Over the summer I normally try to post a couple things that I learned over the previous school year. If you want see the series as it has developed over lots of years then click here. If you have anything you learned from last year that you would like to tell me about, send it my way smcgever (at) pv dot younglife dot org
Imagine… a still, solemn moment in an ancient church. One where the air hangs thick with history, richness, depth. With light shining brilliantly with thousands of colors through the endless stained glass scenes in snapshots from generations ago, each telling its own story. In almost every corner is a monument or plaque to saints through the ages, not just from a few decades ago, but from many centuries ago, with a history nearly as long before the Reformation as after the Reformation. In this place, once the pulpit of John Knox, I had the privilege of preaching on a Sunday not too long ago. The place is Holy Trinity in St. Andrews, Scotland, with origins back to at least the 12th century. To be candid, it was one of their smaller services, but everything I just described was there just the same. I opened up the Word and gave it all I got, and the Lord moved. It was an honor and a humbling moment.
Though I was often struck deeply by this wonderful place, during our time attending church over the course of several months I reflected back to other places where I have preached: in the backyard of a middle school kid, at a pizza place over the loud roar of video game machines, at an outdoor mall amphitheater next to a Hot Topic and a Game Stop, at a high school, at a middle school, in parking lots, in the forest, in the desert, from the back of a pickup truck, and maybe best of all, in my own living room with lots of my teenage friends listening attentively (some of the time).
A magnificent ancient church and a suburban cookie-cutter house with beige walls… Both are Holy Places. Hear that again, both are Holy Places. Wherever the gospel is preached, it is a holy moment. The location is just an innocent bystander. When we speak the gospel even the angels hurry to the scene to hear this magnificent news (1Pet. 1:12). Thank you for making living rooms and many other locations Holy Places throughout the world.
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PS… If you are looking for summer camp follow-up resources see this post and maybe this too.