Monk's Musings: Leaders & Willing Volunteers

Deborah and Barak sang, When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves, praise the Lord! My heart is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord! Judges 5:1-2,9

Last week I came across the verses above in our devotional at the table, and it reminded me of the many “willing volunteers” we have at Beacon every year! Also of the many “princely leaders” who come to Beacon to lead campers, teach lessons, direct sessions, and grow in leadership skills. Deborah & Barak praised God for those who served courageously in Israel’s time of need, including Jael, an otherwise unknown woman, through whom God gave Israel a great victory. The same chapter speaks of others who “searched their hearts… but stayed among the campfires”, and others who “lingered by the ships” and “remained on the coast” because “they did not come to help the Lord against the mighty”.

Today, there is also a mighty enemy who seeks to enslave children, youth and families to deception and falsehood. Who will volunteer to take them the gospel of truth, telling them that there is forgiveness and salvation and true life to be found in the Name of Jesus, the Son of God, who died on the cross and rose victorious from the grave?

Many of you have volunteered at Beacon in the past, and many of you have already signed up to serve God in one way or another. We too praise the Lord for each one of you! However, God is still looking for more volunteers, in many varied roles: Is God perhaps calling you to courageously “offer yourself” also? Perhaps at camp, or maybe at your church or youth group. We would encourage you to invest your life for God and His people in one of these many strategic ways. So, whether as a camper, cabin leader, session director, or other volunteer, we look forward to seeing you soon!

We wish you courage and fulfilment as you serve the Lord!

On behalf of all the Beacon Staff,
Andrew ‘Monk’ Nunn

Monk's Musings: Fly, Run & Walk

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Dogs run, eagles fly and people walk. Which do you prefer? As a boy, my ambition was to become a pilot and fly aircraft. I got as far as two years of training as a cadet pilot with the RAF. But then I realized that while I enjoyed flying as a hobby I couldn’t do it as a full time job. And so God led me into engineering and then high school teaching and then missionary work. I quit flying and then ran, and finally walked. Life slowed me down.

Some months ago, I heard a speaker commenting on the verse above, puzzled as to the order of the three verbs: Surely the progression should be to walk, then run and finally fly? But upon reflection, he realized that the prophet was encouraging us all to persevere in following the Lord, even when our strength runs out, and we are weary and stumble and fall. As winter drags along, with its heavy burden of snow and cold and grey skies, how are you feeling? In the midst of the inevitable colds and flu, or worse, is your strength giving way? May we all “hope in the Lord” so He can “renew our strength”. May we persevere with Him, whether we’re flying, running or just walking!

Perhaps God is calling you this year to fly for Him, or maybe to run with Him. But possibly what He really wants is for you to walk with Him. In your weakness and weariness, He calls you to not give up. To put one foot in front of the other, and do the next good thing He has prepared for you to do. Perhaps part of that may be serving God at Beacon, as a cabin leader, summer staff, teacher or cook. Setting apart time to commit to coming to Beacon to love and serve our campers in any capacity. So we would also encourage you to invest your life for eternity in this strategic way. Whether as a camper or as a volunteer, we look forward to seeing you at Beacon soon!

On behalf of all the Beacon Staff,
Andrew ‘Monk’ Nunn

Monk's Musings: To be Loved and to Love

My lover is mine, and I am his… I am my lover’s and my lover is mine…
I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me… Song of Songs 2:16, 6:3, 7:10

February is the month in which many couples celebrate their love on Valentine’s day. It’s an ancient tradition, and like all traditions it can be enjoyed appropriately or abused. Whether we commemorate it or not, the Bible does have quite a lot to say about human love and attraction. The Song of Songs is an entire book of the Old Testament dedicated to exploring the love between man and woman. In the three verses above, the Beloved rejoices in the exclusive relationship she has with her Lover. Marriage between one man and one woman, joined until death, is the ideal that Jesus taught his disciples. Those of us who are married are called to live out the responsibility and privilege of loving our spouse with faithfulness and sacrificial love, putting the other ahead of our own desires.

The prophets in the Old Testament also likened marriage to the covenant relationship between God and his People. And in the New Testament, Paul says that marriage is a shadow of the relationship between Jesus Christ and his Church. So each one of us who are disciples of Christ, whether married or single, can apply the verses above to our relationship with the Lord Jesus. We can claim Him as our own, and rejoice in the fact that we belong to Him. We can rest confidently knowing that He desires us, and nothing, neither death nor life, nor “anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom 8:38-39.

May the Lord help us to grow in understanding more of his love, and to respond with our own love in return. Not a sentimental temporary infatuation, but a lasting love that shows itself by our committed deeds and life decisions that honour Him. Neither does He want from us a slavish grim obedience that acts out of cold duty, but the willing and joyful service of a Bride that is in love with her Husband and rejoices to give herself fully to the One who gave himself on the cross for her! May God help us so to love and so to live this month!

On behalf of all the Beacon Staff,
Andrew ‘Monk’ Nunn

Monk's Musings: Life and Death come to all

“He heard my cry… He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.”  Psalm 40:1-3

A new year 2025 begins! Who knows how many more God will give us? A couple of days before this Christmas my father, Peter Nunn, went to be with the Lord. On Christmas day, the mother of a close friend also passed into God’s presence. On the Sunday after my father’s passing, I noticed behind the table on which stood the bread and wine, symbols of Christ’s death, was a manger, symbol of his birth. Life and death, close together. Jesus experienced both, just as we do. The question is, are we ready to pass from this life to the next? They were both trusting Jesus as their Saviour, so we know they are now seeing Him face to face. Will you? Are you ready to give an account of your life to Him?

Not long before my father passed, we were sharing about the three verses above. He said God had taken him “from the mire to the choir”, by which he meant God had saved him from his sin, put his feet on the solid rock, which is Jesus, and given him a new song to sing and a new life to live, one that would praise God. He did not consider himself a great man, but he knew he trusted in a great God, and that made all the difference.

And so, as we face another year, with its uncertainties, with our hopes and fears, may we also trust in the Lord Jesus, for salvation yes, but also for guidance and strength to sing and live for Him. Perhaps God is calling you to come to Beacon as a camper, or perhaps as a volunteer. Be encouraged to step out in faith! We serve a great Master, who delights to use weak and fallible servants such as you and me, so only He gets the glory.

May the Lord bless you and yours this year!

On behalf of all the Beacon Staff,
Andrew ‘Monk’ Nunn

Monk's Musings: For such a Time as this!

Mordecai tells Esther: “who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

We are now halfway through our Fall Season of Beacon camps. The leaves are turning colour, mushrooms are popping up and the days are drawing shorter. The nights are getting colder and it takes a bit of courage to dive into the lake! The Lord has been so faithful, orchestrating the details of each of our lives and bringing us to our present circumstances and positions. Many centuries ago, a young Hebrew maiden was made queen over the empire of Persia & Media, married to King Xerxes. He was a pleasure-seeking proud despot who ruled by inspiring fear, so her royal position was a tricky one to be in. And when the king carelessly signed an irrevocable decree to exterminate her people, her position went from delicate to desperate. Should she try to hide? Or flee? Or lie about her ancestry? Mordecai convinced her to use the position God had given her as queen to risk it all and seek to save her people from death. It’s one of the great Old Testament stories which is exciting each time one reads it! Eventually, God DID use Esther and Mordecai, in miraculous ways, to bring about salvation for the Jewish people.

I don’t know what position God has placed you in. But it’s true to say that each one of us is in the middle of a sphere of influence where others look to us as an example, role model or friend. And these folk may be going through critical times or are about to face suffering or tough decisions. Who knows but that God has put us in our unique position “for such a time as this”? May we pray and fast as they did, but may we also put our trust in God and courageously initiate that sensitive conversation that God wants us to have. Let us not shrink back in fear, but bravely step forward and trust the Lord will use us to further His good plans in the lives of those around us.

And once again, may we encourage you to make Beacon a part of that plan! invite a friend or a family member to come with you to one of our Fall or Winter Camps. Look up the details on our website, and register this week!

May God powerfully use each one of us in the “little corner” He has positioned us in!

On behalf of all the Beacon Staff,
Andrew ‘Monk’ Nunn

Monk's Musings: Job Well Completed!

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month of Elul… They realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. Nehemiah 6:15-16

As I write these lines, yesterday was our last day of the last camp of the Summer Season at Beacon. The Lord has helped us complete the task He gave us to do this summer! When the Jews completed rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem about twenty-five centuries ago, they, and all the nations around them recognized it was because God had helped them. And we also freely admit that it has only been possible because God has helped us. In addition, Nehemiah only succeeded in completing the wall because many volunteers worked wholeheartedly until the project was completed. And the same is true for Beacon. More than 200 volunteers joyfully gave a week or more of their time to love campers, challenge them to trust in Jesus and build them up in their faith. We thank God for each one of you.

Now that life returns to “normal”, God has other projects for us all to work on. He wants to use each one of us to build up our family, our friendships and our local church. Perhaps you are facing “ruins” similar to the ones Nehemiah had to deal with. Take courage, God is powerful to restore and rebuild. He specializes in bringing beauty out of ashes. But He chooses to work through you and I. Let us do as Nehemiah and his contemporaries did: pray and work together. Don’t let the enemy discourage you, for “greater is He who is within you than he who is in the world”. God has promised to complete the task, so let us “trust and obey” Him.

So may we all be encouraged, as we enter this next chapter of life, to continue serving the Lord where He has placed us. And we encourage you to make Beacon a part of your “building plan”: Invite a friend or a family member to come with you to one of our camps, whether as a couple, or as a family, as a single adult, as a senior, or indeed encourage and sponsor someone else to come to Beacon. Look up the details on our website, and register this week!

On behalf of all the Beacon Staff,
Andrew ‘Monk’ Nunn

Monk's Musings: Don't be Afraid

And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. “Don’t be afraid,” he said… 1 Samuel 23:16-17

A new summer has arrived! Beacon Bible Camp is in full swing into the summer 2024 season. We are so thankful to the Lord for all the campers who are already here as well as for those who have signed up for the rest of our summer camps. We are also incredibly thankful for all the volunteer staff who are here and for those who will come up each week to serve at Beacon this summer.

And this is what brought the verses above to my mind. For some campers and staff, this will be their first experience of Beacon. And perhaps you may also be facing a new situation in life which gives you some anxiety. In David’s case, he was fleeing for his life from King Saul, not knowing where to go or what tomorrow would bring. And that was exactly when his closest friend Jonathan came to him to help him “find strength in God”. He encouraged him to not be afraid but to find guidance and strength in the Lord. May we be encouraged in the same manner? And may God also use us to encourage and strengthen others that God puts in our lives!

If you are serving here at Beacon in some capacity, may you also be encouraged! Find strength in the Lord to serve with all your heart and love. And whatever God calls us to in life, in our family, work, study, relationships, and church service, may God strengthen each one of us and help us to find joy in all the challenges and new experiences that He brings into our lives. Finally, may we also be “Jonathans” to others: let us seek out and encourage those who may be going through rough times. Let’s help them to look to the Lord always.

On behalf of all the Beacon Staff,
Andrew “Monk” Nunn

Monk's Musings: God's Anointing

“Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?” … Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him...”

1 Samuel 10:1, 16:13

About three thousand years ago, Israel first began to have kings. Saul and some years later David, were both anointed to be king over Israel by God’s prophet Samuel. After their anointing, God’s Spirit also came powerfully upon both men, empowering and guiding them to lead Israel. Both men started out very well, humbly and courageously serving God and God’s people, and leading them to victory over the cruel and oppressive nations that surrounded them.

But that’s where their lives started to differ: Saul slowly moved away from God’s word, twisting it in subtle ways so that he could do his own will instead of follow God’s commands. On the other hand, David, despite his serious failings, kept God’s word and His holiness central in his aspirations; he tried to serve the Lord faithfully as best as he knew how. And when he went astray, he received correction humbly, repenting and turning away from sin, asking God to give him a clean and undivided heart to serve and worship Him alone. Saul ended up rejected, his life and family destroyed by his own stubbornness. David ended up being called by God “a man after my own heart”, whose kingly lineage continued for a thousand years, right up to Jesus Christ, the King of Kings!

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God has also anointed you with the Holy Spirit to serve Him powerfully in every facet of your life. And we are confronted with the same choices Saul and David faced: How will we respond? The outcome of our lives depends upon these choices we make daily. May we all follow the Lord and His Word faithfully this summer and for the rest of our lives!

On behalf of all the Beacon Onsite Staff,
Andrew “Monk” Nunn

Monk's Musings: God is Powerful and Loving

“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

IsaIAH 40:28-29

Recently I’ve been reflecting a bit on how great and powerful God is. He is everlasting, never-ending, has no beginning and no limitations! He created the colossal quasars, the miniscule quarks and everything in between. His knowledge and understanding are unfathomable. And then, the prophet Isaiah reminds us, this almighty God is the very one who promises to strengthen weak little you and me! In fact, repeatedly God reveals Himself as our Heavenly Father, the one who not only created us but who loves us unconditionally and delights in relationship with us. The one who invites us to call Him “Abba Father”, which may be best translated as “Daddy”. Do we delight in being with Him and opening our hearts to His love? Do we willingly acknowledge our weakness and rejoice in His strength? Or do we try to get on with life as best as we can in our own understanding and power? As we live out today, with all its ups and downs, may we surrender to His pursuing love, and trust our lives to His provident strength.

This is also true for us at Beacon Bible Camp. We seek to encourage all who come to open their eyes to the majesty of His creation, but also to open their hearts to the wonder of His love. And so we encourage you, in whatever chapter of life you find yourself, to make Beacon a part of your plans for this year. Perhaps God is calling you to come, with someone else, as a camper. Or perhaps God is calling you to take the step of faith of serving at Beacon, not in your own weak strength, but trusting that His almighty power will enable you to be a blessing to others. Even more importantly, we challenge you to be an active serving member in your own local church and neighbourhood community. Trust fully in God’s love and His power. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not on yourself. If we trust Him, He will come through for us!

May we all learn to trust God’s love and His power.

Andrew ‘Monk’ & Marianne ‘Tia’ Nunn

Monk's Musings: God’s Good Promises Never Fail

““You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”

Joshua 23:14

About 3400 years ago, God used Moses to take Israel out of slavery in Egypt, lead them for 40 years through the Sinai desert, and bring them to the Promised Land. Afterwards, Joshua led the 12 tribes in the conquest battles that allowed them to take over this land that “flowed with milk and honey”. Towards the end of his life, Joshua called together the elders, leaders, judges and officials and challenged them to remain faithful to the LORD their God, to love Him with all their hearts, and to keep separate from the idolatry and immorality of the pagan nations. Then he reminded them how God had kept His promises to them, yes, every promise had been fulfilled!

As we look back in our own lives, we too can confirm that all God’s good promises towards us have been fulfilled. And at Beacon Bible Camp we also gratefully acknowledge that He has kept his many promises, brought us through the winter camps, and is preparing us for the upcoming Spring and Summer season. The fact that He has been faithful in the past gives us confidence to trust Him for the unknown future. I don’t know what challenges you may be facing, but I know the Lord wants you to trust Him and follow His will for your life, so that we too, may experience the “milk and honey” with which He wants to bless us. That does not mean there won’t be trials and difficulties, even deep sorrows to face. But it does mean that the Lord wants to work all things out for the good of those who love Him. And it also means that we can be strengthened in the knowledge that He keeps his promises.

So I encourage you during this spring, as buds appear and nature is renewed all around us, to fix your eyes on Jesus and to trust in His good promises. Take steps of faith and renewed service for God, trusting He will come through for you, and that His purposes for good in your life will prove true. And here at Beacon, as we gear up for a new season of camps, and as we begin work on the new Maintenance Shed, pray for us so that we too will trust the Lord and count on His promises to bless his work, so that His Name might be exalted, and He would get the all the glory, and we would rejoice to see Him bless many campers and staff this year.

With all our best wishes to you all,

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn