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We are continuing our series on getting to know your church leaders a little bit better. Read along to learn more about Mike Camp, who is our new Tech Ministry Coordinator.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born and raised in a small town just outside of San Antonio, Texas. Though I call it home when I go to visit, the East Mountains feel more like home to me.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

Well, looking through my stuff from kindergarten (my mom saved everything), I guess I wanted to be a fireman or an astronaut. I much prefer sitting next to a fire than running into one, and I’m terribly afraid of heights, so…

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

I heard a sermon by Rick Warren on the radio a few months before I met Pastor Frank, so I guess I would have to say that sermon was it.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I think the best phrase I ever heard was in Alcoholics Anonymous: “God led me to AA so AA could lead me to God.” That miracle began October 20, 2019.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Juntos and FH! It’s a bit of long story that I’d be happy to share one-on-one.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge as serving as Tech Ministry Coordinator?

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I really enjoy astrophotography. I was introduced to the hobby by a work mentor many years ago. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I usually enjoy going hiking if I’m caught up on my chores.

What is the perfect meal?

Low saturated fat, plenty of leafy green vegetables, and a reasonable portion of protein. (Just in case my cardiologist reads this!)

Who or what never fails to make you laugh?

Nate Deterding and cat videos.

“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

As we look towards celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, it is certainly the pinnacle of our lives leading into eternity. For us, that joyous morning looms large. But let’s look at the evening of that momentous day when Luke tells us about two sad people walking away from Jerusalem, disheartened that the Messiah had not come, and perplexed at all the happenings of the previous week: the arrest, suffering and death of their hope. Jesus came alongside them unrecognized and began talking to them about the events of the previous days.  

He enlightened them about His purpose in coming into the world, and how scripture pointed towards Him from ages past. When they stopped for the evening, the men recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread with Him, and joyfully and excitedly returned to Jerusalem to tell everyone. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)

Were those two just lucky beyond measure, or unusually blessed, getting a Bible study from Jesus, or are we the ones most blessed? Unlike the walkers, we have the opportunity every day to open the scriptures and to learn about God’s plan for us, and hear His purpose for our lives through our prayers. God has provided us with the gift of His written Word, so that we never need to be uninformed.

The two were walking physically, and had been trying to walk spiritually with Jesus. Have we realized the promise of the resurrection in our lives? Are we walking in the light of Jesus in all that we do, or are we swayed by the world around us? They were listening to Him; are we? The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  (Isaiah 9:2) 

The walkers were excited that their teacher, friend (and now Savior) was not dead, but alive forevermore. How much more can we rejoice than them, because the power of the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and we experience that power every day. They told their friends the Good News; do we share with all those around us the hope of eternal life which we have? 

So, let’s rejoice that the tomb was empty, but let’s also look forward, like the walkers to Emmaus. Jesus has not only risen indeed, but He lives forevermore, and wants to walk with us and help us grow in knowledge of Him. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1

What brings you joy? When I was a young boy of 6, my grandfather took me fly fishing with him for the first time. He was already well advanced in years of life and experience in fly fishing. That day, my Grandpa Tom handed me his Orvis 3 weight rod; and I instantly fell in love with the feel of a fly rod in my hand. My earliest memory was not of the smooth finish of a well-made handle, but of the feel of his strong, yet tender, hand helping me to properly hold the rod that I recall most. He spent the majority of that morning patiently untangling knots and retrieving my wayward casts from trees that lined the cool mountain freestone stream.

In spite of my frustration, he remained calm. I frequently became discouraged due to my inability and lack of skill as a newbie. However, I remember his joyful smile and the reassurance of his words. He’d say, “Just keep with it, you’ll get the hang of it soon enough.”

By early afternoon he managed to teach me to make a basic cast with a short leader, outfitted with a size 16 elk hair caddis fly. We took a break for lunch and afterwards made a short drive up a dusty mountain road to what he called his favorite run. It was a river bend with riffle water that dropped off into a deep hole tucked into an undercut bank, situated in the middle of a beautiful green mountain valley. As we waded upstream to approach the hole, he reminded me to remember what we had been practicing. He reassured me with words of encouragement.

I crouched down and creeped up to the hole, my grandpa trailing just behind me. I could feel my heart beating faster, so I took a deep breath and made a cast. The fly landed soft enough, and I’ll never forget the sight of the wild brown trout that rose to the surface from the shadows of the river bed to eat my fly. “SET, SET, SET!,” my grandpa shouted! I hooked the fish and landed it! However, that day I too was hooked!

Looking back, I don’t know which one outshone the other when I landed that fish: my excitement, or Grandpa Tom’s joyful belly laugh. I do know this, what was first his joy, he was glad to share with me. His joy became my joy, and then my joy seemed to multiply his joy. Such it is to be a disciple of Christ, and a fisher of men!

The Lord said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:8-12)

Is your joy in Christ? In His presence there is fullness of joy! As Christ’s disciples, we find our joy in Him, and so we pursue Him (in His word and prayer) in our pursuit of joy. In doing so, the Spirit leads us in fruitfulness to pursue one another in the love of Christ. Then, His joy may be in us, and our joy in Him may be full. As we grow in years and wisdom as disciples of Christ, may we not miss out on the compounding pleasure that comes from giving of ourselves in love and service to each other. This pleasure is found in our own pursuit of joy and Christlikeness, as we pursue each other out of the abundance of His love for us.

When someone faces the results of a bad accident, a devastating illness, the birth of a child with disabilities, or any mental or physical challenge, their world changes. Their former expectations and dreams are gone. It is a frightening time for them, their families, and close associates. Where do they go for advice, comfort, or actual physical help?

To the Church, the hands and feet of Jesus in this world! Are we ready – prepared in our minds, hearts, bodies, schedules, and pocketbooks? Not if our own “to do lists” are filled with “non-negotiables” or our minds are overloaded with fears that say “I could never do that!”

Have we forgotten that God anointed us with His powerful Holy Spirit so that we can stand firm in Christ, standing on all the promises, as we go forward in faith, not fear. (2 Corinthians 1:18-22) Have we forgotten, as followers of Christ, that His Spirit lives in us to bear fruit? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Paul cried out in 2 Corinthians 1 that he despaired, even of life, that in his heart he felt the sentence of death. This feeling of depression is a natural response to loss. But Paul responds that “this has happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (v.9) Our deliverance is sure. Our hope is in Him, “as you help us by your prayers.” (v.11) Paul knew the importance and privilege of prayer. God heard their prayers, would answer their prayers, and many would give thanks.

God has a special place for each one of us in this big ministry to the disabled, be it prayer, preparing meals, visitation, shopping, contributing financially, or any of the other ways of blessing the disabled. Our “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” will lead you on with His kindness and love.

“I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.” (Hosea 11:4)

Here is the second part to why you should be in a small group: 

God calls us together in community so that the Word of Christ can dwell richly in our midst and grow us to be like him.

The reason God calls us together in community is so that the Word of Christ can dwell richly in our midst and grow us to be like him. This happens as we love each other by patiently, kindly and humbly speaking that word to each other in any way we can.

Colossians 3 mentions a number of ways we can do this—it speaks of teaching and admonishing and singing and giving thanks. We could easily flesh that list out with other speaking verbs like reminding, encouraging, exhorting, discussing, chewing over, and asking-the-kind-of-dumb-but-obvious-question-that-helps-everyone.

Whatever mode of speech is involved, the content is ‘the Word of Christ’ and the purpose is to help one another grow to be like Christ.

Now there’s a why to get us out the door on small group nights.

Small groups aren’t about helping me feel part of things, or helping me to connect with people, or even expressing my commitment to church. In fact, they are not really about me at all. The reason to go to a small group is that God has called me to love you and be an agent of your growth in Christ. I go because you need me to speak the Word of Christ to you (and because I need to hear it from you).

The how of belonging to a small group flows straight out of this why, and is not very hard to figure out. It would include things like this:

• We should turn up every week, unless there is some important other reason—because is there really anything more important in your life than the job God has given us to do with each other in a small group?
• We should come ready to speak in love. Read and prepare the passage in advance if that helps, and take the initiative to speak in any way you can to help others understand and apply this part of God’s word. Ask questions. Answer questions. Grapple hard with the text in front of you. Share what you see. Look out for people who were just about to speak but got cut off, and invite them to contribute. Open up about your own struggles to put the word into practice. There are scads of opportunities to allow the ‘word to dwell richly’ in your group—and that’s your task.
• This why also generates a copious list of don’ts that I find very easy to compile (by thinking back over my own thoughtless, self-oriented behavior in small groups over the years). Don’t sit on your hands during the discussion. Don’t try to save face or protect yourself. Don’t leave it to everyone else. Don’t jump on your hobby horses when they pass by. Don’t stick tenaciously to your point in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Don’t try to make yourself look good. Don’t give the lazy pat answer that you could have given without even looking at the text. Don’t take the group off to some other interesting passage that you like, unless it is vital for understanding the passage you’re actually reading. Don’t be afraid to open up and be honest about your struggles.

I’ll leave you to figure out your own specific list of how-tos, because it will be a little different for each person in each different group and  circumstance. But if you can grasp why God wants to you go to small group this small group night, then how is not so difficult.

At least, it’s not difficult to understand. Doing it consistently and lovingly? Well, that’s that the challenge the word of Christ brings us as we start a new of small group life together.

TheGospelCoalition. Why Be a Small Group Member. February 20, 2022. Tony Payne.

https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-be-a-small-group-member/