How Church Camps Embody Servant Evangelism (If Done Correctly)

This past weekend I had the honor of speaking at a church retreat in Somerset, PA. There were about 50 4th and 5th graders that drove to TeenQuest camp in order to learn about the Gospel while also having a blast. The cool thing about TeenQuest is that they are a family-owned camp. They have about 100 acres of land that have tons of things to do: paintball, laser tag, trampolines, horseback riding, skate park, sand volleyball, driving range, batting cages, mountain board, and much more. This is a kid’s dream… maybe even my dream. What I noticed here is that all of the employees of the camp that helped assist the children in all of these things were so willingly ready to serve. Of course, they are being paid. However, there was a clear difference in their motivations for being there. They weren’t simply there for a paycheck. They didn’t just work there because they wanted a job. These folks believed in the mission of the camp.

I recall one worker – Jimmy. Jimmy was in an accident years ago and was told he would never walk again. Today he has a walker and takes a while to get to places, but he is never seen without a smile. He joyfully helps kids from larger activities like archery to the smallest tasks like holding doors open for a meal. Jimmy is a great example of a servant evangelist.

Camps ought to hire more Jimmy’s. Jimmy’s are loyal. They don’t suffer from mission drift. Most importantly, they are servant evangelists. In all that they do, they share the Gospel. They soften hearts, break down boundaries, and serve in such a way that kids are more receptive to the Gospel message. While Jimmy may spend most of his day around kids who may never remember who he is, I am confident he is an indispensable part of the ministry happening at TeenQuest. When camps are staffed with servant evangelists, I believe more fruit blooms as a result.