By Jonathan Ryan
Every summer something incredible happens, beyond the assembly songs, beyond the activities, and even beyond the snack shack. Each and every week of the summer hundreds of campers are intentionally poured into by their counselor. Life-changing experiences happen on a daily basis; I know this because at Camp Sonshine I was once poured into by my counselor, and through that experience my life changed. The Lord was able to steward my time as an LIT at camp to shape my life and now my pursuit of vocational ministry through biblical counseling.
Discipleship is something that Jesus established early on in his ministry; rather than spending his time here on earth trying to amass the largest following possible, he opted to select twelve specific individuals to intentionally pour into. As a result of this, through these men, the early church spread like wildfire across the world.
Discipleship at Camp
At camp we mimic the model set before us by Jesus; through groups of 10-12 kids, each camper has a counselor that is dedicated to giving them the best week possible.
One of our core values at camp is BECOME! Which pushes us to remain teachable as we promote and pursue positive growth in becoming more who God is calling us to be. Campers and counselors alike are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone, try new things, and most importantly, pursue the Lord to see what He has for them. Part of what that looks like is discipleship, whether that be through one-on-one conversations for our LIT and AC programs, daily devos for our High Adventure campers, or intentional Bible dramas that our Explorer and Adventure campers get to perform and learn from. Discipleship is something that we take seriously at camp because we have seen just how powerful the impact can be.
Discipleship for Counselors
Of course, one cannot disciple unless they are discipled first, which is why we have a week of training set aside for our counselors before campers come in the summer to pour into our staff.
Every counselor is placed into a program, which in turn has a head counselor placed over it. The head counselor’s role is to make sure that every counselor placed under their supervision is prepared mentally and physically and, most importantly, spiritually to be in charge of a group of campers.
The Head Counselor is the main point for any questions a counselor might have and is responsible for pouring into each individual every day through an overflow of the Spirit to make sure that each camper can have the best experience possible.
Discipleship amidst adversity—
One of the unique things that happens when you put a lot of people together is that sometimes adversity arises, which isn’t inherently a bad thing! At camp we strive to use these opportunities as times to learn and to grow.
In James 1:2-4 it speaks of how as Christians we are supposed to count our trials as joy because they produce steadfast faith and reliance on the Lord.
In every circumstance, whether pleasant in the moment or not, there is opportunity for growth both in our horizontal relationships with each other as well as our vertical relationship with God. Through the leadership of experienced individuals and, more importantly, through the leadership and intercession of the Holy Spirit, every adversity is met with love and the grace of the gospel so that everyone can exit out the other side closer to God.
Discipleship in the real world—
I cannot deny, no matter how much I try, that every summer must come to an end. As much as I would like to stay at camp forever, eventually I must face reality and head back to my “normal life.” This is something that is universally experienced at camp by counselors and campers alike.
But the joy we get to experience in going back to school, work, or whatever else the next year holds for us, is that we can take what we learned at camp and begin to apply it to our everyday circumstances!
For me personally, I grew exceptionally in my prayer life this last summer, and the Lord has used the things I learned in the summer to help me continue that practice in my life now.
For our campers, we encourage them to continue to grow their relationship with God through going to church, joining a youth group, coming to hangtime, and most importantly, reading their Bible and praying! It is through these things that the Lord can disciple us so that we can truly begin becoming who He is calling us to be.
Why Camp Matters
The main reason camp exists is to UNLOCK & UNLEASH kingdom builders. At camp we join the Lord in His work and know that through our efforts to unlock and unleash our campers in the summer, He will use them throughout the year to bring more and more people to His fold. We strive to leverage camp experiences to promote and pursue positive growth to help all people become more of who God is calling them to be. Camp provides the beautiful opportunity for discipleship through the blessed relationships that God cultivates each and every day.
May He continue to do His work both here at camp and to the ends of the earth!
But the joy we get to experience in going back to school, work, or whatever else the next year holds for us, is that we can take what we learned at camp and begin to apply it to our everyday circumstances!