March 24, 1999
Youth camps getting
back to basics, leaders say
___By George Henson
___Staff Writer
___Youth camp isn't what it used to be--it's better.
___That's the overarching idea being communicated by those involved with the camps across Texas.
___Perry Eaton, coordinator of PowerPoint youth camps at Pineywoods Encampment in Woodlake, said the reason is simple--youth camps are focusing more on the simple message of Jesus.
___"We try to have a quality camp," he said, citing the importance of having godly speakers and musicians.
___ "That gets the saved kids here, and it encourages them to bring their lost friends. Also, over the years, the kids have seen God and so they come back with the anticipation of seeing God again. That's not a program or a plan, that's just God at work," said Eaton.
___Youth camps also are striving to make camp a physically enjoyable place to be.
___"Camp is not just a hot place with a swimming pool that you send your kid to in the summer so they can hear a word from the Lord," said Steve Dean, manager at Plains Assembly in Floydada. "They're still going to hear that word, but it is a more comfortable place to be."
___Eddie Walker, who has led camp worship for 15 years, said technology also has helped camps stay tuned to youth.
___"When I began doing this, it was pretty much just a piano on a stage. But now there is lighting and amplifiers and screens where you have the speakers' faces projected. The message has remained the same, but the way it is projected has been enhanced."
___Camps are also striving to rev up the fun side of things.
___"It's not just arts and crafts and quilt-making anymore," said Trevor Carpenter, recreation director of Zephyr Baptist Encampment. "Now we have paintball and ropes courses, and we've beefed up our water sports beyond ca-noes to boats pulling tubes."
___"Camps are riding as high a crest as they ever have. Even with all the other things that are competing for time, youth are still coming to camp because this is one of the places they can come to have a real experience with God," said Pat Vickery, manager of Timberline Camp in Lindale.
___
___Frontpage / Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!