I’ve never been much of a pup tent guy, but I do love camping. And I mean all types of camping. Thinking back now, I have had some outstanding camping experiences. These have ranged from big church camp meetings in places like Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Soquel in central California, Cedar Lake in Michigan, and South Queensland, Australia, to youth camps in Oahu, Lone Star in Texas, Wiwona in northern California, and Soweto in South Africa.

They all had several things in common: great fellowship, fun, food, and a healthy emphasis on the spiritual. South Queensland is the very largest camp I have ever seen, and the emphasis is on family and activities to include all ages. The Big Camp in Aukland, New Zealand, is a Polynesian delight with all the South Pacific cultures on display.

Last summer, I had the pleasure of speaking at a very small camp meeting for the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference in Canada. They had what I consider a unique feature. At the last meeting, everyone comes together to view a video of all the camp highlights from the opening of camp right up to the last meeting. You can imagine my surprise as the sermon I had just completed was flashed on the screen as the very last feature!

If you like beautiful retreat settings then you will love Camp Au Sable in Michigan or Camp Akita in Illinois. If you are into the old-time camp meeting flavor, then you want Cicero, Indiana, or Camp Wakonda in Oxford, Wisconsin. And if you want to be around when the preaching is so powerful that the tent poles shake, you must visit Camp Wagner in the Lake Region Conference, right up the road in Cassopolis, Michigan.

Yes, the family, and especially our youth, are blessed at the various camps and camp meetings conducted by our Church. Life-changing decisions are made; youth are rescued from Satan; baptisms are held; and some of the best food ever to cross your palate is served. The Lord is much in evidence as we gather together in His name. Even the many and varied workshops send us home equipped to witness for Christ.

I hope to see you out there somewhere in the Lake Union this summer. Let’s hit the old “sawdust trail” together and just see what God has prepared for His children at Camp Meeting 2006! There may not be many more before Jesus makes His appearance. We should take advantage of this summer together.