Hundreds of teenagers from around the New England states will gather for a week of fellowship, fun, and spiritual encouragement. Don’t miss it!
Our theme for New England Baptist Teen Camp (NEBTC) this year is ONE. It is taken from Ephesians 4:4-6.
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
The heart of our emphasis at NEBTC is ONE CHRIST. Among one of the many lies of the devil is that there are many options in life. The devil has a counterfeit for everything God offers. God says there is one Christ; the devil says there are many christs. God says there is one way to Heaven; the devil says there are many ways to Heaven.
Furthermore, the devil looks for ways to devalue one life. God says each life is important to Him; the devil says it’s just one life—it’s not that big of a deal. And while many today are enamored with crowds, Jesus is very interested in individuals.
I believe one of the great secrets to daily victory in living for Christ is understanding the Value of One.
ONE CHRIST
The Bible says that there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). There is only one Christ. May He continue to be the primary focus of our lives personally, and the consummate One that we point others to as we serve. It is Christ, and Christ alone.
ONE CONVERSION
Jesus said that unless you are born again, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:1-7). It is interesting to me that some in our “Christian circles” in their pursuit of “cultural relevance” have determined that Bible terminology is “archaic” and in some ways brash or offensive! The sad truth is that the devil has “muddied the waters,” and some have embraced it. But Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.”
ONE CALLING
The simple thought that we understand from God’s Word about this idea is that the calling on an individual’s life is FROM
GOD (Romans 11:29). It is a wonderful day in our lives when we come to the place that we understand God has a definite plan for each of us personally. The of the devil is to get you pursue our own ways, or any way other than God’s way.
ONE CHURCH
Of course, we are not speaking here of the universal church philosophy. God emphasizes the local church in Scripture. We need to get past the idea of attending church and embrace the opportunity to be engaged in the church. I often think of the opportunity I had as a teenager to be actively involved in our church through attendance, soul winning, bus ministry, and other avenues. I’m thankful I learned as a teenager to be incredibly connected to my church.
ONE COMMISSION
While we all certainly understand that there is a lot of responsibility given to the New Testament church, we know that the greatest mission is The Great Commission. Perhaps the most significant failure of the New Testament church since Jesus started it is not keeping the main thing the main thing—the Great Commission.
May I encourage you to learn to value the ones in your life— One day to serve the Lord, one soul to tell about Christ, one opportunity to do the will of God—“Only one life, t’will soon be passed; only what’s done for Christ will last.”