STUDENT MINISTRY: Summer Camps and Conferences
What does the summer look like for your student ministry? Is it full of activity or low-key? I encourage you to find opportunities to make it a time of relationship building. While that can take the shape of many different things, there is something special about camps and conferences.
• Camps and conferences allow students to get away from tough situations at home. Not everyone’s home life is idyllic. In fact, many of our students are struggling at home. Depression, divorce and unbelieving parents can be just a few of the things that get in the way of the spiritual growth of your students. Getting away can give your them an opportunity to focus on the pressing spiritual needs of their lives.
• Camps and conferences allow students to grow closer together. Relationship building is a vital part of student ministry. If your students are going to grow closer, they have to spend time together. Trips to and from camps and conferences are always filled with memorable situations. Flat tires, weird bathrooms and crazy van games are all just a part of that shared memory. The event itself is also a time when your students will be able to spend time with one another and meet some other believers. That is encouraging to students who may feel all alone in their schools.
• Camps and conferences allow students to get to know their adult leaders. Much like time spent with one another, students need to spend some time with their leaders if there is a relationship to be built. For many of your volunteers, the only place they connect with students is at the church house. They need those relationships there, but event trips provide moments of sharing and talking outside of the church walls.
• Camps and conferences allow students to focus on their spiritual lives. Like number one, students have an opportunity to grow when they leave part of their life behind. Camps can especially give students a chance to sit and think about the message God is trying to convey to them. The normal distractions can easily pull our attention from what God wants to communicate.
There is still great value in going to church camp and summer conferences. They may be expensive and inconvenient, but they have the ability to help your students grow closer to God and one another. As you think about your summer, consider taking your students to church camp and SOAR (the BMAA National Youth Conference). There is still time to put your trip together.
Join the conversation at Facebook.com/groups/StudentMinistryMattersCommunity and let us know why you like or dislike conferences and camps as a part of your normal student ministry rhythm.
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Dan Carson
BMA Youth Department Director Dan Carson writes a weekly column titled, Student Ministry Matters, through which he inspires, challenges, and informs BMA of Arkansas churches and church staff about all things pertaining to student ministry.
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