God Is at Work through Summer Camps

I had the privilege of going to summer camp as a kid. My grandparents saw great value in Christian camp ministry and offered to send all their grandkids to camp every summer. For me, this was the highlight of my year. It was only one week, but the impact on my life was monumental. I can't really describe it, but my experience is not unlike countless others—that camp is a special place where I experienced great friendships, felt deeply loved by God, staff, and counsellors, and where Jesus moved in my life in significant ways.

I love camp ministry. I served Jesus for many years as a camp counsellor. I have loved being a camp speaker. I have personally grown immensely in my faith through camp ministry. I have made life-long friendships at camp, both as a camper and as a staff, one of them being my beautiful wife!

God has done so much in my life and the lives of my family through camp ministry. Three of my four children currently serve on staff at Christian summer camps (not all the same camps). They have all chosen to love children and teenagers with the love of Jesus. They are learning what it means to love sacrificially, to lay down their wants and to put the needs of others ahead of their own. They are part of a team that is so genuinely focused on following the mission of Jesus that they can see first-hand what he is doing! Are they having a blast doing it? Absolutely. They are being transformed as they learn to walk with Jesus and trust him.

And this week, my eight-year-old is a camper for the first time. I can't wait to hear the tall tales he will tell when he returns. Most of all, I want him to encounter who Jesus is through everything that camp is about—the gospel, the adventure, the people, the games, the songs, everything! If you happen to be reading this, I encourage you to pause and pray for the many from our church and community who will hear God's good news at camp and for those serving on staff at camp. It might be lots of fun, but it sure is challenging! Rest assured, though, God IS continuing to write his story, summer after summer, through camp ministry.