Followership Weekend

I work at a Christian Summer Camp in Tyler, Texas called Pine Cove. There are eight camps total with 6 in Tyler and 2 in Columbus, TX. College students from all over the country are hired to work at each camp and then at each camp there is a leadership team of former summer staffers that stay for the whole summer. So one weekend before summer camp starts rolling into gear all the leaders from each camp get together and learn what it means to lead and make plans for the summer.

It is a huge responsibility and I couldn't think of a better team to have this year at the Bluffs!

Top, Left to Right: Jimmy "Blotter", Heidi "Whirl Sup Champ", Laura "Choc Foe", Kallie, John "Take Out", Matt "Pi Ramma", and David "Props".

Middle, Left to Right: TJ "Schmee", Me, Emily "Silly Sing", Melissa "Half Asleep"

                                   Bottom, Left to Right: Chris "Hip Shot", Raychel "Smacks", Meredith "Scuba Snacks"

Phew, that was a lot to type, because we have the biggest Bluffs Leadership team in history! We have added a new position to the team called the S.W.A.T. (sounds cool right?) and I know that Take Out will be the man for the Job! Plus since I have been on staff its the first time we have the Media Production Manager, thanks Props for coming back!

Leadership weekend is an incredible weekend to reconnect with the staff and come together in unity as a Bluffs Leadership Team and I had a blast. We talked about our Highs and Lows from the year and of course played games like Fish Bowl. Plus the resident staff introduced them to SPIKEBALL!! (Probably one of the best new games out there! Thanks Andrew for bringing it west!)

Yet, more importantly we spent the weekend hearing wonderful wisdom in leadership from Kevin "Opee" East our Executive Director of Ministries. PLEASE read his blog here.

Pine Cove has INCREDIBLE leaders and working here I have learned a lot from them about myself in Leadership, so weekends like this are sweet reminder of how much I need Jesus. Matt Lantz the director of the Forge said that leadership is followership inspiring followership.

Leadership can be a scary thing and often the question is where am I leading our staff? Am I leading them to myself  or am I leading them first and foremost to Christ. So Kevin's first question in his blog and for the weekend was, Why are we here?

The Gospel

That's the answer nothing more and nothing less. We are all broken leaders but Christ has died for our sins so that we are no longer separated from God and can walk freely under his leadership. Through his death we are able to follow a perfect example as we lead those around us to his presence.

What a refreshment if you ask me. Alone I would lead our summer staff to me, my sin, and to too many trips to Salsaritas. Yet, my prayer is that because I am following Christ the staff will join me and follow close after his heels.

More pictures from the weekend and the classic, "my lip is stuck" routine

The Lovely Ladies and the Mighty Men

Man, I can't even WAIT to spend the summer with this Team! 8 weeks and counting!