‘Kickstarts’ – Example

Marc writes:

Every summer from the age of 10 to 21, I packed my bag for at least one week’s camping with a bunch of young people of my age. The Christian camps gave me a good basis for a lot of the things that make me who I am today and every year I got reintroduced to Jesus.

Every year the scene was set to learn what it is to be a Christian in the world, and at some point in the week, there would be an opportunity to respond to the Gospel and recommit myself to Jesus. In the years when I did multiple weeks in the summer, I had multiple opportunities to repent, and came back doubly sure of my salvation, at least for another year.

The youth worker in me reflects on those days with a whole range of emotions. I’m appreciative of the passion and concern that those faithful servants had to the gospel and the attention they paid to the salvation that I needed to know about and own. Yet I’m also aware that emotions play a huge part in the moment as well, and wonder how we create the same space without the fear of lost salvation lingering with those who have already responded.

How do we introduce Jesus without the hype, salvation without the guilt and shame, and response without repetition, wonder and worship without worry? The reality is that my faith was never the same outside of those “mountaintop” moments, when life rushed back in quicker than I was able to wash the week’s dirt off my dusty feet, in spite of my best intention in that moment.

Not only is this song one that sounds like summer to me, but it reminds me of those moments. It reminds me of that feeling of coming back closer to Jesus and our relationship having that much-needed “kickstart” after being a bit lax and neglected in the interim. It speaks of rediscovery, recommitment, and a desired intentionality.

I sometimes miss those days, and sometimes I forget to miss those days. I am not sure I am always that good at creating the opportunity for the love to kickstart again in my relationship with God, at recognising where I’ve got complacent. I’m saved. I don’t need another altar call. What I need is to spend time on the relationship I have.

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