What is it that makes a Christian organization impactful? Is it the amount of funds raised? The number of people who attend services and programs? Popularity? From what we see in the ministry of Jesus, there's something more profound: discipleship.
"How effective would it be to tell a 12-year-old that Jesus loves them at a day camp...and then they never hear from us again?"
‘Discipleship’ is the process of training somebody to become like Jesus Christ. Jesus himself exemplified discipleship by calling twelve people to follow him. Jesus spent days, weeks, and years with these men to train them how to see the world through new eyes and to conduct themselves like Jesus. He knew that deep change doesn't happen overnight. Yes, when we accept Jesus he makes us a new creation instantly, but there's a lot to learn from those around us who are more mature in their faith. How effective would it be to tell a 12-year-old that Jesus loves them at a day camp...and then they never hear from us again?
Since 2003, millions of children have been reached through the day camps of churches we partner with. However, numbers wouldn't mean anything to us if there hadn't been a deep change in the hearts of the children and youth who have, in most instances, rejected their former 'gods' and idols to follow Jesus.
Every single child that makes a decision to make Jesus Christ the Lord of their life at our day camps are invited to join a weekly follow-up program held at the local church every week of the year. This format is similar to 'Sunday School' in North America. In our follow-up (discipleship) programs, children and youth are given their own Bible and learn about what it means to be a Christian. Amazingly, many of the follow-up programs have more attendees than the day camps because children invite friends to follow-up.
"Investing deeply in every child who decides to follow Jesus is the core of Children's Camps International. That's why it's all about follow-up."
We think that the heart of the Father is to invest in every person as if they were the most important person in the whole world. That's why He, "leaves the 99 sheep to find the 1 lost sheep" (Matthew 18:10-14). So, investing deeply in every child who decides to follow Jesus is the core of Children's Camps International.
What makes us impactful is training children and youth to continually grow in their relationship with Jesus. That's why it's all about discipleship.
Learn more about what we do here.