The Celebration Continues

THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES

BY CARL DOSCHER

The celebration doesn't end at a decision, it is continuous throughout a life time.”

In the month of June, I was able to, along with four other amazing chaperones, bring our students to Camp Spark in Eunice, LA. This is our second year of attending this camp and God did some incredible things over the course of this one week.

The campus pastor went over three separate topics. One was how we are God’s treasure being His creation. Second, was that God had a rescue plan by sending His son to save us from His wrath. Lastly, was that we are to celebrate when someone comes to know the Lord.

Now, what the pastor mentioned on the last night intrigued me the most, the act of celebration. He stated “The celebration is great when someone comes to know Jesus as their Lord Savior, but it should not end there.” The celebration should continue throughout a person’s life. We were blessed to have four students give their life to Jesus over the span of that week and three of those get baptized. During these moments we were able to celebrate because four students are now living for Jesus, but the thought crossed my mind, are God’s people going to raise these students up when we get home or are they just going to be left to follow Christ, alone? Is someone going to continue the celebration and show them what it means to follow the Lord?

There is a scripture in Romans that talks about how God’s people are one body in Christ.

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5

As the scripture continues it speaks to the fact that every believer will receive different gifts from God. When I was reading this, I began to wonder about those four students and if someone will be there to mentor them into a member of the church body that God desires them to be.

It is sad to say, but I heard it once said that we as God’s people have done a poor job discipling people after they make their decision. We are really good at leading them to the point of salvation, but when they make the transition, we act as if they have finished the race, when really the race has just begun.

At a Men’s Conference a few years ago I was able to hear Dr. Tony Evans speak and he stated that “if we want to change the world we live in we need disciples making disciples.” This just emphasized the fact that these youth who are starting their journey need multiple people invested in their walk with the Lord and celebrating along the way. It may mean for a parent to begin asking questions about their new found faith. For friends, it may mean doing a Bible plan together and texting about what God is doing through it. For peers, it may mean checking in on them and asking the question, “how has your quiet time been?” All of these are key points in walking alongside new believers and leading them on the path they should go. The celebration doesn’t end at a decision, it is continuous throughout a lifetime.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Carl Doscher CELEBRATING!