Some of my earliest memories are walking down a wooden deck at Bible camp, basking in the warm sunshine. Just like home, it was a place where I felt safe, happy, and very much loved. However, Bible camp got 100% better the summer I was seventeen. That year, I got to serve as an assistant counsellor at junior camp. I spent the week running after 8-12 year old girls. I applied sunscreen to their freckled faces, listened to their verses, and cheered them on in their games. And I fell in love with camp ministry! Every summer since then, I’ve been volunteering at Bible camp. If you haven’t helped out at a Christian camp, you’re totally missing out! In this post, I want to share why you should seriously consider working at Bible camp (even for a week).

Here are 4 reasons I love volunteering at Bible camp.

1. Working at Bible camp shifts your focus from self to others.

At the Bible camp where I volunteer, everyone starts with a week of staff training. Local pastors and the camp director will teach sessions on counselling, preparing your heart, and camp philosophy. Over and over, they emphasize this truth:

Bible camp is not about you. It’s about others.

-Staff Training

And, to be honest, I have to remind myself of this truth often. In order to be an effective servant, I need to forget about my desires and needs and focus on serving others. What does that look like?

• Helping a mom get dinner for her three rambunctious children
• Talking to a first-time camper who looks nervous and shy
• Braiding a camper’s hair every morning
• Keeping a smile on my face even when I’m tempted to be grumpy
• Going the extra mile in cleaning and kitchen work

Once you get into the servant mindset, you find that it’s incredibly rewarding to serve others. They won’t always thank you or act grateful. You might not even get a pat on the back. But, deep within your heart, you know that God is smiling down on you. You feel that He is pleased with your service. And that is more than enough reward!

2. Bible Camp is a great place to find strong Christian friends.

If you want to find friends who will sharpen you, don’t look for them at the mall. And you won’t find many at the amusement park or the hockey rink. However, Bible camp has one of the highest concentrations of spiritually mature Christians per capita. It’s one of the best places to meet godly friends (or possible future spouses). 

Some of my dearest friends are from Bible camp. We’ve done mountains of dishes, sang hymns in the kitchen, and lived on little sleep. And we’ve stood shoulder to shoulder in the trenches and seen God do amazing things. 

Each year, God knits our hearts together as one…with the common goal of glorifying Him and loving people. Individually, we are a lot of very different people. But, together, He knits us into one family. It’s an incredible gift to experience this.

Although friendship is not the main goal of serving at Bible camp, it is a pretty awesome benefit. And the friends you’ll find at camp are the best you’ll find anywhere!

3. Bible camp helps you learn to depend on God’s grace.

When I started working at Bible camp, I thought that I pretty much had it all together. I was good at memorizing verses, knew how to follow the rules, and kept my skirts below the knee.

But what I didn’t realize was that I could do nothing without His help. I didn’t have the answers for that difficult question my camper asked. I didn’t have the joy I desperately needed. And I didn’t have the love of Christ for the campers that were hard to reach.

Bible Verses About God’s Grace

Some of the verses that helped me realize this truth were John 15:5 and 2 Corinthians 12:9.

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

However, with God’s help and good preaching, I soon realized that I needed to depend on God’s grace. I felt hungry for God’s Word and His presence. I would set my alarm early so I could spend time with God before my campers woke up. And, throughout the day, I would be praying for His help and strength. This made all the difference, and it helped me overcome the spiritual attacks that often come with camp ministry.

With God’s grace, I could love people who weren’t all warm and fuzzy. When campers asked hard questions, He helped me know how to respond and where to find answers in the Word. Each day, He gave me the joy and strength I needed.

Camp taught me to lean on His grace, and it also taught me that His grace is MORE than enough!

4. Serving at Bible camp means letting God use you to touch lives for Christ.

One Friday night at junior camp, the evangelist preached a message on giving your life to Christ. He emphasized the importance of giving everything to Christ and not holding anything back. One camper who I thought was saved responded to the invitation. When I asked her why she came back, she said, “I want to get saved.” And, after talking about it to make sure she understood the gospel, she bowed her head and prayed to receive Christ.

Her simple prayer was one of the most powerful prayers I have ever heard. She said, “Lord, I’m know I’m not supposed to give you half of me or part of me. So I want to give you all of me.” What a precious prayer to reach God’s ear! I am sure the angels were rejoicing when she finished.

Later that night, we were getting ready for our end-of-camp party in the cabin. The same camper told me, “I need to show you a picture of my best friends.” I put her off, saying, “Just a minute.” I was expecting her to show me a photo of her family or school friends. But, when I came over, she pulled out the photo of our cabin that had been taken days before. We stood close together, wearing our team colour and grinning from ear to ear. She said, “These are my best friends.” My heart was full to bursting! 

What About You?

Hopefully by now, you understand why I love Bible camp so much. I believe that it’s one of the best investments you can make with your time. Even if you have a summer job, you may be able to get a week or two off to work at Bible camp. My current job doesn’t allow a lot of vacation time in the summer, but I still booked a week off to work at Bible camp this summer. 

When you serve at Bible camp, you make yourself available for God’s service. If you look for opportunities to counsel, to witness, and to encourage, He will use you! You may get to lead someone to Christ. Or you might encourage a weary mom or dad. No matter how He uses you, getting to serve God this way is an incredible privilege and joy. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Would you pray about volunteering at Bible camp this year? Would you consider giving God a week of your summer? He will richly reward you for it! If you don’t know of any Bible camps in your area, just ask your pastor.

Let’s Chat:

Have you ever worked at Bible camp before? Or have you attended Bible camp as a camper? I’d love to hear your thoughts (and any questions you have) in the comments!

P.S. If you live on the East Coast, you should totally check out Forest Glen Bible Camp! It’s the camp I work at, and I absolutely love it.