by Chase | Kid Min, Student Min
Did you ever work at a summer camp?Â
Most adults remember the fun times, silly games, and weird stories they experienced as a kid at camp. Camps and retreats are incredible tools that churches and non-profits leverage to connect kids, students, and families with Jesus. During these weeks distractions are limited and the Gospel of Jesus is magnified.
But all of these camps don’t magically happen – it takes months of preparation, planning, and training to ensure camps run smoothly when the students show up on campus.
When I worked as a camp director we were always in need of high school and college age employees to run our day-to-day operations, offices, maintain facilities, and lead their peers.
Now, as a family pastor, I encourage our high school and college students to work at camps during the summer months. Some are able to devote their entire break to working at a camp, but others are only able to serve a week or two because of their sports schedules. Either way, working at a camp invests spiritually and professionally in a student’s life.
There are plenty of camps that your student could get involved in: day camps, music camps, traditional summer camps, conferences, and so on.
Regardless of the type of camp the truth is that serving at a camp is the best summer job for students to discover how God has wired them.
If you are a parent who is wondering what your student should do this summer, here are some reasons as to why they should consider working at a camp.
5 Reasons Your Student Should Work At Camp
Your Student Will Grow Spiritually
Would you rather your child to work with someone who views him or her as an employee or as a brother/sister in Christ? All of us need environments that promote spiritual growth and a camp is a perfect place for students to use God’s Word. As students use share their testimony, lead Bible studies, and pray for others they will develop a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Your Student Will Develop Christian Friendships
As your student hangs out with the camp staff they will develop some strong friendships with other Christians teenagers and young adults. This new peer group can be a catalyst for encouragement, growth, and community that your student has been searching for in high school.
Your Student Will Discover His Giftedness
Students hate the question, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” Let’s face it; you didn’t know when you were their age either! Camps will expose students to a wide variety of jobs. They will coordinate volunteers, lead games, write lessons, post to social medias, work with their hands, and lead a staff. As they are doing ministry they will discover how God has designed them for ministry.
Your Student Will Make An Impact In The Kingdom Of God
This is a no-brainer. Your student will be making an impact in the Kingdom of God instead of making milkshakes at the local diner or playing video games all summer long. Believers are called to be doers of God’s Word, no matter their age.
Your Student Will Be Developed Professionally
Camps provide on-the-job training that impacts students professionally as well as spiritually. While working at camps I have learned how to be a part of a team, lead a staff, and prepare meeting notes. I also learned how to relate with others, marketing, fundraising, time management and more. Since students are working in a variety of areas they are trained to be a well-rounded employee.
Now What?
How will your student spend their summer?
If you need help looking for opportunities, contact your church or local denomination to see what opportunities are available in your area.
by Chase | Kid Min, Leadership, Student Min
When you are stuck or unsure of how to proceed, what do you do? What is your go-to for making an investment in your ministry?Â
Maybe you check Google to see if there is some info out there that would help. My wife’s go-to these days is Pinterest. She knows that someone else has probably already written about the project she’s up against, and she’s a whiz at finding tutorials for just about anything.
But what happens when you are stuck spiritually? There are a lot of good answers to that question — reading Scripture, seeking out a fellow Christian for advice, and so on. But the one thing you cannot forget, the one we all most often leave out, is prayer.
Prayer. That’s it.
I know how we read blog posts so resist the urge to close out of this because there isn’t anything “new” here. The truth is that we, the spiritual leaders, can quickly dismiss prayer because we are busy working in ministry.Â
The Bible is full of instruction on this.
Not enough people to do the work you just know God can do in your group, community, family? Of course there isn’t! God says the laborers are few and to pray for more!
Feeling lonely and desperately desiring really fellowship with other Christians? Pray for it. Pray honestly and earnestly that you would be someone who understands what it means to bear one another’s burdens and that you would find others who are also willing to do that.
Kids in your Sunday school class not talking on Sundays? Pray. Ask God to use His Spirit to convict you where you need to change and to give you inspiration in your planning so you can add in questions tailored to your students.
4 Tips for Unceasing Prayer for Ministers
1. When the problem comes to mind, say a prayer.
This can be a long prayer or a short prayer, but bringing the matter to God in the moment of need is key.
2. Intentionally remind yourself to pray.
If you absolutely cannot forget to do something, what is your go-to method to remind yourself? Do you set alarms, make lists, e-mail yourself, tell a friend … whatever you do for the most important things you absolutely cannot forget, do it to remind yourself to pray.
3. Make a list and refer to it often to see how God is working.
When you pray repeatedly for the same list of things, you’ll start to notice the movements of God in those situations. If you’ve got a list handy of what you have committed yourself to in prayer, you will be able to update it. You’ll see where God is moving, and you will be able to rejoice in His faithfulness.
4. Pray Scripture over your situation.
You probably had some Bible verses come to mind as you read Point No. 4. If God says He is capable of something, and you need Him to do that for you, read those verses and ask God to act. Ask Him to bring you to other areas of Scripture that you need for your own growth, too, because let’s be honest — we aren’t perfect, and we need to be sure that nothing we are doing is hindering our situation.
Prayer that works is prayer with consistency, with regularity, with sincerity, and with strategy.
If you could get God to do just one thing to make your ministry so much ____ (better, easier, wider reaching, deeper, whatever you need) during this season of ministry, what would it be?
How can you improve your prayer life and ask God to give you that?
by Chase | Kid Min, Leadership, Student Min
Every church leader I talk to has the same frustration: People are too busy to serve at church.
It’s been this way for quite some time, so we started rotations to help convince busy people that serving is doable. The aim was to make ministry more manageable and volunteer friendly. But over the years, we have created a dangerous culture that values volunteers more than actual ministry.Â
Nearly every church has a rotation of some sort within their church. Within family ministry (my context is babies through college), volunteer rotations run rampant. Volunteers have the option of serving one out of four (or more) weeks in an area.
Seems harmless enough, right?
Over time, I believe this system leads to volunteer burnout, frustrated parents, and kids who aren’t ministered to effectively. Here are a few unintentional issues we have created within the family ministries with volunteer rotations.Â
The 9 Pitfalls of Volunteer Rotations
(This applies to both kids and student ministries. I use the word “kids” just to keep some consistency through the post.)
Your Leaders Are Not Rested
One of the main reasons for rotating volunteers is to give leaders flexibility and rest. But the truth is that many volunteers are on multiple rotations (nursery, welcome team, kids worship, etc.) and rest never actually happens. They end up serving in more areas of the church because it’s “just one Sunday out of every four.” They probably serve just as much as your leaders who serve every week in the same area, but they end up with multiple areas of responsibility, more than one set of procedures to learn, and lots of people to know and minister to.Â
Elevates Leader Preference Over Kid’s Needs
Is rotating teachers best for the adult leaders or the kids? Rotations cater to the needs of the volunteers. Kids need consistency, relationships, and mentors. Rotations can communicate that we value adult’s schedules more than the kid’s spiritual needs.Â
Administratively Exhausting
Pastors dread the words, “Can you find me a replacement?” Trying to get new leaders on the fly when the volunteer for that day cancels, doesn’t show, forgets, or is sick is a nightmare. How do you find a replacement? Can you get them extra curriculum? Does the new person have a background check? Constantly finding replacements and continually reminding people that it is their week to serve is administratively exhausting. It is much easier to have a few substitutes ready when needed than to recreate your entire volunteer roster every week because it’s summer vacation season or a holiday.Â
Kids Do Not Know The Leaders
If your Sunday school class had a new teacher each week, how would you get to know them? Honestly, most kids simply don’t. Sure, they may know Ms. Heather’s name, but they don’t really know her or feel secure with her. There is too much transition and newness to create safe environments. I’ll say it again, kids need consistency, relationships, and mentors. They don’t need a new adult with a new way of doing things every week.Â
Leaders Do Not Know The Kids
Working in kids ministry is more than teaching a lesson – it is about knowing your kids, their hobbies, and their families so you can connect with them and minister to them. Rotations make it impossible for a leader to develop relationships with kids. If you only minister to a kid 12 times a year, you have not made a lasting impact.
Parents Do Not Know The Teachers
When parents have questions, it is hard for them to navigate which teacher is the main teacher. Who is the contact for the upcoming summer camp? Who knows the details about the family campout? Who puts names on the list for baby dedications? More often than not, a teacher on a rotation has no idea. And from a parent’s perspective, it is difficult to learn four leaders’ names. The less connected the parents feel, the fewer opportunities you have to minister to their kids.
Inconsistent Teaching and Styles
When four teachers rotate in one room over four weeks you essentially have four teaching styles, four schedules, and four routines for the group of kids to experience. The more leaders you add to the equation, the more inconsistent each week is (even if they are using the same curriculum).
Lack of Policies
The less a worker is in the room, the fewer policies they remember. This isn’t to say the worker isn’t a great person. Volunteers have the right intentions. But when you serve once a month, it’s easy to forget child protection policies, checkout processes, what needs to be cleaned, and how to handle discipline problems. If you serve on more than one rotation, you have to remember the procedures for even more areas.Â
Lack of Ownership
Whose job is it to minister throughout the week if leaders only work once per month? The hope is that all the volunteers in an area are praying for the kids and their families, thinking of ways to connect with them throughout the week, encouraging kids to grow in their faith, and more. But is that realistic? No. Ownership of that ministry area fades when you see your role as a once-per-month commitment only.
Now What?
Do you only have rotating volunteers for your ministry? If so, how can you secure more consistent leaders?
If you have consistent teachers from week to week, how can you encourage them to keep serving faithfully but also provide rest for them?
by Chase | Kid Min
There are plenty of myths when it comes to working in ministry. Often people believe they are too old to be a contributing member of the kids ministry team (this is completely false, by the way). Others start to think of reasons why people can’t do specifics types of ministry.
The truth is that the way we do ministry (read: methods) is constantly changing as we aim to share the unchanging truth of Jesus. When we focus on all of the seemingly significant reasons as to why we can’t do ministry, we lose focus on how we are able to lead our kids to the next level and experience Jesus like never before.
Here are a few myths I have heard as a family pastor. There are definitely more myths than these, but my hope is to expand our response past the typical “we can’t do that” reaction.
7 Myths About Serving In Kids Ministry
“Kids Have Short Attention Spans”
You cannot convince me that this is true. I have two children under the age of four, and I assure you that their attention spans are not short. Young kids have the ability to watch the same show 10 times in a row while middle schoolers are able to play the same video game for five straight hours. Kids’ attention spans are not short, but you do have to captivate their imaginations and engage them.
“Kids Are Unable To Understand Deep Truths”
Typically this statement really means, “I am unable to communicate God’s truths simply enough for a kid to understand.” Every Bible verse can be simplified to a main point and applied to our lives. Don’t put the bar too low, kids will always surprise you.
“Rotating Leaders Doesn’t Hinder Spiritual Growth”
Kids need consistency with leaders and schedules. Each volunteer has a unique way that they lead. Rotations leave the kids wondering who their teachers will be from week to week. The best way to minister to kids is through consistent weekly volunteers.
“Parents Will Be Upset If You Implement A Check-In System”
I have found that the exact opposite is true. Parents are used to check-in systems at the doctor’s office and their children’s schools. At my church, parents warmly welcomed implementing a check-in system. It communicated that their children’s safety mattered to the staff.
“Preschoolers Are Too Young To Learn The Bible”
Parents know that kids are learners. Kids are constantly picking up habits, phrases, and ideas from the outside world. True, a preschooler might not be able to read the Bible, but I guarantee that they can listen to you read to them.Â
“If It Was Good Enough For Me, Then It Is Good Enough For Them”
This doesn’t make sense in any other area of life. Are outhouses still acceptable? Are carriages the best mode of transportation? Of course not. Technology has improved, and those who ignore the changes will miss out on opportunities to reach today’s generation.
 “I Can Just Show Up And Share What I Know”
False. Kids need routines, schedules, and consistency. This all takes planning and prep. If you just show up you will end up with 1.5 hours of unprepared playtime – not Bible study.
Now What?
I hope that you and your ministry team are able to overcome some of these thoughts and start focusing on what God can do through kids ministry. Your role as a kids leader is vital to encourage and equip families to serve Jesus.
What thoughts are hindering you from leading at the next level in kids ministry?
by Chase | Kid Min, Student Min
Doesn’t everyone love summer camp?!
I may be biased towards the awesomeness of camps because it was during camps that I became a Christian, accepted a call into pastoral ministry, met my wife, and lived as an assistant director for several years.Â
During my ten-year tenure with camping ministry I was able to minister to 60,000 people who came up for summer camps, weekend retreats, and to serve on mission trips.
Even though I have transitioned into a role in the local church, I still believe that camp is the most influential ministry tool that parents can leverage to spiritually impact their kids. There are thousands of camp settings: traditional weeklong wilderness camps, student conferences, mission trips, or weekend retreats. The possibilities are endless!
As a family pastor I understand the investment that comes with sending your kids to summer camp. The camp fees are expensive. Camps are often out-of-town. Packing is always a nightmare for middle school students. On top of that, you miss your kids when they leave for a week.
So why send them to camp?
Camp is a perfect spiritual investment to make in your student’s life. Because camps are unlike anything kids can experience at home. There is something powerful when we step outside of our schedules and contexts to focus on Jesus for a short period of time. Camp has the opportunity to impact your student unlike any influence they have in their sports or extracurricular activities.
Here Are 7 Reasons You Should Send Your Student To Summer Camp:
(These reasons work for kids of any age. I am just choosing to use the word “student” to describe them all.)
He Will Grow Relationally With The Group
Are they having trouble making friends? Camp is for them! This is the perfect, non-threatening way for your student to build deeper friendships with the other youth group students. Don’t let them play the “I don’t know anyone going” card. If they truly don’t have a friend attending, talk to their best friend’s parents and get them both to attend.
 She Will Grow Spiritually With God
Camps are an opportunity for students to unplug from their smart phones and gaming systems and focus on God. The emphasis of Christian camps is for students to meet Jesus. Many make a decision for the first time in their life to follow Jesus and countless others turnover their habits, expectations, and plans for Jesus to direct.
The Week’s Focus Is All About Jesus
Everything from schedules, meals, studies, and games all point to the theme of the week – meet Jesus. Where else in their community will they find an emphasis like this? Pastors and camp directors spend thousands of hours planning the details to make sure your student is able to meet Jesus throughout his day.
It Is A Safe Place To Ask Spiritual Questions
AS students study God’s Word they will begin to ask questions about faith, life, and God. Camp is a safe place where students can voices questions and feel a part of the community. They realize that other students are dealing with the same issues, questions, and situations that they are struggling with.
He Will Realize That He Is Not Alone
Regional camps allow students to meet other students. As they share their stories they meet others who are walking through the same phase of life, just a few states over. Adults understand that there is nothing new in the world, but students are still trying to figure this out. You know how lonely, shutdown, and reclusive students can become. Camps are a place where students can meet others who understand their struggle.
She Will Take Ownership Of What Her Student Ministry Could Be Like
Camp staffers are highly creative individuals. Seeing these awesome worship environments gets students excited about reaching more of their friends once they return home. Camps have a unique way of giving students ownership of their ministry.
He Will See Other Students Worship
The cool kids, the athletes, and the brainy students are all one body worshipping Jesus each evening. There is nothing more powerful than realizing that Jesus loves everyone regardless of his or her popularity, family situation, or shortcomings. Students who worship at camp gain a better picture of the love and forgiveness that Jesus has for humanity.
Now What?
Camp is a perfect opportunity for your student. Camps aren’t just a fun event. They have the potential to be a life-changing event.
I challenge you to talk with your student or children’s pastor about summer opportunities. I know camps can be expensive, but churches are full of people who have been impacted by camps and are willing to anonymously help support students attending camp.
by Chase | Kid Min, Student Min
 Is there anything better than going to camp?Â
Camps and retreats are a vital part of every family ministry’s discipleship strategy.Â
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. Â I know, I know, someone has to suffer for Jesus!Â
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.Â
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!Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
 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.Â
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.Â
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?Â
How can you cultivate the partnership between your church and your camp?
