Kathy Hillman: Camp: Refreshed, refocused & ready

“Leave your stress and electronics at the gate. Slow down. Look inside. Listen, learn and fill your hearts and minds with God.” (Bob Young and Matt Snowden, Paisano 2015)

Kathy HillmanEvery summer, my car heads west for the eight-hour drive to Paisano Baptist Encampment. For the last century, my mother’s clan has escaped to the cool Davis Mountains to refresh body and spirit. Since my birth, I’ve joined family and friends for a week of preaching, music, Bible study, recreation, reflection and lots of conversation. Cell service remains iffy, and wi-fi requires a 10-mile trip to town.

This year’s “cowboy camp meeting” held special significance. Our grandson Mitchell prayed to receive Christ during day camp. Incoming Paisano President Bill Collins baptized Mitchell in the old baptistery near the tree where his great-great-great-grandfather Crawford Mitchell “was converted” in 1899 and George Truett preached the first Paisano sermon in 1916.

Music is an important part of the Paisano camp experience.Mother made her profession of faith at Paisano. Several friends, including Danny Reeves, pastor of First Baptist Church in Corsicana, and Nate Sprinkle, pastor of First Baptist Church in Jayton, committed themselves to ministry there. Nate met and later proposed to his wife, Barbi, at Paisano. God clarified their call and mine on those hallowed grounds, “thin places where heaven and earth touch,” according to Paisano preacher David Lowrie.

But we are not alone. Every year, 330,000 guests visit the 29 camps related to Texas Baptists. Like Mitchell, some 8,000 people will make first-time salvation decisions. Another 7,000 will rededicate themselves. Recent camps have focused on God’s call to vocational service. Nearly 2,000 have responded. Susan Ater serves as the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ specialist/consultant/liaison to camps. Rachel Welshimer, granddaughter of Paisano President Levi Price, and Molly Katherine Snowden, daughter of Paisano Pastor Matt Snowden, work together on crafts.Her office provides resources for leadership training, assessments, conflict resolution and camp-specific consultations.

Paisano preacher and Mississippi native Matt Snowden asked why Texas has so many encampments. Texas Baptist Encampment, at Palacios, founded in 1902, pre-dates Southern Baptists’ Ridgecrest encampment by five years. Individuals began some camps, such as Paisano. Under an earlier BGCT organizational system, associations divided into 17 districts. Districts formed camps. District 14 established Latham Springs near Waco. Growing up in Eldorado, I attended our district’s GA camp at Heart of Texas on Lake Brownwood. 

Large associations also created camps, such as Mount Lebanon (Dallas), Glen Rose (Tarrant), Trinity Pines (Union) and Aspendale in New Mexico (El Paso). Pastor Milton Cunningham and Westbury Baptist Church in Houston birthed Camp Tejas. Camp Menard focuses on Hispanics. Camp Buckner extends Buckner International’s ministry.

Most encampments sponsor camps but also provide facilities for church-, association- and ministry-led camps, retreats and conferences. Nate Sprinkle (left), pastor of First Baptist Church in Jayton, helps his father-in-law Buddy Baldridge scoop ice cream.Some sites remain rustic. Others offer full-range accommodations, from hotel rooms to bunk beds, and activities, from archery to climbing walls to paintball. Many operate year ’round. However, the purpose remains to “furnish the opportunity for recreation and rest, and at the same time … instruction in the word of God.”

Programs for youth and children involve camp staff or are staffed by their sponsoring groups. Texas Baptist Men pioneered day camping at Paisano. Charlie Elliott, activities director at First Baptist Church in Midland, extended the program. He created the church’s Rec Team to take camp to kids. The collegian Rec Team members train youth to be counselors, provide a week of day camp and close with a youth-led revival. 

Kathy Hillman’s grandson Mitchell was baptized by Bill Collins at Paisano.The plan continues 30-plus years later, led by current Minister of Activities John Elliott. This year, six college students traveled with their well-stocked rec wagon. Jonatan Amaya (Baptist University of the Américas), Kevin Campbell (Texas A&M University), Aubrie Elliott (Howard College), M’Lee Graham (Hardin-Simmons University), Blair Lewis (Tarleton State Univesity) and Erin Roy (University of Texas at San Antonio) hosted 13 sports and/or day camps, mentored 150-plus teenagers and shared the gospel with 1,000-plus girls and boys.

The Rec Team closed their summer leading Paisano’s day camp. As they reflected on providing “fun with a purpose,” they shared stories of deepened faith, lives changed and 102 children saved. 

Aubrie told of Shane, who came committed to basketball but left with a new commitment. A child with Down syndrome touched Erin when he voluntarily prayed, although she couldn’t understand every word. Blair told of hanging out with teens from hard homes. M’Lee expressed joy at being part of “the most important decision a person will ever make.” Jonatan talked of God’s calming grace as he preached his first sermon in English.

Kevin expressed what we should all take from camp: “Every single day, I walked with God and watched him work through me. Now I realize my game should be no different every single day at Texas A&M.”

Thank you, God, for camps where many trust you and where we can be refreshed, refocused and ready to walk with you and let you work through us every single day.

Kathy Hillman is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. She also is director of Baptist collections, library advancement and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor University