DID GOD WRITE THE WRONG BOOK? —LEARNING HOW TO RE-READ THE BIBLE AT SUMMER CAMPS

DID GOD WRITE THE Wrong Book?

LEARNING HOW TO RE-READ THE BIBLE AT SUMMER CAMPS

LYDIA CHAMLEY | SUNZ Camp Team Leader

‘WHEN WE READ THE BIBLE, IT’S EASY TO FEEL LIKE GOD WROTE THE WRONG BOOK. WE COME TO THE BIBLE WITH OUR PROBLEMS, QUESTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, DECISIONS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR VIEW OF THE WORLD. WE WANT ANSWERS AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS. BUT AT FIRST GLANCE, THE BIBLE SEEMS SURPRISINGLY SILENT ABOUT OUR LIVES AND ISSUES.’1

Let’s be honest for a minute. It’s not just young people who can sometimes read the Bible looking for easy and direct answers for our 21st century lives. It’s human nature to put ourselves at the centre and think that anything that doesn’t directly apply to us, must not be for us. That is why we need to learn how to re-read the Bible. We need to unpack not only the worldview of the characters in this collection of ancient stories, but our own context and beliefs. Then we can learn how to translate the stories to recognise the unified narrative that points us to Jesus and know that the Bible really is ‘the living word’ of God. This complex idea is unpacked beautifully in The Insect and The

1 Roshan Allpress and Andrew Shamy (2009). The Insect and the Buffalo. How the story of the Bible Changes

Everything, p16. Venn Foundation. Buffalo: How the Story of the Bible Changes Everything by Roshan Allpress and Andrew Shamy.2 The main theme/argument behind this text is that while the Bible is a collection of smaller stories, those stories piece together into a larger narrative about a God who created the world out of love and desires a relationship with creation and humanity. However, humanity rebels. Despite this rebellion, God sends a rescue mission to liberate us; that rescue mission is centred upon Jesus Christ and God’s consistent message that He wants a relationship with humanity. A simple pattern echoes throughout the Bible: creation > fall> redemption. And whatever story we read takes on new meaning when framed with Jesus behind it.

2 Roshan Allpress and Andrew Shamy (2009). The Insect and the Buffalo. How the story of the Bible Changes

Everything. Venn Foundation.

WHATEVER STORY WE READ TAKES ON NEW MEANING WHEN FRAMED WITH JESUS BEHIND IT.

Leaders on Scripture Union NZ (SUNZ) camps are privileged to spend a week with rangatahi. As they get comfortable, our young people will often ask important questions about their lives and how a relationship with Christ should impact them practically. Leaders do their best to direct young people to the Bible to help them figure out answers for themselves. However, our campers often reply by saying they have tried this already, but the Bible doesn’t help—it’s too old and doesn’t apply to their lives.

In 2022, our SUNZ summer camps looked at studies based around The Insect and The Buffalo3 to help us unpack everyday life and where God fits into it. Each day of camp had a main session where speakers would guide the group through some activities and Bible passages. This was followed by time in smaller groups where campers could discuss the things that came up for them. Each camp ran differently, but they all made sure to include time for the campers to use karakia/ prayer to connect with Christ and hear Him through the Bible.

Here's what some of the campers said when asked what the Bible was to them:

"Sometimes [it can be] a confusing book but it’s God’s word and helps develop and grow our relationship with Him." " [The Bible is there to help] you to learn more about Jesus and to better that relationship with Him."

Knowing that God speaks to us through His word is a great start, and for some campers this was the first time they had heard that message. The goal for camps though, is to help boost a lifelong journey with Christ. We really want the learning and growth from camp to extend into the lives of the campers, even when they go home. We asked some campers how their lives were changed by camp and what would be ahead for them.

"It helped me reflect on my personal relationship with God, and I know I have to do more work to grow that relationship." " This camp has deepened my relationship with God in that it has encouraged me to think more abstractly about faith and have greater understanding of people who are different from me." " The Bible studies we did reconnected me with the Bible and with God. When I go home, I want to take a step further and get to know God in a much more intimate way.’

Our prayer for campers for this next season is that they will continue to explore God’s word, discover how they fit into God’s story and allow it to challenge and shape their understanding of life.