A shepherd can’t just collect information. He has a further duty to prepare. Because he knows what’s coming, his job begins well before he ever leaves on the journey.

Growing in your knowledge of the sheep and working to predict potential sources of trouble is a wonderfully humbling exercise. The scope of it directs you toward knowing your own finitude. If you are blessed to accept how small your are you’ll be simultaneously driven in two directions: first to get on your face in prayer before the the Lord your Shepherd and second to get on your feet in recruiting and equipping a team of wise and responsible adult helpers.

Camp is a lot. If you’ve been on the inside of summer camp you know its realities: budgets and expenses, church coordination, registration forms, volunteer recruitment, liability releases, bed assignments, t-shirt sizes, transportation, trails, first aid, studies, printing, gear, clothes, tools, props, musicians, A/V, and more…all to be moved and managed and massaged into a workable, survivable, and accountable event. You need to get everyone there and also get them back safely. That is a lot. And that’s ministry.

A camp run by Christians for Christians where people dress modestly, and don’t use swear words, and have good clean fun is all well and good. But the camp which takes its direction from the Lord Jesus Christ has a distinguishing mark. It is set apart from so many other good and useful camps happening all over the world by what occupies the central place. It’s a mark found in every true church.