When I was in high school, Fight Club the movie that everyone had to at least pretend to love. It had Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and people punching each other in basements, and a wild twist ending all centered around pure chaos. Everyone said it was cool because it was violent and edgy and didn’t care what anyone thought.
Years later, I re-watched the movie and I also read the book that it was based on. And I realized that Fight Club wasn’t glorifying toxic, anarchist masculinity—it was critiquing it. It wasn’t celebrating chaos. It was exposing the emptiness underneath it. All the reasons teenagers in the early 2000s idolized the movie were exactly what the film was trying to deconstruct.
And so it makes me think: How many times in life do things look one way on the surface, but mean something entirely different when you finally see them clearly?
I want to use this framing as we think together about Day Camp. I bet you weren't expecting a devotional about Fight Club to shift to a reflection on Day Camp, now where you?
A few weeks back, Bethany hosted an incredible week of Day Camp for about 80 kids.
And on the surface it probably all just seemed like organized chaos. We had crafts, and noise and hula hoops and water games and science experiments and skits and meltdowns and buttons and more! And for the staff and volunteers who were working so hard, it was tempting to see the week as a barely-controlled madness that we somehow survived.
But after the week of camp, we took a moment at our weekly staff meeting to zoom out and look again to try and see what was hiding below the surface. And here's what we saw:
In other words, we saw the Spirit doing quiet, deep work while we ran around trying to herd the campers from one activity to the next.
But then again, that's so often how the Spirit works. What looks one way on the surface, we later discover was actually God up to something entirely different.
Years later, I re-watched the movie and I also read the book that it was based on. And I realized that Fight Club wasn’t glorifying toxic, anarchist masculinity—it was critiquing it. It wasn’t celebrating chaos. It was exposing the emptiness underneath it. All the reasons teenagers in the early 2000s idolized the movie were exactly what the film was trying to deconstruct.
And so it makes me think: How many times in life do things look one way on the surface, but mean something entirely different when you finally see them clearly?
I want to use this framing as we think together about Day Camp. I bet you weren't expecting a devotional about Fight Club to shift to a reflection on Day Camp, now where you?
A few weeks back, Bethany hosted an incredible week of Day Camp for about 80 kids.
And on the surface it probably all just seemed like organized chaos. We had crafts, and noise and hula hoops and water games and science experiments and skits and meltdowns and buttons and more! And for the staff and volunteers who were working so hard, it was tempting to see the week as a barely-controlled madness that we somehow survived.
But after the week of camp, we took a moment at our weekly staff meeting to zoom out and look again to try and see what was hiding below the surface. And here's what we saw:
- kids catching a glimpse of joy.
- volunteers becoming the face of God for a child.
- parents seeing the church not as an institution, but as a people who love their family.
In other words, we saw the Spirit doing quiet, deep work while we ran around trying to herd the campers from one activity to the next.
But then again, that's so often how the Spirit works. What looks one way on the surface, we later discover was actually God up to something entirely different.
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2025
January
February
Zombie ChurchFundamentalsFeasts & BanquetsAcademics & FaithShattering Our ExpectationsJesus didn't really mean that, right? Sacred Discomfort: How God Speaks in Uncomfortable MomentsThe Spirit IntercedesHappy Birthday JesusChristmas in JulyJoy in ListeningHope in the Midst of DoubtThe Gift of PresenceI'm too...Daily Bread and MindfulnessA Thousand Years is like a DaySacred Interruptions: How God Speaks Through Life's Detours
March
The Life was The Light of All PeopleWaiting PatientlyUnseenCreator God, I pray for the earth...God, I want to be better at...Holy Spirit, Help me UnderstandGod, Grant Me Patience WithThe Gospel of John - Guidance for LifeJesus Christ, Forgive Me ForThe Book of 1st Samuel - Trust During the BattlesGod of the Oppressed, protect those who are vulnerableEnduring Lord, I hope forPrince of Peace, Calm my Mind When...God, I wonder aboutThe Book of Hebrews - The Grand Story of SalvationBlessed Jesus, help me to let go ofHoly Jesus, we pray for your church
April
Preserving Lord, save me fromAwesome God, I am amazed byThe Joy of LentThe Book of 2nd Samuel - God's Redemptive PowerCompassionate God, I Weep ForThe Book of Acts - Being the ChurchPalm Sunday Spoken WordGenerous God, open my eyes to see...God, I needCursing the Fig Tree Spoken WordMaundy Thursday Spoken WordGood Friday Spoken WordThe Book of 1st Kings - Wisdom and DivisionHoly Saturday Spoken WordSing - Practice ResurrectionClean - Practice ResurrectionDo a Good Deed - Practice ResurrectionGrieve - Practice ResurrectionGive Thanks - Practice ResurrectionThe Book of Romans - The Saving Work of GodLive BoldlyPlant - Practice ResurrectionForgive Yourself - Practice ResurrectionCare for a friend - Practice Resurrection
May
Enjoy a Good Meal - Practice ResurrectionListen to Music - Practice ResurrectionThe Book of 2nd Kings - Hope in ExileWorship - Practice ResurrectionAppreciate Art - Practice ResurrectionLaughter HelpsDrink Water - Practice ResurrectionWatch a Sunset - Practice ResurrectionStretch - Practice ResurrectionThe Book of 1st Corinthians - Hope in the TurmoilThe Lord is My ShepherdBreathe - Practice ResurrectionRead - Practice ResurrectionCreate - Practice ResurrectionWalk or Run - Practice ResurrectionCall a Friend - Practice ResurrectionThe Book of 1st Chronicles - God's Presence in HistoryLove in ActionFor Aging GracefullyForgive - Practice ResurrectionLearn - Practice ResurrectionWash - Practice ResurrectionExplore - Practice ResurrectionThe Book of 2nd Corinthians - The Importance of ReconciliationGod Our ParentAdvocate - Practice ResurrectionLight a Candle - Practice ResurrectionTaste - Practice ResurrectionTake a Nap - Practice ResurrectionDonate - Practice ResurrectionThe Book of 2nd Chronicles - Consequences of Unfaithfulness
June
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