WARRIOR CAMP: 2009

Warrior Camp Update
February 24, 2009

Warrior Camp Team,

Hey! I hope this Warrior Camp Update finds you well. If you're receiving this update, it's either because you're on our Warrior Camp Team, you've given me advice, or because you're one of my friends or family who I thought would like to hear what's new with our camping ministry.

Here's a quick snapshot of what's in this February update:

1. Discipleship Development
2. On the Air
3. Battle Plans
4. Online Presence
5. Weapon Workshop
6. This Summer
7. New Graphic Design
8. Interviews and Feedback
9. New Game Highlights Video
10. Perspectives from Middle Earth
-------

1. Discipleship Development

Late in 2008, I acquired a PLACE assessment test specifically designed around helping identify natural strengths and spiritual gifts for mature Christ followers obedient in ministry. It was recently used by a leading Christian seminary to help their grad students identify those areas in which they are gifted for ministry within the larger body of Christ. I'm definitely not complaining, but I wish I had something like this when I was in youth group! Statistically, students in youth group who are never integrated into some role or ministry as genuine contributors, have a higher rate of church drop out during their college years. So what's the plan with the PLACE assessment test? To go through and tailor it for students in Jr. High and Highschool, and use it in our discipleship initiatives. If we can help hungry students identify where God has gifted them, they can better serve and take ownership as that part of the body of Christ.

2. On the Air

In the last update, I mentioned how we're working on getting Warrior Camp on the air. The ball is moving forward, and the radio announcement script has finally reached what seems to be the final draft. It's designed to quickly inform area youth pastors in Central Virginia about Warrior Camp, and put them in touch with us as we seek to come alongside of them in ministry to their youth. Thanks to one of my friends for the initial idea of getting Warrior Camp on the air. More to come!

3. Battle Plans

January 10th of 2009 marked my birthday, and one of my good friends actually gave me a "Warrior Camp Battle Plans" book. The cover is adorned with pictures of 7 different warriors. The inside features the Warrior's Creed, Selected Bible Verses, our Vision Statement, scheduling sheets, game specs templates, and insightful information from her own field of expertise. It will definitely be a helpful tool to have on the belt. Thanks so much!

4. Online Presence

In addition to Warrior Camp having it's own webpage and facebook group, we've recently expanded the online presence of our ministry to include Myspace. This will allow campers to keep in touch with each other and the Warrior Camp Leaders, as well as bringing a cool profile loaded with theme-relevant songs to a popular social network. Feel free to check it out, and become a friend.

5. Weapon Workshop

During the Christmas blitz, the Weapon Workshop was running at full speed, cranking out high performance (non-lethal) blow guns for kids to adults ranging from South Carolina to Oregon. On Christmas day, so many people were opening our blow guns, that I honestly felt like a Christmas elf. The feedback was stellar and encouraging, especially as many living rooms across the country were instantly and magically transformed into theaters of dart-tag war. Thanks to all who gave me the chance to bring an extra smile to your Christmas! If you want to check out some of the Christmas blow gun pics, feel free to look up blow gun photo albums 3-6 at: http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff194/warriorcamp1/.
Since then, the patenting process for our signature blow guns has moved forward. Within the last 3 weeks, my invention partner and I have reviewed the product portfolio, made some written improvements, finalized the paperwork, and uploaded new photos. The people from the marketing and patenting company have been great to work with, and having hit the ball into their court, the process now approaches the marketing stage. This is a huge praise, and could develop into a great opportunity for Warrior Camp. Your prayers are effective.

6. This Summer

In the last Warrior Camp Update, we shared about the possibility of taking Warrior Camp on the road to Washington state this Summer. The good news is the possibility seems to be ripening. I've talked to the children's pastor, and she thinks Warrior Camp would be highly impacting for her children's program as well as the students in the youth group. She has even volunteered to spread the word to other area youth pastors, as well as give our game highlights dvd to the principal of a local Christian school. This is a big praise, and definitely something to continue praying about.

7. New Graphic Design

I definitely didn't see this one coming, but sometimes good things are like that. In early January, a student in my home church youth group randomly let me know they had a dream about ... a Warrior Camp t-shirt! This student is very artistically talented, and expressed their desire to use their talents for something Godly. So, the student went to work, and created a graphic design for our camp ministry. It's epic, and I was pretty much speechless when I saw it. So I got their permission to post it on our main web page, and you can check it out there now at: warriorcamp1.googlepages.com. Thanks so much to my artistic friend!

8. Interviews and Feedback

While I was home for Christmas break, I got to go out to lunch with the youth pastor of my home church, who was actually the first youth pastor to give Warrior Camp the green light in the Fall of 2007. I look up to this guy alot, and God has definitely used him to grow the youth group of my home church, and in which my own younger brother has genuinely flourished. We were sitting down at a local bookstore and coffeeshop, and for over an hour, laughed while bouncing around from topic to topic. But one area in particular really stood out. My question to him involved where youth are at today, and how ministry should be strategic. Here was a youth pastor on the front lines, and I wanted to know his answer. To be honest, I found it a little surprising. There were two areas which he identified as the greatest need among youth. The first was purity, and it's enemies are numerous. MTV. Girls. Magazines. Internet. Movies. Across the nation and sadly even throughout the church, pornography can haunt men young and old like a persistent phantom. The stats on this demand a sober response from the body of Christ, especially in the area of men leading, fellowshipping, and practicing integrity. But the second area he mentioned, namely, "a near-complete absence of any quality role models" caught me a bit off guard. I've heard the stats on the popularity of broken homes, but math doesn't pack much of a potent punch. He went on to explain how young men without dads or other good role models is an accelerating phenomenon, and the solid family with strong male leadership and initiation into manhood is already an endangered specie. Families which are blessed with the latter are the exception, not the rule. Our hope and prayer is that Warrior Camp might be used by God to target these needs among young men. To challenge them away from filth, compromise and mediocrity, and to provide living, transformed examples who demonstrate the pure and masculine walk with God. And to show them they can do it also.

9. New Game Highlights Video

For the first time in world history, Warrior Camp now has a game highlights video! Thanks to my brother Jaden for the birthday gift! It captures scenes from nearly every game and competition throughout the day, throughout which there were also 3 discipleship rallies. Copies have already been mailed out to friends, a children's pastor, as well as author Stephen Lawhead, whom God used to birth the original vision for Warrior Camp. If you think your youth pastor might be interested in checking it out and/or want a hardcopy, feel free to let me know. If you want to check it out, you can find it on Youtube and Facebook. The youtube link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoBidJNYK6A&feature=channel_page Hope you enjoy it. Warrior Camp II is in the works.

10. Perspectives from Middle Earth

While I was home for Christmas, I had the chance to revisit the site of our first ever Warrior Camp. My little sister and I threw rocks out onto the frozen lake, laughing as the "singing stones" glided musically across the thin ice. We also saw the game field which hosted many a battle, and took a picture of the God tree under which we had group devotions with 17 students. It was a moving and priceless experience.

During break, I also had the chance to watch The Lord of the Rings with my family. All 3 movies. The extended versions! So it's safe to say we bonded with Frodo and Sam, all the way from the Shire to Mount Doom! My mom loves to get the most out of any experience, and I love her for it. But when you translate that during a movie, it means we have Q and A throughout the entire epic, as well as after Middle Earth has finally been saved from Sauron's slobbering, barbaric hordes. Lucky for me, I had taken an upper-level class on Tolkien. Amid our many conversations, we discussed Tolkien's definition of a hero, which, thanks to my mother, dusted off older insights, challenging me to apply them anew. For Tolkien, a hero never takes a survey to assess the likelihood of success or failure, victory or defeat. This is reminiscent of Gimli's comical line from the film: "Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?!" Somehow, somewhere, we admire that, want to be like that. For Tolkien, heros were driven by something much deeper, more profound than merely crunching the numbers to assess triumph. Something at the heart-level stirs. In the final battle, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf march to face an army that is much larger, one which is certain to defeat them, not because they entertain a notion of victory, but because they know it is right that they should do so. In another epic, Beowulf slays dragon after dragon, certain that one day he will meet one that will surely overpower him. And yet, his virtue continues as before, as he draws his sword, and enters the fray. For Tolkien then, the answer is this: a hero knows and does what is right, not counting the cost. Enter Sam who nearly drowns for his loyalty to Frodo. Borromir, who even after a seismic sin, sacrifices himself to protect Merry and Pippin. Gandalf confronts his fear and engages the Balrog to save his friends. Aragorn leaps into a lethal flourish against the impossible Nazgul, to safeguard the young hobbits of whom he has taken charge. Do what is right. Count not the cost. Something suggests to us they would not be greats if they did otherwise.

Yet what does all this mean for Warrior Camp? Great question. And you may have some intriguing applications taking shape in your mind already. But after that conversation with my mom in the gym of my brother's ball game, I immediately knew how it applied to Warrior Camp and to me. I don't know if Warrior Camp will ever reach phase 3 or phase 4, where we have 300 young warriors from across the nation for one or two full weeks, building weapons, competing in battle games, hearing the gospel and being genuinely discipled. I don't know if Warrior Camp will ever have it's own medieval-themed campground with a court yard, archery range, castle and functional, full-scale catapults. And I'm not certain God would have me know. However, what I do know is this: it is right that Warrior Camp should exist. That it honors Him. And, God willing, that at every phase and opportunity, we will preach His good news, have fun, and disciple a younger generation in becoming authentic men after God's own heart.

---

It's always good to hear from you and what God is doing in your life.

Grow Strong and God bless,

Derek

WARRIOR CAMP

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Warrior Camp Update . 11-19-09

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Warrior Camp Anniversary Update . 9-8-09

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Warrior Camp Update . 6-15-09

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Warrior Camp Update: 2-24-09

About Me