Giving Away Our “Best New Idea”

What if you gave away your best new idea for free? Would you do it even if it didn’t benefit you or your organization beyond having the satisfaction of seeing that idea grow? 

We’ve done it.  Multiple times. 

Today our “best new idea” is our Day Camp ministry.  We began it as a pilot in 2006 with 250 campers and this summer we expect to serve more than 7000 in nearly 40 locations around the Midwest.  By any standards its incredible growth. 

So as you might expect word has gotten around the country and other camps have been asking us about the program.  They want in on the movement.

Our response?  We’re giving away all our Day Camp secrets.  You see, we’ve always shared anything and everything we know with other organizations committed to extending Christ’s Kingdom.

In 2010 we had over 4800 campers in our Day Camp program. We also know of at least 1500 other kids in places like Texas and Louisiana that had a quality Day Camp experience as a result of us sharing our “best new idea.”

We multiplied the impact of our Day Camps by giving it away. And 1500 additional kids, their families, churches and communities have benefited.  How cool is that?

So why give away our “best new ideas” to like-minded organizations? Because we believe in three important concepts.

First, what we have is not ours, it’s God’s.  Yes we are the stewards. But as stewards our goal is to see that what we’ve been entrusted with multiplies which sometimes requires sharing it with others.

Secondly, there is no competition between worker’s in Christ’s Kingdom. Christ said “the harvest is great but the workers are few”  Matthew 9:37.  There is plenty of work for all of us to do, millions of kids to reach and serve. Until we run out of kids there is no competition.

Finally,  we’re committed first to building His Kingdom not ours.  This means we will do whatever we can to accomplish this end including giving away our “best new idea.”

So my dream is one day the 6000 kids who were at a Day Camp in 2010 will multiply into 100,000 maybe millions of kids in places all over the world.  Big dream?  Maybe. Bigger Church and a much bigger God?  Definitely.