A little over a year ago I wrote a post about working like a volunteer. I was writing as an encouragement to myself to work as unto the Lord while in the midst of struggling to understand why I was there and if I should leave.

Since then I was given a choice to change my work description and hours or promote myself to volunteer. I choose the promotion. As of four months ago I am officially a volunteer. It has been a blessing at times and a sorrow at others.  I love camp and all those I was working with.

Today I wanted to share my most recent experience as a volunteer in hopes that it will encourage you to volunteer and involve others with you. Over the last few months my children have volunteered at Monadnock Bible Conference, and so have my wife and I. Beth helps out in the bookstore or she and Anna help the nurse with camper check-in on Fridays.  The boys have worked in the kitchen and outdoors with my first mentor John.

Recently the boys and I have gone to help fix a roof for the new warming shed for the Speedball course and I have helped a fair amount in the construction of the new mini golf course. (Thank you Evan for the invite!) This last weekend I went in to be CQ (Charge of Quarters) for about five and half hours on Saturday evening and was given a direct reminder of why I love volunteering at camp.

I love volunteering at MBC because I know the work God chooses to do there.  This weekend while on CQ I was visiting with a friend and his daughter while they were in the camp store. She had invited a friend along from school. The conversation went something like this:

Me to invited friend: So what brings you to camp?
Friend: She does. [Pointing to girl who invited her.]
Me: So do you to go to church together? Youth group?
Friend: No, we go to school together.

Ok so nothing out of the ordinary there, a camper invites her friend to camp for the weekend? So later in the night after the evening session my friend and his daughter are back in the camp store, but the invited friend is not there. So I ask: “You said that you to go to school together but not church or youth group.  Is she a believer?” The response:  She is today!

“She is today!” Three great words really.  What does it mean? Well it means that when an invitation was given to accept Christ into her heart, she chose yes. It means the camp is doing what God has called it to do – bring people to a closer relationship with Christ. And you know what else? It means the Lord used me in that young lady’s coming to know him because I filled a need at camp that night.

Christian camps run on volunteers.  I won’t turn this into a rant about how the government is slowly attacking the religous arena by using labor laws to banish volunteerism – but I could. Christian camps need volunteers.  Churches need volunteers. Non profits of all flavors need volunteers.

Get out and volunteer. If for no other reason then to know that you have helped. You can help an organization stay afloat for another day. You can help lead another to the Lord. You can save someone from having to call an expensive repair person. You can help – period.

I am getting into babble mode now so let me end with this: Volunteering is so rewarding. You will not regret it and you might just encourage others to join you. Joy loves company!

Give with a Passion!

Chris