Confrontation Point Ministries

A new song of praise.

2011-11-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

“There is always opportunity for a new beginning in our relationship with God… No matter how intimate the companionship we share with Jesus Christ today, there is room for growth and new beginnings.” –Rueben P. Job

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” –Psalm 40:3

“O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things.” –Psalm 98:1

I have a new song of praise in my heart this week. Roger, Andy and I participated in a conference last week. It was the first of its kind, bringing together home repair organizations from all over Appalachia. Over 80 people from 28 organizations attended.

I often recognize how blessed I am to get to work at Confrontation Point. This ministry does wonderful things and it is clear that God is at work in what we do. The conference, however, helped me recognize anew how much our work is needed in Appalachia. I praise God with a new song that I get to be a part of something so much bigger than I am.

At the conference, there were organizations that put on huge one-day events to gather volunteers to work on homes that need the help. There are other organizations who are very similar to what Confrontation Point does with our Home Repair trips. Many at the conference provide other services for people in Appalachia. One woman puts together backpacks filled with food to send home with kids after school on Fridays so that they have food over the weekends. That food sometimes comes from God’s Pantry, a ministry in Lexington that Confrontation Point groups volunteer at on Mystery Trips. All this work, and all these people, help me recognize that Confrontation Point is part of something that God is up to that is bigger than just our ministry. God is at work in Appalachia, and I have a new song of praise in my heart for that.

So, thanks to all the others who are at work in Appalachia and beyond. Thanks to all the Confrontation Point groups, and groups that serve with other organizations. Especially, thanks to God for guidance, for providing so all these organizations can serve, and for calling us into things greater than ourselves.

Brian Reenders
Program Director

Fall 2011 Letter

2011-10-28T11:51:00.001-04:00

Looking to the Future

2010-06-13T15:39:00.005-04:00

In my years with CP, I have helped CP move warehouses, staff housings, and offices many times - a total of 6, I think. So, needless to say, I have moved or touched most every computer, desk, dish, tent, climbing rope, and flashlight that CP owns. In addition to all of these moves, I have seen CP change communities and leadership. I have a tendency to only remember the great memories of my CP past (and there are many) and not so much the hardships that I have experienced. For me, I have learned that continuously longing for people and places of the past can be a slippery slope. It is not always a bad thing to look back on the people that have blessed our lives and have helped to shape us into the people that we are now. It is only when our reminiscing pulls us away from being present with the time and place God has put us in do these memories begin to hinder us.

It is important for us to be self-aware of where our mind and heart is present and that is something we should all be praying for. But, like a headlamp in a dark cave, we cannot see all of what is ahead. We do not always see the unexpected dips or rocks, but we do have the experience of the path behind us to learn from and help us as we continue on our journey. Likewise, we do not always know what the end of the journey will look like; so, it is important that we not become distracted by things of our future that are still in the dark to us. We must strive to live in the present, taking the lessons from our past to help us as we strive towards the future, whatever that may look like.

-Jenna

The Challenge: Camper to Staff

2010-06-11T14:06:00.013-04:00

I am blessed to have found Confrontation Point. I have been a camper at CP for years, but this is my first summer working for the ministry. I have found that the jump from camper to staff member has been my greatest challenge. As a camper, you are surrounded by familiar faces and have usually had previous experience working with your group. As a trip coordinator at CP, I am working side by side with new people from all over. These last few weeks have been extremely busy, filled with program training activities and group preparations. While our CP family will undoubtedly encounter trials this summer, I truly believe that I have found people that I will be friends with for life.

I have grown a lot in the past few weeks and view this experience as a gift from God. I am learning more about myself at CP than I would in any other environment. It hasn't all been easy, but the people at CP have given me the tools to overcome challenges and be successful. We are going to do awesome things this summer and our goal is to glorify God's Kingdom. I know we will do that.

-Randa

Summer Beginnings!

2010-06-02T15:06:00.001-04:00

We have had an awesome summer start! Staff training has revealed the high quality of young people we’ve recruited; there are numerous growth opportunities for them to experience in 3 weeks of workshops, adventure activities, skills training, community events, devotional times and overnight excursions. Recognizing the educational value of a summer at CP, a few of the 25 staff have even integrated internship requirements with their summer roles.

One highlight for me has been the Staff Covenant discussion. The Staff Covenant is a contract we create together that goes above the normal expectations of community living and challenges us to “go deeper”. It was so encouraging to hear staff members inspire the rest of us to “Practice Living in the presence of God” or “Learn something new about a prayer partner each week.” We’ve also committed to some fun random things on the Covenant too like “Joke time at breakfast!”

A second highlight was the cave training trip a few days ago. Due to recent heavy rains, the cave was muddier than ever. Someone described the mud consistency with whip cream! There was one section in the cave where a few of our staff chose to slide down into a mud pit -- disgusting and hilarious simultaneously! The coolest vantage point was sitting on an overlook in a cave “hallway” that was large enough for a freeway and look back at 25 headlamps following behind. This made me think of the cave devotional that one of our managers gave, referencing Mathew 5:14, “You are the light of the world”. During the devotional, we sat in complete darkness until each of us shared a “personal gift that God had given us” and turned on our lights, one by one. It was a powerful metaphor of Christian community.

-Andy

CP's Eco Mission Trips

2010-04-05T14:40:00.004-04:00

Confrontation Point Ministries has initiated the Creation Restoration mission trip to inspire young people to conserve and care for creation. An Indiana youth group participated in the first Creation Restoration mission trip in the summer of 2009. Throughout the week these youth volunteered at a community garden; toured a large recycling center; maintained trails in the Daniel Boone National Forest; organized a “trash scavenger hunt” with elementary school children; cleaned debris out of a Kentucky cave and enjoyed the beautiful playground God created for all of us. Most importantly, they learned a right relationship between God, people and creation.

Youth groups are offered four different mission programs. These curriculums include: Creation Restoration, Home Repair, Mystery Trip and Wilderness Adventure. Our newest program, Creation Restoration, explores our calling to be stewards of the earth. This trip coordinates relevant “green” service projects while focusing on the relationship that Christians share with creation. An educational workbook, called “Divine Nature,” has been designed for participants to gain a Biblical model for creation care. Each day, energetic staff members guide the youth through activities that promote team development, spiritual growth, environmental stewardship and servant-leadership.

In today’s environmentally aware culture, there are countless ways for individuals to live “greener”. But Confrontation Point offers eco-missions that integrate environmental service with team growth and the Christian faith. Last June, we managed the Ichthus Music Festival recycling campaign. More than eight thousand people attended this four-day concert and we recycled forty thousand beverage containers! Although this was worthwhile work, the message that was sent may have been more significant. We believe that living the Christian life means: “looking up to God, out to others and down for trash”. When people attending the Christian rock festival saw us sifting through plastic bottles, it made them consider not just their relationship with the Creator, but also with Creation!

Each year, we provide mission trips for approximately fifty youth groups who visit from more than twenty different states. Participants on all of the trips stay at local campgrounds, experience at least one day of outdoor adventure (climbing, paddling, caving or backpacking) and are motivated to grow as servant-leaders through service to others. This year will be no different; we already have groups signing up for Creation Restoration and other mission trip options. We still have spots open for the 2010 season and encourage you to sign up today!

For more information regarding Confrontation Point Ministries or our Creation Restoration mission, please visit www.confrontationpoint.org or call 1.800.884.8483.

-- Written by Andy Bathje and Wes McChristian of Confrontation Point Ministries

Moving Forward

2010-02-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

The slow season for CP is drawing to a close as we begin our final round of preparations for the summer season of 2010. We are more than halfway to our goal of replacing all our camp stoves before this summer, so thank you to those people who have donated one or more stove to the "Light-It-Up!" Campaign; just a few more donations will push us over the top. We're preparing all of our publications for the printer within the next week. We're working on recruiting and hiring the last few staff that we need to fill out our summer staff team. The number of phone calls, e-mails, and letters from groups who have or want to sign up for a trip is increasing every week. All in all, it's getting busy around here!

This fall CP traveled to two different Youth Specialties conferences, one in Cincinnati, OH and one in Atlanta, GA. We were able to have good conversations with youth pastors and youth from around the country, sharing with them the awesomeness of CP. At the conference in Cincinnati, we partnered with the Ichthus Music Festival that is also located in Wilmore, KY. This year the festival will be June 16-19, and we hope to have a couple of groups partner with us and the
festival during that time.

Over New Year's weekend, part of the CP community was able to get together for a time of fellowship and fun. We got to catch up on eachothers' lives, take hikes out to Chimney Top and Half Moon in the snow, build fires that didn't really seem to penetrate the cold, play games, sit around reading trivia questions, watch "The Unit," enjoy meals together, and spend time in worship and prayer as a community. It was refreshing and revitalizing to get away from the office and enjoy time in fellowship with a part of the larger CP family.

Just this past week, we continued with the renovation and organization of our office and warehouse space in Wilmore. Throughout the fall we had slowly been finishing off the back office space, and since it was ready for furniture, we asked for volunteers to help the full-time staff out for a couple of days to get things back to normal. Our staff came through for us, and we're well on our way to having everything in working order around here again.

We spent quite a bit of time this week on the road on college campuses throughout Kentucky attending camp fairs to recruit summer staff. We continue to be blessed by the people that God brings to the CP family.

As we march quickly on towards our summer season, which begins for managers on May 9th, I ask for continued prayers for groups that will be coming on trips with us this summer, for staff that will be serving them, and for the people that our groups will be serving, that their hearts and bodies are prepared for what God has in store for them.

Grace & Peace,
Katherine

CP moments

2009-10-18T19:55:00.000-04:00

CP still lives in me!

This past friday I took a bad fall during soccer practice and tore my knee up. I went in to the physical trainer and I found out that I've torn my MCL and possibly my ACL as well. My soccer season is over for this year. Tomorrow I'm headed to a sports doctor to get X-rays and MRI's and whatnot, but that's tomorrow. If it's my MCL, no surgery, just rest. If it's both - first I have to let the MCL heal, then a surgery to repair my ACL and then ~6 months of therapy to heal from that. Woot woot :(

But in all of this, I am joy filled and I have such a beautiful peace that God is way in control, even though I have no idea how much this is going to affect the rest of my semester and even next year. I learned something at CP this summer, something I didn't realize I had learned until now - I can have joy right now without understanding and I can LOVE WHERE I AM AT!

I'm not saying I'm happy about my knee - Oh contrare!!!! But I've never had to be still for such long periods of time, feeling so restless and shackled, and now I can experience a different relationship with God where he really is my friend and I can talk to Him uninterrupted. I LOVE this time where I can be still and know that He is God - it's so much easier and more natural for me in the wilderness but on campus during classes there are distractions that have divided my heart!

But God is faithful, and I pray that He will continue to use this old knee of mine for good, especially as it gets tougher to wait and be patient. And have everyone carry everything for me, it's so aggravating to not be able to carry a cup of water (because I'm on crutches)! Another lesson I'm still learning, I guess - don't be so independent?

Well, that's a road I'm still traveling!

CP is still working in me. May my heart be open to more teaching... :D

Summer Reflections

2009-08-04T13:59:00.000-04:00

This summer has been a life lesson for me. I have experienced so many different things and overcome many different fears and obstacles. I remember the first week of training, wondering what the heck I was doing here. I knew very little about what I was going to be doing and had never done the majority of the things that we were going to be doing this summer. I had an overwhelming fear of failing at this job, at messing up the work site or getting a kid hurt during rock climbing or rappelling. These fears seemed to suffocate me as the three weeks of training progressed. Then, the day of rappel training, God got fed up with me living the opportunity He had given me with a fear of failure and blind sighting all the good things that were and were to come from the ministry He had called me to for the summer. I was rappelling for the first time, and I remember being terrified inside because I had never done it and had no clue what I was doing. I was thinking how stupid I would be if I failed and couldn't make it down the cliff. This fear just built up inside of me and as Colleen hooked me up to rappel down the cliff, I could picture God just laughing and thinking, "Since you are so afraid of failing at this you are going to fail just so I can make a point." I took two steps off the cliff and completely possumed (hanging upside down with my back against the cliff). I managed to get up and finish going down the cliff without falling again, however while doing the fireman's belay at the bottom of the rope, standing there looking out at God's beautiful creation at Red River Gorge, I heard Him whisper to me, "Jess, you will never experience success without failing because without failing it is never true success." It was in that moment that I felt my fears being torn down and this sense of understanding that if I am not willing to make mistakes and try new things that I can't predict the outcome of, how will I ever be able to move on in life? I would only become stagnant in my faith and never move out of my comfort zone, therefore never challenging myself to go to a new level and become more than what I am now. This summer has brought many little life lessons such as this one, but it has also given me the opportunity to face this fear of failing by putting my full trust in God. That no matter what I am doing, my failure might be a big success for someone else and that even my failures can be used by God to bring glory to His name. God's got me and through all the different things I have encountered this summer that is the one thing that continues to appear in the forefront of my mind. Paul knew what he was saying when he wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. " It's true. God has been my strength in everything and in every way this summer. Blessings -JAbner

2009-07-17T11:26:00.000-04:00

When I came to CP this summer, I knew that I would be stretched beyond my comfort zones but like I've always thought about when praying for brokenness and being pushed outside my comfort zones, I thought for some reason that I would be able to just come out of this experience without sacrificing things (especially my own comfort). Being in the CP community, I have learned through the amazing people God has placed in this community that God uses community and He uses our experiences to make us stronger, not only for Him but for one another so we can be used by Him to minister to one another. I have struggled with being comfortable with who God has made me and backed away from little things He's called me to because I didn't know if I could do it. What little faith! In the CP community though, people give anything and everything they can to glorify Him. This community is teaching me that when you say yes to God in little things He gives you bigger and bigger things to glorify Him with. So many people here have so many talents and hearts that are seeking to serve God and God uses them in big ways! Whether it's making sure that the budget is correct or that there is enough food and good gear for the groups or that they are working hard in the office making sure all the logistics are running smoothly so that the staff out on groups and the youth groups coming have a campground, worksite, places to serve at and an adventure activity to use as a growing experience, I am now seeing how the CP community is like that scripture in 2 Corinthians, that talks about the body and its many parts, how each one is its own part and if it wishes to be something else, the body will be incomplete. By trusting that God has given us each gifts and will use us if we accept those calls that He has made on our lives, in the little moments of the day or the summer-long, year-long, life-time long callings, we are made into a body that we don't always get to see the fruits of our labors but a body that is seeking after God and helping others to pursue Him as well, the most important task in this world. Praise God for His grace and His mercy that even though we are imperfect, He still offers us a place in His kingdom and we are able to be used for His glory. I pray that we can keep trusting in Him and trust that He will use us because we want to see people know Him.
Thank you everyone who has been involved in CP. It is truly a life-changing ministry, I know for me it has helped me realize again that God's grace is the most important thing in our lives, it's not about how well we can complete a job. I hope and I am now trusting that God will use the gifts He's gifted me with in my own life to gloriy Him just like I have seen the rest of the staff and management at CP do this summer.
Thanks God for CP :)

Caves: Going Deeper

2009-07-09T15:26:00.000-04:00

Caving is one of the wilderness activities CP offers. For training we went through a cave 5 times, leading at least once. Even having gone through the cave 4 times I did not know the cave until I led it myself. If I had continued to go through the cave looking only as far as the feet in front of me, I would have been lost if alone. It was my responsibility to learn the cave and take ownership of it. Especially since I would one day be leading others.

Caving made me ask, how much do I rely upon others for growing in my relationship with God? And, how can I take greater personal ownership in pursuing my relationship with Christ?

I have since shared the cave with my family. We could have been dangerously lost if I had not taken ownership of learning the cave during my time of training. In the same way, I am challenged to share my relationship with Christ with others.

I am thankful for this challenge to take ownership of my faith and pursue Christ. I hope that in considering the questions that confronted me while caving, you too have been challenged.

God Bless,

Jess Rupright

Week 3 Bandy Creek!

2009-07-08T14:59:00.000-04:00

Week Three took a group of us down to Bandy Creek in the Big South Fork national park down in Oneida TN. I, Maren Banus worked with Katie Baily, Wade Davis and Brian Easterday... the 4 of us had a 35 person trip. Quite an adventure. We were working 4 separate work sites, a wheelchair ramp, two decks and a room addition. I had never been on a home repair trip before... so I was quite a bit nervous, but Wade was there to keep things in order. There were more than a few times where the week felt like mass chaos, but it was also exciting to see God working as well. Our first few days were full of sweaty hard work, with a few torential down pours thrown in. But I would have to say that wednesday night was my favorite of the week.
After worship that night we split up into four groups each of us CP staff taking one. katie and I had the girls, and wade and Brian had the boys. I took my group of girls over to the play ground and we all finally had a chance to actually get to know each other. The girls opened up after a few questions and then after that I had a hard time getting them to be quiet. Which to me wasnt a surprise at all... they are teenage girls after all! But as it turnes out some of them were struggling with the very same home issues and didnt even realize it because they had never been in a place and felt comfortable enough to share their hearts. Watching as God broke down walls between them was a gift. I know for my own life I can look back at camp experiences and see where the Lord was laying down foundations for my future and I can only trust that he is doing that as well with each camper at a CP trip.
On a different note.... there were many interesting things about Bandy Creek and Oneida you should know and remember.... first of all the bugs are vicious! I looked like I had the chicken pox and I have never itched so bad in my whole life! Second, there are few things more glorious than waking up to a thunderstorm right over your head while sleeping under a pavilion. To be that close to the storm but stay dry was exhilarating! Third, there REALLY are bears out there....we saw one crossing the road! So be sure to always keep your food in the car! Forth, kids will surprise you and themselves with what they are capable of when they choose to step up to a challenge. Fifth, whenever possible always make youth leaders happy with ice in their drink...they tend to like you more. :-) Sixth, be sure to tell the power drill whos boss! Seventh and finally ...you are NEVER too old to play in a tree house!!
CP week 3 was crazy fantastic and well worth the long sweaty days and even the bug bites. God is Good!
Blessings, Maren

Birthdays in the Office

2009-06-25T16:43:00.001-04:00

Tuesday the 23rd was Katherine's Bday and the girls decorated the front office with streamers and balloons and presents and an awesome ice cream cake all waiting to surprise her when she returned from lunch. Happy Birthday!!

Today, Thursday 25th is Meredith's Bday and she showed up to the office only to find a giant monkey wishing her a happy birthday and her desk covered with a colorful assortment of sharpies, ribbon, and a pinata! Yay for birthdays!

Sweatin' It to the Oldies Pack-In!!!

2009-06-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

This week we packed-in to the warehouse in our rockin' '80s attire and jammed to some oldies but goodies on the radio!

Saturday Mornings

2009-06-23T16:59:00.000-04:00

Saturday mornings are quickly becoming my favorite part of the week. The management team dresses up according to some theme, like the "Smurfs" or "Sweatin' to the oldies," but that's not why I like it. Slowly our warehouse begins to fill with staff that have been out on trips all week. They've been tested and tried. They've been through some of the toughest things they've ever faced, and been brought to tears by what God does in a group during a CP week. Then on Saturday they see all the others who have been through it, too. They greet eachother with such excitement and joy and love.

This weekend I heard stories of 6-hour-long worship sessions. I heard of powerful times of prayer in the rain. I heard of important conversations that lasted well into the night. As part of the management team, we don't always get to be there for these amazing moments when God is at work. Saturday mornings are a chance for me to glimpse at the wonders of who God is. I see God's joy, patience and love as staff return from service, adventure, and worship.

This Saturday morning promises another dress-up theme. And I can't wait to see the faces of friends greeting eachother after another week, and to hear the stories- whatever God has for them this week.

Ah the memories...

2009-06-17T17:19:00.000-04:00

Friday night had a great sunset. A good contrast to Wes' green motif. Looking back, I really had a lot of fun out there!
-Brian Reenders

Ichthus Recycling

2009-06-15T09:58:00.000-04:00

A Giant Bottle was constructed of PVC to catch the attention of Ichthus goers and encourage them to recycle their plastic bottles. We asked people to write their name and phone number on the bottle for the chance to win a prize if their bottle was drawn out of the gigantic recycling bin!

"The Green Man" pulling himself out of the depths of the bottles.

Smurf Pack-In

2009-06-13T17:03:00.000-04:00

Okay, so this year the Warehouse Manager - Rebecca - decided to make every pack-in on Saturdays themed. Every Saturday our staff come back from a week full of campers, sleeping and cooking outside and other various activities and they need to pack back into the warehouse all the stuff they took out that week. So we wanted to bring some excitement to those work days. The first Pack-In was "Smurf" Theme.

dumpster diving

2009-06-11T19:14:00.000-04:00

hey, this is Steph :D
Today was the first day of Ichthus and the start of the CP recycling gig there!
We prepped all day yesterday and erected our AWESOME 12-ft tall bottle made out of PVC pipes and plastic fencing. (It looks good, set up on the main road leading to the main stage.)

But today I got to go dumpster diving...

Hami, Andy, and I took the gator (our golf cart) all over the Ichthus campground to the recycling bins we set up yesterday. And next to these bins are the dumpsters. Yeah, nobody has really been using the the recycling bins (you know who you are!) so...we did. Since Hami and I both have short arms and we couldn't reach the trash bags inside, Andy got them for us. Until he had to leave for a meeting. Soooo, we had to improvise!

It ended up with me getting into the dumpster can, passing the bags out, and then Hami and I would go thru them together. It was pretty fun, smelly, and there was SO MUCH recylables in the dumpster! I now have to sanitize my chacos, poor smelly sandals that they are, but for now it's back to Ichthus.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

2009-06-10T11:56:00.001-04:00

To introduce the summer staff of 2009 to CP's new home in Wilmore, KY they scavenged the town documented by the following photos!

Welcome!

2009-06-10T10:50:00.001-04:00

Welcome to CP's first blog! This is a place for staff to post exciting news from the summer for friends and family to keep up to date. This is also a place to see and post pictures and find out what is going on in the world of Confrontation Point Ministries. All for the glory of God!