This week I've had the privilege to speak to children at Camp CoBeAc in Prudenville, Michigan. Most of my growing up years were done here in Michigan and so it is a treat to be in my "homeland." I actually attended Camp CoBeAc (www.cobeac.org) growing up. Pastor Bob Wall (now Pastor in Fostoria, Michigan) brought us teens over here for a few Winter retreats and some basketball camps if memory serves me right. I'll never forget the midnight pop can war we had in the cabin one night (sans Pastor Wall)!
Jeff Kahl is the director of Camp CoBeAc and has been a special blessing to me over the years. I served under Jeff at Northland Camp and Conference center during the summers of 1995 and 1996. There are a few qualities that you can't help but notice about Jeff: #1 Jeff is friendly, #2 Jeff hates trash...especially on the ground/floor, and #3 Jeff is concerned about unity amongst Christians. One thing is for certain, you won't be able to entirely figure him out, and I think that is a good thing. Jeff will sharpen and deepen your thinking about a great many things. I praise God for Jeff Kahl and the solid ministry he is having here in God's country. :-)
Oh, one more thing...Jeff is a former "bus kid." He rode a bus to a Baptist church. He ironed his sweatpants to look the best he possibly could on Sunday. In my humble opinion Jeff is the kind of person that remains the best kind of argument FOR a bus ministry in local churches. In my mind I imagine someone giving Jeff a hundred reasons against a bus ministry with him graciously nodding and listening. Then, at the end of the discourse, Jeff sighing, looking down, putting his hands on his knees, looking back up and stating: "You know, I was a bus kid." I do hope that happens someday if it hasn't already!
Jon Vandenburg the program director here has also been a special blessing to me the last couple of years. I have thorougly enjoyed our late (very late) night Taco Bell trips. Think of it as "camp fuel."
Pearson Johnson is here as a sponsor. He serves as an assistant pastor at Inter-City Baptist Church in Detroit, MI. Pearson (we used to call him "PJ" back in the day) is a friend from my summers at Northland Camp. He has been blogging about the week of camp and has posted several very good pictures. View the blog and the pics here: http://homebuildersonline.wordpress.com/