Family Reunion At Blowing Rock, 1993
by Jamie Resset

Wow! What an incredible family camp we had this year in Blowing Rock, NC. It was very exciting to spend a week experiencing real fellowship with people who know that Jesus Christ lives His life through them.

I am amazed at how far we’ve come in the last few years. Our word of faith to have a conference center in Boone, NC is coming into being before our very eyes. Who would have thought that we would have moved 20 some odd folk (and I do mean odd!) to Boone, bought a motel, built several houses and are now experiencing what we could only envision a few years ago.

This year’s Camp schedule was a little different. Instead of two separate weeks, we decided to have only one week (Friday to Friday). This posed some challenges that we hadn’t experienced before. We had to house and feed 80 people over the first weekend, since the BRAG facilities were unavailable until Sunday evening. I say challenges, because that is exactly how we saw them – God challenging us to be the creative people we are (because the Creative One lives His life through us).

I was privileged to witness all the behind-the-scenes preparation. All the Boone Bunch pitched in wherever theycould in preparations and were there ever a lot. The final product was something to see though. When people came in Friday night, they were greeted at the Alpen Acres motel with a welcome banner, party balloons, colorful tents, excellent food, joyful music and a beautiful campfire. Our happy, smiling faces
showed how thrilled we were to see one another. After all, this was our annual Family Reunion. It was the best!

Tom and Page Prewitt were also gracious enough to open up their beautiful new home to everyone during the weekend as well as through the week. Page insisted that this was not just the Prewitt home, but that God had given them stewardship of this home, and that it really belonged to all of us as well.

In past years the format of both the youth and adult programs has been similar, but this year the youth struck off ontheir own to explore the Book of Acts. When the children arrived, they each received a colorful folder, chock-full of pamphlets, books, and other material to be used for the week. If someone had asked for a feeling check when I saw those folders, I would have told them I was feeling extremely jealous. The younger children heard stories from Acts and made crafts while the older ones had a Bible Study.

All the children came back together before lunch to discuss what they had done and learned that morning. After lunch and recreation, the children broke up into small groups to work on communicating who they really are. Often this exposed where Satan caught them in unbelief end hindered the full communication of the Holy Spirit. Then all the children came back together to practice their play based on the Book of Acts. After dinner each night they had different activities such as campfires, movies, going to the park, ice cream sundaes, along with more group discussions and play practice. Thursday was spent practicing for that evening’s performance and was it ever an experience! Everyone’s talents came together for a wonderful rendition of the lives of the early Christians.

The adults spent their mornings studying the Bible as it relates to the truth we have all come to know–that of Jesus living His life, through and as us. Brett Burrowes led us through the Scriptures giving us his personal insight into the main points of our Teacher/Trainer Outline. I must say that for myself and for many others I talked to, it was one of the best Bible studies we have ever had. Norman would have been proud!

In the afternoon we met in both large and small groups. We began by asking ourselves why we had come to Blowing Rock. We all agreed that we were there to learn how to live a life fulfilling to ourselves and pleasing to God. God tells us in 1 John 1:5-9, that the only way to do this is to "walk in the light, as He is in the light, so we may fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, His Son may cleanse us from all sin." We see here that a right relationship with God will result in real fellowship with one another. We can know that if we are out of fellowship with one another, we are in darkness and are thus holding onto something for ourselves or trying to hide something from God (sin).

We then explored some ideas of true fellowship, using John Powell’s book Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who l Am ? In his book Powell suggests that there are 5 levels of communication. These range from Level 5, which consists of cliches such as "How are you?" or "How about this weather?" to Level 1 which is complete emotional and spiritual communion (communicating innermost thoughts and gut-level feelings).

All levels are, of course, necessary and are appropriate at certain times. But, in order to enjoy true fellowship with one another we must be able to move through all levels, allowing the Holy Spirit to express Himself through
US, as us.

We then looked at 35 different "games" that John Powell says people play in order not to risk exposing their thoughts and feelings to each other. We, of course, understand that the inventor of them is Satan. He has spent his time playing these games by living his life in our former pagan days, and even now can find a way to live out these games through us, whenever we enter into unbelief.

After breaking into small groups, we each shared games we had played or were still playing. It was extremely painful for many of us, but there was much relief and joy as we were able to unearth more of Satan’s lies regarding ourselves. The truth of course, is that we are right persons in Christ Jesus and therefore have no need to hide our innermost thoughts and feelings. There is no independent me!

After dinner, we got the opportunity to hear individuals capsulize the experience, strength and hope of their lives in ten minute testimonies. We all enthusiastically agreed, how beneficial this was in getting to know one another better.

Interspersed through all of this was much song, laughter, tears, encouragement, and exhortation – sometimes into the wee hours of the morning. And what a thrill it was to see new faces from across the country as well as those from Ireland, Scotland, England and Germany. Some told us that they had been reading the Intercessor for years and finally decided to come to Blowing Rock. We were particularly enthused about our new "wise man" from West Virginia, who had been reading the magazine since its inception. He amazed us with his clarity and insight and reminded many of us of Norman Grubb.

On the last day, we said many goodbyes and had feelings of sadness and joy. We felt sad to be leaving one another for a while but excited to have a deeper knowing that we were One Family. Our vision is that we are His Body, chosen to lay down our lives for the Church and the world.

We will be having more Family Reunions in the near future. Will we get to see those of you in our Family who have been reading the Intercessor, but have not yet come to our conferences? Now marvelous it would be to see you there. Please come!