What is it about camp that leaves such distinct impressions on those who attend?

Zach Crowley, youth minister at Taylorville Christian Church (Taylorville, Ill.), says he can’t imagine a year without it.  “It’s the most important thing we’ll do all year.”

He’s quite familiar with the distractions youth face, so venturing to a new place makes way for a change in environment. “There’s just something about being away from your normal routine, your normal pattern, and away from home that allows God to speak to a student and to really open up their heart.”

Kids’ schedules seem to fill up faster than they have in the past. The activity rosters continue to get longer, but where is the time to take a breather? When can students really evaluate their lives?

“Change of place and a change of pace will equal a change of perspective,” Crowley says, and Lake Springfield Christian Assembly is that place.

Camp provides the time for students to take a step back, be presented with truths of Scripture and have space to process what they’ve learned. “They wouldn’t have the opportunity to wrestle with it here at home because there are too many other distractions.”

But at a camp or retreat, the focus is learning about God and having fun throughout the whole day. “You’re building relationships with people, and you’re being challenged to look at your relationship with God, so you don’t have a choice but to investigate it,” he says.

Crowley shares stories of campers who have experienced deep changes as a result of taking a week away. He says one student went to camp because his friends were going. When he arrived at camp, he wasn’t a Christian, but on the last night of camp he gave his life to Christ.

“You could see there was a change,” Crowley says. “His parents could tell when he got back from camp that something was different about him … that he wasn’t quite the same as when he first left for camp.”

When talking to parents about sending their kids to camp, he says, “It’s worth the money to go because we’re talking about life-change. You can’t put a price tag on the opportunity to present the Gospel to a teenager in a world where they may not hear it otherwise. You can’t miss out on that.”

Some people will donate funds or sponsor a camper because they went to camp as a teenager. Crowley has had great experiences partnering with church members to fund camp. “They know what it did for their walk with Christ, and they know what potential this could have in this young person’s life and their walk with Christ.”

Helping a student develop a better relationship with God is invaluable. That’s why Crowley says, “The power of camp is irreplaceable.”

Photo courtesy of Lake Springfield Christian Academy