Hello everybody! Time for another edition of Wednesday Words. This month’s guest blogger is Bryan Guinness. Bryan has a long history with Day Camps, from Camper to Local Helper, from Travelling Team Member and Leader, to Training Team Leader. He also took a turn directing CTM’s Senior Youth Camp. We are so happy to have him write a post, I’m sure you will enjoy it too.
Welcome Bryan!
I did the day camp traveling team twice:
First, when I was sixteen, and then, because I liked it so much, when I was nineteen! Both were very positive experiences. Through day camps I made friends that I still keep in touch with today. Through day camps my own faith was renewed. Through day camps I was given training and opportunities to share the gospel with others. The first time I did day camps I was truly amazed that God would actually use me to lead others to Christ. I used the simple gospel outline that we were
trained to use, and when I invited the kids in my group to receive Jesus as their Saviour, several did for the first time. I remember being so satisfied knowing that, despite all my failures, God could still use my life to make an impact on others.
First, when I was sixteen, and then, because I liked it so much, when I was nineteen! Both were very positive experiences. Through day camps I made friends that I still keep in touch with today. Through day camps my own faith was renewed. Through day camps I was given training and opportunities to share the gospel with others. The first time I did day camps I was truly amazed that God would actually use me to lead others to Christ. I used the simple gospel outline that we were
trained to use, and when I invited the kids in my group to receive Jesus as their Saviour, several did for the first time. I remember being so satisfied knowing that, despite all my failures, God could still use my life to make an impact on others.
The second time I did day camps I was given the opportunity to lead a team to the lower North Shore of Quebec. As we traveled from town to town putting on the day camp program, I discovered that teaching the Bible gave me so much joy that it must be something that God was calling me to do for the rest of my life! Through that summer, and some other events that followed, God made it clear that he was calling me to full-time ministry, and I was able to walk through the door to that path
because day camps had given me a taste of what it was all about.
because day camps had given me a taste of what it was all about.
There is a story that stands out to me from that summer of ministry. At the residential training week of my second summer, each team member was given a clay cross. When I was on the ferry traveling
between villages in the lower North Shore, someone noticed my cross on my neck, perhaps because it was different from the typical crosses that most people wear. When they asked me about it, I told them what I was doing that summer and then I used that as a spring-board into sharing the gospel. When they heard how salvation was a gift from God that can be received by faith in Christ who died
and rose again, it really seemed to resonate with them. That experience taught me a couple of things. First, God can use the smallest things to open the door for us to share the good news; we just need to be available. Second, there are people all around us that are hungry for the truth, and sometimes we just need to take the time to slow down and talk to them.
between villages in the lower North Shore, someone noticed my cross on my neck, perhaps because it was different from the typical crosses that most people wear. When they asked me about it, I told them what I was doing that summer and then I used that as a spring-board into sharing the gospel. When they heard how salvation was a gift from God that can be received by faith in Christ who died
and rose again, it really seemed to resonate with them. That experience taught me a couple of things. First, God can use the smallest things to open the door for us to share the good news; we just need to be available. Second, there are people all around us that are hungry for the truth, and sometimes we just need to take the time to slow down and talk to them.
-Submitted by Bryan Guinness
