About Us
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The purpose of The Rawlings Foundation is to further the advancement of Christian education, values and teachings around the world, and to support those in need in our local communities. The main way that is accomplished is through our Camp Ministry. The Rawlings Foundation has 10 different camps located in 9 countries that average more than 200,000 students attending camps each year.
Our Mission
To impact youth worldwide by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and to disciple and equip believers to fulfill the Great Commission.
Our mission includes the command to teach all of the nations and go to the ends of the world to let as many lost possible know there is a Savior.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” –Matthew 28:19-20
A goal of the ministry is that none that hear the message at the camps will be lost, and that each camper will understand the necessity of repentance, and their need for the Savior.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9
The Highlands camps have a history of working with churches, and helping to build the churches in the various countries. However, a new focus is toward reaching the lost through bringing public school kids to the camps. Further efforts have resulted in parents, teachers, and even school administrators attending camps.
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” –Matthew 9:13
The Highlands camp ministries uplift the campers with the message that God does not intend that we be paupers, but that the Christian life is to be richly enjoyed. The camps are beautifully located and landscaped. The campers are shown that the Christian life is a desirable life.
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” –1 Timothy 6:17
Our History
How We Got Here
The worldwide camp ministry of The Rawlings Foundation was the vision of founder, Dr. John W. Rawlings. The original purpose of The Foundation was to help plant new churches and financially assist church building and expansion projects.
Dr. Rawlings’ vision began to broaden in the early days of the Foundation, and that was to establish a movement known as “The International Baptist Network.” This movement was to be a partnership of all like-minded pastors and missionaries, united to fulfill the Great Commission. This led Dr. Rawlings on a trip to the Philippines in 1977 with his son Herb to hold meetings with groups of local missionaries. Out of these meetings the Foundation’s first camp was established in the Philippines. Because of the success of this first camp, Dr. Rawlings became interested in the “10/40 Window,” an area that encompassed all of Asia. This led to the purchase of a camp in Japan and construction of our third camp in the country of Cambodia. The Highlands Camp Ministry is ever expanding. Since the home going of Dr. John, the Foundation’s ministry is now under the direction of two of his sons, George and Herb Rawlings, and a newly formed Board of Directors.
Leadership
George Rawlings
Founder
Herb Rawlings
Founding Member
The Rawlings Foundation
Rosendo Usandizaga
Director
The Rawlings Foundation
Kathy Barrens
CFO
The Rawlings Foundation
Jonathan Falwell
Pastor
Thomas Road Baptist Church
Matt Holman
Pastor
Landmark Church
Greg Lyons
CEO/Founder
Global Surge
Dave Stone
Former Pastor
Southeast Christian Church
Jimmy Scroggins
Pastor
Family Church
FAQ
How can I volunteer with your ministry?
You must be 16 years of age or over to volunteer at one of our camps. Youth groups and individuals spend up to one week serving our campers through teaching, ministering through games, and many other ways. We serve local communities by providing services such as painting widows’ homes, distributing food, clothing, and other necessities to the needy, including orphanages. We strive to meet the needs of others in the name of Jesus.
In many circumstances, accommodations and food can be provided while you serve at the camp. We ask for you to arrange and pay your airfare and transportation costs to and from the camp. If you are interested in one of our camps, contact the appropriate camp director by visiting our “Contact Us” page.
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If you have a question that has not been answered on our site, please reach out via our “Contact Us” form located in the top right corner of the home page.
Statement of Faith
The mission of The Rawlings Foundation is to proclaim the truth of the gospel and the authority of Scripture, and to provide a biblical role model to our employees and the many communities where we serve worldwide. In order to preserve and facilitate the goals and integrity of the Highlands Camp ministry, and the work and outreach at all its camps, it is required that all persons employed or who serve at the camps in any capacity, should agree and abide by this statement of faith, and conduct themselves according to this Doctrinal Statement.
The Holy Scriptures
We believe in the Holy Scriptures, accepting fully the writings of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible as the very Word of God, verbally inspired in all parts and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God, altogether sufficient in themselves as our only infallible rule of faith and practice.
(Exodus 24:4; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 16:13; 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
The One Triune God
We believe in the One Triune God, who is personal, spirit, and sovereign (Mark 12:29; John 4:24; 14:9; Psalm 135:6); perfect, infinite, and eternal in His being, holiness, love, wisdom and power (Psalm 18:30; 147:5; Deuteronomy 33:27); absolutely separate and above the world as its Creator, yet PRESENT everywhere in the world as the upholder of all things (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 104); self-existent and self-revealing in three distinct Persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (John 5:26; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14) each of whom is to be honored and worshiped equally as true God (John 5:23; Acts 5:3-4).
The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Triune God, the eternal Word and Only Begotten Son, our great God and Savior (John 1:1; 3:16; Titus 2:13; Romans 9:5); that, without any essential change in His divine Person (Hebrews 13:8), He became man by the miracle of Virgin Birth (John 1:14; Matthew 1:23), thus to continue forever as both true God and true Man, one Person with two natures (Colossians 2:9; Revelation 22:16); that as Man, He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15; John 8:46); that as the perfect Lamb of God He gave Himself in death upon the Cross, bearing there the sin of the world, and suffering its full penalty of divine wrath in our stead (Isaiah 53:5-6; Matthew 20:28; Galatians 3:13; John 1:29); that He rose again from the dead and was glorified in the same body in which He suffered and died (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:25-28); that as our great High Priest He ascended into heaven, there to appear before the face of God as our Advocate and Intercessor (Hebrews 4:14; 9:24; 1 John 2:1).
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is the Third Person of the Triune God (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4), the divine Agent in nature, revelation and redemption (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30; 1 Corinthians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 3:18); that He convicts the world of sin (John 16:8-11), regenerates those who believe (John 3:5), and indwells, baptizes, seals, empowers, guides, teaches, and sanctifies all who become children of God through Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19; 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; 3:16; Romans 8:14; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 6:11).
The Creation and Fall of the Human Race
We believe in the creation and fall of man; that he was the direct creation of God, made in the divine image (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7, 18-24; Matthew 19:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). The days in Genesis do not correspond to geologic ages, but are six (6) consecutive, twenty-four (24) hour days of creation. By personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, man became a sinful creature of a fallen race (Genesis 3:1-24; 5:3), which is universally sinful in both nature and practice (Ephesians 2:3; Romans 3:23; 5:12) under the righteous judgment and wrath of God (Romans 3:19; 1:18), and have within themselves no possible means of recovery or salvation apart from Jesus Christ. (Mark 7:21-23; Matthew 19:26; Romans 7:18).
Salvation by Grace Through Faith
We believe in salvation by grace through faith, that salvation is the free gift of God (Romans 3:24; 6:23), neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or work of the recipient (Titus 3:5; Romans 4:4-5; 11:16), but received only through a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 6:28-29; Acts 16:30-31; Ephesians 2:8-9), and acceptance of the risen Christ as Savior, Lord and God, in whom all true believers have as a present possession the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, adoption into the family of God, deliverance and security from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and the divine guarantee that they will never perish (1 John 5: 13; Romans 3:22; Galatians 3:26; John 5:24; Ephesians 1:3; 2 Peter 1:3; John 10:27-30); that this salvation includes the whole person, spirit and soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24); and apart from Christ there is no possible salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
Righteous Living and Good Works
We believe in righteous living and good works, not as the procuring cause of salvation in any sense, but as its proper evidence and fruit (1 John 3:9-11; 4:19; 5:4; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 2:14; Matthew 7:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:10); and therefore as Christians we should keep the word of our Lord (John 14:23), seek the things which are above (Colossians 3 : 1), walk as He walked (1 John 2:6), be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8), and especially accept as our solemn responsibility the duty and privilege of bearing the Gospel to a lost world in order that we may bear much fruit (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19; John 15:16); remembering that a victorious and fruitful Christian life is possible only for those who have learned they are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14), and who in gratitude for the infinite and undeserved mercies of God have presented themselves wholly to Him for His service (Romans 12:1-2).
Concerning Personal Separation
We believe the Scriptures teach that every believer should be separated unto God from the world, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit, should walk in Christian love and holiness, exhibiting qualities of honesty, integrity, forgiveness and loving kindness. We further believe that any achievement in these characteristics will be evidenced by sincere humility and genuine zeal for the advancement of the cause of Christ. We also believe the Scriptures admonish every believer not to love the world or the things of the world, but rather to flee evil desires, avoid every kind of evil and refrain from questionable practices which destroy one’s testimony, offend one’s brother and fail to glorify God (Proverbs 15:33; Romans 14:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 8:9-13; 10:23-, 33; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 4:32; 5:7-20; Philippians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Peter 5:5-6; 1 John 2:15-17).
The Existence of Satan
We believe in the existence of Satan, who originally was created a sinless being, but through pride and unlawful ambition rebelled against God (Ezekiel 28:13-17; Isaiah 14:13-14; 1 Timothy 3:7); thus becoming utterly depraved in character (John 8:44), the great adversary of God and His people (Matthew 4:1-11; Revelation 12:10), the leader of all other evil angels and spirits (Matthew 12:24-26; 25:41), the deceiver and god of this present world (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4); that his powers are supernaturally great, but strictly limited by the permissive will of God, who overrules all his wicked devices for good (Job 1:1-22; Luke 22:31-32); that he was defeated and judged at the Cross, and therefore his final doom is certain (John 12:31-32; 16:11; Revelation 10:10); that we are able to resist and overcome him only in the armor of God and by the Blood of the Lamb (Ephesians 6:12-18; Revelation 12-11).
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe in the second coming of Christ; that His return from heaven will be personal, visible and glorious–a Blessed Hope for which we should constantly watch and pray, the time being unrevealed but always imminent (Acts 1: 11; Revelation 1:7; Mark 13:33-37; Titus 2:11-13; Revelation 22:20); that when He comes He will first by resurrection and translation remove from the earth His waiting Church (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18), then pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world (Revelation 6:1 – 18:24), afterward descend with His church and establish His glorious and literal kingdom over all the nations for a thousand years (Revelation 19:1 – 20:6; Matthew 13:41-43), at the close of which He will raise and judge the unsaved dead (Revelation 20:11-15), and finally as the Son of David deliver up His Messianic kingdom to God the Father (I Corinthians 15:24-28), in order that as the Eternal Son He may reign forever with the Father in the New Heaven and the New Earth (Luke 1:32-33; Revelation 21:1 -22:6).
Future Life, Bodily Resurrection and Eternal Judgment
We believe in future life, bodily resurrection and eternal judgment; that the spirits of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven (Philippians 1:21-23; 2 Corinthians 5:8), where they abide in joyful fellowship with Him until His second coming, when their bodies will be raised from the grave and changed into the likeness of His own glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:35-38; 1 John 3:2), at which time their works will be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ for the determination of rewards, a judgment which may issue in the loss of rewards but not the loss of the soul (1 Corinthians 3:8-15); that the spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment until the final day of judgment (Luke 16:19-31; 2 Peter 2:9), at which time their bodies will be raised from the grave, they will be judged according to their works and cast into the place of final and everlasting punishment (Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8; Mark 9:43-48; Jude 13).
The Church
We believe in the Church, the mystical Body and Bride of the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 4:4; 5:25-32), which He began to build on the day of Pentecost (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47) and will complete at His second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), and into which all true believers of the present age are baptized immediately by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-13 with 1:2). Every believer must be baptized by total immersion in water, symbolizing and signifying Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inner commitment. It is an act of obedience and humility.
All members of the spiritual Body should assemble themselves together in local churches for worship, prayer, fellowship, edification, teaching, evangelization, and the observance of the ordinances of our Lord (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 1:8; 2:41-47; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 5:17-19; 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:5-7). Those ordinances include baptisms and the partaking of the Lord’s supper, also called communion. In communion the bread symbolizes Jesus’ body and the cup represents His blood that He shed in order to pay for our sins. When we take the Lord’s supper it commemorates the sacrificial death of Christ and to anticipate the messianic supper that will take place when Christ returns.