Somehow if they could bottle the energy and spirituality of church camp to relive it year round, it would priceless. We’d end each night with a devotional and singing of hymns under the stars. We’d know we were loved by our heavenly Father and fellow Christians. And I wonder, for those who experienced church camp as a child or teen, and now life seems to get in the way, would they go back to camp? And for those lost in this world who feel unloved what would they give for one more night of singing at church camp?

The photo above conveys how small we are in the world and even at camp itself. That’s the whole camp, that is the kids. At first I was zoomed in to get a sense of being there in with the group. However then I decided to stand up on a picnic table to get a full view and it turned out nice. I like the purple on the horizon gives an impression that there is more out there in the unknown, maybe as a allegory to the future to these campers of the rest of their lives.

Thursday night at camp we had our late night singing, this time inside the main cabin. I had inadvertently positioned myself at the front of the main cabin with the campers facing me while they sang. In their faces I saw folks who love God and love to sing. I began to look at the campers and imagined them growing into Christians adults with the teachings at Sunday school and camp as a base in their beliefs. I saw tired eyes but passionate singing. It was almost as if all of those in the room had a purpose to glorify God.

Today I am missing church camp. I would have been packing for it, getting my Bible class lessons ready, charging my camera batteries, etc. COVID-19 took that away from me and many others.

Camp is a special place for me. It’s where I met, proposed to, and got married to my wife. It’s where met friends during that short week. Some were single serving friends, while others remain a part of me even to this day.

I don’t miss camp too often. Usually it coincidences with me getting a new job or literally being out of the country. Without a doubt most of the time I’m there.

Do I have a bad week at camp? Yet, but those can be rare. The vast majority of the time I come back physically tired, but spiritually refreshed, ready to take on the rest of year running on a spiritual high of what heaven must be like and what we should look forward to.

I wonder about those kids on the fringe this year. They might have been invited to camp this year and found solace from an imperfect world with a perfect will of God through examples learned at church camp. Those kids will not be joining us and I can only hope that they hold on to going next year…that is refrain from getting that summer job, joining a sports team or whatever might keep them from church camp.

Now this summer seems, for better or worse, never-ending without the bookends that church camp provides. You see to me the year is divided into two seasons, the after camp season (where you relive memories of the past camp and keep in touch with old and new friend; promising to be back next year, and then the before camp season (planning for an upcoming year). Now COVID-19 has put in a void this summer for the world to pause, stay at home and social distance.

The only thing I can do is to look forward to camp in 2021 when we’ll have a vaccine and not have to social distance. We will endure and we will learn to love the little things in life better.

Sometimes finding out how the other side handled things is interesting, amazing, and intriguing. For example I found out what happened after my wedding earlier this year. My wedding was held at a summer camp where me and my (now wife) met. My best man, Mark, and his wife, Megan went out to eat in Scottsville with a mutual friend of mine, Roy after the wedding. Since they had decided to drive back the next day to Kansas, they planned to spend the night at camp. They returned to find a deserted camp. Everyone had gone home for the night and it was starting to pour rain. They barricaded the door, not sure if any thief would show up at night.

I’ve spent the night alone at camp before. Once when I thought a clean up day at camp was the same night, but my scheduling was off. Armed with only a laptop with digital sermons to keep the silence from me I slept in the main cabin’s basement. Far enough from anything to be noticed.

It is terrifying at times to be utterly alone and somewhat vulnerable in a new place. I’ve been there before…sometimes in other countries…sometimes in my own hometown. Now I’m glad to say that I don’t have to be alone anymore. The event that drew Megan and Mark to be alone at camp…was the one that brought Sharon and myself together. I don’t have to be alone anymore. I have my Sharon.

On my way back from a Sunday school class retreat in Hickman County, Tennessee, I usually make a detour to Camp Meribah, where I volunteered as a counselor when my church had their Summer camp there in 2002 and 2003.  On the reverse of the sign as you exit the camp says “Building Boys is Better than Mending Men.”

I reflect on this each time I visit.  I think about those camps I’ve volunteered at and how each year we have kids who are on the fringe.  It might be those in a single parent home; those who don’t attend church regularly or at all.  As counselors we have 1 week with these kids….a week to espouse God’s teachings upon them.  For me this equates to some sense of urgency to build relationships and to urge them to come back to camp next year…or better yet…come back to church the following Sunday.  I know each individual person is responsible for his own salvation, but there always is a sense of guilt when things don’t work out as best as we had hoped.

Years later I would happen upon the (now adult) camper’s Facebook profile.  When the profile turns negative toward God and His commandments, I remark to myself “We’ve lost them,” because now I know it will be 100 times much more difficult to win back an adult soul than to teach a child God’s love and will for them while at summer camp.

I volunteer at a week long summer camp.  As part of my responsibilities, I have self designated myself to take photos for a nightly slideshow to be shown before each evening devotional.  I have found it is incredibly difficult to find clean secular music without cursing and references to sex, drugs, alcohol, suicide, etc.  I spent the better part of the evening going through a music library trying to find appropriate music for a Christian camp. I understand the idea of a blank check the artist should have for musical expression.  However musical artists should understand that they are limiting their audience by making unclean references in their music.  You can still have good sounding clean music!

Many times I decide to write a blog entry immediately after camp to remember what I was feeling or thinking at the time….so as to try to capture that moment in time.

One is that I’ve seen many of these campers mature into responsible young men and ladies.  I can remember one camper in particular who came in 2009 as a young camper…always seemingly annoying and always getting in trouble.  I have a photo of him being duct taped by the then teenagers to the basketball goal in 2009.  Now in 2016, as a teenager he led a devotional and talked about the struggles he has as a Christian.

Another young man of note was Austin.  It was Austin’s first time at camp.  When I saw him for the first time I saw a very skinny young man.  He looked gaunt.  As the week progressed I found that Austin had gone through two liver transplants.  Austin had faced more struggles than many of these other campers put together.  Austin had not experienced what some of these other campers had experienced.  He swung on the rope at the creek and got inside the bubble ball.  Austin probably should not have done both of these activities, but he was so excited to be at camp he wanted to experience what everyone else there could experience, regardless of his illness.

I shared a cabin with another counselor.  He was very much interested in my church’s ministers and how we grew.  He explained how he went to a seminar at my church about church growth.  He spoke about how the elders explained what made them grow.  It was this quote that resonates with me:  “It was only after we stopped having meeting about the color of the carpet and started having meetings about winning souls…that’s when we started growing.”

I found myself to be less anxious than in past camp years.  The kids in my cabin wrote and performed their own skit with minimal assistance from me.  I was less concerned about what others thought of me and more confident that I was needed at camp this year.

I’ve read a blog post titled “A Thank You to the Camp that Changed Me,” and the thoughts seem to reverberate as I too have experienced camp that changes me.  With a few exceptions I’ve been going to the same camp since 1991.  Two years as a camper and the rest as a counselor.

I think in some aspects it changed me.  In other aspects it told me who I was and who I should become.  I spoke at my first devotional there; shared some good times;  witnessed countless baptisms; made life long friends; lost touch with others; seen others grow and become Christian adults; while others fade away into being of the world.

Those friends I’ve made let me pick up the relationship right where we left off, one year later.  And I and others ask why do I keep going back?  I think not going to camp would leave an unnecessary void in my life, knowing I probably should have been there, otherwise knowing there’s something I could have done to make other’s lives better.

So tonight my bags are packed, my camera’s battery is recharged and I’m ready.

It’s camp season again. I am humbled to be asked to teach the 5th and 6th grade boys at camp. The photo above is me teaching 4th graders last year. Keep in mind that it was before class to begin, hence my relaxed state. I get more active as class starts, so cut me some slack.
I always have a tendency to have high hopes when I prepare for Bible class…that I’m going to have my students’ undivided attention. That they will hang on every word I say; ask deep thought provoking questions; and that they will take something home with them that they can use for the rest of their lives.
What usually happens is that they’re tired. Bible study is not a priority for them. One usually asks “Is Bible class over yet?” This of course leaves me with the feeling that I haven’t accomplished anything. Sometimes I feel like my hopes are too idealistic.
Still I grow excited about church camp. One of the few times in life where it seems that I am closest to God. Where the love is shown through campers and counselors. When the singing is as sincere and prayers are earnestly prayed. Where old friends get together and share old stories. When everything seems to be right in the world. When Facebook friend requests are made and 6 months later one forgets the name of those on your friend list.
Still, in spite of that last comment, camp is very much a good thing. I’ve seen young people grow in spiritual maturity and make commitments to Jesus Christ which last them the rest of their lives. I myself come back feeling spiritually recharged and commit to going back year after year.

Taylor Christian Camp in Kentucky is one of the few places nearby where my phone doesn’t get a signal. It’s symbolic in a way, as if at camp you’re supposed to be cutoff from the rest of the world. Sure, there are some carriers that provide service there, but somehow I like not having service at camp. In a way it gives me a chance to concentrate on things much more important.
No doubt I will miss camp this year. I’ll miss the nightly singings, the morning devotionals and the trip down the waterslide. The week of camp is a week of spiritual renewal for me.