Application Station

Alright, it's the moment you've all been waiting for! We've just updated our website to include our new LIT application, Jr. Staff application and police check/reference forms. So let the applications flow! We've also posted our annual camp tour on our website; check it out to see if and when we're coming to your church.

Same guy, different book

So I was reading 1John today and came across something interesting:

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1John 3:11-15

In this book, John hammers on this point again and again: Loving brothers=loving God, hating brothers=hating God. Here he's illustrating this point until he makes a quick aside (in bold, courtesy of me!). I'll tell a story that I heard today that will hopefully make sense of John's comment.
I was doing a camp presentation at a church this morning, and throughout the service the youth pastor and others talked about their CRAZY Jr. Youth group. Bananas smooshed in doorways, disrespect for leaders, and on and on... all because they had a great event at the beginning of the year and the community kids kept showing up afterwards. But the congregation only expressed pride when someone referred to this seemingly out-of-control group.
After the service, I spoke with the youth pastor. He told me that one of his church kids actually got beat up during one of their meetings. It sounded pretty bad. I felt sorry for this kid. Tonight, when I read 1John, it hit me. But first off, props to this church for accepting community kids and recognizing the blessing they are receiving through accepting these clearly rough kids. Anyhow, according to the behaviour I heard of, it's clear to me that these community kids-according to John's standards-don't love their brothers. And beating someone up? That's a clear act of hate. "Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you." Why? Because Christians don't act like the world. And I bet that's why that kid got beat up. He was part of a different group, he was identified with loving Christians, and for that he received a beating.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

This church is on the fringe; they're a church that is actually doing what Jesus wanted the church the do. When you do good, don't expect the world to reward you. Trust that through this, God will make sure you are lacking in nothing.

Long time, no post!

Sorry it's been a while since our last post... just wanted to let everyone know that we've updated our LIT and Jr. Staff applications. No more 5 pager for you! We're going to post the new ones on our website in the next couple weeks, so keep your eye on rlbc.ca. We'd love to have you on our staff team this summer!