Evangelizing In The Wild: Helping Campers Find Jesus

Many campers seek to share the word of God and Jesus with their peers. Campers Care, for example, is a non-profit disaster relief ministry that is Christ-centred, Virginia-based with Jesus in [their] heart. Similarly, Campers for Christ Ministries is a group of Christian campers who enjoy the camping lifestyle and praising and worshipping our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If you are a camper who wants to help another camper accept Jesus, there are several steps you can take. Firstly, you can encourage them to understand God's holy nature and his plan for them. You can also help them to recognise their sins and ask for forgiveness. Finally, you can suggest that they get baptised, read the Bible, and pray daily.

Admit your mistakes and ask for forgiveness

Admitting your mistakes and asking for forgiveness is a crucial step in accepting Jesus and welcoming Him into your heart. This process involves confessing your sins, seeking God's forgiveness, and working towards leaving sin behind. Here are some detailed instructions to help a camper through this journey:

Confess Your Sins:

• Name and admit your wrongdoing: Start by specifically stating what you did wrong and taking responsibility for your actions. Avoid making excuses or denying your mistake. For example, say, "Father, I took $5 from my brother without asking."
• Acknowledge the wrongness of your actions: Recognize that what you did was not right and express this to God. Understand that simply admitting your actions is not enough; you must also admit that it was wrong.
• Express sincere remorse: Apologize to God from your heart and let your regret be evident in your words. Say something like, "I know that what I did was wrong, and I feel sorry for it. I'm sorry for sinning against you, God."

Ask God for Forgiveness:

• Pray and be honest: Open up to God about the guilt you feel due to your sin. Share with Him how being separated from Him has made you feel. Pray aloud to ensure your sincerity and specificity.
• Use scripture in your prayer: Incorporate Bible verses about forgiveness, such as Romans 6:23, John 3:16, and 1 John 2:2, to guide your words. You can also search for other scriptures that resonate with you.
• Ask God to forgive you: After confessing and apologizing, simply ask God to forgive you through Jesus Christ. There is no special prayer required; just ask sincerely, and believe that He will forgive you.
• Believe that God has forgiven you: Tell yourself and God that you believe in His forgiveness. Remember 1 John 1:9, which says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Move Forward and Leave Sin Behind:

• Seek forgiveness from those you've hurt: After receiving God's forgiveness, it's important to seek forgiveness from anyone you may have wronged. Apologize and ask for their forgiveness, understanding that you cannot force them to forgive you.
• Repent and turn away from sin: Make a conscious decision to turn away from the sin you committed. While you may still struggle with sin, it's essential to have the intention to change and grow.
• Work to avoid repeating the same sin: Find people who can support you and help you avoid falling into the same temptations. Learn scripture, remember that sin only brings harm, and strive to live a life that is free from sin.

Believe that Jesus died to save you from your sins

To help a camper accept Jesus, it is important to guide them through the process of believing that Jesus died to save them from their sins. This is the second step of the ABCs of salvation, the first being admitting your mistakes and the third being confessing your sins.

Believing that Jesus died for your sins is a critical step towards letting Jesus into your life. God sent his only son to die on the cross so that you can be free. Jesus Christ was born without sin, and his sacrifice allows us to find righteousness through him. God's grace and mercy allow us to be forgiven for our sins, and Jesus is the ultimate and final sacrifice.

To help a camper understand this, you can refer to the Bible. The New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John describe the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 3:16, one of the most well-known Bible verses, captures the essence of the gospel:

> "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

This verse emphasizes God's love for humanity and His desire for us to be reunited with Him. Through Christ's death and resurrection, we are given the gift of eternal life and entry into heaven.

Additionally, Romans 6:23 highlights the life-altering gift we receive through Jesus:

> "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

By accepting Jesus' sacrifice, we are saved from physical and spiritual death, as stated in John 14:6:

> "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus' death on the cross provides the way to heaven for sinful mankind, who could never attain it on their own.

These Bible verses and the understanding of Jesus' sacrifice are crucial steps in helping a camper accept Jesus and believe that He died to save them from their sins.

Confess your sins through prayer

To help a camper accept Jesus, you can guide them through the ABCs of salvation: Admit, Believe, and Confess. This process can help them grow their faith and invite Christ into their life. Here's how to approach the "Confess" step, which involves confessing one's sins through prayer:

Confession is a vital part of the Christian faith, as it brings reconciliation with God and others. It involves admitting one's sins, seeking forgiveness, and committing to doing better. Here are some detailed instructions to help a camper through this process:

• Acknowledge sins to oneself: Before confessing to others, it's important to first admit to oneself that they have sinned. This involves humbling oneself and recognizing that one hasn't lived up to God's standards.
• Confess to God: All sins are ultimately against God, so it's crucial to admit those sins directly to Him and ask for forgiveness. Since God knows everything, confessing is about acknowledging one's actions and agreeing with Him that they are sins.
• Confess to a trusted person: Confessing sins to another believer can bring things into the light and help one overcome their sin struggles. James 5:16 encourages believers to "confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." Choose someone you trust, such as someone from your community group, to confess to.
• Be specific in your confession: Avoid hiding sins in generalities or minimizing them. Be specific about what you did wrong, as this demonstrates a sincere desire for healing and change.
• Pray for courage: Pray for the courage to confess to another person, and ask God to help you see any other areas where you need to confess and repent.
• Grieve your sin: It's appropriate to mourn your sin and recognize the hurt and separation it has caused. Grieving your sin will help you turn away from it and repent.
• Trust in God's forgiveness: Believe in God's promises that you are forgiven and that confession brings healing and freedom. Remember, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
• Confess to those you've wronged: In addition to confessing to God, it's important to confess your sins to those you've sinned against. This can be uncomfortable, but it's a vital step in healing relationships and demonstrating love and responsibility.

Invite Christ into your life

Now that you have completed the ABCs of salvation, you are ready to invite Christ into your life. This is how you can do it:

Read the Bible

Take time every day to read a few verses of the Bible, a daily devotional, or complete an activity in a Bible study book.

Pray daily

Ask the Lord to come into your life and be the navigator, director, or author of your life.

Attend church services and activities

Find a sense of community with a local church to continue learning about faith and praising God.

Live a Christian lifestyle

Start and end each day following God’s word. Be kind, understanding, and loving.

Get baptized

Baptism is your way of devoting your faith in God and His way to place His everlasting mark on you.

Read the Bible and pray daily

To help a camper accept Jesus, one must recognize the importance of reading the Bible and praying daily. This practice provides a foundation for spiritual growth and a deeper connection with God. Here are some ways to incorporate this into your daily routine:

Start with a Plan

Create a structured plan to read the Bible in its entirety within a year. Divide the Bible into 365 daily readings, requiring fewer than four chapters a day. Online tools can help create a customized Bible reading plan, tracking your progress and providing a variety of translations to choose from. This structured approach ensures you don't get overwhelmed by the sheer number of chapters and verses.

Understand the Benefits of Daily Reading

Daily Bible reading is a commitment that strengthens your faith and invites Christ into your life. It is a way to make God's word a central part of your everyday routine. By reading a few verses a day, you can gain valuable insights and apply them to your life.

Pray Earnestly and Fervently

Prayer is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and a way to communicate with God. It is essential to bathe your camping program in prayer, as nothing of great spiritual value can be accomplished without it. Praying together as a community is a way to unite and seek God's guidance and intervention.

Make it a Community Effort

Camp is an excellent opportunity to come together with other believers, such as pastors, young people, and families from different churches. This sense of community can enhance your spiritual experience and provide support and encouragement in your faith journey.

Apply God's Word to Your Life

Incorporating daily Bible reading and prayer into your routine is just the beginning. The ultimate goal is to live a Christian lifestyle, embodying kindness, understanding, and love in your daily interactions. Start and end each day following God's word and striving to be more like Christ.

By following these steps and making reading the Bible and praying a daily habit, you will be well on your way to helping yourself or others at camp accept Jesus and deepen their faith.

Frequently asked questions