Summer is approaching rapidly and with it come myriad choices for your children (or yourself if you are camper age!). Sports camps, vacations, summer programs, visiting family members, reunions, etc.! It is truly amazing how quickly a summer fills up with “stuff” so why bother with Bible camp? Well, here are a few reasons we think Bible camp is still a great option for your child this summer:
1. The Wilderness Factor
Whether it is a group of kids sitting around a campfire with the sounds of the night surrounding them or a camper reading his Bible in the early morning beauty, God speaks through His creation. Throughout the Bible, guess where a majority of training took place – in the wilderness! Romans 1:20 tells us that God’s eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen through His creation. An outdated CNN report states that teens spend 9 hours a day using media and this number grows annually. There is a reason that Big Sky Bible Camp has a no cell phone or computer except for emergencies policy. God has blessed Big Sky with a beautiful location and we believe God uses this property on a daily basis to bless people, still their hearts and show them the peace that is available through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
2. The Relationship Factor
For those of you who went to Bible camp as a child, what is one of the first things that comes to mind from your time at camp? For me and probably for many of you, it is your counselor. A child can be told how to love and obey God and it may or may not take hold. However, couple that with a counselor modeling obedience to God’s Word and a true love for the Savior and it will not be forgotten. This is what Jesus did, right?
Camp is the conduit for building lasting relationships between campers and counselors, relationships that will be spiritually encouraging and seasoned with accountability.
I mean, there is just something bonding about being thrown off a banana boat together, or winning a game together, or maybe even sneaking to the kitchen (with permission of course) for a midnight snack.
3. The Kingdom Factor
If you are a follower of Christ, then you have probably realized that the kingdom of God is completely backwards from the world. The last shall be first, the first shall be last, the meek shall inherit the earth, etc. Repeatedly, I have seen children and even staff, who are not accepted anywhere else they go, be accepted at camp. I have seen kids who have been bullied their whole lives open up and blossom at camp. I have seen staff members who are not “cool” in most of their circles flourish through ministering to children and working with those who are spiritually like-minded. This is not to say that camp is always like this, but it is a good representation.
If you are like me, you are interested in having your kids take part in spiritually profitable activities. Why not send them to a place where they will have a blast and be challenged in their faith!