Rodeo Bible Camp 2010

I spent last week having the most fun doing ministry I have ever had. The problem is; I'm not sure why?

Theory 1: The people I was doing ministry alongside. Most of you probably remember Zac Sanger (the man I introduced you to last year in the newsletter and on this blog). I got to spend another week with him. He prefers to do ministry one horseshoe at a time. We talked a lot aboutshoeing horses (something I know nothing about) and ministry (something I thought I knew a lot about). Zac is the type of guy who will have a conversation about God with anyone and he will be the first to tell you that it has more than once cost him a client. Part of my job is having conversations about God; yet sometimes they never happen. Boldness is a quality he has in abundance. Another guy that I had the pleasure of serving

alongside was Seth Reynolds. He is the same type of guy as Zac. Willing to talk about Jesus with whomever, whenever. I had met Seth a year ago at a Rodeo Bible camp and had no idea he would be in Colorado this week. Two guys whose love for Jesus spills out of their lives. That is something that will make it fun to serve. Seth and Zac both took the time (outside of their assigned duties) to speak truth into the students lives. They have a passion for God that expands the time card. There are a ton of things I took away from that week!

Theory 2: Rodeo. It is always fun doing rodeo! Always fun fighting bulls!

But if I hadn't been rodeoing at the time; I still think that I would have had fun and enjoyed serving! Theory 1 is the winner!

What I learned this week; or should I say was reminded of this week was that ministry is about the people. The people you come into contact with and the people that change your life. Zac and Seth are two guys that changed the way I do ministry and changed my relationship with God. You wanna have fun serving God; find people who are passionate about Him and surround yourself with them! There is never a dull moment with Zac and Seth and they are livening up the Christian lives of anyone they come into contact with: this guy included!

A buddy of mine now

A couple weeks ago, I was in Falcon, Colorado at Rodeo Bible Camp. Most of you are shocked that they even have one of those things. Yes, it was a legitimate bible camp. Throughout the day each student would do chores; attend worship service, study and practice their rodeo events, and spend quite time with God. Looking back on the things that we had to get done; it is easy to see why I was up 5:15 or 5:30 in the morning to do chores. I wasn’t even aware that God was up at 5:15; but that hour or hour and a half before the kids were up was a blessing to my life that I would rank second amongst his blessings that week. The first was a conversation that happened between the other bullfighter and a student.

The students name was Cody. He actually wasn’t a student. About 3 weeks ago, a bull stepped on his ankle, crushing it. Goodbye rodeo scholarship; Goodbye professional rodeo. He will be out for about 2 months, until he will receive a full ankle replacement at the age of 18. At one of Grandma Jeanie’s four course dinners at camp, Cody was attempting to glorify his injury. The last statement he made was this: “If that bull had killed me that day, dying in the arena doing what I love. I am glad I knew where I was going.” Zac, the other bullfighter called him on it.

“Really?” Zac asked. Cody said yup. “You are really sure you knew where you were going?” Cody was unsure of the follow up question. “Are you positive?”

Zac was like a shark with blood in the water. Zac would be the first to tell you that he didn't always live the Christian life. One fateful night he met the God of this universe very intimately. Since that life-altering night; Zac has been on fire for God. He shoes horses now, and is one of the best farriers in SE Colorado, but there is no question about what (or should I say whom) he has really given his life too.

Cody’s faith had really been circumstance and fluff up to that point and Zac called him on it. He could tell that Cody was fooling himself with his own false bravado. Zac shared his faith with Cody that night. I sat at that table for an hour and a half without saying a word. Cody went foreword that night, was baptized later that week. Talking to him later that week, there was an assurance to his voice about where he was going and whom he was living for.

Zac is one of those guys whose passion has challenged me to rekindle my relationship with God. Funny how you go somewhere to teach and end up learning!