Four things I wish every summer camp leader knew

Thousands of young people will be going on Christian summer camps this year. And almost as many leaders will give up a week or two of their summer to try and persuade them to… (delete as appropriate for the age group) go to sleep/stay out of the girls’ rooms/please, please have a shower/follow Jesus.

Tom Beard is Logistics Manager at The Good Book Company and a camp veteran. He heads up Woolhampton 1 and so is up to his eyeballs in camp admin at the moment.* But when I asked him what he wished he could tell his leaders, these were his top four:

1. You’re involved in eternal work, even though it might not feel like it

Most of us want to see dramatic professions of faith and (literal) watershed moments. “It’s not a successful camp until somebody cries,” a leader once joked. But even when it doesn’t look like it, know for certain that if the Bible is being opened, if the gospel is being proclaimed, then you’re involved in an eternal work. You might not see the fruit now. But you will in the new creation. And that’s just as true if you’re the one peeling veg in a kitchen or if you’re the one giving talks from a stage.

If the Bible is being opened, if the gospel is being proclaimed, then you’re involved in an eternal work.

2. How you live really matters

It’s not just about answering the questions right. It’s about your attitude and spirit when you play games. It’s about how you speak to the other leaders in front of the young people. It’s about how you behave. Every. Single. Minute. How you live matters—it shows whether what you say about Jesus during Bible study actually makes a difference to the other 23.5 hours of your day. It shows whether following Jesus is a radically life-changing call or just a lot of hot air. So watch yourself, ask the Holy Spirit to help you, and be ready to apologise when needed.

3. Anything can be fun with the right attitude

“Just be enthusiastic and you can make anything fun,” says Tom. “Keep Jesus at the centre of everything and make sure you enjoy him. The young people need to see that. Sing loudly and do actions! What you model, they’ll follow.”

4. Prayer is powerful and precious

I know it doesn’t always feel like it at 7am on day 5 having batted an average of 4.5 hours sleep a night. But prayer is precious—it’s an awesome thing to come each day before the God of the universe with your brothers and sister in Christ. And prayer is powerful, because the God we pray to is powerful. So start praying now, before you go. Keep praying at camp. And continue praying for the young people in your group when you get home. God can—and will—open young hearts to the gospel and change young lives to look more like Jesus. And God can—and will—make you less irritated, tired or selfish!

And if you’re not leading on a summer camp this year (and we’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you do have a good reason…)—please know that your prayers are precious and powerful too. So do pray that God would be at work through summer camps across Britain this summer.

*P.S. If organising your camp bookstall has slipped from your list then it’s not too late to get in touch!

What do you think every summer camp leader should know? Join the conversation and comment below. You can also like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and download The Good Book Company App straight to your phone or tablet.