Camp Connection: How Christian Camps Transform Young Lives

Imagine a place where faith comes alive in vivid colour, where children experience the joy and wonder of Christianity not just as a Sunday routine but as a thrilling, everyday adventure.

This coming summer, millions of young people will attend Christian camps across the world, and they’ll encounter Jesus. This is the potential of partnering your children's ministry with Christian camps – a step that could revolutionize how young people experience faith.

Unveiling a Dynamic Jesus: Christian Camps uniquely portray Jesus – active, adventurous, and relatable to children. As leaders, you can bring this dynamic version of Jesus into your ministry, making faith an exhilarating journey for their young hearts.

Camps as Catalysts for Faith: These spaces are not just about fun and games; they are spiritual powerhouses where children can encounter God in a more informal yet profound way. This aligns perfectly with our goal to make faith a living, breathing part of children's lives.

Leadership in Action: Christian Camps are natural environments for leadership development. They encourage children and young people to step up, take responsibility, and grow in confidence – invaluable skills in their faith journey and life.

Engagement Beyond Sunday: Camps provide a full-bodied experience of Christian living that extends beyond the church walls. By partnering with camps, you're offering a more holistic approach to faith education, one that's immersive and impactful.

Building a Faith Community: Camps understand the importance of community in nurturing faith. They create a space where children can form lasting bonds with peers who share their beliefs, reinforcing their commitment to the church and each other.

Joyful Gospel Living: Camps exemplify the joy of the Gospel. They teach children that following Jesus is not just a duty but a delightful adventure filled with love, laughter, and learning.

Tailoring the Message: Recognizing that every child is unique, camps are adept at presenting the Gospel in diverse ways, ensuring that every young heart finds its way to Jesus because they typically have small group sizes and always have lots of time to be with campers.

Practical Ways to Partner with Christian Camps

Partnering with Christian camps opens a world of possibilities for deepening faith, nurturing leadership, and building community among our young believers. Here are a few ideas to kick-start how you could work more closely with a Christian Camp:

• Supporting Young Leaders: Make it a point to visit young leaders from your church working at camps. Bring them a taste of home with treats and encourage them to share their camp experiences with the church upon their return.

• Camp Recommendations: Create a list of recommended camps and share it with your congregation. Consider factors like faith alignment, safety standards, and the variety of programs offered.

• Financial Assistance Initiatives: Establish a church fund to support families who can't afford camp experiences. This could involve fundraising events or a designated portion of church donations.

• Volunteering Opportunities: Encourage church members to volunteer at camps. This could range from a few days to several weeks, offering valuable support to the camp while deepening their own faith.

• Shared Events and Activities: Organize joint events or activities with the camp, like a family day at the campsite or a camp-themed service at your church.

• Prayer and Spiritual Support: Regularly include the camps and their attendees in your church prayers. Offer spiritual support and guidance to the camp leadership.

• Communication and Feedback Loop: Keep an open line of communication with the camp for feedback and stories that can be shared with your congregation to encourage participation.

Taking the Next Step

Want to take a step towards partnering with a Christian camp to make it easier for your families to plug into this sort of experience?

• Engage with Your Community: Start conversations with your congregation members connected to Christian camps. Take them out for a coffee and ask them if there is a way you could work closer together.

• Explore and Connect: Visit Christian Camping International for a broader perspective and possible partnerships. You can drill down through their association search to find a camp you would work with.

• Personal Assistance: I am always available to help find the perfect camp that aligns with your church’s vision and values. Drop me an email!

This partnership is not just about adding an activity to your children's ministry; it's about enriching the spiritual soil in which our young ones grow. It's about creating a vibrant, Jesus-centered community that extends beyond the church walls and into the heart of God's creation.

A church and our camp collaborate each summer to connect camp experiences with church involvement. When parents register their children for our camp, they can mention their church affiliation. In spring, these details are shared with the church, and a gift pack is prepared for the camper. This pack includes a custom-branded pillowcase, a personal note, candy, and a coupon inviting the child to visit the church for an additional gift. These packs are given to campers at the camp. This initiative benefits everyone: campers receive a special gift, the church welcomes returning children, and as a Camp director, I appreciate the stronger ties between camp experiences and the children's home church community. You can come up with simple, creative and effective ways to partner with camps in your community!

Together, let's explore this opportunity to bring a fresh, dynamic dimension to our children's ministry, building a future where faith is not just learned but lived with joy and enthusiasm.

Rich Birch is the executive director of Camp Mini-Yo-We in Muskoka, Canada. Every summer for nearly 80 years, this camp has welcomed over 2,500 kids from a wide variety of backgrounds to develop as tomorrow’s leaders through life-changing adventures.

Rich is passionate about helping young leaders launch into their lives. He has over 25 years of experience leading in the non-profit sector in senior leadership roles in Canada and the United States.

He is a parent of two young adult children, Haley & Hunter and is married to Christine. Together, they continue to try to read the mind of what their dog, Rory, really wants when she whines!