Is there anything better than going to camp?
Camps and retreats are a vital part of every family ministry’s discipleship strategy.
Before stepping into my role as a family pastor at a local church, I lived on the grounds of a Christian camp (Camp Ba Yo Ca) in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I know, I know, someone has to suffer for Jesus!
During my 10 year involvement in camping ministry I saw more than 60,000 people come through our facilities. Most of these people were student and kids ministry groups who were taking a spiritual retreat over a weekend.
There are definitely some stellar examples of pastors hitting the ball out of the park, but there were also some nightmare groups that we were praying would simply make it to the end of their two-day retreat!
As you prepare for your upcoming retreat or camp here are a few things camp directors and their staff wish ministry leaders knew before coming to camp.
7 Things You Should Know Before Your Next Retreat
1. Ultimately, the camp staff is in charge
Camps have insurance policies just like your church does. The camp director gets the final say as to what activities or games you get to participate in and the safety guidelines. The more conversations you have on the front end with the camp about the specifies you are planning, the better experience you will have.
2. The camp staffers are not your maids
Be courteous and clean up. If the senior adults left your student center upside down after a luncheon in your room, you would be irate. While your retreat is meant to be fun, please ensure your people clean up their messes in their bunks and around the grounds. Almost all camps are understaffed so any additional cleaning that your group of 50 highly caffeinated middle schoolers can do helps.
3. Submit your schedule a week before
Typically, you will not be the only church renting the facilities that week or weekend. One of the biggest helps to the camp staff is when a pastor submits the retreat schedule. Also, special requests may not be possible if told last minute — so make sure you schedule the late-night campfire.
4. We think about your retreat as much as you do
The staffers spend weeks preparing for your retreat and at least a coupe days cleaning and following up with your church. We pray for transformation to happen. Our desire is to enable you to connect your students and kids with Jesus.
5. Don’t complain about the small things
You know that one person in your church who complains about the air conditioning being too cold one week and then too hot the next Sunday? Yeah, don’t be that person during your retreat. There is a difference between notifying a staffer of a need or problem and complaining about the small things.
6. We are ministry partners, not a hotel
Camps and retreat facilities are para-church organizations — meaning we want to work alongside the church to help her fulfill the Great Commission. If you wanted a bed and breakfast, you should stay at a hotel. Camp staffs are focused on helping you share the Gospel.
7. We want be a catalyst for discipleship
Since camps are para-church organizations, we understand that discipleship will happen during the other 51 weeks in the year. We hope your group experiences God in a real way and we are praying that you will continue to stoke that fire once you return home.
Now What?
How can you cultivate the partnership between your church and your camp?
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