In Ridgecrest Summer Camps

As many of us know well, it's way too easy to get caught up in the hectic pace of today's wired-in lifestyle. We get so focused on the next meeting, the next phone call, the next tweet or status update, that we forget the things that are really important.

Many times what gets forgotten, or pushed to the side, are our families. The following post was written by John Ashman. John is currently the Executive Director of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions and prior to that was a VP with Christian Camps and Conference Association.

As you read it I would encourage you to think about your own family. Do you need to take some time out and renew your relationships. As you'll see from this mom's perspective, family camp is a great place to do just that.

Camp is a refreshing stream along life's journey...

Laura eased open the screen door and stretched out in the rocking chair, favorite book in hand. Out on the lake, silhouetted by Monday’s sunrise, the canoe carrying her husband and two daughters glided silently through the water. A smile spread across her face as she imagined their conversation.

An earlier rain had refreshed the forest and the fragrance brought back some wonderful childhood memories. Overhead, two squirrels debated the ownership of a cache of acorns. The family from the cabin next door waved good morning and wandered off along the path to the point.

This placid camp setting was a welcome contrast to her familiar suburban scene. She glanced at her watch. Still 40 minutes ’til breakfast. She took another sip of coffee and closed her eyes. This was going to be a wonderful week.

At the urging of some friends from church, Laura’s family had decided to spend these six days at a Christian family camp. The place offered cabin or lodge accommodations, three family-style meals a day, horseback riding, biking, hiking trails, a challenge course, dirtboarding, fishing, canoeing, swimming, beach volleyball, a well-known Christian band, an impressive list of speakers, and more.

But the part of the brochure that caught Laura’s attention was “time out from the rush of life for spiritual renewal.” She needed that, and so did her family, much more than anyone knew.

Finding Time
These days, few of us wash dishes in the sink and ponder the world through the kitchen window. Instead, we stack the plates and utensils in the Maytag and rush to the next task. Come end of day, rather than sit on the front porch and contemplate, we click the mouse or remote and “process.” We live in a hurried, harried world. Freeways, cell phones, business appointments, micro-waves, school functions, online transactions, late-night news, and alarm systems form the borders of our behavior.

Our children aren’t strangers to stress, either. Pushed by parents or peers to perform beyond their years, they’re rushed into maturity by Madison Avenue and the media. It’s no wonder many kids emerge from their teen years frustrated, fearful, and fatigued.

Just over the hill, across the meadow, or through the woods, Christian camps are offering experiences that can arrest our runaway routines. Spending a week at a Christian camp, or conference center, will not immediately unbundle the anxiety of the twenty-first century lifestyle, but it will provide a refreshing break with a chance to relax, reflect, recreate, and re-evaluate priorities.

Time, which seems to be a rare commodity in the “real world,” is abundant at camp. There’s time to eat together, play together, and talk together. Parents can use time to assess family progress and form new goals. Kids can spend time enjoying the miscellaneous pastimes of childhood. So much can get done when there’s nothing pressing to do.

Finding God
At camp, God does not hide in the chapel, waiting for the evening service so He can reveal Himself. His presence permeates the program and property. God speaks on the ropes course, helping people discover the truth about trust. He’s present on the trail, teaching people through the intricacies of nature. He’s there in the person of a child’s counselor, bringing peace through the demonstration of patience. The messages spoken and songs sung from the platform are just added benefits.

Chuck Swindoll, author, radio pastor, and chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, has long been a supporter of Christian camping for the entire family. Some time ago, he spoke about the value of total family involvement.

“All the Swindolls have enjoyed and benefited from Christian camping for many, many years,” he said. “In fact, I can’t recall an unhappy or unrewarding experience that we’ve ever had.”

When families get together in a camping situation, they relate eye-to-eye, maybe for the first time in months, without the distraction of television, radio, or phone in the background, he observed. They have time to think through their values and their priorities. And they have the opportunity to establish or strengthen their relationships with Jesus Christ.

The testimonies around Friday night’s flickering campfire stirred the hearts of the households gathered in its glow. Tears welled up in Laura’s eyes as her own husband of 16 years stood to his feet and uttered soft-spoken words of recommitment to Christ and family.

Following the service, the girls ran ahead to the cabin to pack for departure. Taking the long way back, Laura and her husband walked hand-in-hand, then arm-in-arm, speaking without talking. It was a wonderful week. Spiritual renewal did indeed take place. God’s voice was heard.

It wasn’t that He spoke any louder in the serene camp setting. For some reason, it was just easier to hear Him.

What about you? Has family camp played a part in your family's heritage? If so, would you mind leaving a comment and sharing it? If not, I encourage you to consider attending a Christian family camp this summer. You won't regret it!

Well, it’s exciting and there is nothing we can do to stop it. Some sessions already have a wait list. This is the fastest registration process in the history of Camp Ridgecrest. We are doing everything we can to ensure that our returning campers can get their spot, but you have to act fast. All current campers were sent multiple emails with the registration link included. Check your inbox for details.  General Camp registration opens September 1, 2010.

Also, we are in the middle of the first annual Friend Frenzy Week! This is a week designed for current camp families to give their friends a chance to sign up before we post the registration link to the general public. Take advantage of this unique opportunity that ends August 31st.

Overall, the summer of 2009 was a huge success! We love hearing story after story of how God used this place to impact the lives of campers, staff and even parents. If you have a story to share, please comment below, or send us an email to rscamps@ridgecrestcamps.com. We love hearing what God is doing in the lives of our Camp Family.

See you in the Summer of 2010 at Camp Ridgecrest and don't forget to check out our Glorieta Summer Camps.

Growing up, I never had the opportunity to attend a summer camp. At the time it was no big deal because I didn't know what I was missing. However, the longer I've been involved with our summer camps, the more I wish I could have enjoyed the camp experience as a child.

The following is a recently published article detailing a mom's wish to provide that summer camp experience for her kids. I hope you'll enjoy it.

When Heather Murry tried to enroll her children in camp at Ridgecrest, there were no spots open. Camp staff suggested she try their newer sister camp in Glorieta, N.M. The mother of five from Belmont Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., said that was divine providence.

"Glorieta boys and girls camps are the jewel of the Southwest – it’s an undiscovered treasure," Heather said. "We wouldn’t trade any camp in the world for this one. It has everything from good, old-fashioned archery and canoeing to worship and quiet times all in one of the most beautiful settings you’ll ever experience."

To read the entire story, please click here.

What about you? Did you have a camp experience growing up? What about your kids? A week or two each summer, at a Christian camp, could have a huge impact on their spiritual growth. If you don't believe me, find someone who's had a "good, old fashioned camp experience" and I'm sure they will tell you the same thing!

My son has been at camp for ten days now, with three more to go.  I miss him terribly but the great thing about Camp Ridgecrest is that every day they post pictures of the days activities online with a note that includes daily highlights and what they were served for meals.  As a Mom, what they served for meals is very important because you do wonder if their eating and knowing what they were served gives you a good idea if they ate or not.

Anyway, I sent my son with 14 postcards (all pre-addressed and stamped), I figured that they had a rest period every day, so how hard could it be to write a quick postcard.  It wasn't like I sent stationary and expected a letter.  Apparently, harder than I thought.  I have received one postcard at this point and it said "I love you mom".  As excited I was to hear that, it just wet my whistle, I still wanted to know more. (Let's face it, I want to know if he's brushing his teeth.)  Then today in the mail I received a postcard from camp.  Not one from my child of course.  But, the next best thing...his counselor.  Now we were talking, his counselor told me how he had spent his extra money, what he was doing,  that he was sleeping well (still no mention of the teeth, but I'll get over it), that he's having a great time.  His counselor told me about some of the skills he has learned, like throwing a Frisbee and how well he is doing in volleyball and how he talks constantly. 

Yes, finally I had some information and I couldn't have been more excited about it.  Then at the end of the note came the most important sentence of all.  He said "and he is really growing in the Lord every day."  Wow, you can't get that from a picture but, that is what it is all about.  The knowledge of these camp programs and their focus on discipleship gave me the ability to send my eight year old to camp for two weeks so far away in the first place. 

Hard to believe, but summer is upon us. Temps are starting heat up, the humidity is becoming a real pain and everyday I see "tweets" (mini posts on Twitter for you non-Twitter folks) from summer staffers arriving at Glorieta or Ridgecrest. All sure signs that summer is here! 

If it's summer, then that also means it's time for summer camp! Later this week our counselors and staff will begin arriving at Camps Ridgecrest and Crestridge to begin a rather intensive (but also fun) 9-10 days of training. This training is critical in ensuring that we provide our campers with a camp experience that is both life-changing and safe. (I'm looking forward to getting over to North Carolina and catching the last couple of days of this training. Who knows, maybe I'll even take a turn on the blob if the lake's not too cold!)

In coming to LifeWay over 8 years ago, the one area of our conference center and camp ministry that I knew very little about was camp. I must admit, my impressions of camp were heavily influenced by movies such as "Meatballs" and "Heavyweights". Imagine my surprise when I learned that not all camps are like those in the movies! During the past several years I've had the opportunity to meet many excellent Christian camping professionals and to hear their heart for the camping ministry. In addition I've heard story after story of life change from folks who have attended our own summer camps.

As a result, I have become a huge proponent of Christian camping and would encourage any parent to seriously consider sending their child to a summer camp. For a parent like me, who had no camp experience growing up, choosing the right camp could be overwhelming. Fortunately there is help online. The American Camp Association (ACA) has an excellent resource article on their website to help parents choose what type of camp to consider. (Click here for the ACA article.) For those parents with a special needs child, I found another article online that you may find helpful. (Click here for the special needs article.) A third resource, to help you locate a camp near you, can be found at FindaChristianCamp.com.

Attending summer camp can be a great opportunity for your child to grow in Christ and learn how to spread their wings away from mom and/or dad. What about it? Will you consider sending your child to camp this summer? It's not too late!

In this video, Phil Berry (assistant director at Ridgecrest Summer Camps) talks about a rather embarrasing moment that happened the first year he attended Camp Ridgecrest for Boys. More importantly, he goes on to discuss the very positive impact Christian camping has had on his life.

In the 8 years I've been with LifeWay I have heard many, many stories about the life change that takes place every summer at Camp Ridgecrest and Camp Crestridge. I've also learned the same is true at the many fine Christian camps around the country. These camps make a difference in the lives of the children that attend each summer and I'm honored to be a part of this ministry.

From one parent to another, I encourage you to take a couple of minutes and listen to what Phil has to say about the value of Christian camping.