only one you follow.
Nathan Neighbors 