Camp is God’s Idea

When I was a kid, I went to as many church retreats and weekend camps as I could. I would jump at the opportunity to spend time with my friends away from home, hang out with the older guys who lead our group, and play sports and games with kids my age. It was a blast.

But the more church weekend retreats I went on, the more I realized that they aren’t just for hanging out with friends and playing big youth group games where I might win a prize or something. The more times I went go throughout my school years, the more I was changed. I realized things about myself at those weekend camps that I wouldn’t have realized back home. I got closer to my friends – but in a way that was deeper than we ever could just staying at home and hanging out at someone’s house. But above all else, I grew closer to God during those weekends.

Camp is God’s idea. You see, a survey of Biblical history shows that God often took his people out of their usual context and placed them in a special setting to accomplish a specific purpose. In a way, he had them go to camp! Take the Garden of Eden, Moses and the Israelites, even Jesus and his disciples for example. Out in the wilderness, away from their routine and urban life, God had a better audience with his people and they responded to him in ways they may not have back home.

And that is the reason Pine Cove is a summer camp! To provide a crazy fun environment for people to be transformed by the Gospel!

But summer is only three months out of the year! What happens at Pine Cove when it’s over?

Answer: WINTERFEST.

Winterfest is Pine Cove’s winter camp experience! It is basically summer camp packed into a December weekend full of playing crazy games, eating good meals, hanging out with cool college students, celebrating the fact that school is out for the semester and Christmas is just around the corner!

Winterfest is happening at every Pine Cove youth camp, for 2nd graders through seniors in high school! Each camp will have its own crazy fun schedule – and there’s even a concert from pop-charting artist Britt Nicole for those coming to the Ranch, Timbers, and Shores! But no matter where you spend Winterfest, you can definitely expect the same wild Pine Cove traditions…

Why wait until summer comes back around to be at Pine Cove? Come see us at Winterfest for an exciting weekend before the holidays! Come ready to play, sing, dance, and be changed forever!

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Some of the ideas in this post were inspired by a great book called “The Christian Camp Counselor” by Jim Badke.