Our theme for Family Camp this summer was Affectionate Compassion with the epistle of Philippians as our primary text. Since loving God and others is the Christian’s primary focus and it is impossible to love God without loving people, according to 1 John 4:20, learning how to relate properly to our fellowman is essential. Camp will provide biblical teachings and practical principals regarding affectionate compassion that will enhance the ability to carry out the great commands of loving God and others.

In the early days of the church, the believers stayed centered in loving God and each other although they endured tremendous persecution. According to the book of Acts, as time went on the devil changed his tactics to cause the believers to start attacking and fighting each other. The contention and strife greatly impeded the purposes of God and the movement of Christianity. In the centuries that followed, the church all but lost the accomplishments of Christ and the Kingdom of God message because of the contention between the Jews and Gentiles.

Today, the number one reason people do not stay faithful after accepting the lordship of Christ is the failure to relate properly to others in the church (in other words loving each other). In the AA and NA community, the number one reason people fall back into drinking and drugs is relationships. Their inability to relate properly to people tricks them with the desire to escape back into intoxication. Humanity is riddled and ruined by enmities, strife, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, and factions all because of our inability to love each other.