In order to create team unity, each summer team names are developed. This year, after much deliberation, we narrowed our large list of possible and witty team names down to one: Teenage Mutant Myrtle Turtles. If you lived in the 90s, I may have just conjured up some interesting images of muscular green creatures raiding the city in sewage pipes... and our vision for the summer isn't much different. While we won't be fighting bad guys underground, we will be taking on the identity of typical Myrtle Beach residents as we will work in public places and with local churches and try to evangelize to people of all ages and types on the beach. And we have a mission to fulfill.
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 explains it well, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
As new creatures and ambassadors of God, we have become aliens here in this world (mutants, if you will). Much in the same way that baby turtles flood the beach when they hatch from their shells, we will attempt to flood the world to spread the good new of Jesus Christ, starting at Myrtle Beach. In order to complete this mission, we will have to prepare ourselves each and every day by putting on the full armor of Christ (turtle shell!). As team leaders, David and I pray that the amazing atmosphere of SBP will allow both room leaders and first year students to "grow out of their current shells" as their hearts are enlarged by Christ.
Students and staff will be traveling from far and wide to come to SBP next week, so we are jealous for your prayers.
