VLOG: Guerilla Warfare

Another re-post of one of our “lost” VLOGs from the summer…

Many of you have heard me talk about this game…I love it. One of the reasons I love this game so much is because of the ridiculous preparation it requires. It takes our staff over 60 hours to prepare for this game that lasts 1 hour. We blow up about 20,000 water balloons for our campers. We have over 20 fifty-five gallon trash cans crammed full of water balloons. We actually have 2 water balloon filling contraptions that we have built to prep for this game, allowing us to fill 10 balloons at one time. Like I said, I love this game. If you like water balloon fights, you’ll love Guerrilla Warfare…. watch this….

Ridgecrest Vlog 2012 – Guerilla Warfare from Ridgecrest Summer Camps on Vimeo.

Posted in News | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Christian Camps, Guerilla Warfare, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, VLOG, water balloon games | Leave a reply

VLOG: Fireworks Show

We are back, still loading some of the “lost” VLOGS from the summer….

This was one of my favorite nights this past summer. Black Mountain put on a massive fireworks show for the entire town. It was beautiful. We thought that this was a perfect opportunity for our campers to get to experience a massive and professional fireworks display. Our folks loved it. Watch this!

Ridgecrest Vlog 2012 – Fireworks Show from Ridgecrest Summer Camps on Vimeo.

Posted in News | Tagged Black Mountain, Black Mountain Fireworks, Camp Ridgecrest, Christian Camps, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, VLOG | Leave a reply

VLOG: Bedlam Ball

Once again, we are still putting “lost” VLOGs back up on our Blog every few days.

Check out this short video from one of our favorite games here at Camp Ridgecrest, Bedlam Ball. It’s every boys dream really, about 100 over-sized inflatable balls in one pile staring you in the face, almost taunting you. And on top of that, you have permission to jump right in that pile and play…. Watch this short clip….

Ridgecrest Vlog 2012 – Bedlam Ball from Ridgecrest Summer Camps on Vimeo.

Posted in News | Tagged Bedlam Ball, Camp Ridgecrest, Camp-Wide Activities, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, VLOG | Leave a reply

Speak Grace

Has your knee ever gotten mad at your hand when you got a paper cut on your hand? Has your toe ever been upset with your head when you bumped your head on the car door?

Umm, probably not. Why? Because it simply does not make sense for your body parts to get mad at each other. Yet, believers are the body of Christ, and we often war against one another.

Read Ephesians 4:25-29, reading verse 29 out loud.

According to these verses, why should we speak the truth to one another?

Is it OK for a Christian to be angry? Why or why not?

How should we respond when we get angry?

In the verses that lead up to today’s passage, we are instructed to “put on the new self” (Eph. 4:24). What does that mean, and how does your understanding affect how you understand today’s passage?

Before you say anything, ask yourself these three questions: Is what I am about to say true? Do I really need to say it? Will the people who hear it be encouraged toward Christlikeness or discouraged? If you cannot say yes to all of these questions, you probably should keep your mouth shut. This doesn’t mean that you won’t have to say some difficult things—sometimes people need to be confronted in their sin. However, it does mean that you should do it with an aim of helping them to grow in Christ—not just to point out that they’re wrong.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Ephesians 4, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission. | Leave a reply

There Is Only One Judge

Have you ever taught someone how to play a game or sport? I have. It’s hard work. There are a lot of rules to teach your student, and you have to make sure that you direct him or her closely.

Sometimes after teaching someone something new, a strange thing happens. After working hard to teach your student the game, another person comes along, and the student becomes the teacher. Your student begins to teach the new person, then relentlessly criticizes him when he gets something wrong. Ten minutes ago your student had never heard of the game, and now he wants to act like an expert! Sadly, we sometimes act like that in the Christian life.

Read James 4:11-12, zoning in on verse 12.

The verses leading up to today’s passage are about humility. What does being humble have to do with the passage for today?

What are we really doing when we criticize and judge other believers?

Is being “a judge” rather than “a doer of the law” a good thing or a bad thing? (Hint: see James 1:22-25.) Why or why not?

Who is the “one lawgiver and judge” that James wrote about in verse 12?

What do these verses have to do with how we treat other believers?

When we criticize other believers, we are acting as if we are the judge, but there is really only one Judge—and He has been infinitely kind to us. The ground around the cross is level. We all stand there as sinners in need of a Savior. Make sure you keep that in mind when you stand in judgment of a fellow believer’s words or actions.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, James 4, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission. | Leave a reply

VLOG: This Land is My Land

Unfortunately, all of our VLOG’s from this summer were mysteriously deleted when moving to our new website. So, in an effort to preserve history, we plan to re-post all the VLOGS from the summer. Starting with this one….

This Land Is My Land! A new game created by our Program Director and now Intern Matt Stapp. It’s very creative and involves all the things our campers love. Watch this short video if you haven’t already!

Ridgecrest Vlog 2012 – This Land Is My Land from Ridgecrest Summer Camps on Vimeo.

Posted in News | Tagged Camp Activity, Camp Ridgecrest, Campwide Activity, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, This Land is My Land, VLOG | Leave a reply

Don’t Be A Stumbling Block

I love to watch buildings get demolished. It’s very exciting! You can sit and watch a building being built for an entire day, and the building site will basically look the same at the end of the day as it did that morning. But when a demolition crew takes down a building, it happens fast!

Read Romans 14:13-18. Focus on verse 13.

Describe the stumbling blocks referred to in the text. Can you think of other stumbling blocks?

What does the Bible say that people should stumble over? (Hint: See 1 Cor. 1:23.)

How has someone been a stumbling block to you in your journey of faith? How have you been a stumbling block to someone else? Explain.

Why is it a problem if you know something you’re doing is keeping others from growing in their faith and you choose to keep doing it?

Whom are we serving when we avoid doing something we feel is acceptable before God in order to not be a stumbling block for others? Explain.

I don’t know why I like to watch things being demolished, but I do know that watching lives get demolished is no fun at all. Just like a building, a life can get demolished in a hurry. A careless comment here, a thoughtless remark there, or a “helpful” criticism every so often, and friendships that took years to build can fall apart in an instant. When you are tempted to exercise your “gift” of criticism, don’t. Our task as believers is to encourage and edify each other, not tear each other down. Believe it or not, your criticism can become a stumbling block in another believer’s life that causes his or her spiritual growth to stall or even stop. Don’t spend your time and your words creating pitfalls for other believers. Encourage and speak the truth in love when the Spirit leads you!

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Romans 14 | Leave a reply

“The Well” Theme Video

So many of you have heard about this video. We have not released it to folks outside of camp yet, until now. This is your chance to watch the 3 minute video we use to introduce our 2012 theme to the campers here this summer. I have to say, it’s pretty sweet. Check it out…

Posted in News | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Camp Theme, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Summer Theme, The Well, Theme Video | Leave a reply

Little Things

Have you ever watched preschoolers fight over something silly like a crayon or an old broken toy? One of them will pick it up, and the other one will swear that it is his. Then the shouting starts, followed by the screaming, then the pushing, and finally, the crying.

How did something so small get so blown out of proportion? The sad fact, though, is that we’re really not that different from the preschoolers.

Read Romans 14:5-12, making note of verse 10.

What kinds of disagreements were the people in this passage having?

Since we are all living (and dying) and eating (and not eating) for the Lord, what should our attitudes be? (Hint: See 1 Cor. 10:31.)

Why should we avoid criticizing and looking down on other believers?

What do you find yourself criticizing other believers about? Why? Is it really important, or are you making a big deal out of something insignificant?

In the Christian life, there are some things worth fighting for. Jesus is God. Jesus rose from the dead. God created all things. Jesus is the only way to salvation. God is three-in-one.

Be ready to stand firm on those things, but know that there are also things that we don’t need to fight over. Sometimes, we can make a big deal out of something insignificant. Many believers have lost good relationships and some churches have split because of this.

When you have a disagreement with another believer, search the Scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom to distinguish between the things that are of first importance and the things on which you can agree to disagree.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Romans 14 | Leave a reply

Faith Isn’t A Race

I love to watch baseball. I love to watch big league games on TV and the Internet, and I love to go to the local stadium to watch the minor leaguers, too. But those are two very different experiences. The minor league games are great because the tickets are cheap, the seats are close to the field, and it doesn’t take a long time to find a parking space. But the minor league players are simply not good enough for the big leagues, and it would be silly to go to minor league games expecting to see major league talent.

Read Romans 14:1-4, thinking carefully about verse 1.

At the end of chapter 13, Paul had instructed believers to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” How does that instruction apply to these verses?

In these verses, Paul instructs us to accept believers who are weak. Why should we accept weak believers?

Christians are described as household slaves. Whose slave are we? Does it make you uncomfortable to think of yourself as a slave? Why or why not?

What do these verses teach you about treating others who aren’t as strong in their faith as you are?

Have you ever met another believer and been surprised by the way they acted? Maybe they only used a certain translation of the Bible or thought that watching TV or listening to rock music was sinful. While we ought to hold one another accountable and encourage each other toward Christlikeness, keep in mind that while as believers in Christ we are all walking the same path, not everyone is at the same level. Just like those minor league players shouldn’t be expected to play like big leaguers, new and immature Christians shouldn’t be judged for being immature. Instead we should come alongside them and encourage them to grow in their faith. Whom can you encourage today?

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Romans 14 | Leave a reply