The gospel isn’t merely one ingredient in our programming mix. It’s the basis for everything we do.

Hesperus speakers know students and they know their Bibles. They unwrap and animate God’s truth in ways that connect with students.

 

Students will hear the Gospel message in chapel, and then wrestle with it in breakouts, and all of the unscripted moments that a Hesperus camping experience delivers of student pastors/leaders with students, students with each other, and a student in solitude with their Creator.

 

Indoor worship, outdoor worship, corporate worship, devotional worship.

 

Hesperus nurtures the attitude of worship from sunrise to sunset. Just step out of your cabin and you can’t help but acknowledge God here in the midst of His majestic creation.

 

Whether in personal quiet times, corporate gatherings, or small-group prayer—you'll have plenty of options for exalting the Lord. And for listening to Him, too. (It helps that distractions are few here—no cell phones or ipods, for instance.)

 

And our musicians are selected for their giftedness in leading students to the throne, not the stage.

 

The theme is a creative and practical link between the fun, entertaining aspects of camp and our presentation of the gospel.

 

Every element of the program points back to, and builds on the central theme. These programming elements are used to capture the camper’s attention, win their trust, direct their focus to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and help them understand that a life in Christ is exciting and adventurous.

 

While we believe that the theme is a critical part of the camp experience, it is our desire that by the end of the week it becomes the background to the biblical truths taught throughout the week.

 

During the afternoon hours, we let kids be kids. We call it Re:Creation....activities in the magnificence of God's Creation.

 

The high-energy, innovative games and activities at Hesperus give campers an outlet for their energy, while providing leaders a chance to encourage their students, not to mention giving students the opportunity to live out the truths they have just learned.

 

Groups, not individuals, are our programming model for two distinct reasons. They are as follows:

 

First, we can agree on one thing: your student pastor/leaders—not us, or any other ministry resource provider—know your student group best. We run camp in order to give student pastors/leaders freedom to do what they do best—relate to students, listen, offer guidance, love.  To that end, we free them up from the overwhelming details required for a successful, memorable camping experience—the programming, lodging, meals, recreation, speakers, music. They do enough of that anyway.

 

Second, the most significant decisions in the life of a student need nurturing, accountability, and encouragement. That is most effectively accomplished if the decisions are made in the context of a peer group, and then are taken home and lived out in the context of that same peer group. And thus we see the church being lived out.

 

Our aim is to leverage the ministry of the local church in its home community. So this time, we'll do the footwork while your student pastor/leader ministers to your students.  After all, when Jesus left this planet, he left behind a church, not a camp.