How to Mentor Your Camp Staff
Before you know it, summer camp season will be here. Camp directors and Program directors are hard at work, planning activities and hiring camp staff. Christian camps have even more to prepare. They need to plan how to keep their camp staff growing spiritually throughout the summer. Many Christian camps use a camp staff devotional throughout the summer – using it to encourage staff to have a daily quiet time with God.
Camps that use staff devotionals often include some type of accountability system to keep staff members motivated to keep reading their devotionals throughout the summer. Often this is done by dividing staff members into small groups which meet daily or weekly. During small group time, staff members discuss what they are experiencing with God through their readings. Sometimes this can include group discussions of some of the questions asked in the daily devotional readings.
When I was a day camp director, I included prayer and discussion of the devotional reading of the day during our closing staff meeting each afternoon. This helped keep me on track with reading the devotional, as well as my staff members. We found these discussion times to be very uplifting. We learned from each other as we shared insights that God was showing us from his Word, which we could apply to our camp experience together. It was exciting to see how often we had testimonies of how God enabled us to help our campers because we were growing spiritually together.
Help Your Camp Staff to Grow Spiritually
I encourage camp directors to look beyond all the preparations of facilities, programs, and staff hiring. Give consideration to how you will help your staff members grow in their relationship with God this summer.
I have developed a new downloadable staff devotional called “John Comes To Camp.” Those who purchase it may make unlimited copies for use by their camp staff.
To purchase the devotional, visit the “John Comes to Camp” order page.
Or use the Kindle version:
You can now read “John Comes to Camp” with the Kindle app. It is worthwhile for your camp to pay for each camp staff member to purchase the book on Kindle and read it on their phones.
John Comes To Camp
Check These Out:
On our website we have some relevant camp staff devotions, as well as the article “How to Choose a Camp Staff Devotional.”
You are welcome to use these devotions with your staff: