Berean Academy secondary students participated in our annual Spiritual Emphasis time on November 2-4, 2022. The students were treated to extended chapel time with the senior pastor of Flint Hills Bible Church, Dave Hintz.
During his three sessions, Pastor Hintz developed the theme of worship. During his first session, he developed the idea that all human beings were created to worship God, but the fall changed our worship, and we began to worship the created order rather than God. He reminded the students and staff that often, it is not that we worship sinful or man-made things; rather, we worship the good things that God has created and make them ultimate things, which is idolatry.
On days two and three, Pastor Hintz identified two common sources of idolatry amongst young people: fear of man and the pursuit of pleasure. On day two, he spoke from Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe,” where he challenged students to not walk in fear of men but the fear of the Lord. He explained that as the only part of God’s creation that is created in God’s image, we are naturally relational (the Trinity) and seek the approval of others. However, the need for relationships can take our focus away from worshiping God, and focusing our life on the approval of others, making good things (relationships) ultimate things.
Day three found Pastor Hintz in Ecclesiastes chapter 2, which addresses the meaningless/vanity of pursuing pleasure. At the end of his life, Solomon reflects on how he tried to satisfy the God-shaped vacuum in his life by seeking pleasure. And in the end, pursuing pleasure for its own sake led to a life of melancholy and dissatisfaction. Antithetically, a life spent in pursuit and worship of God, is a life of meaning, purpose, and freedom.
It was encouraging to see the Lord move in and amongst our student body during worship music and through the messages from Pastor Hintz. Our prayer is that Spiritual Emphasis is not just three days but life-long, permanent changes made for Christ.
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