Family Camp 2012 Speakers and Topics

Family Camp 2012 Speakers and Topics

Session #1 (15-22 June): Speaker - Pastor Greg St. Cyr

Topic - "The Journey of Discipleship"
Jesus calls his followers to "Go and make disciples". Yet many believers don't fully grasp what a disciple is and how we are to "make disciples". During our 7 sessions together, we'll dig into the Scriptures to mine the non-negotiable traits of a disciple of Jesus. You'll be challenged to passionately follow Jesus and become a disciple maker God uses to change lives in the military! Greg is the senior pastor of Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, MD. He and his wife, Mary Kaye, both former Campus Crusade missionaries, have four children.
Mentors: Rick and Sandra Burgess

[Concurrent with: AO!2 and Caleb's Challenge #1]

Session #2a (22-29 June): Speaker - COL Jim Meredith, USA (Ret)

Topic - "In an Upside Down World, How Can We Live Right Side Up"
What a cultural malaise of today's politically correct world! How shall we then live? We'll walk through the Scriptures with a series of Good News principles in the forefront, setting the pace for a dynamic, renewed commitment to celebrate Jesus in our daily walk. We'll "recognize the times in which we live"; recommit to "fall in love with Jesus only"; vow to "remain pure and holy in the interior"; "learn patience and be anxious for nothing"; "redeem the time and be lovingly intentional in all things"; "apply the salt and light principle"; and "vow to be found faithful to the end". Join us this week as we live, love and learn together. After serving a full career as an army officer and as OCF Council vice-president, Jim helped to establish and then direct Military Community Youth Ministries (MCYM). Now he remains active as Ambassador-at-Large for Youth Compass International and has served in OCF's Growing and Building Campaign. Jim and his wife, Barbara, live in Colorado Springs. This week is also for golf lovers who may join Jim on the links and get a few pointers.
Mentors: Jerry and Kris Hale

Session #2b (22-29 June): OCF "Anchor Points" training week (by invitation): COL Mike Tesdahl, USA (Ret)

Are you ready to be part of the next generation of top-level OCF leadership and ownership? Can you become the catalyst for a step increase in the level at which OCF can operate? With high-touch senior leader involvement, Anchor Points emphasizes spiritual encouragement and development, teaches organizational governance and strategy, and encourages out-of-the-box thinking, all in the context of a fun and rejuvenating family experience.
[Concurrent with: AO! 3, and Caleb's Adventure #2]

Session #3 (29 June - 6 July): Speaker - Pastor Keith Peck

Topic - "Walking in the Spirit"
Life is a journey that unfolds one step at a time. The life-changing journey of a relationship with Jesus also unfolds one step at a time. The Bible often refers to that journey as a walk. It is a walk that we never take in our own self-reliance or self-sufficiency. Instead, it is a walk in the Spirit. During this family camp we will study the two major New Testaments sections on the Holy Spirit - Jesus' teaching in John 14-16 and Paul's teaching in Romans 8. Daily keeping in step with the Spirit will powerfully put Christ at the center of your hopes, dreams, passions, purpose and character for the glory of God. Keith and his wife, Gale, live in Annapolis, MD where Keith serves as senior pastor of Broadneck Evangelical Presbyterian Church. They have five children and twelve grandchildren.
Mentors: Fred and Ilene Stubbs

[Concurrent with: AO!4, Caleb Junior #3a, and Caleb's Adventure #3b]

Session #4 (6-13 July): Speaker - Pastor John Waldrop

Topic - "The Victory of Christ"
Confusion and misinformation has surrounded the topic of spiritual warfare. Who is the enemy? What are his strategies? How do we engage him in combat? Most importantly, how is victory achieved in our professional settings? The answers are found in a surprising place: Christ's letters to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. This week we will listen to words of the risen Christ Himself and discover what it means to be "more than conquerors", and thereby minister effectively for Him in the military. John and his wife Esther met at White Sulphur Springs, Esther served on support team, both served on senior staff, and ultimately John served on full-time staff from 1988-1991, being the founding director of Allegheny Outback! John is a graduate of Wheaton College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Now he and Esther are missionaries with World Venture in Prague, Czech Republic where John pastors an international church. They have five children.
Mentors: Mike and Arden Patterson

[Concurrent with: AO!5, Caleb's Adventure #4a, Caleb's Challenge #4b]

Session #5 (13-20 July): Speaker - Dr. Chuck Stecker

Topic - "Men of Honor, Women of Virtue - Raising Godly Adults"
Raising Godly adults is a mission God has given every parent and grandparent. The task goes far beyond just trying to raise good teenagers and hoping they get out of the house without causing too much damage. This life-changing week will help military families understand Godly adulthood, spiritual maturity and how to minister effectively as a family in the military society. Author, speaker and OCF member for over 20 years, Chuck Stecker will help parents focus on the journey that is designed to impact the military community even through their children. Stecker is President and Founder of A Chosen Generation, a ministry that helps churches equip, train, empower and release a new generation of leaders. After a 23-year career in the army, he served in various ministry and leadership positions, including Promise Keepers as a Regional Director before launching A Chosen Generation. Chuck and his wife Billie have been married for 34 years, have three children and four grandchildren and live in Denver, Colorado.
Mentors: Gene and Betsy Fuzy

[Concurrent with: AO!6 and Caleb Junior #5]

Session #6 (20-27 July): Speaker - Dr. Gary Phillips

Topic - "Following Jesus"
What does following Jesus have to do with faith and obedience? We will explore what it means to be Jesus' disciple and examine how Jesus "discipled" his disciples. Join us as we study some of Jesus' teachings and actions selected from the gospel of Luke. Our emphasis will be twofold: We want to see Jesus more accurately, and we want to walk with Him more deeply. Dr. Gary is pastor of Signal Mountain Bible Church in Chattanooga, TN. He taught for twenty-four years at Bryan College and served as Chairman of Biblical Studies. His degrees are from Vanderbilt University (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Grace Theological Seminary (Th.D.) He has published articles and books and has served as an officer in both the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Gary and his wife, Betsy, have three grown children and live in Chattanooga, TN.
Mentors: Barry and Melanie Bowden

[Concurrent with: AO!7, Caleb's Adventure #6a, Caleb's Challenge #6b]

Session #7 (27 July - 3 August): Speakers - Tom & Shirley Uber, Sarah Hemingway, John & Carol Knubel, MAJ Dan & Wendy Gade, USA

Topic - "Riding with Jesus in a Reckless World - Room for You"
Our world is in chaos; financial crises, wars and rumors of war, natural disasters, church upheavals, just to name a few. How shall we then live? How does Jesus advise us in the military lifestyle? Is He relevant in our chaotic world? We will explore together how to hang on for the ride and live biblically throughout military life and beyond. The destination is out of this world! Our team members, all of whom have extensive experience in the military, will share their stories of faith lived out in the context of family relationships, inevitable life changes and unexpected adventures, including combat trauma. MAJ Dan Gade, PhD and his wife Wendy join the team this year. Currently an instructor at West Point, Dan has served in numerous command positions, in the White House as well as in Iraq where he lost a leg in combat action.
Mentors: Tom and Shirley Uber

[Concurrent with: AO!8 and Caleb Junior #7]

Session #8 (3-10 August): Speaker - Dr. John Cartwright

Topic - "The Life of Joseph: Christ-Likeness in the Furnace of Affliction"
The Lord has given us a beautiful picture of the life of Christ in the Old Testament character of Joseph. He was despised and rejected by his brothers. He was falsely accused and imprisoned despite his impeccable character. He remained faithful in spite of great adversity, and in every circumstance of his life he gave great glory to God. Perhaps greater than anything else, he freely forgave those who wronged him and graciously blessed them with much favor. He went from favored son to an obscure slave in a foreign land; he went to prison for crimes he had not committed; and in the sovereignty of God, he became ruler over those who rejected him. The principles learned from this man's life will inspire all of us to press on to Christ-likeness in our own lives by the grace of God. John is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy where he played quarterback for Navy, surpassing several records previously set by Roger Staubach. After serving as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy, John attended Liberty Seminary where he studied under Jerry Falwell and coached the Liberty University football team. Dr. Cartwright is the founding pastor of Calvary Independent Baptist Church near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he has served Christ for 33 years. He and his wife, Thelma, have four grown children and thirteen grandchildren.
Mentors: Spence and Midge Kawamoto

[Concurrent with: AO!9 and Caleb's Adventure #8]