Preparing for Camp in Youth Ministry w/ His Glory Her Good

Smmer camps can transform your youth ministry experience! 

Join us for a special crossover episode where Zach and Chad from Youth Ministry Booster team up with Amanda and Corinne from His Glory Her Good. We share our personal camp memories, from childhood to recent leadership and we highlight the profound impact camps have had on our  lives. 

Planning a camp and unsure where to start? 

We've got you covered. 

In the second half of our discussion, we explore the practicalities of organizing a successful camp. From meticulous planning and community transitions to maintaining personal boundaries, especially for female leaders, we cover it all. 

Learn more how to prepare your camp leaders for their intensive roles, handle urgent situations with a calm presence, and ensure a productive environment. Check in for creative ideas and expert advice that guarantees a memorable and impactful camp experience for everyone involved.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:07

Hey everybody and we're back with another episode of the youth ministry booster podcast. No, we've got a special one for you today. We were in the studio with our friends Amanda and Corinne from the his glory her good podcast. So here at Lifeway students, we've got multiple podcasts happening all the time, and so we did a special camp crossover episode. We know camp's a big deal in youth ministry and it was a big topic for us, and so enjoy this episode of Zach and Chad and Amanda and Corinne hanging out and talking about camp, and then make sure to like, follow and learn more from the His Glory Her Good podcast. Love those ladies and what they're up to, so check this one out today.

Speaker 3 0:51

Welcome to the His Glory, Her Good podcast, a podcast for women in student ministry. We're your hosts, Amanda and Corinne.

Speaker 2 0:59

We're here not as experts, but to walk alongside you through the beautiful, messy, hard, but always holy parts of ministry. So, with our eyes on Jesus, let to walk alongside you through the beautiful, messy, hard but always holy parts of ministry.

Speaker 3 1:06

So, with our eyes on Jesus, let's walk together and keep going for her good, but ultimately for his glory. Well, today's episode is very fun and if you're hearing our voice, if you are hearing our voice on a different podcast, please know that my name is Amanda Mejiaz and I have my lovely co-host, corinne Allen. Hello, yeah, but we are on on our own podcast, but we are also double teaming this week with the one or the two and the two and one one of one.

Speaker 1 1:53

So much, you're becoming one person used in the aisles of our own company meetings that's amazing.

Speaker 3 1:59

Zag and chad, I'm thanks for doing this.

Speaker 2 2:01

This is fun.

Speaker 3 2:02

This is our first like podcast crossover episode. Tell them what your podcast is and we'll give them a little bit of intro into our podcast.

Speaker 1 2:12

I'm Zach Workin and I host the Youth Ministry Booster Podcast along with my best friend, chad Higgins, usually live from the garage, but today we're live here with you in the studio.

Speaker 4 2:19

We're in a room that actually has air conditioning and there's no cars parked inside when we join you guys. It gets classy. That is nice we have high standards.

Speaker 3 2:29

There's faux plants.

Speaker 1 2:30

There's leather chairs. This is nice.

Speaker 4 2:32

I'm not fighting bugs, I can get used to this.

Speaker 3 2:37

Well, we are here because we are talking about summer camp and I think, whether you are a man leading in ministry or a woman leading in ministry, you're taking students to camp this summer and you probably have strong feelings about it.

Speaker 3 2:51

There are things you're either like pumped yes, me, yeah or you're like this is going to be a nightmare. So we are just going to talk about our own experiences with camp, but also just talk about maybe, some encouragement to you as you're preparing, as you're thinking through like what to expect for camp, what's the win of camp, what's your favorite camp memory? Anybody have like a really fun.

Speaker 1 3:17

I grew up going to camp Like camp is part of my summer routine because I was the son of a kids minister, so I went before I should have, I went when I could have, and then when I was too old to go to kids camp, I went as a junior sponsor and then I went to student camp and then I became a youth pastor. Like there's only been like two summers of my life that I wasn't at camp. And this summer I get to take my son to kids camp.

Speaker 1 3:41

So, like camp is like if other families have like family vacays they always do. Like camp for me is like the lifeblood of, like how I milestone and mark like summers and years. So I love it, I love all of it, I agree camp is a huge part of my life too.

Speaker 3 3:55

Uh, I mean, I went to camp forever and ever, forever I honestly thought that, like in a college, that camp would be like my identity forever, like I wanted to work at camp, whatever, met my husband through working camp together and we were the couple that wasn't Found love in a campful place.

Speaker 1 4:13

Yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 4:15

And so now I just love getting to. I have found love. Since I've had kids. I haven't actually gotten to be at camp, so my job is now to cheer everybody else on as they take it on.

Speaker 4 4:26

I left the first camp. I ever went to early.

Speaker 1 4:28

This is the true Chadism.

Speaker 4 4:30

Yes, couldn't make it Fourth grade. Chad was sent off to kids camp and I was calling mom on day two.

Speaker 1 4:37

Yeah, 36 hours later, Chad was going home.

Speaker 4 4:40

First of all, do you know how hot it is here? And I will be going home.

Speaker 1 4:45

They don't have couches or AC or nothing yeah.

Speaker 4 4:48

I made my parents come pick me up and I literally I remember being fourth grade. I was like I'm never coming back here. And then the Lord said you should plan camp for other people and help them along the way. Would you like to do it for the rest of your life and then speak multiple weeks at camp? And so yeah, that's the full circle. That's amazing.

Speaker 2 5:07

I also didn't love spending the night away from home, and I made the mistake of bringing friends who also didn't like that, so we cried our way through some of the early years of camp. But I also have good memories. I like the serious moments of like so much of my spiritual walk and like call to ministry happened as a middle schooler at camp.

Speaker 2 5:31

But walk and like call to ministry happened as a middle schooler at camp. But then even just the fun parts of I love a good pool time and I still do as an adult. I look forward to like when we're going to go have a pool party or a dance party or it's just a fun week with friends and memories that you don't always get to make. Yeah, I love that.

Speaker 3 5:40

What do you feel like? As you know, pastors and ministry leaders, like you all, either are speaking at a campus summer or taking students. Like, how are you guys preparing just spiritually, mentally, emotionally, for taking a bunch of students to camp?

Speaker 1 5:54

For the students or for us personally.

Speaker 1 5:56

For you personally, you have to have your comfort things you bring, and so I think that's one of the things like the more camps you go to whether that's like a pillow or as like an adult, like your little coffee maker or your favorite snacks, like you've got to have whatever your little like. This is like the Inception movie moment you have to have your like a little anchor to reality. That's right. Like whatever that is like. If that's like a little like I have to have my nose canceling headphones to listen to quiet white noise for a while, whatever the thing is, whatever anchors you to like, I will make it through this, because if you just totally like strip away everything from your life and get dumped into a campground, it's jarring and disruptive, maybe not a helpful way, and so I think being thoughtful for both yourself and sympathetic for students, and maybe even helping them like preempt, that is really helpful. Just to have those little like anchors to reality. Or maybe something as simple as like like a photo, like you may have your family photo that you take, or it may just be like like I take this like blankie and it's just like. Even if it's like a middle school kid, that's just like.

Speaker 1 6:53

This is my favorite quilt, my blanket. I love it. I carry it everywhere. That's okay, it's all right, it's comfort. Yeah, yeah, I love that, what about you?

Speaker 4 6:59

Chad. So one of the things that I would say in just the preparation and not the actual like preparation of camp, but to have prepared to spend time in the calm before, and that is going to require you to be completely ready multiple days in advance. I think, man, it is so easy to always want to have like one more thing and sometimes we struggle in just sitting in the calm, and we'll probably talk about this in this episode. But relationship is so important at camp that if you're rolling in there going 900 miles an hour, even when you don't think that it's noticeable, it is unbelievably noticeable, yeah it ripples, it ripples.

Speaker 4 7:50

And so to be able to walk into a camp environment where something will go wrong. And can we just say that Something will go wrong? There's too many people and things.

Speaker 1 7:59

Right, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 4 8:00

And there will be things that will heighten your stress and anxiety level and all those kind of things. But if you can walk in the room as the leader and have the sense of, hey, we're a team together with your other leaders, but then also for the student to be present, those students, more than they need the big production and the amazing cool game, which are important. Many of them need you, a trusted adult that they can come to. That's not also frazzled that the putting on of camp is more important than them, and so I think we've got to prepare for that and realize that we can't just like muster that up in the moment.

Speaker 2 8:45

That's really good, I think, from a practical level. Just understanding With that, looking at the calendar, the weeks leading up to camp and just being mindful of the summer for us like feels like a sprint in some ways and there's just a lot and they're all really fun things and I really wouldn't have it any other way.

Speaker 2 9:02

But also trying to look and be realistic, of like, normally maybe I would go on like this weekend trip, but the weekend before camp maybe not, and like actually being intentional to say no to something. Oh wait, unless you have a relaxing before camp, maybe not, and like actually being intentional to say no to something, oh wait relaxing trip or pushback chad.

Speaker 1 9:18

Chad actually has he's. He's pushing a theory on people but this is, this is okay.

Speaker 4 9:23

I found it in by accident the first time you accidentally planned family vacation I planned family vacation and our camp week got moved to the week after my vacation and leading up to that I was like maybe we need to just cancel.

Speaker 1 9:39

Maybe we skip vacation this year. This is a mistake.

Speaker 4 9:42

It forced me to be completely ready the entire week before that we got to have family vacation. I came in that year of camp so unbelievably there that's cool and it was so good for my heart and just mind and it did. It changed so many things about it to where I wouldn't take a full week, we wouldn't travel or anything, but I would take specific days off right before camp. The other thing that it really helped me do is it allowed me to connect with my at that time we didn't have kids. It allowed me to connect with my wife. That's good. Before you departed, Before I was gone for an entire week.

Speaker 1 10:24

Now you have to actually commit to it. Like you can't be like I'm on family vacation and you're doing work emails the whole time.

Speaker 3 10:29

Like it has to be true to be good meals the whole time, like it has to be true to be good. What do you guys think Like once they get to camp? What should be the biggest priorities for a leader, cause there's so much, there are so many people begging for their attention. There's so many details that become undone. What do you feel like should be the priorities? Chad, you mentioned a little bit about relationships, yep.

Speaker 4 10:52

So I know that we've got another question on this list that we're going to ask and I want to combine them, if we can for a moment. One of the questions that you're going to ask is what is the win? Yeah, yeah, yeah, and I think for us to walk into camp and know what is success, we have to determine beforehand what is the win. We have to determine beforehand what is the win, and I think so often, whether it's camp or retreats or even a normal Wednesday night, if we haven't determined as a team what is our win, then we don't know what we should be doing and we will only just do what we've always ever done, or what we've seen, or just what feels cool.

Speaker 1 11:30

Or we'll start saying man, I feel good about it, it must be good for everybody else too so our emotional temperature will be the barometer for how we measure how it went.

Speaker 4 11:39

Yeah. So I think, even asking that question, why do you go to camp? Yeah, like, what is the real reason why you're at camp? Because when you can clearly identify and answer that, then you know exactly what the win is and it allows you to put all your effort into the correct places. Because I think for some people that are listening, the win for you and your student ministry. You may be looking going, man. A lot of our kids just don't feel connected to each other. So what's the win, man? Maybe we need to shift things around to make sure they're talking more, connecting more. Maybe for you the win you're like, man, we're in this big evangelistic kind of push right now.

Speaker 1 12:26

Everyone bring one yeah.

Speaker 4 12:28

The big goal here is that we see kids come to know the Lord. To do that we've got to get kids before and so we're able to evaluate that. It really frustrates me anytime I get done with an event and everybody goes like, how was it Right? Because then you're just going well, what's my feeling Right? And not able to, and because you're always relieved Like that's always the worst time to ask we made it through.

Speaker 2 12:51

How did you feel about it?

Speaker 1 12:52

Well, we're on the other side of it, so I actually feel pretty good.

Speaker 1 12:55

So like so, but was it good or not?

Empowering and Equipping Camp Leaders

Speaker 1 12:57

And so I think that's those things I think will help. So the question that you asked, amanda, is the is the going to camp in so many ways is a little bit of a train on tracks, and so whatever it takes to get into it, well, I think the little details of loading up and vanning or busing or riding to where you're going and settling in, because you are transplanting community, like whatever the goal is, you are basically lifting folks up out of where they are smushing them to a place to like kind of inhabit and like live and form community, and so, just like when you take a plant and transplant it from a pot to the ground, like there is so much care that has to be happening that we don't overdo or over inundate or not think through the details to give it the space that it needs because things have to kind of settle in. And so, I think, giving yourself enough time on that first day or half day to settle into it so that you can really begin to live into that rhythm of community.

Speaker 4 13:56

I really want to hear from both you guys because you guys are both so like, very much like in trenches. So like, not abstract of like what could be like last summer into this summer. Yeah, like for you all and the students you're around, like what is the win and like what's the focus.

Speaker 2 14:13

It's really good. It's fun to think about. So two summers ago I transitioned from being a cabin leader to like overseeing a lot of what was happening in the lives of our girls and leaders, and it rocked my world. I feel like that's the year of camp.

Speaker 2 14:27

Our whole team jokes that everything fell apart and like every hard crisis happened at camp and I left just like I've been picked up by a tornado and sat back down.

Speaker 2 14:36

And so last summer was a chance to kind of try some other things and I think honestly, so much of the win, yes, is relational with students, but it's also relational with the leaders, because they're going to be a lot of the ones that are partnering with you to have some of these conversations, and so so much of my prep before camp is, I mean, hopefully we're vetting everyone going to camp Please do. But then practically talking through like our vision for like walking students through next steps, or just kind of casting vision to our leaders so that they're bought in even before we get to camp. Or if you don't have a moment where you're bringing leaders together, it's that first night of camp before worship, you're having some form of leader meeting to cast some of that vision together. I think from a practical side, I've learned the hard way of what is someone else's emergency versus what is actually urgent.

Speaker 2 15:25

And so you're balancing.

Speaker 2 15:27

I think, especially for girls, ministry leaders or just women in student ministry you're going to get a lot of emotions and whatever people are going through is important.

Speaker 2 15:35

But just because you get a text at midnight from a leader saying like 9-1-1, it's okay to sift through and realize, okay, her 911. The emergency is actually just that like we really miss our ex-boyfriend and that is super valid. I don't have to get out of bed to drive over, like right now, or to walk over to this cabin and it's okay to say thank you so much for being there with this student. I would love to follow up with you all in the morning or at another time, and then there are times that there really is crisis. But I think I just kind of responded to everything that seemed to be urgent instead of asking some better questions. And it's not saying that your thing isn't important, but also protecting your own heart and mental space to be like I would love to talk to you at lunch about this and let's like set aside intentional time to do this Cause. Also, 2am may be where our emotions are kind of all over the place and we're not thinking as clearly no totally.

Speaker 3 16:28

I love like the concept of you know, if one of the big wins is helping your leaders connect with students. And as a leader who doesn't get to go to camp because I have little kids at home and often my husband will go with the worship team and so I've sat back and I'm like, how do I connect with my girls while at camp? Like is there even a win for me as a leader? And something that I have done with my girls is like sending them goodie bags and letters. Most recently, my girls really love to take my face to camp so they like they've printed it out and put it on like a popsicle stick or like a spatula one day, never in my life, but have I wanted something so much?

Speaker 3 17:09

That may be. My girls still have it in their car, so I'm sure if you want to carry my face around the summer with you guys?

Speaker 4 17:15

Yeah, that may be Zach in my new travel.

Speaker 3 17:21

But you know. So, whatever that looks like for your leaders to help realize and empower them to say, like you are the face. I, as a staff person, I don't have to be the one to have a decision conversation with you. Your leader gets to do this.

Speaker 1 17:36

The thing I put to be careful in coaching up and getting our leaders ready is that they're doing functionally a year of ministry and four to four and a half days, because the amount of time that we have at camp usually roughly mathematically equates to about a year's worth of like Sundays and or Wednesdays for, like, our infrequent attenders and so like. It is like a literal growth spurt for both our students and our leaders. So there is some of those like heightened things that we feel, and so, to push into some of our next questions, the thing that I think you can be as a leader that's the most important is enough capacity to stay non-anxious so that when the stuff comes in, you aren't like tossed around by every emergency text because you're going to feel in high demand and, as good as that feels, the demand is not the solution. Like you, being able to delegate well is the posture that you have to take.

Speaker 4 18:30

I love that you talked a little bit about the relationship part and I think so often, and rightfully so, we walk into camp thinking about the student but taking those times to create those relational connection moments that feel organic and natural with our adult leaders, moments that feel organic and natural with our adult leaders. Remember, we have plunged them back into student world and that is a shock for many of them.

Speaker 1 18:54

Camp is a shock To be around teenagers that amount of time it is. Yeah, it's immense.

Speaker 4 18:59

We used to plan I refer to them as cookie dough nights and I would have our camp folks order extra like edible cookie dough. And it was just this very informal. If you can sneak out of the dorms adults, we're going to be in the kitchen Planned hijinks.

Speaker 1 19:22

Yeah.

Speaker 4 19:23

Eating cookie dough and hanging out Stress eating cookie. Dough, yeah, because it is very easy to have the all important adult meeting that is like here's what we needed to get to do today, but to also realize that you can plan what feels like a spontaneous gathering of your leaders to just hear how they're doing.

Speaker 2 19:43

Yeah.

Speaker 1 19:44

And just talk life and be an adult for a moment.

Speaker 4 19:46

Yes, in PJ's eating cookie.

Speaker 2 19:49

I don't know if you have the ability to bring additional people to camp, but that's actually one thing I'm thankful for we can bring a couple of people who are dedicated to leader hospitality.

Speaker 2 19:59

that way and so whether it's not anything fancy, but it's water, snacks, caffeine the leader green room and they have a place where they can go but also connect with each other, and we've seen that be such a fun thing that leaders aren't doing it for the few snacks. It's not that big of a deal, but it does go a long way in the middle of a week to say here's an energy drink here's a cup of coffee.

Speaker 1 20:21

Care is in the details. And that's, you can't broadly assume care. It has to be specific and unique to the people that you're serving.

Speaker 3 20:30

As we wrap up, talking about leaders, I think part of a way we can equip leaders at camp is the follow up and bringing them along in the process of not just at camp but like what do leaders do with their students after camp? And if we've set that in place at camp, with their relationship with the students, then it's so much easier for us to be like okay, this girl gave her life to Jesus. You were there with her. Now how can I equip you to disciple her after camp? What other things can we do to help that follow up after camp, to help not just be like cool, a bunch of kids got saved, what a great week everybody.

Speaker 4 21:06

I know, okay, see you next summer. I feel great.

Speaker 1 21:08

Yeah.

Speaker 4 21:09

I have one that I think is really important. It is mom and dad.

Speaker 3 21:13

Yeah, so you would say that as a parent ministry specialist.

Speaker 4 21:18

They're kind of important when it comes to the development Often forgotten.

Speaker 1 21:23

Yeah, should not be neglected.

Speaker 4 21:24

But there's some really cool ways, post-camp coming back, that we can really connect with our families. I actually we would host a parent meeting right before when students got back. That was led by our pastor. You talk about a good turnout to the parent meeting when they're waiting on their kid to get there on the bus and everybody's always late because you're going to be late to have a quick parent meeting with the pastor to care for the parent. They're already there. They're waiting for their kids. It's the easiest 30 minute meeting ever. Yeah, but one of the things that we would do is we would we we had a take home for the parents of helping them with two big things.

Speaker 1 22:13

One to realize. The moment your kid gets in the car is not the best time to have to summarize, right?

Speaker 4 22:15

Because if you're a middle school kid and you're exhausted from camp and you get in the car and mom and dad's going to always ask this one question well, how was it? What are they going to say?

Speaker 4 22:25

Even if they had the greatest week ever, good, good for the time right or they're going to be an eighth grader and they're going to be upset for who knows what reason. Right, because they're exhausted, yeah, and there's going to be this like fiery moment that happens in the car and then it's like well, glad that we sent you to camp.

Speaker 1 22:44

you know it's like jesus made a difference.

Speaker 4 22:46

Yeah, no she's tired, mom, yeah. And so encouraging parents hey, take some time, let them go home and get a nap. And then giving parents specific things that happened at camp that they can follow up with, and so your seventh graders To lead them through some of the experiential moments.

Speaker 4 23:05

Yeah, Well, because, for the parent, what are they wanting to know? They're wanting to know what did my kid learn? What were some of those highlight experiences? Those kind of things that a seventh grader is never going to be able to articulate. Yeah, for you, as the youth leader, that you would want the parents to know, right, and so you let them know that. Lead those questions and help the parents be able to engage their kid, instead of helping their kid engages them.

Speaker 3 23:29

I love that. That's good. Well, thanks guys for being on here. If you're listening and want more resources on follow-up, we will link some ideas for you in the description. If you have questions for our team, we'll put our email addresses on. But thanks for being here and have the best summer.

Speaker 4 23:49

And for our listeners, if they're wanting to tune into you guys, tell us what are some of the things that they're going to hear from you guys on your show coming up and what they should look for.

Speaker 3 24:01

Well, on His Glory, her Good. We are all about championing women who lead in youth ministry. A lot of that looks like discipling teen girls, but also just in your own walk, in your own journey with the Lord and in ministry and what that calling looks like. We want to champion you. Also, if you're a guy and you're like I, would love to support and partner with the women on my team better or disciple my teen girls better.

Speaker 3 24:22

Also a great podcast. I had a guy yesterday at Youth Pastor Summit was like this podcast has been so helpful for me. So, anyway, thanks to everyone for listening and we'll see you soon. His Glory, her Good is a production of the Lifeway Podcast Network. We're your hosts, corinne.

Speaker 2 24:39

Allen and Amanda Mejiaz. We are so grateful that you joined us and we'll see you next time.