A Discipleship War Like No Other

An appeal for courage to act against insidious power

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” ~1 Corinthians 10:13

Is this article God’s means of showing me a way out? ~Your Conscience

Sexual temptation lurks within so much of our culture in the form of entertainment, commercials, books, magazines, and social media. It promises gratification and pleasure but ends up delivering guilt and shame. In addition, it seeks to infest one’s mind with ungodly thoughts; it ultimately strives to destroy one’s healthy and good thinking about others, sexuality, sex, relationships, and marriage. The hook in the bait is the corruption of a disciple’s walk with Jesus.

If I’m speaking to you and your circumstance, I want you to keep reading. It is not by accident that I’m writing this piece or that you are reading it. God works in mysterious ways to reach your heart at just the right time with a word of hope – a “way out,” according to Paul. And so, I really want you to hear the following:

If you’ve taken the bait – have had your heart and mind captured by the lie – then a powerful twisted influence has started to war in your inner being against what is right and godly. Behaviours like lust, impure thoughts, forms of adultery and fornication have become part of your life and fuel further corrosive sexual thoughts. If not already, these ungodly behaviours will:

• BREAK your spirit,
• UNDERMINE the integrity of your relationships,
• DRAIN you of energy and peace,
• MAKE you feel like a failure, unworthy and a hypocrite,
• CORRUPT your walk with Jesus; squelching out the voice of the Holy Spirit,
• STEAL your interest for the spiritual disciplines,
• INSTILL a fear that is decimating your peace,
• GAIN power by your secrecy.

The GOOD NEWS is that there is hope. There is a path to victory. There is a path toeventually casting out this soul-killing beast and fortifying yourself from the attack of another. Act now or this very word may be like the seed that fell on hard ground in Jesus’ parable of the Sower and Seeds where the evil one came and snatched it away (Matthew 13) I have personally worked to rescue men caught in this beast’s powerful grip. It was a war like no other. There were battles won and some lost, hard conversations, uncomfortable confrontations, and raw confessions. At times I heard vile things. At times I heard the cries of someone utterly broken and feeling completely defeated. I mention all of this to communicate the seriousness of the challenge. What is needed is courage to act. My friend, you are one choice from changing everything. One step from a journey down a redemptive path. Like the Nike ad says, Just do it! Make the decision today that will start the process of redeeming your life.

“The pathway to freedom begins when we face the problem without making excuses for it.”

PHIL GUNTHER – COUNSELING RESOURCE 2023

Redberry Bible Camp Letter

January 16, 2023
To our Camp Constituency
For the past 79 years Redberry Bible Camp has been sharing with campers the message of our God who dearly loves each and every one of us. It is a joy to share this message in the fun and exciting setting of our summer camp with the various skills and activities provided and the relationships with staff and fellow campers that are quickly developed.
This past summer an isolated incident occurred at camp that was brought to the Board’s and media’s attention. We acknowledge your criticism and comments regarding how it was handled. As the RBC Board we apologize for the anger, hurt and mistrust that was caused.
This incident, and the investigations that followed, have resulted in the board initiating a number of actions to enhance camper well-being. Here are a several action steps we have undertaken:

• We have instituted a review of our operations from hiring standards and procedures through to the training and implementation of policies and procedures.

• We have engaged the highly respected organization, Plan to Protect, to review and guide us in our child protection policies and procedures.
• We have worked closely with the Saskatchewan Camps Association to ensure compliance with their standards of accreditation.
• We are working closely with the Saskatchewan Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (SKMB), with whom our camp is affiliated, to strengthen theological and ministry practice alignment.

RBC is committed to the safety, protection and dignity of children who participate in our programs and activities. We believe that all people are made in God’s image and are deserving of the utmost respect through the interactions that occur at RBC.

It is our desire to redeem the past and to continue providing the positive, safe and fun experience for all campers that RBC has been known for. Together we look forward to the 2023 camp season.

On behalf of the Redberry Bible Camp Board

Wayne Dick
Board Chair