Westminster’s “Orange Idea” is a monthly, family-friendly, 1-page resource to help you live out your faith at home. But what is “Orange,” you might ask?

As Julie and Matthew explained, it’s not just a colour—it’s a way of thinking: Yellow represents the light of Jesus shared by the church. Red represents the blood and bond of the family. So when you put Yellow and Red together you get…

Orange!

So an “Orange idea” is when the church helps people live out their faith in their families and homes. After all, the home is the primary place where faith is formed.

So this monthly resource will help people of different ages learn about and live out their Christian faith in tangible, practical ways.

So here’s the Orange Idea for February 2018: Have an indoor campout!

Here’s where we’re going with this one:

In Hebrews 11:8-10 we read, “[Abraham] went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.”

Here’s the connection.

Abraham lived by faith. He heard the call of God which led him into the promised land—but he had to leave everything he knew, and even had to live in tents! But he was content in that situation because he knew his life on earth was temporary; he was confidently looking forward to an eternal city “designed and built by God” (verse 10). That kind of faith is possible when you know life on earth is temporary and that God has even greater things in store for you.

And also, can you imagine how living in tents like that would have bonded his family together and made them stronger?!

With this in mind…

Have an indoor campout with your family! Get out some sleeping bags and camping supplies, and do your best to live like you would for an evening and night out in the woods (except indoors). You can even use a tent! Use the time to bond together, and to talk about faith and life.

Here are a few helpful tips:

1. Get into it. Plan a night that works for everyone’s schedules.

2. Make your area look like a camp site.

3. Try to limit the kinds of technology which tend to isolate people and which withdraws them from conversations and group activities.

4. Plan some games.

5. Have some camping-themed snacks.

6. Use it as a chance to bond as a family. When you spend quality time together, you tend to become stronger together. Have conversations about what you think the future will be like, or what you’re finding difficult about life, and what you’re finding to be joyful.

7. Use the camping experience to remind yourself of Abraham’s family having to live in tents, and that no matter what our lives are like everyone who follows Jesus is looking forward to a day when we are a part of an eternal city “designed and built by God.” Speculate what you think it will be like!

8. Have fun!

In February, Have an indoor campout! Families that spend quality time together are stronger together. Plus, use your campout to remind yourselves about how God is good and provides for you in every situation in life.

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The orange philosophy originates with Reggie Joiner in his helpful book Think Orange.