(posted : Friday Jul 23, 2010)
Almost every student ministry in America does some sort of summer camp. Some do their own camp; some band with other churches; some go to a pre-packaged camp. But do we know why? It seems like when discussing your student ministry, you are obligated to mention your summer camp, and why it is so great. But what is the purpose?
Almost every student ministry in America does some sort of summer camp. Some do their own camp; some band with other churches; some go to a pre-packaged camp. But do we know why? It seems like when discussing your student ministry, you are obligated to mention your summer camp, and why it is so great. But what is the purpose?
Many parents send their teens to camp to get them out of the house for a week in the summer. Some think it is the good thing to do, since all of their friends from church are going. Those are both fine things, but neither are why we do summer camp.
Summer camps are generally filled with games, activities, sports, water fun, crafts and many other fun events. But that is a very minor part of summer camp. Camp is a way that we can pull our teens out of their normal world, get them away from the cell phones, Facebook, iPods, Wii's and more, and spend some serious time in the Word of God with them. Camp can be life changing! Of course, we always hear about the "after-camp-let-down". I too, have experienced that. However, as I look back on being a teenager and being a camper at Word of Life Island in Schroon Lake, NY, I can see how God used those weeks to bump me in the right direction. Without camp, I would not have gone to the Word of Life Bible Institute. Without going there, I doubt that I would be in ministry today! I know that the skeptics out there are thinking, "I am sure God would have gotten through to him anyway." I am not so sure. I am generally pretty hard-headed. If not for the weeks of intense Bible study, Quiet Time and continual challenge to live 100% for God that constantly pointed me back to Him, I can honestly say I have no idea where I would be or what I would be doing today. No, camp didn't get rid of all of my sin habits. No, by going to camp I didn't become awesomesuperChristianguywhoneversins (still working on that, but won't happen until Heaven), but it helped me to make steps in the right direction.
When I look at a camp, I want it to be fun. But more than that, I want to know that what is taught from the platform is going to be accurate and Biblical. I want to know that the counselors have been trained in working with teens and in the Bible. I want to know that Gospel will be preached. I want to know that students will be challenged to serve God and love God and live for God. By the way, these are all reasons that we go to Word of Life Camps.
Camp is more than fun and games. It is more than just a week away. It is life changing. And that is why we do summer camp.
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