Camp with Our Kids

I just got back from being at camp with 200 of our middle school and high school students. These kids are having a blast. I absolutely love camp. It is one of the things I miss about being a youth pastor.

Our staff has done an outstanding job. Jeff Armstrong, Cory Hammett, and Bryan Lewis have worked hard to make this camp amazing and it shows. The adult volunteers are doing a great job as well. Their presence in these kids lives is huge.

I am so thankful God brought Jeff here and has called Bryan to serve from within our congregation. I am terribly sad to see Cory headed back to Knoxville, but I know God is going to bless and use him there. Cory is an outstanding man and that guy you can hang with. Cory can keep it real. Thank you for your service Cory. We will always remember you and honor your name.

The students are at Cedarmore Camp and Conference Center. It is a great facility. The staff there is top notch. It's very clean. The food is amazing. The camp leader "T" is too cool. The camp pastor "J" is bringing some great messages. I'm not sure if everybody goes by an initial there, but I like it.

Camp with church is a big deal. I cannot imagine my children missing this experience. It's just one of those special times that prepares someone for a life of faithfulness to God.

There are some things about camp that I think are worth noting. Here are the facts and the fiction about camp.

Fact #1: Camp is fun. Granted, some kids like the outdoors and some kids don't, but camp is fun for everybody. You get to hang with new and old friends all of the time. You get to swim and swing on a wire above or get blasted into the air and land into crisp cold water. There is horseback riding, drama classes, art classes, field games, basketball (Nathan Riley scored 8 points on me like it was nothing), mountain biking, and the list goes on and on.

Fact #2: Camp is life-changing. The Bible studies and large group worship times give students a perspective on the faith that prepares them for life. They gain this perspective with peers and discuss what they are learning with them and other leaders. This makes them friends for life. Some of my best friends are people I went to camp with. Camp builds a strong faith and friendships.

Fact #3: Camp is unique. What makes camp so special is that it is unlike anything else a kid will do the rest of the year. Where and when else will they get away to focus on God with friends and Godly leaders and participate in this much non-stop activity? There is nothing like it and a kid won't forget it. I can recall all the camps I've been to because it is a unique experience.

There is one thing about camp that is not a fact.

A piece of fiction: Camp won't fix a kid. The only way a human heart can be healed and a life made right is with the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can bring light into darkness. Only Jesus can give a life purpose and peace. It is love and forgiveness that we all need. And when we get it, we get life.

What camp and for that matter church, small groups, and youth activities do is put kids in a place to be exposed to Jesus in a way they can understand and receive Him. The most important thing a parent can do is expose their child to Jesus. They must do it first at home. Mom and dad must make their child a disciple (Deuteronomy 6:1-9), but the church can help.

My advice is to train your child in Scripture and get them involved in church. They may be resistant at times. Remember that you send your child to school, the doctor, and a multitude of other places because it is best for them. Getting them involved in the student ministry is best for them. They will find friends and build an enduring faith. It may take time, but they will. And they will have fun doing it.