Making Summer Camps Important

Why should our churches prioritize summer camps?

I know from personal experience that summer camps are transformative. At the age of 10, God met with me at a boys and girls camp in eastern Michigan. One Wednesday evening, I opened my life to God’s direction as I responded to the invitation to receive Christ as my personal Savior. At that same camp, I also said “Yes” to his invitation to serve as a minister in his church. 

How can we make summer camps a priority?

Publish camp dates and prices early. Summer schedules can fill quickly with many activities for our children and youth. They have to compete with family vacations, sports, and extracurricular school activities. Most districts plan well ahead and can provide details to local churches. Many children and youth need financial assistance, so fundraising and scholarships are needed.

Make camps a vital aspect of your programming. Local church schedules can also fill up during the summer. So it’s important to put camp dates on the church calendar to avoid conflicts.

Share camp experiences. Give opportunities to those who have already enjoyed camp to share their experiences. Involve the whole church in providing camp scholarships.

Accompany the children and youth. Not only are camp workers and counselors needed, our local children’s and youth workers have a wonderful opportunity for further relationship building. The spiritual growth taking place during camp is vital, and it is important for our adult disciple makers to experience it with our children and youth.

Use strategic follow up after camps. Success requires planning, follow through, and follow up.  If you were with your children and youth in camp, you will know what they experienced, and you will be able to firm up and build on those experiences. Once the camp emotions subside, they need to be firmly established in your discipleship groups where they can grow together. 

Please share your camp experiences. Send them to dstanton@nazarene.org