I believe most who attended Zone Camp 1 would agree that it was a camp worth going to. Never mind some initial hiccups or that the first couple of sessions appeared a little heavy going (partly due to the fact that I wasn’t quite in my element). So, I must thank all those who volunteered for the dry-run at Camp 1! J Now with the experience gained, things should be better for Camps 2 & 3. But then, as we learnt at the camp, “God doesn’t do things the same way twice.”—expect the unexpected!

Let me share with you something that happened at Camp 1 that cannot be repeated in next couple of Zone Camps. It was unplanned, spontaneous and which can only be described as a God-thing.

Just before the last session on Monday morning, Allen Kam shared with Min Chik and I that he felt the Lord was telling him that he needed to repent on behalf of his generation for the way we have treated the younger people in the church. As a result, the young people have been stifled in their growth and development of their potential in the Lord.

Part way through the worship, when I thought was the most appropriate time,  I asked that we pause and requested Allen to share what the Lord had been saying to him. It was obvious he felt very deeply about what he said. Min Chik stepped up and asked for one person each from among the Teens, College-age and Young Adults to come forward. James, Stephanie and Sue Ann represented their respective groups.

With deeply felt words Min Chik on behalf of the adults, parents and church leadership asked for forgiveness from the young people for the hurts we caused them, the failure to be godly examples, for having stifled their potential and the confusion they suffered because of certain events in the church.

It was humbling to hear the young people express their forgiveness and heart warming to hear their affirmation for the adults, parents and church leadership. Min Chik prayed, followed by a few others. You could hear the sounds of weeping—of remorse, release and relief. I believe we are coming into a new dawn of the Father’s gracious work in PJEFC.

Obviously, this is not going to be repeated in Camps 2 & 3. What’s going to happen? It’s anybody’s guess.  Do not think that the next two Zone Camps are just going to be repeats. The worship teams are different, the other speaker (besides myself) is different, then, I might change one or two of my messages, and of course, the X-factor, “God doesn’t do things the same way twice.”

Unaware to most, one of the key things that brought about a breakthrough half-way through Camp 1 was the intercession of a group of people who persevered right through the whole of Sunday afternoon. I thank God for them. This is what we will also need for the next two Camps.

I urge all you who are going for Camps 2 & 3 to be very much in prayer. Don’t go there with an attitude of a spectator but a participant. What happens or does not happen is just as much dependent upon you as the people upfront. We are going to the Zone Camps because we want to move to the next level with the Lord, personally and corporately. To do that your heart needs to be receptive and responsive; and the only way this can happen is through prayer. Please spend time each day, before your respective Zone Camps, to pray for yourself, for others and for the facilitators. For those who have already been to Camp 1, you know what to pray for your fellow pilgrims going to the next two Camps. Please pray for us.

“God is good!”

PrSH