Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Why I Love Church Camp

For many years I was a dean at church camp.  I did kid's camps and teen camps and lead in various capacities of leadership: worship, speaking, directing, spiritual formation, etc.  I know of no other work that I have done through the years that has yielded a greater harvest for the Kingdom of God than church camp.  Decisions were made at camp that changed lives forever.

Those 5 days of focused spiritual growth can define a spiritual journey.  And that's just for the faculty and staff!  For the campers it is even more significant.  The growing up years are so impressionable, and the impact of a powerful week of camp can serve as one of those defining moments in life.

It was a Thursday night at church camp when I yielded my will and gave my heart to Jesus.  I remember it vividly.  It was at an outdoor chapel area at Camp Sooner in Pink, Oklahoma.  The chapel speaker was Paul Crosby and the sermon he spoke that night literally broke my heart for the Lord.  I felt like he was talking to me.  I wept.  I was deeply moved.  I felt God's presence for the first time in my life and my relationship with my Savior began.  The whole week of camp built up to that moment for me.  All of the classes and scripture, the activities and times with family groups.  God had been speaking and preparing my heart all week.  I remember making the walk in the dark from the chapel area all the way over to cabin #2, where the Oakwood boys called home for the week.  I was walking with friends who were like blood-brothers in Christ.  We were talking about how overwhelmed we were by God's grace and love.  I was changed forever.  I would have been baptized that night in that camp pool, but my mom and dad wanted to see their first child be baptized, so I waited till I got home for my baptism.  I'm forever grateful for that week of camp.

Statistics say that a week of church camp is like a year of Sunday School.  A week at church camp exposes our kids to a lot of scripture.  You and I know that God's Word changes lives, so we know that exposure is so important.  The church camp environment is set up to affect spiritual awareness and change in attenders, whether they have placed faith in Christ or whether they are contemplating that decision for the first time.  The opportunities at church camp are just amazing!  We need to get our kids "unplugged" from the social media, gaming, and phones for a week so they can hear God again.  Trust me, they won't get bored at camp, but they will find their mind's attention and their heart's affection turned more toward the things of God.

Little known fact, but Christian churches were the pioneers of the church camp idea and model.  The church camp idea started in the late 1800's.  Other denominations knew a good idea when they saw it and followed suit.  With more and more teens getting jobs today and being overactivitied, there are fewer and fewer attending camps.  Numbers today remain strong for the younger kids, but trail off for those getting ready to leave home and embark in life on their own.  I wish it were not so.  I know of no other venue that sets the table for life like a good week of church camp.

So, camp season is almost upon us.  There are many opportunities for you and your kids to be involved.  When you are asked to go as a sponsor or volunteer for a week, to teach or serve in some capacity, do not hesitate.  God moves in incredible ways at church camp.  And the life change you experience...may be your own.


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