WEEK 6 Camping
DEFINITION OF CAMPING
Camping is defined as any time a leader or leaders take students out of their normal
environment.
ELEMENTS OF CAMPING
Counselor-Centered, or more simply defined, "Relationships." The whole of any camping
program we put together should center on the relationship between a leader and students. Not
only does that relationship give us the credibility for everything else we do with the students, it
serves as the model or basis for discussing what it means to have a relationship with Christ.
Especially in today's world, we need to realize that a stable relationship between a leader and a
young person may very well be the only stable relationship in that student's life. It is next to
impossible to understand the concept of a relationship with Christ if we have no good
relationships in our lives to serve as models. We need to ensure in our own minds and programs
that the relationships between leaders and students is foremost in how we plan trips. The
things we do with students are only effective in our ministry in so much as they (1) build those
relationships or (2) use those relationships to convey a message to the students.
Alternative Environment. This refers to that process of taking students out of their routine
environment (especially out of town) to a setting which is unique to them. This enhances the
stopping of students long enough to hear the gospel. Although we are not advocating that
students move when they become Christians, when presenting the Christian faith to non-
Christians we are basically talking about a complete change in that person's world — a change
into a different personal and spiritual environment. Therefore, it is sometimes helpful to pull
students into a neutral physical setting to more fully allow them to take an objective look at
their own lives and make decisions based on a "new" picture of what their life could look like.
Message. Here referring to the verbal proclamation of the gospel. This can take many forms
(e.g., talks, Bible study, testimonies, etc.) and should be consistent with our emphasis on
relationships. We do not build someone's trust in order to cram something down his or her
throat. Rather, our proclamation should be a verbalization of that which the students have
already experienced through their relationships with leaders. We describe a relationship with
Christ which is the reason they notice a difference in their leaders' lives, and which is consistent
with the relationship they have experienced with their leaders. The other important thing to
note here is that the speaker, or presenter, needs to see his or her role as secondary to the
leader or counselor. The speaker is simply putting into words what the leader is fleshing out for
the kids, and it is the leader's responsibility to ensure that the students understand and
contemplate the message, which leads to the fourth major piece of the puzzle.
Processing. Processing takes people a step beyond giving them information and asking them to
think about it. Here people are given the chance to talk about the subject, ask questions, look at
any significance it has in their own life, and especially discover new insights by listening to
themselves talk as opposed to simply listening to someone else's ideas. Students today are
overwhelmed with information. We need to make sure that we are doing more with the gospel
than simply passing it on as another does in their diet of information. On the other hand,
students today have very little chance to process all of their information (little time with
parents, etc.). And we know that information alone does not change lives. It is only as that
information is processed, sorted, and integrated that lives become changed. Our camping
programs need to include a mechanism to process that which is presented to students. In most
settings this can be accomplished through small groups under well-trained leadership, hence a
need to train people to put less emphasis on good speaking and more on good group leading
skills. We stand a much better chance today of winning a student to Christ through mediocre
speaking and great processing than through articulate, polished speaking and poor or no group
processing.
A DESIGN FOR AN OUTREACH CAMPING EXPERIENCE:
AChrist-Centered in Origin
The camper should leave the camp in awe of the facilities, impressed with the food,
struck by the program, but most importantly touched by the person of Christ.
Every aspect of the camping experience should honor and point to God. This must begin
long before the camper arrives.
The facilities should reflect Christ. They need not be overwhelming in beauty but should be
well taken care of and perhaps even understated so as not to draw away from both the God-
created surroundings and the message of Christ during the camp. It is not the camp or staff we
urge kids to remember, it's the Savior.
One of the toughest areas in which to be Christ-centered and yet one of the most critical is in
the program. The role of the program is to provide a positive atmosphere for the presentation
of the gospel. Humor, music, and enjoyable activities are the primary vehicles used to
accomplish this task. In the lives of many non-Christian students, the humor they respond to,
the music they enjoy, and the activities they engage in and declare as enjoyable are far from
Christ-centered. The program director must often pioneer new ground in humor, music, and
activities for these people. Unfortunately, some program directors do not take that risk and
compromise a Christ-centered program for one that will get laughs and involvement from kids
through vehicles the kids feel comfortable with. Music with questionable lyrics, humor that is
destructive or suggestive, and activities that are distinctively worldly are the results of this
compromise and Christ is lost in the shuffle. The program must strive to provide students with a
very positive alternative to what they engage in day-to-day.
The program director should be a facilitator of fun and not the center of camper's attention. His
or her position is one of high profile and every effort must be made to point the kids to Christ
and not to human personalities.
The rest of the staff must follow suit. Work crew kids have a powerful impact on the kids in
camp. For kids to see contemporaries working for Christ and not for money is an incredible
message.
Everyone from assigned staf, to work crew, to property staff, to staff spouses is responsible to
present Christ to the camper. Although that presentation may not be verbal in nature, actions
and attitudes speak loudly and clearly to kids.
Relational in Nature
Camping must be a relational ministry. All year long, staff and volunteers spend time
with students "on their own turf' to win their trust and ear. Camp should be no different.
Camping should be a Christian counselor's dream. Every aspect of the experience should
enhance the counselor's ability to share and explain Christ to the camper.
The facilities should be large enough for campers to feel free in movement, but small
enough so that staff and counselors can remain in touch and relational with the
students. This can be a fine line.
There should be plenty of things for counselors to do at camp with students during free
time. Counselors must be instructed in how to use this relational time with kids to firm
up friendships or to use firm friendships to discuss
Christ. Facilities should also be built with relationships in mind. Large comfortable sitting
areas and cabins conducive to conversation should be designed with relational
evangelism as the goal.
Camping needn't be so hectic that relational ministry is thwarted. Many camps are so
over-programmed that students and counselors have neither the time nor the energy to
build or strengthen relationships. This is the fault of the program director. The camp
needs to involve activities that build relationships and evangelism on the part of the
counselor.
No matter how fine the facility or how perfect the schedule, if counselors are not doing
their job, all is wasted. Counselors need to have been trained biblically and in
methodology, and closely supervised and encouraged by the assigned staff. The role of
the head counselor is to equip, encourage, and assist counselors in their monumental
task of ministering to their students.
Evangelism
Students are at camp to hear about, and hopefully respond to Jesus Christ. A camp
ministry does not run health resorts, athletic camps, or places to "just get away." Youth
ministry is in evangelistic outreach camping. Evangelism should be of highest priority.
The most visible vehicle of evangelism is the camp speaker. This person will daily have
the opportunity to present the Gospel to students. All should be excellent. The music,
the humor, and all activities in club should pave the way for the climax - the gospel
presentation. The presentation should be enjoyable, reasonable in length, and most
importantly, clear in understanding. The series of messages should logically build upon
one another with the Person of Christ, sin, the work of Christ, and personal
appropriation included. The messages should be a springboard for counselor/camper
discussion and it is often helpful for the speaker to pose questions to be discussed in
cabin time.
Although the speaker is the "up front" communicator of the gospel, the counselor "in
the trenches" with students remains the primary evangelist. The counselor clarifies,
expounds, and personalizes the speaker's message and it is often the counselor who
actually leads the camper to Christ. Evangelism begins when counselor meets student,
continues to camp, through camp, and often after camp until a student accepts Christ. If
a student rejects Christ, evangelism continues. If a student meets Christ, discipleship
begins. The counselor must not be afraid to cross that relational bridge he has built. He
must cross that bridge with the Gospel of Christ.
Conclusion
Camping in itself is not holy. Yes, it has been used by God to produce holy results, but it is not
sacred in and of itself. Youth ministries must be willing to constantly evaluate effectiveness and
adapt camping approaches to see students won to Christ. That is our goal, to provide the most
efficient and effective way for a leader to see his or her camper come to Christ. [Steve
Vandegriff (2018). (p. 56). Lecture Text to Accompany Campus Ministry, , 6th Edition. Retrieved
from https://app.wordsearchbible.lifeway.com]
Creative Camping Possibilities
1Hiking Trip
take a group of 2 to 12 students
need 1 leader for each 5-6 students
go to anyplace out of town where you can hike with no one else around
program involves hiking and cooking
2Canoe Trip
take a group of 6 to 15 students
need 1 leader for each 4 students
good idea to bring along an extra motor boat for food and emergencies
program involves canoeing and cooking and fun in the water
go to any large lake or river (if everyone has experience canoeing)
3Spelunking Trip
take 2 to 10 students
take students who are not squeamish types and who like a physical challenge (it is hard work
and you spend most of your time wet)
need one leader for each 2-3 students program involves exploring caves and cooking
often part of this camp involves a hike since few caves are accessible by road
you need to have along safety equipment and at least one experienced caver
4Rock Climbing Trips
take 5 to 10 students
need one leader for every 2-3 students
program involves rock climbing, cooking, and relaxing in the sun
need to have all of the equipment (expensive) and all of the leaders need to know how to
operate the climbing gear properly (no margin for error here)
5Bike Trips
take 5 to 30 students
need 1 leader for every 5-6 students
program involves biking and exploring area
need to figure out if you want to bring your gear on the bike or have a base camp that you leave
from every day
6Cabin Trip
5 to 10 students
1 leader for each 5 students
program is walking around outside, and playing games inside
easy to do, need to borrow someone's cabin
7City Trip
go to another city and spend a few days there (go to a hockey game, to the mall, visit another
Young Life club or campaigners, or just hang out)
2 to 10 students
1 leader for each 4-5 students
program is hanging out at different places in the city
stay at someone's house (or a hotel if you're rich) and pay them for the food [Steve Vandegriff
(2018). (p. 58). Lecture Text to Accompany Campus Ministry, , 6th Edition. Retrieved from
https://app.wordsearchbible.lifeway.com]
