Church camp has always been a way for the Church to extend its ministry outside of the building—encouraging kids to dive into the natural world and explore their faith in new and exciting ways. Hopefully, after a week at camp, kids return to church excited to continue to learn, grow, and mature in their walk with Jesus. Summer camp might only be a week long, but for the other 51 weeks of the year, kids are back at home engaging in their local congregations.
“Camp is the number one reason why I went to confirmation class at my own church and affirmed my own faith among the congregation,” Annabelle, a middle school camper at Camp Bear Creek, said. “It’s been a very helpful place for me to learn about God. Sunday school at church is good, too. At camp, we get to go in depth on a certain Bible story. Both help me learn.”
For Aric, a long-time camper at Bear Creek, church involvement is a normal part of his life since his dad is a pastor. “But this camp helped me learn even more in-depth about things in the Bible. And it’s fun.” Aric says it’s his experience at camp that gets him excited to go back into the church and keep learning.
So many kids had stories about how their experience at camp, talking about their faith with their peers, diving into Bible stories, and spending time in worship really bolstered their walk with Jesus. “I became a Christian at camp,” Pioneer camper HannaRose said. It was the transforming experience she needed and it inspired her to continue learning about God’s Word with her church community back home.
“Camp has impacted my faith in many ways,” CIT Camper, Sawyer, shared. “It drew me closer to God. I first came to camp in third grade. Back then, I just kind of went to church because my parents made me. But now, I’ve really grown a lot. And I teach Sunday school for all the kids at our church.”
Camp is filled with laughter, silliness, and lots of physical activity. However, among the movement and adventure, it’s also a place where kids can be honest, can have authentic conversations and relationships, and where they worship with other children, youth, and young adults from other parts of Iowa and even the world. This one week of their summer is filled with inspiration as they leave their phones and screens behind and spend an intensive time surrounded by God’s creation and learning about God’s love for them. When they leave, they are ready to keep learning, growing, and walking in faith.
So many future church leaders, elders, Sunday school teachers, and pastors have been encouraged and strengthened by their time at summer camp. It’s a place to escape the ordinary and a place to live into God’s call on their lives. Maybe there are no pews or stained glass windows at camp, but the authentic, faith-forming experience is one that spurs them on to lead and love in their churches back home. Don’t wait. Register your camper for summer camp today!
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Special Persons Week (July 2nd-7th)