Chipman Festival Parade

Arrowhead was invited to put a float in the parade in Chipman, NB this year. The parade was immediately following the last day of on-site camps, and we were in preparation for our camp out programs - so with that in mind we thought the best thing would be to enter the camp truck and camp out trailer.

We took the opportunity to distribute Bibles and Bottled water. Each Bible and each Bottle Water was given a label with a link on it to this excellent Gospel presentation video:



It was a great way for us to have Arrowhead present in our local community, while making clear just what it is that is our priority.

We had a few volunteers stay around and they helped us represent ANBC in the parade.

Ivy waving as we went by.

ANCB On-Site Camps 2015

This year we hosted 3 weeks of camp here on site; a teen camp (ages 13-18) and two junior camps (ages 8-12). I would love for us to have four weeks of on site camp, but there are some challenging circumstances that make it difficult to maintain three weeks of junior camp at this time. Arrowhead operates as a support ministry to Church planting ministry, and the simple fact is that there are just not enough missionaries in the field, here in Atlantic Canada, to support. With that in mind we are hosting a Summit here in October, that I hope will be well attended by local lay people and Church leaders who wish to see the Gospel go out among the First Nations people of Atlantic Canada. We have run into some challenges with respect to band funding as well, some changes in community leadership can make dramatic changes for the ability of young people to get to camp - one huge measure that directly affects getting these kids out to camp to hear the Gospel taught is camper sponsorship. If you would like to know more about that please feel free to be in touch with me.

This year we were so thankful for our three weeks of on site camp. They were a tremendous blessing. As is often the case, they were fraught with those challenges that God saw fit to teach us with. But I am so happy to report that the Gospel was clearly and comprehensively taught, and from our observations, clearly understood but many of our young people. As a measure of success, I can tell you that the Gospel was a central focus to our camps and handled well by both our guest speakers and our cabin leaders and volunteer staff. Plus... it was a blast. Here are a few pictures from our summer.

We enjoy sweet fellowship during our summer camps.

Bruce Steeves and a couple of the lads helping get our Friday "breakfast in bed" ready for the campers.

Relationships forged.

Tuck is a huge part of camp!

We had two challenges with our lake this summer; firstly we didn't have a lifeguard, this alone was unfortunately enough to keep us out of the water. However, our second problem was the closure of Grand Lake due to a "blue green algae bloom". So slip-n-slide was one way we kept wet!

Teen camp challenges are always fun.

Tuck Time!

 

Gathering time is twice a day, and is the center around which the rest of the day rotates. We were blessed to have teachers this summer who, not only loved the Lord, but taught the Gospel so clearly.

Summer Day Camps 2015

The first two weeks of our summer at Arrowhead have been filled with wonderful travel. We've had the opportunity to be welcomed to a number of communities in New Brunswick to offer day camp programs. The first week, our team had the privilege to visit Woodstock First Nation, Saint Mary's First Nation and Eel Ground First Nation; our second week had us traveling to Oromocto First Nation and to the Island of Grand Manan where many of the inhabitants enjoy Pasmaquody heritage.

We had the opportunity to meet some moms and dads and lots of children who came out to take part with us. Todd Nielsen was with us and clearly taught the Gospel at each location; everyone worked hard to make the day camps a great success.

 Puppets and camp music on Grand Manan.

 Our music and puppet team hard at work at Saint Mary's.

Todd sharing some Gospel illusions on a beautiful sunny (& windy) day at Eel Ground.

Todd talking about the "Holy Bible" with some of the kids at Woodstock.

Face painting was always a huge hit.

Becca and John took care of the dog roasting and water for snacks.

Mom was our designated prize lady for the day camps. Everyone loves Edie!

Bouncy house, face painting and the beginnings of a game with the kids at Eel Ground.

God's Grace and a rainbow flag

"I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” Genesis 9:13-17

There was a time, when I first saw the rainbow flag used as a symbol of the solidarity of homosexuality, that I felt indignant. I felt like this was intended to be a symbol from God displaying His grace, this is a symbol to remind Christians of His promise to never again judge the Earth with a deluge.

The thing I forgot was that this was never a symbol that God would cease to have wrath toward sin, He is unchanging (Psalm 102:25-27). The thing that I forgot was that this was a symbol for all living, not just for Christians, the symbol is of God's covenant with His creation.

So when I see all of these rainbow flags being waved and posted and illuminated across North America as a loud and proud symbol of the sin of homosexuality, as a fist shaking rebellion against a good and Holy God; I'm meant to remember that it is reminding God that He once poured His wrath on the Earth in our sin and that He will not do so the same way again. I'm meant to remember that even though God hates sin and those who work in it (Psalm 5:5), that His judgement of that sin is an abandonment to that sin (Romans 1:18-32).

A Christian cannot celebrate that which God condemns. It's not complicated, if you love Jesus, you cannot love sin.

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20

You cannot hold your sin in one hand and Jesus Christ in the other hand (1 John 3:1-10, Luke 9:23-24, Galatians 6:14, Galatians 5:24, Romans 12:1-2).

But Christian, you must not be indignant or self-righteous in the knowledge that the symbol of sin being waved in our culture is actually a symbol of God's judgement on our culture. It is a time for humility and prayer, it is a time for the Gospel. All of this talk about LGBT issues are symptomatic of a Godless culture that, in fact, hates God (Matthew 6:24). If we are going to understand 2 Timothy 3:12 - "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,"; we must know that mockery, slander and hatred must be the farthest things from our lips (Mark 12:28-31), lest we fall into greater judgement (James 3:1, Matthew 7:1). But we have to be so very careful that we do not fall into the same trap as so many moderate Christians and misunderstand and misrepresent that passage in Matthew 7:1. It can be easy to think that any criticism of a lifestyle is inappropriate judgement, but that is simply not the case; read the words of Christ in John 7:24 - "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

We are meant to stand for righteousness, we are meant to stand for Christ and do so in a way that honors Him. We are meant to be different from the world as aliens and strangers (1 Peter 2:11), in the world and not of it (Romans 12:1), hated by the world (John 15:18), Crucified to the World (Galatians 6:14).

"That means the world thinks of you as a fool that has nothing to contribute to society, and that there is nothing the world offers that you could desire - That you now have NOTHING to do with sin and EVERYTHING to do with God." - Nate Pfeil

As you find yourself getting muddy in complex conversations these days, step back out of your passion in the argument and pray that Go would give you wisdom to answer rightly and kindly, with respect but most importantly in Biblical truth.

The lost need the Gospel.

God is Holy, that is the center of this conversation.

So, see the rainbow flags, remember the covenant of God in Grace and the spitting in His Holy perfect face that is happening with the waving of the rainbow flag; remember that what the flag actually symbolizes is God's judgement in grace and a giving over to sinful passions and desires. And weep. Pray and weep and proclaim the Holiness of the Righteous God that is being offended and profaned.

LWCA Graduation

It was our privilege to travel to the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia this past weekend. I had the immense privilege of addressing the 3 graduates for 2015 from Living Waters Christian Academy. The graduation was on Friday night, I took the opportunity to address the young people with Colossians 3:17, challenging them to submit to the Lord in their lives; in obedience, in sacrifice, in worship and in thanksgiving. So many young people leave our churches and go on to fall away from the Faith that they were raised to understand. May the Lord hold and keep His own and give the gift of Faith to those who have yet to have the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit change them and make them Christs'.

On Sunday I was given the opportunity at Habitation Baptist Church to update them about the ministries of NCEM at Arrowhead Native Bible Center. The church folk there had collected tuck shop items for our "Grocery Grabber" program and filled up our van with them as we left! We are so thankful for this practical ministry that people take part in with us at Arrowhead. It is really through these sort of gifts that we are able to offer our summer camp programs.

travels and tales

On Sunday, June 31st it was my pleasure to be able to bring a presentation of the ministry at Arrowhead to the folks at Chipman Fundamental Baptist Church. It was a pleasure to share with them about the ministry of NCEM at Arrowhead for their Sunday School hour and then open the Word together with them for the morning service. It is a blessing for us to be able to be with friends and brothers and sisters and are happy to join with you in your church as well if you would like for us to share about just what it is the Lord is doing among First Nations people in Atlantic Canada.

Last Wednesday, I was blessed to be able to visit the McCain's plant in Florenceville, NB. They very generously donated enough French Fries, Cakes and pies for our entire on site summer camp program! We are so thankful for their kindness in donating these delicious foods to Arrowhead - I can't wait to try one of the Cookies & Cream pies!

My little minivan parked at "door #1" in next to the trucks, the lads had to pass down the boxes to me to hand pack the van. It was a fun adventure.

ANBC lodge roof

I am so pleased to announce that we have had an immense blessing at Arrowhead! Thanks to the kind donors through NCEM's Minute Man program, funds were made available to have a new roof put on the lodge at Arrowhead. But that is only the beginning of the story of how the Lord worked in His ministry here at Arrowhead. The kind folks at Kauffmann Metals in Maine made the materials available to us at their own cost, providing us with access to good steel and all of the fittings for the roof while remaining within our budget. Tom, of Tom's Construction was able to facilitate the transport of the materials to us and refused to charge us a thing. On May 29th he arrived with his skilled team of guys; each had volunteered their time to see the roof installed correctly! It was amazing to see these guys work together, our roof is almost 4200 sq. ft. and they had the entire thing completed by suppertime! What a huge blessing this is to the ministry at Arrowhead. We now have no worries about our roof here at the Center!

Getting the steel ready to haul up to the roof.

It took a lot of strapping.

It's going to make such a huge difference to our building, and keeping it healthy.

This was near the end of the day, just a couple of panels left.

Completing the roof over the dining hall. We installed snow rail on the entire roof to prevent snow slides.

 

The completed building!