“For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matt. 5:45 HCSB) While God’s plan may not be readily evident, we accept from the Father both the sun and rain in His timing.
Growing up and pastoring in Oklahoma most of my life, it was difficult to hear that a week of Falls Creek summer camp had to be cancelled. After the recent devastating flooding at Falls Creek, hundreds of volunteers and Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center summer staff repaired the camp so Week 5 of Falls Creek could take place. Because of God, the BGCO staff and many friends, a herculean task was accomplished in the past two weeks. We praise God and applaud the work of the hundreds who have made the remaining weeks of Falls Creek encampment possible.
Thousands of young people are happy these volunteers and staff worked as hard as they did. One grandmother at church asked me if her 13-year-old grandson, who was looking forward to his first year at Falls Creek, was going to have to miss attending camp this year. At the time, I didn’t know. Last week, her grandson and thousands of other campers were able to attend and hear the Gospel presented in many ways.
Since the opening of the R.A. Young Tabernacle in 2007, 51,000 young people have heard God’s call in this hallowed place. Of that number, 17,000 have answered the call to salvation and 8,000 have answered the call to ministry. More people have surrendered their lives to missions at Falls Creek than any other place on the face of the Earth. Because of the extraordinary efforts of many workers over the last two weeks, hundreds more decisions will be added to those historic numbers.
The way Oklahoma Baptists have built and rebuilt Falls Creek across the years, physically and spiritually, has been with historic Baptist cooperation, many hours of sweat equity and the generosity of countless Falls Creek donors. While construction has halted temporarily for the summer, the construction crews will be back after the camps end to complete the Thompson Family Lodge and the Mathena Family Event Center by the end of the year. While those buildings are paid for, the rooms inside must be furnished and that is where we need your help today.
Also, because of the Downing $2.3 million matching fund, your gift of any size will be doubled, which means $1 becomes $2 and $10,000 become $20,000. Please pray about sponsoring a room in the Thompson Family Lodge through a three-year pledge or a one-time gift today and make the most of your donation dollars with the Downing matching fund’s doubling influence. Remember, your gifts to the Falls Creek Centennial Campaign are not merely about the buildings, but mainly about the lives of people who are eternally changed in those buildings.
Your gift today will answer the question of the next grandmother who asks whether Falls Creek will be ready for her grandchild. This recent flood event may be a gentle nudge that this is the time for you to give to the Falls Creek Centennial Campaign. Please ask the Lord what your gift should be to help complete the inside of the buildings and pay off the debt on the R.A. Young Tabernacle. The Lord’s timing is always best for us. When we cannot see what is ahead, we can see His hand all around us working for our good.
Contact me for more information about your gift for the Falls Creek Centennial Campaign at 405/516-4868, mharkey@bgco.org, or toll free at 800/690-6933.
