Life lessons with fire: Stuntman helps with biblical lesson

From an interactive sermon with exotic animals to a live, visually dynamic demonstration of a man walking through fire, Rock Church Monroe's "One Wild Summer CampGÇ¥ left a lasting impression on its young attendees.

The camp kicked off Wednesday, July 6, with a family sermon and presentation by "Predators of the Heart,GÇ¥ a nonprofit group that uses wildlife to teach strength of character, compassion and respect for living beings. The three-day summer camp series for kids in first through sixth grade continued with full day of services on Thursday and Friday, including Bible teachings, snacks, prizes and physical activities like running, sports and swimming.

The fire-walking stunt, performed by Monroe Chamber of Commerce president and acclaimed stuntman Mike "Mr. DizzyGÇ¥ Buse, took place on Thursday, July 7, in conjunction with a sermon about worshiping false idols. Rock Church Monroe Lead Pastor Jeff Knight showcased the tale of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, from the Book of Daniel in the Bible's Old Testament.

"It's a story of some of God's servants getting thrown into a fiery furnace but then they come out unscathed,GÇ¥ Knight said.

In the story, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon prominently positions a gold statue in his own likeness, demanding that his constituents bow down before it. He instructs that anybody who fails to do so will be thrown into a furnace filled with fire. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to worship the false idol, promising the king that their God will save them.

Nebuchadnezzar follows through on his pledge and tosses the three Jewish youth into the flames, but as he watches the blaze, he sees four figures walking, unscathed, in the fire.

In order to help bring life to his words, Knight decided to put Buse's penchant for safely performing dangerous stunts to good use. Buse has attended the Rock Church Monroe for about six years, and has been acquainted with Knight since the two were young.

"We figured we should light Dizzy on fire just for fun,GÇ¥ Knight said.

Interacting with kids is one of the best parts of his job, said Buse, who enjoys using his talents to influence youth in a positive way. Buse performed the fire-walking stunt with the help of Dashing Dutchman's Deli co-owner Ernst "DutchmanGÇ¥ ter Horst and several members of the Mr. Dizzy stunt team, including Steve "CowgirlGÇ¥ Getchell, Bob Wilcox and Skip Irvine. It involved equal parts of water and gasoline, along with fireproof clothing, boots, neck protection, a helmet and fire extinguishers.

Rock Church Monroe staffer Curtis Giboney did the honors, setting Buse on fire with a gasoline-doused torch.-á

Buse triumphantly walked approximately 50 feet while engulfed in flames, emerging from the feat completely unharmed. Camp attendees watched from a safe distance, transfixed by the performance. After the stunt was complete, Buse hung out with the kids and gave high-fives before racing off to start his workday.

For more information about the Rock Church, visit www.therockchurch.info. For more information about Mike "Mr. DizzyGÇ¥ Buse, visit mrdizzy.com.