A Parent’s Guide to Maximizing the Church Camp Experience
By Brady West
Every parent knows the struggle when your teen comes home from church camp. They have a great week with church leaders, grow in their friendships, and deepen their understanding of Scripture. But when they return and you ask, “How was camp?” we’ve all heard the low-groan that sounds something like “good.”
Parent, you’re not alone! It takes intentional effort to engage in spiritual conversations, and that’s how we can approach our teens when they return from camp. They must see that we are eternally invested as they grow into spiritually mature adults.
The Command
Scripture is clear. As parents, we are commanded to teach our children and not surrender our responsibility to anyone else. We see this in Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Psalm 78:5-7; Ephesians 6:4, just to name a few familiar passages. Donald Whitney notes, “Bringing children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord does not happen unintentionally and incidentally. It must happen purposefully, with regularity and structure.”
When our teens return from life-changing interactions at camp, we as parents must be intentional and purposeful to ensure those experiences stick. That sounds great, but where do we begin?
Begin During Camp
Crossings provides the week’s theme and daily lesson outlines that your student will work through. Use these outlines as your daily devotional to learn the same material your student is learning. Wrestle with the same truths of Scripture and be ready to share with your teen when they return. Tell how the study challenged you and helped you grow in your spiritual walk. No one wants to be spiritually vulnerable with someone unwilling to walk the same path.
They’re Back! Now What?
You know your teen the best. You know if they need to sleep for 24 hours straight or if they will return energized and ready to engage. Use your discernment, but have an intentional plan to spark spiritual conversation. If you wait too long, the excitement of camp may fade, and the opportunity to build on what they just experienced will be lost.
Remember, they’re just coming down from a week where they had more freedom and responsibility than usual. They will have a sense of independence, so speak with them like a potential brother or sister in Christ.
What to Say?
Set the stage.Let them know you want to have an intentional sit-down conversation about camp, what they learned, and how it affected them. Remove distractions such as their phone and your phone. Bring your bible and notes from the study you did each day they were gone. Let them see that you took the time seriously by reflecting upon the same lessons they heard. One thing I can promise is that if you do nothing, nothing will happen.
The intentional conversation can move through three phases.
Phase 1: Scratching the Surface. Unfortunately this is where most post-camp discussions end. Often, we lead with “Tell me about camp” or “What was your favorite part of camp?” We might go a little further and ask, “How were the lessons?” Unfortunately, these questions are answered quickly and with little depth. To be intentional, we must take the line of questions to a different level.
Phase 2: This is Uncomfortable. Here, we need to ask questions such as “Did you connect with anyone specific at camp?”, “What stood out to you from the speaker?”, “Was there anything meaningful to you in your small group sessions?”, or “What was your main takeaway from camp?” These intentional questions generate intentional answers. Your student must move beyond their interests and hobbies and begin to engage their heart and mind.
Phase 3: What Matters Most. This is the goal. Ask questions like “Is there anything you learned at camp that had a significant impact on your life?”, “Is there anything that you committed to doing differently that we can pray for and help you with?”, or “Was there any passage of Scripture that really challenged you?” These questions are even more pointed and reveal to our teens that we are more concerned about their soul than anything else.
Based on their answers, you can talk with them about any changes that might need to be made in their lives, such as their friends, interests, and the consequences if they continue down the same path. Be sure to ask questions that focus on heavenly matters instead of earthly concerns. Don’t miss the opportunity or the responsibility as a parent to shepherd their soul.
Where to Go from Here?
As Whitney said, “Bringing children up in the instruction of the Lord must happen with regularity.” If you are not regularly engaged in family worship, schedule a weekly time when you sit down together and discuss the spiritual questions. Maybe begin by reviewing the camp study material you and your student spent time studying. Grab a Family Worship Guide and engage in what matters most. Another great resource is Rediscovering Family Worship by Jerry Marcellino.
Parents, we cannot relinquish our responsibility to teach our children who God is. I leave you with a quote from Scott Brown in The Family At Church:
“Can you see the opportunity before you? Do you have a vision for it? Are you posed for action? Are you willing to do what it takes? Why? So that everyone in your family gets a glimpse of the goodness of God. But, even more, that your children would hear the gospel and you would be able to say, today salvation has come to this house.”