USA (MNN) — The countdown is on until summer arrives and kids camps are underway in the United States. However, a common problem for camp directors is getting kids to not only engage in Scripture during their time at camp, but also throughout the rest of the year.
A New Key
(Photo courtesy of Keys for Kids via Facebook)
As part of its ministry, Keys for Kids helps other outreaches find better ways to share the Gospel with youth. And after hearing about the need in summer camps, Keys for Kids stepped up to the plate and came up with a new program called ‘Keys for Camps‘.
“So basically what happens is Keys for Kids provides each camp with devotionals and they put a custom wrap around it, so it’s got the camp name on the front of it. It’s got a letter from the camp director and then pictures on the back cover,” Keys for Kids’ Greg Yoder explains.
“Then we send them to camps, and camps will be using them obviously to train their kids how to be in God’s Word during the week of camp. Well, then when they go home, they’re sent home with the Keys for Kids devotional, so these campers can be in God’s Word all year long.”
(Photo courtesy of Keys for Kids)
Keys for Kids’ devotionals are produced quarterly and with the Keys for Camps, kids attending camps partnered with Keys for Kids would receive the quarterly devotionals until the next camp year.
“So if they’re starting to experience that feeling they had at camp of being in God’s Word and motivating them to be in God’s Word, we just believe kids are going to be in God’s Word so they’re not going to leave church when they turn 18 or 19 or 20,” Yoder shares.
“They’re going to be in God’s Word, they’re going to understand it, they’re going to have the tools they need to be really quality Christians and to make sure they’re sharing their faith.”
Being in God’s Word
Not to mention, without being in the Bible regularly, it’s very unlikely that kids are learning how to have a relationship with Christ, grow in it, or take the next step in it. Furthermore, it’s the kids who are in God’s Word regularly, Yoder says, who will be the next generation’s church leaders.
“We hope this is just a tool to not only remind kids to be in Scripture, but also to provide the reminders to these campers and moms and dads that they (the kids) need to go back to camp next year to continue in their walk with the Lord,” Yoder says.
So if you’re a part of a camp ministry or know others who are involved in camp ministry, consider signing up for the Keys for Camps program and helping provide every camper this summer with material to dig into God’s Word throughout the year.
Costs for personalized quarterly kids devotionals only costs $5 per camper and can easily be built into the cost of camp. Learn more about the Keys for Camps program and how to register for it here!
