This week I had the opportunity to speak at Camp Patmos to a group of two hundred 4th-6th graders. Camp Patmos is located on the beautiful Kelleys Island on Lake Eerie. My schedule doesn’t allow me to do much camp speaking (although I love it) but I accepted this invitation from one of my best childhood friends.

The theme of camp this summer was Pursuit. I decided to speak on Jonah each night (a guy who made one bad choice after another and was pursued by God) and Corrie Ten Boom each morning (a lady who made one good choice after another and pursued God). The story of Jonah is always a hit with kids. I wasn’t sure how Corrie Ten Boom would go but really felt compelled to share her story. These tweens loved Corrie’s story.

Question: How much time do you give to sharing the stories of great Christian heroes of the faith? As children’s pastors, we are the first one to shake our heads at Miley Cyrus and other famous people that kids choose as heroes.

Think about the lives of great people like Corrie Ten Boom, Jim Elliot, Amy Carmichael, Fanny Crosby, Martin Luther, Joni Eareckson Tada, and others. How will the kids in our churches learn about them if we don’t tell them? Are we justified in “preaching” to them about bad role models and heroes if we don’t tell them the stories of the good ones?

I think there needs to be a return to telling some hero stories - intentionally. That’s the way I see it.