White Water Rafting for the Lord!

You say' rafting for the Lord?' And I say an enthusiastic "YUP!"

Just a few days ago our Christian school had its "end of the year" field trip. 


We headed up to Pagosa Springs, Colorado for a rafting trip. It wasn't extreme white water rafting, but it really was a lot of fun. 


It was more intense then I thought it was going to be. I will be honest, I was expecting a nice little casual float down the river. But we actually hit some big rapids!

This was the first time to go rafting for just about all of us. (A total of 27 students and counselors). It was a little bit "chilly" but it was very much worth it.

It was so much fun to go rafting with Samantha! As always having her around makes life more fun! We also had our Pastor and his wife in our raft too. That made for some funny moments!! It was fun to see us all out of our element.

By the end of this trip we were all soaked, but praise the Lord the rafting company gave us water proof jackets and pants. It kept us all pretty dry, on our inner clothes. But our heads and shoes were soaked!

PS all our ladies wore skirts or culottes, but because of the cold weather, the rafting company offered us the water proof pants.  

Who's ready?!?!

So how was it rafting for the Lord. Adam?

Well, I'm glad you asked! This trip like all of our school/church trips is always centered around the Lord. But there were several things that made this trip so special in my mind.

Great Memories

I have no doubt in my mind that each one of the students had a great time. They were able to build lasting memories that they will never forget. Some day they will look back and think, "I sure had a lot of fun with my Christian school, and my Christian friends. 


If we can help them to see that being a Christian is not boring, (but rather the most exciting life their is) we can help them to continue to live for the Lord.

My prayer is that will help them when they are tempted to have worldly friends. That they will look back and think of these times where they had pure, holy fun, centered around the Lord and good fellowship.

Help Some Kids Stay On The Right Side

Unfortunately as it seems to be with most kids, once they get a taste of the world it seems to sink its hooks in them. Then it becomes a fight to get them out of it. They will ride the fence. Some days they will be so close to God then other times you can feel the worldliness.

It is times like these trips that will help win the battle in their heart. They will feel and experience a genuine fun, that is pure and holy and they will begin to crave that kind of fun. They will begin to hate the sinful "fun" that has them constantly looking over their shoulder, waiting to get caught. That kind of life for a Saved, born again child of God, becomes exhausting. It becomes miserable. And it becomes detested.

On the other hand if we can help them have great times/memories with the right friends/groups, we will place in their hearts a lasting desire to have Godly friends. This will help them always stay faithful, to God, church and even their spiritual authorities.

Kids Are Crying Out For Activities

Most kinds in my experience are not bad, nor are they seeking the wrong kind of fun. They are simply bored, and through their boredom the "wicked one" comes along and offers them an solution to their boredom. He offers them, TV, Moves, Video Games, Physical Relationships, Drugs, Alcohol. And sadly so many take him up on his offer. All they can see is the instant gratification, but not the disastrous results.

As a Jr High Sunday school teacher I can see it; where already some of the kids are seeking outside recreation. They are kids and they love sports, and because most churches are not providing them an outlet, they seek it though worldly outlets. No, not all extra curricular activities or programs are wrong, but  many do lead our youth to experience worldly talk, and ideas.


We as a church need to help minister to our youth. We need to provide them actives, we need our youth involved in bus routes, visitation, nursing home ministries, ect. They also need time to play, and if we can provide a time for them their appetites will be full. We need to keep our kids busy, and most importantly busy for the Lord.

This can be a great ministry

No, church is not only about fun and games. Its also about work. But for a young person they respond better if there are activities for them. 


We can have a time of playing, and then sit everyone down and have a time of preaching or training. We can have a time of fun, and then a time of serious bible study.


If you want to extend this ministry and make it an outreach, then you can have bus kids come. Expect the same standards that you would have for any activity. Let them bring their friends and family. Play games, set up tournaments. And most importantly have a time of preaching, a time of presenting the plan of Salvation.


We can get lots of people to attend games, that you couldn't get attend church. Family will come out if they hear their child, relative is playing in a game. people enjoy watching sports and will attend and this presents us with a wonderful chance to share the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ with them. 

We as Independent Baptists need to make sure we are in a healthy balance of. Work and play, yes play. We need not be so strict that we never let our young people have a time to play and enjoy. At the same time we need to remember we are not here on this earth to "eat, drink and be merry." We have a joy to do, we are commissioned to read the world with the gospel.


I am most guilty of this mentality, I have been accused of being an all work and no play person. But Samantha has taught me that kids need to be kids too. We cant rush them to be adults. We must let their little personalities grow. We must teach them, but at the same time realize they are kids. And they need to have that time to play.

As a husband I have had to learn that I need to put my family first, before my ministry, because they day I said "I Do" I received a ministry and responsibility to my family. My bigest fear is that I would be a great preacher and see many souls saved, but that I would neglect my own family and not see them saved. That would break my heart. 


I want to have that healthy balance, and God gave me just the lady to help me in that area. My Divine Betrothal!

If you dont want to get wet, dont sit in the front!!

God cares about us and he wants us to enjoy life. We need to remember that we dont not have to be miserable paupers, in order to be good Christians. However God does expect that we seek to use every part of our life to be a witness for him. We are commanded to win this world for Christ. God gave us a great commission. 


That means that every where we go we are to be a witness to the lost. Actively not passively trying to wing them.

We survived!!

Maybe you are wondering how you can get your youth involved in ministry, or maybe you are wishing the youth would get more serious about God.

Talk to your pastor about what God is doing in your heart and work with him to develop a plan.

Perhaps the Lord could lead you to an activity ministry to help the youth have fun serving the Lord.


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After the rafting, we went to have a cookout at the park. By this time we were all starving!
This was lots of fun as the kids ran around and played tag with a volleyball.

Then it was time to make SMORES!

We used the provided grill and put in some charcoal and made a makeshift camp fire. It was a lot of fun. And from what I hear it was really good too!

Ahhh...now for a relaxing ride home :-)

With one quick stop at the Echo Canyon Amphitheater. 


This place is pretty remarkable. You can whisper and the sound travels literally hundreds of feet. This has always been one of my favorite places and I was blessed to share it with my wonderful wife!

In the side walk, we noticed that someone had put our initials in the cement. AWW how sweet! ;-)

With God everything is so much better! 

Being a Christian we will always have more fun then the world!

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:10