Why is Christian camp so important for youth?
The Gospel of Luke 4:16-30 is a perfect illustration. Jesus, the Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, is in the synagogue in his hometown.
He reads from the prophet Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.
We would like to think that we would respond to Jesus when we meet him, but like the people of Nazareth, we often respond out of what Dave Ramsey calls, “Powdered-Butt Syndrome.”
We’ve changed their diapers, bathed them, fed them, and given them rides to school—and now they want to teach us about God, and His word?
Paul in his 1st letter to the Corinthians notes, “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.” We adults, like Jesus’ neighbors in the synagogue, sometimes fail to recognize when our children have grown and are reaching maturity. Jesus understood this, and responded: “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
Over my years in youth ministry I have had the pleasure of serving with many youth. In my opinion, camp becomes their “happy place”, they look forward to going every year, because camp is the one place they are able to go and truly be themselves. At camp they can speak God’s Word from their hearts and be heard for who and what they are, with no preconceived notions.
Again, why is camping important? Because youth need this time each year to be appreciated simply as they are, accepted by Jesus Christ.
I believe camp, for all ages, is important for two additional reasons.
Camping is good for our health. Our human bodies are poorly adapted to our modern lifestyle … but convenience foods, flat screens, florescent lights, and desk jobs aren’t what God designed our bodies for. I think back to my childhood. I remember being outside running, biking, swimming, hiking, and playing in the woods almost every day, all day long. Why? Because that is what our bodies are designed to do!
Camp is a time to be outdoors enjoying the beauty of God’s Creation, away from the trappings of modern life. It gives us a designated slice of time, a sabbatical from the everyday. Alone with God, we learn we can survive without smartphones or tablets.
Finally, camping creates space for youth, adults and church families to fall in love again. Camp releases us from the oppression of our daily grind and restores our hope in God, ourselves, and our families. When a camper turns an ear to God’s will in his or her life, that person is able to better tune in to others.
In the middle of the world’s many assaults, Christians struggle to find time to show love for each another. They lose patience and kind words are not the ones they reach for. People demand their own way and gleefully keep records of the wrongs done to them. All of that falls away when gathered around a campfire or relaxing on the beach. Smiles are exchanged over fire-grilled hotdogs and gooey s’mores. Shrieks of joy are heard on tire swings. Family memories are made in tents, cabins, and dusty trails.
Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Camping is a wonderful opportunity to grow in faith, find hope, and experience awesome love.
by HANK STAMM
Director of Youth Ministries, Vicksburg UMC
Last Updated on December 15, 2023