newsletter - The Wilds

Camp Musicby Mac LynchMusic Director • THE WILDSBrevard, North CarolinanewsletterWhat does the word music bring to your mind? Does it bring to mind a certain memory? Does itbring to mind someone special in the past or present? Does it bring to mind crucial aspects ofgrowth in your Christian life—some impacting message that has caused you to grow in Christ? It hasalways been true that music is a mirror of everyone’s heart. What we listen to has an impact on whatwe become—good, bad, or mediocre.Music...all to the glory of GodAt THE WILDS our music is also a reflection of who we are and what we believe is important. Ourcamp mission statement is: “Using the unique benefits of Christian camping, we serve people bypresenting the Truth of God with the love of God so lives may be changed to the glory of God.” Usingthat as a guide, each staff member should be involved in music that reflects the Truth of God andthe love of God as seen in the Bible. Music that pleases God is not derived from the culture, but fromthe Scriptures. Music in this ministry must be a reflection of our view of God and His character. HisTruth and love is so pure that His glory can only be presented with music that is consistent with Hischaracter.This is a great and wonderful challenge as we write and choose the music used in this ministry. Wemust set aside what we might like musically for the music that is consistent with the Truth about ourGod. As our camp verse says, Whether therefore, ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the gloryof God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Because of our desire to glorify God, we have the privilege of presentingnot necessarily the music that all campers like, but rather the music that staff and campers need. Thegoal is not the applause of men, but God-honoring music that instructs and confronts all of us in theTHE WILDS Christian Association, Inc. is anindependent, nondenominational, nonprofit,501(c)(3) organization created for thepurpose of operating Christian camps andconference centers. We are fundamental in ourbeliefs, Bible-centered in our philosophy, andevangelistic in our outreach.THE WILDS Christian Association, Inc.presently operates a Christian campand conference center in the Blue RidgeMountains of western North Carolina that isopen year-round. The camp has a carefullyselected and trained staff and averages over20,000 campers per year. We recently closedon a campsite in Deering, New Hampshire,and anticipate five weeks of youth camp thissummer.In addition to providing a God-honoringmusic publication service as an integralpart of our ministry, THE WILDS ChristianAssociation, Inc. has also established theCampsAbroad program to assist others in theformation and operation of Christian campministries around the world.THE WILDS Christian Association, Inc. publishes THE WILDS NewsLetter. Change of addressinformation and comments should be sent to:THE WILDS Christian Association, Inc. • PO Box 509 • Taylors, SC 29687-0009Phone: (864) 268-4760 • Fax: (864) 292-0743 • E-mail: newsletter@wilds.orgNorth Carolina Campsite:THE WILDS • 1000 Wilds Ridge Road • Brevard, NC 28712-7273Phone: (828) 884-7811 • Fax: (828) 862-4813Visit our website at www.wilds.org or visit THE WILDS Online Store at www.wilds.org/store.THE WILDS and CampsAbroad are registered trademarks of THE WILDS Christian Association, Inc.Editor: Ken Collier • Publications Coordinator: Vickie Ebner • Graphic Designer: Craig StoufferVolume 28, Number 1 • Spring 2009© 2009 THE WILDS Christian Association, Inc. All rights reserved.areas of our greatest spiritual needs. After beinginvolved for almost 30 years in the music ministryat THE WILDS, I must admit as we have struggledfor the balance, not everything has goneperfectly. At times we slipped into music thatsought for the approval of campers more thanGod. We have learned so much andthe Lord has been very patientwith us!What a wonderful delight topresent bright, conservativemusic with strong, Godpleasinglyrics and score tothe hundreds God has allowedus to influence! Our campersare listening—amazingly andremarkably so! One can never knowwhen the message will sink in. It might be rightaway. It might be years down the road. Here isa letter I received from a young serviceman inIraq. He reflects on a more carefree day whenhe was here for a Senior Trip at THE WILDS. Herequested the lyrics of a song he was strugglingto remember. He writes:Sir, if you were to pray for anything, I would askfor my heart to soften back to where it was duringthose times…back when I threw that stick on thefire. Stray bullets, incoming mortars and rockets,and having to hide behind barriers so you can seeyour family again really makes you look at life a bitdifferent. I would also encourage any teenagers atyour camp to be real…honest…and humble…It willtake you far. Anyone can go to camp and follow thecrowd but when you are all alone (in my case Iraq)you learn who you really are and how spirituallystrong you are. I’m on night shift out here (13 hourshift) and this song will help the time pass and helpme draw closer to my Savior once again. Thank youfor the lyrics and God bless.It’s amazing to see the power of music unfold in acamper’s heart. Music can linger even longerMusic canlinger evenlonger thanwords.than words. What a responsibility we have tomake our music and texts as biblical as possible!For my soldier friend it may make all thedifference.Every week of the summer the right kind ofmusic is having its influence on the 11,000campers who come. Each week, oldercampers have the option of joiningus in a volunteer camper choir.We rehearse for about an hourbefore the Thursday nightservice in which they sing. Wetalk to a long line of kids abouthow the music at THE WILDShas specifically ministered to theirlives. The stories are numerous andthe impact amazing.God is good to multiply our ministry, our littleloaves and fishes, to see changes in lives. This isHis working. It is sweet to talk to the campers whogather around the piano just to thank the staff forthe music. Throughout the week the singing getsmore enthusiastic as each night the hearts of thecampers become more and more sensitive to thepreaching. Even though most of them have littlevoice left after a week of cheering, my how theysing! It is at once humbling and energizing to seethe 140–voice counselor choir let loose and singwith joy in their hearts and even tears in theireyes to the teens they minister to for the week.For almost 40 years music had been an integralpart of life at THE WILDS. As campers are pulledaway from their electronic gizmos and their ownmusic for one week, they are given somethingbiblical to latch onto. We want to keep the musicvital. There is a lot of music out there that isChristian in name only. We know that the musichere is unique to the place and unique to themission. Pray with us that the music ministry atTHE WILDS will see its best years ahead for God’sglory!2 newsletter spring 2009 newsletter www.wilds.org 3