Christian Camping and Decisionism

I can still remember the old dilapidated chapel building with the assortment of pews screwed  down to the wood floor.  "Everyone's head bowed and eyes closed," the evangelist would say.  At that moment I knew that we would never get out of there until almost everyone had made some kind of "spiritual" decision. Soon I would hear the creak of the floor as the other kids began to move to the front where the evangelist was calling all who were unsaved, unbaptized, undedicated, unyielded, or unassured.  All who wore the wrong clothes (ie. girls who didn't wear cullottes) listened the the wrong music, said the wrong words, thought the wrong thoughts, or various other sins and misdemeanors.  Soon, I too would join the crowds, after all, the snack shack would open up right after this. Granted, I am sure that many children and young people were saved or surrendered to God's will in their life in those services; however, it seemed that the typical tenor of the Christian camp (of which holds tremendous memories and even spiritual growing times for me) when I was a child was to get young people to make a decision for God, sign a decision card, and give a testimony while at the campfire.  The proof is in the pudding as they say.  I would go home spiritually charged and within a week, violate everyone of my decisions.  But there was always next year.  Next year I could get saved again and rededicate my life to Christ.  This pattern went on for several years. 

So what is the problem? 

1.  When a Christian camp (or any ministry) focuses on the strength of the decision instead of on the power of the cross, an imbalance will occur; and great damage will be done.  I do not remember hearing the cross preached at camp very often.  I remember many messages on trusting Christ, I remember sermons on hell and judgment, I even remember hearing the preacher tell me Jesus died for my sins.  But the focus was not on the power of the cross.  The preaching of the cross seemed to be merely a way to get the decision made.  It was heavily focused on the sinner instead of the Savior.  Yes, I do believe that the law and judgment must be preached, but when you bring someone to the precipice of hell, and then tell them they must come forward and ask Jesus to save them, you have neglected the entire theme of the Gospel message, Jesus Christ, the Savior who died was buried and rose again.  Decisionism emphasizes the external results at the expense of a clear presentation of the Gospel.

2.  When a Christian camp focuses on standards of holiness instead of the Holy One, a wrong view of God is communicated to the young people.  I remember hearing long sermons on the evils of contemporary Christian music, pants on women, long hair, etc.  We all need Biblical standards based on Biblical principles, but when that becomes the focus of the camp (standards of holiness) a generation of young people leave camp making the decision to live holy lives, but have not been grounded in the power of God and the grace of God that enables sanctified living.  It is not the camps fault only, I believe the lack of Christ-centered preaching in our church pulpits pushed decisionism at camp to an all time high.  Logically, it makes sense.  If the church desires their young people to make decisions at camp, and the camp staff knows this; they are more likely to line up speakers who can get "hoards to the altar."  This way the camp can report back to the church about how many tapes (cd's today) were burned and about so and so who went into town and got their haircut, and yes, salvation decisions too. 

I know this article seems so negative, but in the next installment, I will share the great things about Christian camping.  Christian camping isn't the problem.  It is decisionism gone wild, that seems to plague many churches, schools, and camps in fundamental circles.