As the applications rolled in for this year’s Texas Teen Camp, we realized that this was going to be a big year. Space for campers was at a premium as we almost reached capacity. As campers finally arrived, we showed 55 boys and 55 girls on our camper roster. Having an equal number of boys and girls makes it easy to coordinate our co-ed activities at camp—but this was just the first of many factors that contributed to a smooth-running camp for 2025.
While we can sometimes casually refer to “the best Feast ever,” or the “best camp ever,” we have a different philosophy at Living Youth Camp. Instead of aiming for “the best ever,” our goal is to build a quality program that will maintain a standard of godly excellence each and every year, for every camper and every staff member who serves at Living Youth Camp.
To achieve this goal, we consistently emphasize a set of true values through the camp standards we teach and train. But these are not just “camp values.” We don’t create them in the vacuum of a camp atmosphere. These values are godly values, established in His word. We simply make our best effort to apply them in the camp setting.
For example, we teach the biblical principle of doing things in an organized and peaceful way. Instead of just haphazardly pointing campers toward different activity areas and telling them to have fun, activity leaders each create a plan to guide the campers through organized learning. This is not just a “camp principle.” It’s a godly principle. Paul instructed the brethren at Corinth to do things “decently and in order,” reminding them that “God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40).
Engaging for Every Camper
On our roster of physical activities this year, we had basketball, volleyball, swimming, canoeing, and a new activity—disc golf. But not every camper enjoys every sport. In fact, some have very little experience in any sport. So, activity leaders bear in mind the importance of making their activity engaging and beneficial for every camper, no matter their age, skill, or experience.
This means that some campers need to be given more one-on-one attention and coaching in the basics. On the other hand, campers with more expertise are taught to be team players who help and encourage others. But to accommodate the needs of every camper, each activity leader needs to think through how to organize each step of the class, prepare his activity team to carry out the plan, and then energize each dorm of campers as they arrive. The benefit we have at our teen camp is that our activity leaders, no matter what sport they teach, are dedicated to taking the time to prepare, plan, and apply their camp experience to create the best activities they can—doing things decently, in order, and without confusion.
This same value is shared by the teachers leading our non-athletic activities. This summer, dance, communication, Bible, music, and life-roles classes filled out this part of our program. As instructors prepared their classes, they considered how to organize their activity so that every camper benefited. This takes a lot more time, creativity, and energy than simply showing up. And they put their hearts into it!
Our service departments complete the picture. Our kitchen personnel, logistics team, medical staff, and transportation team spend a great deal of time considering how best to serve the campers as well as all the staff. The kitchen director and his team begin to plan months ahead of time, thinking through every aspect of the food—how it can be ordered, delivered, prepared, and served. Consider the task of serving three meals each day to more than 200 people for two weeks. It is a job that not many people would want on their plate! Yet this is what our kitchen team does each year—and they do it decently, in order, without confusion, and in peace.
A Vision for Camp
This year, we had milder weather than usual for camp. Of course, “mild” in East Texas simply translates to temperatures lower than 100°F! But slightly cooler temperatures were definitely conducive to a pleasant atmosphere. And we appreciated Lone Star Camp’s improved facilities—the air-conditioned meeting hall where we held our Christian Living classes each morning contributed to an enjoyable start to the day.
But if there is one element that God has blessed us with that makes the biggest difference, it is a staff that shares a common vision of working together to support and uphold godly values in action. This summer, we experienced one of the best teen camps in recent memory. But our goal is, has been, and will continue to be to keep building a summer program for our youth that will reflect godly excellence. See you at camp!