Round Rock Chapel Youth Camp 96

(June 10 - June 14)

A Summary

June 29, 1996

Miles O'Neal

Off to a shaky start?

Camp was supposed to be in San Marcos (about an hour south of Austin) this year, but whoever owns the campgrounds (UT, I think) double-booked the auditorium, misrepresented the facilities, and just wouldn't work with the New Breed Network (the group running the retreat). The closest thing the New Breed leaders could find on short notice, with everything we needed, was in Ok. City. It is about 6 hours away for us, but farther for some ofthe other churches, so they lopped off half of Monday & pretty much all of Friday for travel, and had to rethink a lot of the schedule. This also meant we lost a couple of the larger churches who had planned to participate because of the costs involved in moving lots of youth that far. On the other hand we picked up a couple of new churches. We had various Charismatic churches, a Baptist, and a Catholic church this year (that I was aware of).

Last year we had 28 youth and six counselors; this year we had 39 youth and 7 counselors, plus a woman who went along to help take care of the youngest youth at camp - Jeff & Amy's one week old baby, Mercy! (Jeff & Amy are our youth pastors).

Satisfaction guaranteed

From the first night it was obvious this was going to be another mind-blowing retreat. Whereas last year started off slowly and built to a crescendo by the last night, the first night this year was like we could have expected an additional night last year to be. From the beginning, most of the youth were down front worshipping their hearts out. Kids we were praying for the Lord to reach sometime during the camp, maybe by the last night, were getting saved, set free, and on fire the first night! What would happen next?

An attack, of course. Tuesday was major warfare. I know I had every insecurity, fear, and sense of inadequacy I'd ever dealt with hit me like a tidal wave, and apparently a lot of other people experienced similar things. "Having done all, stand" was where I was left. But once I determined to stand fast no matter what (as opposed to the almost overwhelming desire to slink back to Austin), I was free. That night saw several more kids break through, with one who is dear to my heart getting saved.

The focus of prayer most nights was just getting closer to God. Until that was done, there really wasn't any other prayer. But out of that flowed healing, love, forgiveness, total dedication, and a gazillion other great things.

Last year Matt really found the Lord. He had to go home to another state, and found no fellowship, so he's had a hard year. I was really praying for the Lord to give Matt such a desire for God that nothing could keep him away or discourage him. Tuesday night, he couldn't wait to share. "God gave me an achin' in my heart for Him!" And so He did!

Last year, I also mentioned that a young lady, R., had received a prophecy (through our pastor) that she would be captain of the cheerleading squad. At the tail end of this past school year (her junior year), she was made captain of the cheerleading squad! Go, God!

Another kid - call him Mike (the same guy who last year got rid of a bunch of music like Megadeath), after one of the worship services, was really pumped. "That was better than Pearl Jam!" Now that's awesome!

Healing no longer occurs, right?

One of our girls had scratched her cornea Monday. It was hurting her really badly. The nurse told her she would have to go to the emergency room the next day. Monday night during the service, God healed it. No more pain, and she was fine. Tuesday, while praying for a youth, I vaguely heard Allen talking about God healing a counselor's back. Later, I realized it was mine! I injured it years ago, and have had to be very careful lifting, carrying, even bending over (such as leaning across several prone youth to pray for someone else). Another girl was climbing on to the top bunk in her room (triple-deckers) and fell and hurt her elbow. She was in a lot of pain, her arm was in a sling, and that night she could hardly move her arm in worship before the prayer time. During the prayer time, God healed it, and in the post-prayer worship, she was dancing with abandon before the Lord.

All sorts of cool stuff

We saw punks saved. We saw abused kids feel clean, and forgiving their abusers, and letting God heal those deep wounds. We saw kids forgiving each other for old, deep hurts and letting God heal rifts. We saw cliques vanish. We saw 500 youth and counselors dancing before the Lord their God. We saw kids voluntarily recognizing and submitting to authority! We saw kids prophesying, and hearing and sharing words of knowledge and wisdom. We saw kids ministering almost every way possible. We saw kids gain new insight to things like the consequences of their actions. We saw kids asking forgiveness.

Oh, and the counselors, too. 8^)

Problems?

Were there problems? Sure. There was massive warfare (I haven't fought a direct attack that nasty or prolonged in years!) There were distractions, and some serious rebellion on the part of a few kids. But God did amazing things. And He still is.

The first night back, one kid (Mike again) was hanging out with a friend, who started asking what on earth had happened - he was so different! So Mike told him, and the friend wanted to know this Jesus that had given Mike this peace & joy, and prayed right there! One of the shyest girls you could ever meet (assume her name is Jenny), who would never dream of witnessing, because religion is ``a private thing'', was out singing in the streets that night in her neighborhood, and ended up sharing her experience with God with a friend who asked what was going on. Most parents felt like they got new kids instead of their old ones back.

So what about the rest of us?

One of the things God gave to me to share with a couple of the youth at camp was that just because they weren't at a place to move forwards right then in everything they saw going on, that didn't mean they would be left out. As long as they kept seeking God, they would be blessed, too. God understands us far better than we do! He also had me share that with three kids who couldn't make camp this year. One has already ``caught up'' with those who went. God really touched her, and she let go of a lot of anger, jealousy and other garbage towards her sister, and they are closer than they have been in a while.

Another one is still waiting to see what will happen, but the third is in serious rebellion. We're praying for her extra hard.

Our pastors where there again this year, and had to take Tiffany, their 8 year old daughter with brain tumors. Between treatments (which they have stopped) and the tumors returning after an operation, she was in a lot of pain, extremely listless, hates to move. But twice, after prayer (once at camp by half the camp!) and once at church right after we returned, she ended up dancing with the youth (and some adults - yeehah!) in the ``worship pit''. God had spoken that she would be the means of turning many of His peoples' hearts towards revival (she has been) and that she is healed. Her family (the Halls) have been battling a lot of things - fear, depression, etc, but are trusting God to do what He has spoken. Meanwhile, a lot of people have gotten a lot more serious about seeking God because of Tiffany's condition.

What was it Joel said about young and old, dreams and visions? We saw it, and are seeing it. Kids that normally hang back are ready to worship, to pray with people. This is what God is showing us He wants to do in RRC, and throughout the church. He has spoken through various people that He wants to start revivals in many spots at once. He called us to no longer be ``youth'' and ``the rest of the church'', but one body. (Yes!)

He has also spoken to several of us about this:

   We need faith to raise the dead.  What the
   physical-temporal ramifications of this for
   Tiffany are I don't know, but He has told
   several of us this is what we need.  According
   to the doctors, she's already just walking dead.

   This isn't an overnight thing - we have to be in
   it for the long haul.

This is heavily tied in to the vision He's given us for revival. That as we really seek Him, and dwell in His presence, prayers for healing will naturally flow, and the healing (many types, not just Tiffany's) will supernaturally flow. This is what we saw happen at camp, and He told at least two of us that what we saw at camp was a foretaste, and in a way a vision, of what He wants to be doing throughout the church.

New Breed Network & the camp leadership

The names I recall are Mark Jobe, Mark Roy, Allen Hickman, and Richard Jenajosa (sp?), from various churches in Texas (Austin, the Dallas-Ft Worth area and Houston) and Mississippi (Picayune). Tom Davis led the praise team, and 100 Portraits was extremely involved in the music and some of the teaching this year.

Last updated: 03 August 2003

Miles O'Neal <roadkills.r.us@XYZZY.gmail.com> [remove the "XYZZY." to make things work!] c/o RNN / 1705 Oak Forest Dr / Round Rock, TX / 78681-1514