Beyond Fun: Making Church Camps Faith-Building, Not Cringy
- Jen Weaver
- May 2
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
Simple planning, shared leadership, and a Christ-centered focus make church camps meaningful and memorable—without burnout or cringe.
Mention “church camp,” and adults often react in extremes.
Some light up enthusiastically, recalling joyful memories from their youth.
Others groan.
“I LOVE camp.”
“I HATE camp.”
I’ve heard both—almost equally.
Those reactions, and my own experiences, have led me to this question:
How can we make church camps spiritually and emotionally comfortable for teens?
A 2018 Turning Point
In 2018, one faith-based organization introduced new guidelines that reshaped hundreds of church camps and thousands of volunteers. The focus? A single, often-overlooked principle: simplify.
The recommendations were simple:
Stick with basic tenets of faith and doctrines of Christ.
Choose camp activities that don’t manipulate emotions.
Let adults step back and allow youth to assume a bigger role.
At first glance, none of that sounds groundbreaking—but each principle matters.
1. Stick with the Basic Doctrines of Christ
Not every camper arrives with the same mindset. Some are eager and spiritually ready. Others are hesitant, homesick, or struggling.
A camper already feeling uncertain can easily become overwhelmed by highly emotional or unfamiliar experiences. Simple activities can still lead to meaningful spiritual moments, such as:
Quiet personal time to read, ponder, or write in a journal outdoors.
Youth-led devotionals that allow peers to share their faith.
Testimonies from trusted leaders about Jesus Christ.
A healthy balance of physical, social, and spiritual activities.
Sometimes, the Spirit teaches most powerfully through stillness.
2. Avoid Activities That Manipulate Emotions
There’s nothing wrong with wanting camp to be “spiritual.” But among teens who’ve had difficult experiences at camp, a common thread emerges:
Big, manufactured moments designed to “make” camp spiritual can backfire.
Emotional exhaustion or social pressure may lead campers to either fake feelings or withdraw entirely. These well-intentioned but forced-feeling experiences can actually wound faith more than strengthen it.
When planning faith-promoting experiences, consider:
Is what’s planned typical and appropriate within our faith tradition?
Are schedules and expectations realistic for teens’ emotional and physical limits?
Are testimonies or devotionals reasonable in length?
If a testimony meeting runs much longer than usual, hesitant campers may feel forced to speak or uncomfortable watching others break down from exhaustion.
The Spirit works gently. Spiritual experiences can’t be scheduled—they unfold like drops in a bucket, in the Lord’s time, rather than through a fire hose (2 Peter 3:9; Galatians 5:22–23).
3. Let Youth Lead
One of the most beautiful shifts I’ve witnessed in recent years is seeing youth take ownership of camp.
Older girls leading devotionals.
Teens planning skits and activities.
Peer mentors guiding daily routines.
Watching them lead is inspiring—and formative. They aren’t just campers anymore; they’re becoming disciples and leaders.
I learned this the hard way during my first year assisting with camp. Other adults and I decided to handle all the planning ourselves. We thought it would make things simpler. Instead, leaders were overwhelmed, and campers were underwhelmed.
Had we involved the youth, it would have been better for everyone.
Here are just a few ways to empower youth at camp:
Choose the theme together.
Select camp songs or skit topics.
Plan icebreakers or outdoor skills.
Share short, personal devotionals.
Lead routines or small group discussions.
Once, during a planning meeting, I proposed a long, detailed post-camp follow-up. The teens all said, “That’s too long!”
We went with their shorter plan—and it was a success.
Who better understands the needs of teens than other teens?
Final Thoughts
Camp can be wonderful, camp can be great—and sometimes, it’s just okay.
It doesn’t have to be perfect.
What matters most is that it’s a place where everyone feels comfortable—spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
When we focus on simplicity and shared leadership, camp becomes what it was always meant to be: a place where youth can grow in faith and friendship.
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