How Does Lake Ann Camp Chose Their Speakers?
Passion for God
Passion inspires and a passion for God is often caught and not taught. When Lake Ann Camp looks for speakers they are very cognizant of a speaker’s track record long before they come to speak. When they speak, are the believable, and is their message inspiring? Preaching is not about manipulating an audience to your point of view but rather opening God’s Word and inviting campers to respond. In short, if you cut our speakers they bleed the life-giving and life-changing power of the gospel.
Heart for People
A heart for people is much more than just liking people. We are much more intentional than that… do they love the age they are speaking to? It takes a whole different skill set to reach a junior camper than a high school camper. When a potential speaker can demonstrate that they love an individual age group our ears perk up. Being relevant is essential for impact.
Knowledge
Knowledge needs to be two fold. Are they a student of God’s Word? Hebrews 4:12 says it plainly- God’s Word is living, and powerful, sharper than a two edged sword. Our speakers have to believe that the power in their preaching is more about truth than their cleaver ability to deliver His Word. The second aspect again goes back to their knowledge of the issues the age they are speaking to are facing in life. The more the speaker can live in the camper’s world the more likely the will connect on a heart level. Before asking someone to speak we listen for their knowledge of God’s Word and how well they know their audiences needs.
How Does Lake Ann Camp Impact the Topics Speakers Speak On?
Intentionality:
There is an objective for each age level camp at Lake Ann. Here is the aerial view of topics that are spoken about for each level.
Junior Camp
God is not boring, He loves you and wants to to know what it means to “Love God” and what it means to “Love your Neighbor as Yourself”. Sub-thought; the Christian can be fun.
Jump Start
It takes courage to make right choices in life. Chapel speakers do character sketches of Bible characters who made right and wrong choices and the consequences of each. It is designed to prepare them for the coming teenage years.
Junior High
The unspoken question on the mind of a junior high student is this: Is God real? Everything from the nature walks, night hikes and chapel messages is designed to spotlight how God has revealed Himself both in creation and His Word.
Fresh Start
When it all boils down ninth graders have never been to high school and it is intimidating to be in a new environment where everyone is bigger, older and more knowledgeable than you. Fresh Start is designed around experiences freshman have never done as a metaphor for learning how to gain confidence – not in your own abilities but in the God who is bigger than any challenge you will ever face. Like a log in your river that you did not expect… etc. This confidence is also found in a study of I John.
Senior High
Senior High Camp takes the question: Is God Real, to a whole new level. Our programming, counselors and speakers all ask the question, what are you going to do with God for the rest of your life? It is a decision oriented camp that draws a line in the sand and says, you will make the decision about God before your sophomore in college – why not address it now and decide before you have many regrets in life?
Reborne Ranger
Reborne is an invitation only camp and all who are there were nominated because of their leadership abilities. Plain and simple we have strong Christian leaders to address the role of leadership from a Biblical perspective.
Relevant
Not every topic spoken at Lake Ann Camp fits the “politically correct” world we live in today. We will be sensitive to not expose campers to topics that will lead them to be curious about sin but we will also not shy away from addressing issues that they face in life. Christ did not mince words when addressing sin and neither will we. This includes purity, modesty and what immorality really is from a Biblical perspective. We will also talk about authority and when it is appropriate to submit and when it is not. Our speakers will be unashamed to be vulnerable and passionate in their delivery styles.
Biblical
Lake Ann Camp uses lots of creative methodologies from challenge courses, adventure activities and nature activities but make not mistake about it, we believe God’s Word is a guaranteed impact (Isaiah 55:10). Even though God uses things outside of chapel to help campers make life-changing decisions it is our core belief that the preaching of God’s Word, in chapel and out, is where we will make a lasting difference in a camper’s life.