By Ryan & Joanne Friesen

As summer approaches there are several questions that always arise: what is the purpose of camp? How do we meet our campers spiritually? How do we meet our staff spiritually?  How do we grow our staff spiritually? And most importantly what is the heart of camp for this summer?  And every year time is spent earnestly seeking God and praying about these crucial questions.

People meet God

The bottom line is camp needs to be a place where people meet God!  We have the unique opportunity to do this because His creation surrounds everything we do. For the trees, the lake, mountains and wildlife all testify His greatness (1Chronicles 16:31-33, Psalm 95: 11-12 & 98:7-8), how can one not experience God in his creation?

As I have asked the question of camp’s purpose surrounded by God’s creation the song ‘Come, Now is the Time’ to Worship by Brian Doerksen, has run through my head again and again.  Driving me to ask are we providing an opportunity and right atmosphere for our staff and campers to truly worship God?

Challenged to worship

People often see summer camps as just outdoor fun. The mindset is that we bring children into creation to get exercise and have camp adventures.  While this is partly true what we, as Christian camps, should be striving for is to bring children into creation to Worship our God and then out of that Worship have fun in His creation. If our focus was on wholehearted Worship lives will be changed, staff and campers will serve and seek to live as Christ has instructed them.

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Camps need staff that sees the need to live lives of worship that come from a heart of servant hood. The focus should be on how they are willing to serve not what they can receive by serving.  Worship for our staff will mean that their lives reflect not what they want, but what God wants for them. This summer we are striving to have staff that are focused on worship.

Camp staff pray

Camp needs to be a place where staff intentionally take the time to pray, seek God and meet Him in the beauty of His creation.  A place where people live as Paul says in Romans 12:1-2.  

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.  

A place where God is Lord and that in our worship we seek to serve Him in all that we do at camp.  Especially, a place that staff seek God to transform their lives and where the distractions of Is are removed, so both staff and campers can hear God’s creation.

April 2008