Finding the right camp experience

Congregations need to consider what they are seeking to accomplish with their youth in order to pick a summer camp that meets their needs, according to Texas Baptist encampment leaders.

The marketplace features a variety of camp offerings for congregations, and each of them offers a slightly different emphasis, said Susan Ater, who is the liaison for Texas Baptists to the state's 29 Baptist encampments. Some are evangelism-driven. Others are discipleship-driven. Others focus on providing ways for youth groups to bond. Most try to blend each of these purposes, but their strengths shine through and can be seen by looking at a camp's schedule.

Small-group time is an important element of the camping experience for the youth of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.

Extensive large-group times typically are focused on creating opportunities for youth to respond to a gospel invitation. Longer small-group times allow for follow-up on decisions as well as discipleship. Extended recreation periods foster strong team building that can bond a youth group together.

The best camp is the one that matches what a church is doing in its youth program.

"It would really depend on each individual church group and each individual youth minister," said Rhonda Roberts, executive director of Heart of Texas Baptist Camp and Conference Center in Brownwood.

Camps offer partners for churches, helping them reach their goals, Ater said. Choosing an appropriate summer camp requires youth leaders to understand their programs and the youth they serve. Ministers need to plan teaching and programming that leads up to a camp as well as efforts that reinforce the camp experience after the group returns.

Last year, more than 8,000 young people made recorded first-time professions of faith in Christ as Lord at Texas Baptist encampments that host a variety of camps throughout the year. Roughly 7,000 people rededicated themselves to God, and another 2,000 people felt called to vocational ministry. In all, 330,000 people attended a Texas Baptist camp last year.

"This is one of the greatest evangelistic tools that exists in our state," Ater said. "Look at the numbers: 7,000 to 8,000 salvations a year. That's pretty significant. Of course, we're talking about a partnership with the church that has prepared the youth and nurtured the youth. Then they come to camp, which provides an opportunity, during a focused week, to respond to the gospel."

The impact of camps goes beyond salvations, Ater noted. Youth who return year after year to summer camp are learning skills that help them grow in their faith, assume leadership roles and share the gospel with people around them.

"We tend to focus on the incredible numbers of salvation experiences that occur every summer at our camps," she said. "In addition to that, consider that Texas Baptist leaders of the future are being mentored and trained through these summer camp experiences. I love that."

When done well, camp is more than an event for a congregation, said Danny Dawdy, executive director of Highland Lakes Camp and Conference Center in Spicewood. Camp is a church cooperating with a Christian organization to help share the gospel with non-Christian youth and help Christian youth grow in their faith.

"We try to look at what the mission statement of the church is and try to help them accomplish that," Dawdy said.

Planned properly within a ministry context, lives and entire youth groups can be changed by camp experiences, Roberts noted. A secluded setting empowers a person to connect with God. One week of camp provides the same number of hours as an entire year of Sunday School.

"There's a power in camp that comes from getting away from your normal routine and coming to worship God," Roberts said. "God uses the unique environment of camp to change lives."