11 Keys to a Great Youth Camp

Here are a few Keys I believe to a great Youth Camp:

1.  Volunteers:
Your camp success will rise and fall on the people you recruit to go.  Get the best of the best.  All of ours have to complete a volunteer APP, be a member of Long Hollow for 3 months and most importantly love Jesus.

2.  Preparation:
If you do not prepare for a great camp you will not have one.  Great camps take a lot of attention starting 1 year out.

3.  Work hard to Sign up Students:
If all you do is make a few social media post and announce it from the stage you will not have 1/2 the crowd you should.  You have to work all the names in the system, challenge students to get their friends and work relationships for months in advance.

4.  Provide Scholarships:
This is big for pastors to hear.  If your church believes in the next generations they should give to the next generations.  Work hard so you don't have to tell one student NO!!!

5.  Communicate Clearly
Work hard to communicate clearly to parents and the church.  Using social media, emails, parent guides, etc...  Do what you can to be sure you communicate clearly.

6.  Don't stay in your room/cabin.  
As the leader you should be very active at camp.  It is hard to lead when you don't know what is going on.  Be everywhere.  You can sleep when you get back!!!  This is something my staff and I work really hard at.

7.  Evangelism - 
Take unchurch students and share the gospel.  I should not have to explain much of this one.  If the camp speaker does not do this you do it.  Your called to lead your ministry so LEAD them!

8.  Call Students to Action:
You should have challenges your going to challenge your students with at camp.  Maybe a call to ministry, call to serve, call to reach out to their community, etc...  Have a call to action plan and how your going to do it.

9.  Be Flexible:
If our leading your own camp you own the schedule no one else.  If God calls you to change things then change them.  Don't be so stuck to the schedule you miss what God wants.

10.  Ger them out of their comfort zone:
How does your camp get students out of their world so they can starve the flesh and feed the spirit.  Students should be pushed at camp.

11.  Have Fun:
What do you do at camp to have fun?  Fun should not take the place of the spiritual challenge though.  Remember that!!!