After a girl returned from jogging in the park, a mother told her daughter: “You smell. Do take a bath before we go out for dinner.” After 30 minutes in the bathroom, the daughter came out. When the mother walked past her, immediately she screamed out: “Why are you still so smelly?!” The mother realized that the only thing the daughter had done in the bathroom was to wash her beautiful face. She did not bathe.

In the same way, after spending four days and three nights in the bathroom called “Malacca,” we should all smell nicer now, I mean, smell nicer spiritually. The word of God should have cleansed you of many foul smells, changed some of your bad habits, and you should have grown more like your Lord Jesus Christ, full of holiness and glory.

For that to happen, however, there is one critical thing that you must do. James 1:25 says:

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. You must put into action what you have learnt these few days. I encourage you to do several things.

First, these messages will be uploaded to our church website. Listen to them again. If I as the speaker would forget some of the things I have preached, how much more you the listeners. So hear them again to revise. Keep your camp booklets. When you hear them again, look at the notes you have written. I believe this revision will help you remember the important points.

Second, the most important thing is to practice what you have learnt. I do not expect you to immediately do everything you have learnt in four days. Instead break up the things to be done into several stages. Identify by either marking your bible or your camp booklet notes some of the things you want to do. Then do one thing every few days. Be creative as to how you can best put into practice what you have studied. If you do this, you can avoid the problem of forgetting what you have learnt.

Dear Christians, God’s Word contains life, life that is eternal. It contains power, power that can overcome sinful habits, calm fears, comfort hearts, and wisdom that can guide you in ways that lead to everlasting blessedness. If you do not practice what you have learnt, the four days and the money you have spent will all be wasted. Hence, I urge you—revise what you have learnt, and be doers of God’s Word.

In this church camp, I trust and hope that you have also gotten to know a few people better. I hope that relationships between each other, especially between the sheep and shepherd have grown. Continue to water and grow this relationship. May it be a relationship that will provide you strength to run life’s tough race.

Church camps are an important part of our Christian growth. Every Christian should attend it. It is a time when we learn God’ Word with little distraction, and a time when we build relationships. Thank God for Church Camp 2014.