The argument can be made that the Church of the Nazarene was born out of campmeetings in the 19^th century, yet more and more we seem to be getting out of the campmeeting business. Camps have been sold and campmeetings are not as popular as they once were in many (not all) corners. 

Some district superintendents can’t wait to put the nail in the coffin of their campgrounds. I get it. Campgrounds can be a major headache for those in leadership. Insurance companies don’t like campgrounds. There is a liability around every tree and body of water. They can be expensive. A worry. A bother. I get all of that. 

Campmeetings are still worth it.

This isn’t the pining of an old guy remembering the good ol’ days (well maybe there is a bit of that). 

I had a few “firsts” at Water’s Edge Camp on the Eastern Michigan District (it was just called “the campgrounds,” back in the day). The first time I held a girl’s hand that wasn’t my mom or sister. (I ended up throwing that girl in the lake). The first time a girl “broke up” with me (Throwing her in the lake may or may not have played a role her decision). My first job that wasn’t mowing a neighbor’s lawn (I washed dishes in the kitchen) and my first real pay check. All of these things happened on those grounds.

Much more importantly, on those sacred grounds I was baptized in the “girls’” lake. Boys and girls swam in different lakes in those days. FYI, the “girls’” lake was not a great lake. Lots of weeds. No cool dock like the “boys’” lake. There were rusty swing sets nearby. Hand-me-downs from someplace, no doubt. Clearly, “gender equality” was not a discussion in those days. 

I felt called to full time ministry on those grounds also by the girls’ lake. It was at an all teen “afterglow” campfire in which the only teens in attendance were the soon-to-be-seventh graders who didn’t know the “all-teen afterglow” wasn’t a cool thing to attend. Upperclassmen didn’t show up that night, but God did. It was on that evening that I first sensed a call to a life of full time ministry. Those were the biggie events for me, but there were plenty of other times of drawing near to the Lord on those grounds too.   

Times have changed since I was tooling around the campgrounds on my black, banana seat bike-o-saurus. What hasn’t changed is that Water’s Edge is still holy ground. It’s family camp week. Be in prayer for Dr. Scott Daniels and Dr. David Busic (Have two current General Superintendents ever been on the same campmeeting docket at any camp before this week?). Dr. Tim Gaines is the morning Bible teacher (again not too shabby).

Pray for all the happenings at this week’s family camp. People still encounter God on that campground. I’m glad the Eastern Michigan District still values what happens on Burkhart Road in Cohoctah Township. God will be there. Speaking. Moving. Saving. Sanctifying. Calling.