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The Young Life Leader Packing List For Camp: 25 Items To Not Leave Home Without

May 16, 2016, 3:30 am
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Bible
Psalm 119:105- "The Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Mini Notepad/Pen
Take notes in the leader mtgs, write down the schedule, cabin time questions, etc... it's nice to have a lil notepad that fits in your pocket. It's also handy during club if you want to write down ideas from the talk/songs/etc...

Sharpie
I use it to label clothes, zip-lock bags, and draw beards for western night.

Water Bottle
The Dos Equis guy got it wrong. "Stay hydrated my friends." Two keys to surviving a grueling week without much sleep are eating right and drinking lots of H2O.

Headlamp
You know you look cool wearing it around, and on top of the cool points, it's quite useful.

Crazy Creek
Comfy to have for leader meetings and cabin time. Probably not the best for the club room, unless you have 400 camping chairs to share.

Shoes (I bring 6 pairs, don't mock me)

  • Casual (for kickin' it)
  • Throw aways (for the obstacle course)
  • Extra pair (for the kid who only brought one pair of shoes and now they're wet. It's impossible to have the best week of your life if your shoes are always wet.)
  • Chacos (great for the shower and the lake)
  • Hiking boots/Running shoes/Closed-toed shoes (for the hike day, horse back riding, ropes course)
  • Bedroom slippers (Might sound funny, but sure feels homey. Plus, it gives your campers another way to make fun of you.)

White Noise
It's tough to sleep surrounded by the sound of 15 kids' random heavy breathing. The free White Noise app on the iPhone does the trick. Plus, it provides a great joke for all the kids to pick on you about for the next year. "Remember when you made us listen to that terrible noise all night long at camp." They'll mock you... but secretly be thankful.

Camera
Don't carry your phone all around camp when campers aren't allowed to have theirs. Borrow a camera or invest in one. But don't miss all the fun because you're on the sideline taking pics either.

Watch/Alarm Clock
Bring a watch so you can know the time and not have to pull out your phone. An alarm clock is essential as well as your body clock is going to press the all-natural snooze button.

Eno
Nuff said.

Backpack
You do a lot of walking around camp. It's nice to not have to go back to the cabin to get things. I like to keep my Bible, notebook, crazy creek, sunscreen, shades, cards, camera, wallet, etc.. in a backpack. When I'm not wearing it I usually keep it in the Leader Lounge. I initially pack my backpack for the bus-ride. If you're wearing Chacos on the bus, make sure to put socks in your bag because buses can get chilly.

Candy
It's nice to have some candy to pass out on the bus, at cabin time, etc... You can also ask friends to mail your cabin a package at camp.

Cabin Unity Game Outfits
Don't go too overboard, it makes other cabins look bad. But don't go too underboard, it's fun to get creative and make your cabin feel special. Here are some ideas from YLHelp.com

Cards
During my early years of leading, I used to play "Silent Football" with guys in the cabin at night. After realizing that game has potential to really "damage" some kids, I've switched to a nightly routine of playing "Push the Deck." We circle up laying on the floor, taking turns to do pushups through an entire stack of playing cards. Face cards=10. Aces=15. Number cards=# on the card. It tires guys out pretty good. Last man standing wins.

Ziplocks/Plastic Bags
Statistics show that 8 out of 10 YL campers and leaders leave camp with a wet item. Wouldn't it be nice to have a plastic bag to pack that baby in?

Caboodle
If you were a middle school girl in the 90's you might still have a Caboodle in your attic. It would be pretty hilarious if you packed it full of materials to do an "post cabin time- spa night."

Extra Clothes To Share
Gals love to trade clothes, and guys love to get dirty, so both male and female leaders should bring extra clothes. There's something bonding about sharing your gear.

Extra Pillow/Blanket
Everyone sleeps better with their own pillow. Pack your own comfy sheet or blanket (stuffed down in the pillow case.) A good night's sleep is essential to being an 'oh boy' leader. It's nice to have a warm blanket on a cold bus.

Extra Towels
Because it's gross to share a towel and your high school friend is going to forget to bring one.

Chapstick/Sunscreen/Aloe
A bad sunburn and chapped lips make it harder to have the best week ever. Make sure you and your campers use sunscreen and chap-stick, especially in Colorado!

Duct Tape
I always pack a roll and I always need it for something.

Theme Nights
Talk to your trip leader and find out what your theme nights are at camp. If you're doing 'Tacky Christmas,' then bring red/green gear. For Western night, bring eyeliner to make freckles, buck teeth, and extra bandanas.

Spending $
Be aware of what kids don't have extra $ and be willing to splurge and buy them a milkshake at the Sippie-Parlor.

Toiletries
Soap, shampoo, deo, toothbrush, toothpaste, contact solution, floss, razor, shaving cream, nose-hair trimmer, bug spray, labeled medications.

Clothes
T-shirts, shorts, hoodies, jeans, swimsuit, rain jacket, underwear, socks, belt.

Accessories
Hats, sunglasses, headphones, phone charger, etc...

What would you add? Comment below or email me here.
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WyldLife Camping: Did You Know?

May 18, 2016, 3:30 am
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It’s that time of year… you’re inviting kids, raising money, talking to parents and praying hard to get your WyldLife friends to camp this summer. As you make your plans, don’t forget these important policies and guidelines for WyldLife camp.

DID YOU KNOW that campers must have completed a year of middle school before coming to camp? WyldLife summer camp is not the place to introduce incoming middle school kids to WyldLife.

DID YOU KNOW there needs to be an adult leader (“adult” also includes current college students!) in every cabin with your WyldLife friends? You may have great high school students serving as WyldLife leaders – if you do, that’s wonderful and something to be thankful for. However, adult or college leaders – even if they are not the primary leader in a cabin – provide maturity, boundaries and even a different perspective on the Gospel.

DID YOU KNOW that the recommended leader/camper ratio for WyldLife camp is one leader for every five kids?

DID YOU KNOW that assigned teams and camps have important information for your WyldLife trip leaders? Theme nights. Packing lists. Last-minute updates.

Assigned teams and camp staff use the contacts listed in the Camp Reservation System when they have information to share about your week at camp. Often the area director is listed as the trip leader but someone else will actually lead that trip – maybe that someone is you! As soon as possible, let your camp and assigned team know who is leading your trip so they can communicate directly with both the trip leader and area director.

When you follow these guidelines, you’ll set your middle school friends up to hear and experience the Gospel in the best way possible.

Written by Julie Clapp.
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Solving the Camp Phone Problem

May 19, 2016, 2:39 pm
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An Area Director recently sent us this email and we'd love your help solving the problem. If you have ideas, please comment below or email us here. Thanks! -Drew 

HELP! 

Last year our area took students to camp and we told them "no phones" a million times and then we collected phones on the bus. At the end of the week, we found out a half dozen girls had their phones with them the whole time and actually turned in fake phones because they didn't want to miss out on social media or "ruin their snapchat streaks." 

Word got out that they managed to keep them and not get caught until the ride home, so at fall camp we had the same problem with every single boy that went to camp turning in a fake phone, but they got caught while at camp.

We are trying hard to brainstorm the best way to get them to actually turn in their REAL phone for summer camp. What things do other areas do? I'm guessing this is a problem with other areas and not just ours!  

Sincerely,  

Vexed by Verizon
Siked by Sprint
Tricked by T Mobile
Counterfeited by Cricket
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Sharing in my Shame: When Meghan Trainor Fell

May 20, 2016, 11:35 am
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Some of you might have already seen the Meghan Trainor video from The Tonight Show last week. She was performing in platform heels and took an accidental tumble at the end of the song. Jimmy Fallon's knee-jerk response was phenomenal. Without hesitation, he fell to the floor and laid down right beside her, sharing in her shame. The audience went nuts. Their gasps from watching the fall quickly changed to loud applause.

During my freshmen year in college, a senior I knew named Tripp was diagnosed with leukemia. The day he started chemo he came home to find his seven roommates had all gone bald on his behalf. One of them had a huge noggin and looked hideous with a shaved head, but that dude became one of my heroes. It was such an unselfish way to say "Tripp, I love you, and I'm in this with you, sharing in your shame."

As Young Life leaders, we get the privilege to lay down on the floor with our high school friends when they fall. We get to remind them that grace is greater than guilt. And we get to point them to the One who bore all of our shame on the cross.

I can't imagine having a YouTube video of one of my biggest mistakes viewed by millions of people. If someone were to put my secrets on the screen, I'm sure all of you who read this blog would gasp just like The Tonight Show crowd. But then you'd see the God of the universe come lay down right beside me. You'd see Him be stripped naked and nailed to a cross. You'd watch him take the fall that I deserve. And you would applaud. 

After I watched the video clip of "Ms. All About that Bass" falling on her face, I couldn't help but text the link to some friends. Not just so they would laugh with me at Meghan Trainor, but because there are few things more beautiful than watching others lay down their lives. 

Meghan Trainor Tumbles on The Tonight Show
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“Am I Cut Out for Young Life?”

May 21, 2016, 3:30 am
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[This is an excerpt from my friend Tim Branch’s brand new eBook for Young Life leaders.You can download the book for free by clicking here.] - Drew Hill
We talk a lot in Young Life about “being yourself.” People say it like it’s easy. So then, why do many of us find it so hard

Comparison.

I compared myself a lot in my first years as a leader. Because of my introverted person- ality, I thought I was worse at Young Life than the other leaders on my team.
They’d be just killing it in the middle of a circle of laughing people, and I’d be talking to two guys in the corner. I tried the extrovert thing, but it never felt right. Can you relate?
If so, I have a message for you today. It’s a message I wish I had known when I first started leading.

Your differences are actually an advantage for your team—and for the Body of Christ.

Here’s why: Just like a football team needs different talents to function properly, a Young Life team needs all different types of people to truly thrive in a high school. It’s hard to make Young Life work. And good Young Life teams celebrate having leaders with different skill sets.

That’s why it doesn’t make sense to compare yourself directly with someone else. It keeps you from using your unique gifts to make your ministry team stronger, and in- stead makes you think you need to be a cheap knockoff of someone else.

Imagine if a 400-lb. lineman wished he could be a wide receiver, so he started spending his time learning how to catch a football instead of learning how to keep people away from his quarterback. What good is he doing for the team? Who needs a slow receiver? He’s good at protecting the quarterback...and his team NEEDS him to protect the quarterback...he should just protect the quarterback!

In the same way, you have to be willing to use YOUR gifts the way they were meant to be used, and stop trying to be like that one “prototype leader” you think you’re supposed to be like.

Paul says this exactly when he says:
“If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:17-20)

While a lineman may feel like the receiver gets more glory because he catches all the touchdowns, he’s failing to see that without his job, the receiver wouldn’t have anything to catch. The receiver needs the lineman.

This is why it’s so sad when you feel like your gifts are worthless.

Because, while the impact of a body part is different, the value of that impact is the same.

The truth is, different types of leaders bring out the best in each other:

  • The deep, quiet leader can often offer much-needed support and spiritual guid- ance to the team. 

  • The funny skit guy can open doors for soft-spoken leaders to connect with their high school friends through laughter. 

  • The well-organized leader can take the worry out of club so everyone can stay focused on the important stuff. 

  • Fill in the blank with your gift. 


So what do you do with this information? Where’s your place on your Young Life team? Well, here are five questions that can help you figure that out:
  • What do I think my gifts are? 

  • What do other people think my gifts are? 

  • How can I grow into these gifts more? 

  • What does my team need, and how can my gifts fill those needs? 

  • What kids am I drawn to that my other teammates might not connect with? 

Every gift has its place on the team. So embrace your unique strengths. Your team needs them.

-Tim Branch
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Can't Stop the Feeling: Download Chords and Slides

May 23, 2016, 9:21 am
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Justin Timberlake recently released his new single, "Can't Stop the Feeling." It's likely to be the most popular song of the summer and if you're leading music at camp, this one is a must-do! I suspect it might also be a "closer" for some program operas, after all, Justin has already choreographed a dance for you in the music video.

Download a PDF of guitar chords and slides below.

Guitar chords

PowerPoint slides

Keynote slides
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University of Texas YL College Placement Night Hoverboard Dance

May 24, 2016, 3:30 am
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On this #YLTeamTuesday we're giving a shoutout to the YL College Team at UT-Austin. I guess it's true, everything is bigger in Texas, including the way they do leader placement nights. 

Check out this video from The University of Texas' YL College Placement Night. Thanks to Noah Maney for passing it along. 
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7 Keys To Being a Leader at WyldLife Camp

May 25, 2016, 3:30 am
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Written by Bekah Siau, Area Director with YL Military at West Point, NY

Have you ever looked at the chaos in your WyldLife cabin at camp and thought, “I’m supposed to have cabin time now? And with this crew?” 

You're not alone. I too know the feelings of unpreparedness and helplessness! How do we process the greatest message ever shared with our middle school friends in the midst of the chaos?

Give Yourself Grace
No one has it all figured out or is fully prepared to lead through every challenge that a week of Wyldlife camp will present. It isn’t all up to you. Rely on and allow space for the Holy Spirit to work.

Battle Buddy
Make sure you have a battle buddy! Get to know your co-leader, then lean on, support and encourage each other. Do everything you can to pray with and for each other and your students before and during camp.

Allow Emotion
Acknowledge your students’ feelings. Sometimes different illustrations stir up emotions in kids, and they don’t fully understand why it evokes an emotional response. They might not know why they are crying or angry, and it might not seem relevant to the club talk at all, but we have to deal sensitively with their feelings first. Help them put a name to their feelings whenever possible: frustration, anger, fear, sadness, hurt, rejection, regret, remorse, etc. Address the emotions and then help them understand what the speaker was trying to convey.

Speak Life
Their big question is: “Do you like me?” They are sensitively aware of any feelings of rejection or disgust from others. They need sincere and positive affirmation every day. They need encouragement to try new things. This goes a long way in “earning the right” to be heard with them. The best way to communicate the gospel to them is to BE the gospel, to show them!

Short & Sweet 
Keep cabin time concise. I like doing “highs and lows” but it takes forever with middle school girls. Instead, save it for the end of the night instead of during cabin time. Each girl climbs to the top bunk with her bunkmate and shares highs and lows of the day. (For boys, you might need the structure of sharing highs and lows at the beginning of cabin time to get conversations started.)

Patience
Know that it is probably really uncomfortable for a middle school student to have conversations about what they believe about life and Jesus. It might be the first time that any of them have ever even thought about God. Acknowledge this fact with them. It might be pretty normal that they repeat what you or someone else said. They might not be able to verbalize their own thoughts or opinions yet. They are very much in a period of trying on faith and belief. Be patient and understanding with them in this.

Understanding
Students should be invited to consider a relationship with Jesus, but you should also ask them questions to help them fully understand what that means for them. Students their age can be easily persuaded by adults. Please be extremely sensitive to this! Our goal isn’t for every student to go on the New Believers Walk. Our goal is for students to know and experience God’s love for them and to understand that He created them for a purpose and desires to have a relationship with them. Then we let them consider how to respond to that! Don’t underestimate the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing clarity and understanding of the gospel to students!


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Questions To Help Your YL Team Evaluate & Celebrate The Year

May 26, 2016, 3:30 am
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One of the most valuable, but often neglected, activities we can do as a Young Life team is to regularly evaluate and celebrate.

It's tempting to measure success with numbers. It's tempting to feel good about the year if you’ve had had big clubs and an epic camp sign-up. It's tempting to feel bad about the semester if Campaigners never picked up momentum. It's tempting to think wider is better than deeper.

Tempting... and misleading. In the Psalms, we see the psalmists consistently reminding their souls of God's truth. We must do the same.

Before we evaluate and celebrate, let's remember the One who gives and takes away. If we trust God to be in control... when things go well, He gets the glory. And when our ministry seems to languish, we can say with open hands, "Sovereign God, in your timing, your will be done."

Below are some questions to help your team evaluate and celebrate the past year.

General
  • What motivated you to keep going this year when things got hard?
  • What was something you experienced that was frustrating or disappointing?
  • What God-given gifts were you excited to use this year as you served in YL?
  • What gifts do you wish you would've developed?

Christ
  • What did the Lord teach you this year? How did you grow in your relationship with Him?
  • Where did Jesus surprise, interrupt, shake you up or delight you this year?
  • In addition to your role as a leader, what helped you grow in your faith?

Contact Work
  • Tell us a story that happened this year with one of your middle or high school friends.
  • Share contact work highlights. What worked well? What would you like to improve?
  • What new kids did you meet this semester?
  • What kids did you see grasp the Gospel for the first time?
  • What kids are heavy on your heart right now?

Club
  • Share the highlights you remember from club this year.
  • What worked well at club this year? What should we keep doing next year?
  • What should we do differently? What is one way to improve club in the fall?
  • Were kids given ownership of Club?
  • How could we 'spread the word' about club better starting in August?
  • What went well with your club talks?
  • What is one way you can grow in becoming a better communicator of the Gospel?
  • As far as you were able, did you welcome new kids at club?
  • Did we remember names well?
  • Did we meet parents before and after club?
  • Did we leave the club room cleaned up, better than we found it?

Campaigners
  • Share a highlight or two from Campaigners this year.
  • How could Campaigners improve for next fall?
  • Who are 3 of your closest high school friends and how have you seen them grow?
  • What kids are you most excited about going deeper with next year?
  • Were kids given ownership of Campaigners this year? Did you position kids to lead?

Camp/Summer
  • How have you felt about summer “camp sell“?
  • What have we done well as a team to get kids signed up?
  • What could we do differently next year to help get kids to camp?
  • What is your contact work plan for the summer?
  • If you will be out of town, how will you stay in touch with kids?
  • What are you looking forward to this summer?
  • What are you dreading?
  • Where do you sense God leading you this summer? Where are you excited to see God at work in your life this summer?

Community
  • Share a time when you watched a teammate demonstrate Jesus' love.
  • If our team could improve on one aspect of ministry next year, what would it be?
  • What one thing would you like to improve on in your personal ministry next year?
  • What is one thing we can be accountable for…to help you grow personally and in your ministry? How can we as a team support you?
  • What sacrifices did you make this year to do YL? Were those wise sacrifices to make?
  • (If the team leader is leading this time...) What is something I as team leader did well?
  • What is something I as team leader can improve on in the fall?
  • How do you feel about our team dynamics? Did we love each other well? Pray for one another consistently? Serve and help one another? How can we grow in that next year?
  • Make a list of potential leaders to be praying for to join our team.

You can download these questions to print here.
You may also want to refer to the Young Life 'Back to the Basics' Inventory.

Now, go out and celebrate! Remember that He who began a good work in you and your ministry, promises to continue and complete it.
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Brandon Heath's Brand New Music Video & Young Life Story: "Only Just Met You"

May 27, 2016, 9:13 am
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Check out Brandon Heath's brand new music video "Only Just Met You" featuring Young Life's Malibu Club. Make sure to watch the last minute of the video and hear Brandon's story of how Young Life played a huge role in him meeting Jesus.
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The Power of Telling the Story: How we made $1850 In 20 minutes

May 28, 2016, 3:30 am
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We're leaving for summer camp soon and still have lots of money to raise.

Our YL team told kids and parents "Do not let money keep you from going to camp. Pay what you can and we'll commit to helping you raise the rest."

We've spread mulch.
Cleaned a fence.
Held an Ultimate Frisbee tourney.
Sold doughnuts.
Built trophys.
Organized files.
Washed cars.
Cleared brush.
Pressure-washed driveways.
Flocked houses.
Pulled Weeds.
Mowed lawns.
and
Painted walls.

It's been exhausting, but incredible. I'm not sure there's a better type of contact work than camp fundraisers. Raising money alongside your middle and high school friends to help them get to camp is uniquely bonding. It communicates love through action. "I want to spend a week of my life with you so badly that I'm willing to sit beside you and pull weeds to help get you there."

We've typically been making $10/hr, but in the past week we made $1,850 in just twenty minutes!

How? By telling the story.

Yesterday after church I was talking to a couple I don't know super well. They asked what I'd been up to lately. I told them our YL team had been working with kids all weekend to raise money to help get them to Young Life camp. To my surprise, the husband replied, "You know, I actually met Christ at Young Life camp 25 years ago. Thanks for what you're doing for those kids."

We talked a while longer and I left super encouraged. It makes pulling weeds feel worth it when I imagine my high school friends getting to share the same story with someone in the year 2041.

I honestly wasn't even thinking about that couple donating any money towards camp, but last night at 11pm I found an email in my inbox that made me cry like a baby.

"I didn’t want to say this out loud at church, but we would be happy to cover the cost ($925) of one of your kids going to camp. I know what it can mean in the life of a high schooler, so we would be honored to contribute."

Totally unexpected. Blown away. God provides.

Earlier this week something similar happened.

I sent a Facebook message out to guys I've taken to YL camp in the past. It essentially said, "Fellas, remember the best week of your life? In a month I get to take another group of high schoolers to Colorado for them to experience it as well. We still need to raise a lot of $ to help us get there. If you want to donate anything, that would be sweet."

I only heard back from one guy, but he called on Monday and said he wanted to cover the entire cost of a camper.

That night I was able to call a high school guy who needed money to help him get to camp and tell him the good news.

Thanks be to God!
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How to Lead Cabin Time at Camp

May 30, 2016, 3:30 am
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One of the highlights of a week at Young Life camp is cabin time. If you've never led cabin time or if you're just feeling nervous as you prepare to do it again, below are some ideas that can help.

BEFORE CAMP

Seek Wisdom

Be intentional about getting trained in how to lead cabin time. Meet with your Area Director/staff person or another experienced leader and ask them how they do it. Experience is the best teacher.

Prepare for a Marathon

You wouldn't go into the Olympics without training before you got there. A week at Young Life camp is going to feel like a marathon, physically and spiritually. Get physical and spiritual rest. Be with Jesus. Cast your cares and fears upon Him.

Earn the Right to be Heard

Once you have spread mulch, washed cars, and sold doughnuts with kids to help them raise $ for camp, they are much more likely to listen to what you have to say. My pre-algebra teacher had a sign on her desk that said, "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." Spend time BEFORE you get to camp earning the right to be heard. Your hours fundraising and doing contact work before camp will directly impact your cabin times at camp.

AT CAMP

Connect With A Head Leader

Head leaders serve on the Assigned Team and their main job is to help you. If you feel overwhelmed, don't be afraid to ask one of them to come and sit in your cabin time with you.

Set Group Rules With Your Cabin
  1. Everyone sits on the floor in a circle. No one on their bunks. It’s too easy to fall asleep and when folks are on different levels it makes it hard to look one another in the eye.
  2. What's said in cabin time stays in cabin time. We want this to be a safe place and not a starting place for gossip. Protect kids. Stand up for them. Sharing honestly could leave them vulnerable to laughter, ridicule, and shame.
  3. Respect one another. When someone is talking, don't interrupt. I use a pair of clean, balled up socks. When you're holding the socks, you can talk. When you get done talking, you toss the socks to someone else.
Facilitate Conversation

Our job as leaders isn't to use the cabin time to give another talk. Listen more than you speak. Don't fear silence. Be patient. Invite everyone into the conversation. Try to open cabin time with a question that everyone can answer. Get folks involved who might otherwise just sit there silently. Make sure to use open-ended questions that cannot be answered with the words "yes" or "no." It helps if you are familiar with the questions and can be more conversational. Don't just read questions off of a sheet and check them off, be engaging and facilitating a conversation. This is a learned skill that takes practice. I think it's worth practicing with a group of leaders before you even get to camp!

Take Notes

I have a pocket-sized notebook I carry with me everywhere at camp. I take notes during the club talks and during cabin times. I tell my cabin on night 1 that I'm taking notes because I want to be able to remember everything. It's super helpful to write things down that we're said in cabin time so you can follow up later with specific kids. I also use the notebook throughout the following school year to help me pray for kids.

Individually Prep Kids

If there are kids in your cabin who have been to camp before, pull them aside before cabin time and ask them to 'hold back' and not give 'all the answers.' Ask kids who are following Christ to help you facilitate the time by chiming in appropriately.

Night One

On the first night of camp it's ok to let the cabin time be brief and not super deep, but make sure you set the precedent that your cabin is going to do this routine every night, non-negotiable. Let them know that you want to hear from them. Club is their time to listen and cabin time is their time to speak. 

Listen to the Holy Spirit

Your camp speaker will likely give you great questions to use in cabin time. Don't feel obligated to use all of them, they are just a guideline. Listen to the Holy Spirit and let Him guide your time. Don't stress if you feel like cabin time isn't what you had hoped. It's not your job to manipulate kids, just create a safe place, set the tone, and trust the Holy Spirit to lead.

Read the Room

Ask the Lord to give you an awareness of what's going on behind the scenes with the kids in your cabin. Some of them are dealing with heavy stuff. After the cross talk on night 5, there will be some kids who want to have a 4 hour cabin time and some that don't want to talk at all. Be aware of how the conversation is going. It's okay to end cabin time and ask a few individual kids if they would like to keep meeting while the others are dismissed to free time.

Rephrase

Often kids will go silent if you ask a direct question about them. Ex: "What is the biggest temptation you personally face?" If you simply rephrase the question, "What do you think are some of the biggest temptations people your age face?" they will be more likely to speak up.

Tell Me More

If a kid cracks open a door to their heart, be sensitive. And when it's appropriate, ask them to tell you more. The simple phrase "tell me more about that" will give kids permission to go deeper.

The 10 Best Questions

Follow your camp speaker's lead as to when certain questions should be asked, there is a strategic progression throughout the week, simpler questions at the beginning and deeper questions as the week progresses. Below are some of the best questions that have led to deep discussions in our cabin times in the past.
  1. What do you do to be noticed? (Rephrased: What do your friends do to be noticed?)
  2. How would your friends describe you?
  3. What emotions describe you these days? (Frustrated, lonely, confused, etc.)
  4. Describe your best day.
  5. Describe your worst day.
  6. What is your relationship with your parents like?
  7. Finish the sentence, "Jesus, don't you care that..."
  8. What have you done to deserve a relationship with God?
  9. How has your picture of Jesus changed this week?
  10. What is keeping you from believing and following Jesus?

Take it Home

Many Campaigner groups have started out of cabin times at camp. At the end of the week suggest to your cabin, "Wouldn't this be awesome if we could continue having cabin time regularly once we get back home?" Go ahead and look at your calendar now and find some time that could work for you to schedule a few post-camp cabin times after camp.

Written by Drew Hill.

Here is a link to tons of great cabin time questions collected by Sean McGever at YLHelp.com.
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How to Care for Your WyldLife Friends at Camp

June 1, 2016, 3:30 am
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Written by, Rob O’Donnell, WyldLife Representative, Eastern Division

As WyldLife leaders, we have a lot of different hats to wear at camp. Many of our students are experiencing overnight camp for the first time. With that experience come many thoughts and feelings. Normally, they would go to their parents, but instead, we get to be there for them.

As their leaders at camp, we have a very important role to play in their lives. We are called to “not only share the Gospel, but our lives as well.” This can take on many different forms during a week of WyldLife camp.

The students who come with us are at various places developmentally. Some students will need more care and "one-on-one time," while others we may have to track down every time there is an event or meal. We need to be able to recognize each individual’s needs and cater to those needs as best we can.

Middle schoolers do not want to be treated like elementary school students any longer. At the same time, there is a healthy anxiety for them as they step off of the bus into a new place, far away from home, and without their parents. We want to create an environment where they can explore and grow in a healthy and safe way. We want them to take risks, try new things, and to begin stepping into maturity.

As they try new things during the week, we have an opportunity to come alongside and care for them. They do not need someone hovering over them every moment, but we do want them to know that we want to spend time with them. It all boils down to “earning the right to be heard.”

As we care for them, they're gaining a sense of self, because we're treating them as individuals. They are beginning to understand who they are and that they can make decisions for themselves. This is so important, because during the week we're going to ask them to consider the greatest decision they'll ever make! 

If we're babysitting them, they will continue to look to someone else to make that decision for them. If we care for them well, they will understand it is their decision to make, and that we will continue to walk through that decision with them.

As you prepare for WyldLife camp, take some time to pray that the Lord will reveal to you how to care for each camper individually. It sounds like a daunting task, but God knows each of the kids who are coming. Pray for the knowledge of when to step back and when to engage with kids. Remember, when we're at camp, we are on holy ground! God has gone before us, and we can pray with great expectations that our WyldLife friends will come to know Him!
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Table Questions for Meals at Camp: PDF Download

June 2, 2016, 3:30 am
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During a week at Young Life camp we get the privilege of eating around 20 meals with our middle and high school friends. For most of those meals, we're seated at a round table for the very purpose of promoting "family style" conversation.

We live in a busy world. Most families are spending less time eating and talking together. In a culture where we're more used to facing screens then facing each other, it might seem uncomfortable for your adolescent friends to sit at a round table. Thirty minutes of food and conversation might feel like an eternity.

Below are some questions to help facilitate conversation during those meal times. Make sure not to make the meal feel like an interview, just let it be natural conversation. Pick a couple questions from below and have them in your back pocket for when you need them. I typically just do one "meal question" at every meal. Kids come to expect it and some even look forward to it. Sometimes I let individual kids suggest a "meal question" as well. Breakfast is usually a more light-hearted question as folks are still waking up. Questions can get deeper as the week goes on. 

Written by Drew Hill

Download a PDF of the questions here.

Potential Camp Meal Questions

DAY 1

Dinner

  • Why did you come to YL for the first time?
  • Tell us a nickname you've had and how you got it.
  • What are one or two of your pet peeves?

DAY 2

Breakfast

  • What's been one of the most exciting moments in your life?
  • What's been one of the scariest moments in your life?

Lunch

  • If you could dispense any condiment out of your pinky finger on demand what would it be?
  • Choose one of each to describe you:
    • Talker/Listener
    • Doer/Thinker
    • Spender/Saver
    • Optimist/Pessimist
    • Starter/Finisher
    • Extrovert/Introvert

Dinner

  • If you could pick the meal for tonight, what food would it be?
  • What is your earliest memory?
  • Who was your childhood hero and why?

DAY 3

Breakfast

  • If you got a tattoo, what would it be and where?
  • Tell us the names of your family members, and describe your relationship with them.

Lunch

  • What's the best or worst vacation you've ever been on?
  • What is your favorite place on the planet?

Dinner

  • What is the highlight of your week so far?
  • Finish the sentence: "I wish God would...."

DAY 4

Breakfast

  • What is your favorite summer movie you've seen so far and why did you love it so much?
  • If you could be any movie character, who would you be and why?

Lunch

  • Say 3 things about yourself, one being false and have the group guess which of the three statements isn't true.
  • If you could have any question answered, what would it be?

Dinner

  • If you were given 2 million dollars and could buy any vehicle for everyone in our group, what type of vehicle would you buy for each person and why?
  • What is one way your parents have sacrificed for you?

DAY 5

Breakfast

  • Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
  • If you knew you wouldn't fail, what's one thing you would like to do in life?

Lunch

  • Who do you wish would have come with you to camp this week?
  • With what famous person would you most like to share a meal? What would you ask them?
  • What's the hardest part of being a teenager?

Dinner

  • In what area of your life do you feel most satisfied right now? Why?
  • In what area do you feel least satisfied?
  • What do you think God has been revealing to you this week?

DAY 6

Breakfast

  • We heard about the gift of God's love for us displayed on the cross last night, what is another one of the greatest gifts you've ever been given?
  • Who knows you best?
  • Who has the greatest influence on you? What person(s)?
Lunch
  • What's your favorite meal we've had this week?
  • What's the funniest thing you've witnessed this week?
  • What are 3-5 words your parents would use to describe you?
  • What are 3-5 words your friends would use to describe you?
  • What are 3-5 words you would use to describe you?
Dinner
  • Encourage everyone at your table to go around and give each person a compliment.

DAY 7

Brunch

  • How would you describe your relationship with Christ right now?
  • If you had to live this past week over again, would you change anything? If so, what would that be?

If you have other ideas for creative interaction around meal-times at camp, email us here.
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The Best Thing You Can Do With Your Campaigners Group This Summer

June 6, 2016, 3:30 am
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Last summer I took two of my high school friends on a weekend excursion. The primary reason for the "Bob-Goff-like-caper" was to give us a chance to listen and discuss Steve's talks below during the drive. I'm convinced that car ride forever changed the direction of their lives and deeply impacted an entire school for Christ.

In my opinion, the most valuable thing you can do for your Campaigners group this summer is to get them to listen to Steve's talks. They're life changing and shared below with his permission.

2009 South Carolina Campaigners Camp at Carolina Point.Talks by Steve Gardner, Regional Director for The Carolinas.

Saturday Morning (download from Google Drive)
Saturday Morning (download from Dropbox)

Saturday Night (download from Google Drive)
Saturday Night (download from Dropbox)

Sunday Morning (download from Google Drive)
Sunday Morning (download from Dropbox)
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A Letter To YL Leaders Who Helped Your Friends Raise $ For Camp

June 9, 2016, 3:30 am
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Dear YL leader who helped me fundraise for camp,

Thank you! More than you'll ever know. I know you have better things to do than to sell popcorn door to door with me. I know you're tired of washing cars and waking up at 4am for yard sales. I know you're probably tired of my mom always calling you asking how we're possibly going to raise all that money for camp. I know you've got to be exhausted. And I know I rarely say it to your face, but thank you.

We're going to camp together next week and I can't wait. You told me it's going to be the best week of my life, and although I'm not quite convinced yet, I do trust you. I trust you because you don't just tell me you love me with words. I trust you because you are there for me. You've been with me. You were right there beside me when we about sweated to death moving that furniture. You worked even harder than I did when we had to pull those weeds for three hours in the blazing heat. You even sent letters to your friends asking them to send in money to help me go to camp.

Why would you do that for me?
Why would you love me like that?

I know it has something to do with this guy Jesus you keep talking about. I don't know him, and I'm not sure what I really believe about him, but I'm guessing if he's anything like you, I'd probably like the guy. Maybe I'll even meet him next week at camp? Who knows?

Maybe he'll change my life like he's changed yours. Maybe one day I'll actually be able to impact others' lives like you've impacted mine. I sure hope so.

Are we seriously riding on a bus together for thirty two hours? Thirty-two? I can't wait!

Sincerely,
Never-the-Same
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We'll Be Back Next Monday, June 20th

June 13, 2016, 2:05 pm
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I just returned from an incredible backpacking trip with my Campaigners group in the North Carolina mountains. Since I'm playing catch-up on the rest of life, I'm putting the blog on hold for a week and we'll be back next Monday, June 20th. 

It was awesome to stop by Carolina Point at the end of our trip and see Capernaum camp in action. So thankful for Suzanne Williams, Tom Combes, Andy Davenport and all the assigned team, property staff, interns, summer staff, work crew, leaders and buddies. The presence of the Lord was evident all over camp and on every whipped-cream covered face! 

If you're a leader in the southeastern part of the US, I'm putting together a guide for a Young Life adventure trip in the Pisgah National Forest area of North Carolina. There are so many amazing trails, waterfalls and mountains around that area. I just finished leading my 13th trip through that part of the state and hope to have details ready to share in a couple weeks so you can enjoy some of the same hidden treasures in God's great playground.

-Drew Hill
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A Taste of the Kingdom

June 20, 2016, 3:30 am
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Today I had the privilege of going to one of my favorite places in the world—Windy Gap. And guess who I saw there?  I saw you, Young Life leader! O, maybe not you literally (or maybe so), but I saw you.

I saw you, who prayed so hard for months (or even years) that your friends would sign up. I saw you, who worked so hard every weekend to raise enough money so that your friends could go. And I saw you, finally sitting beside them in club, laughing, singing, and still praying that they might hear about the incredible love the Savior has for them. The very same love you have been captured by time after time, otherwise you wouldn’t be here in the first place.  

And you know what I saw today when I saw you? I saw a hero. Yeah, I know, most days you don’t feel very heroic.  Most true heroes don’t. But that doesn’t change the fact that you are one. What you are doing this summer—whether you are home from camp already and trying your best to continually pursue your friends who went, or literally at camp right now, pouring yourself out for an entire week so that your friends might come face-to-face with Jesus, or yet to go to camp and still praying that God might get your friends on the bus—is nothing short of heroic. Thank you for giving yourself to give your friends a taste of the kingdom. Today you brought a smile to my face, and more importantly, you brought great joy to the heart of our God.

Written by Jim Branch.
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One-on-Ones: Both at Camp and at Home

June 23, 2016, 3:30 am
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Written by Lyn TenBrink. This post first appeared on YL Capernaum Everywhere but is helpful for all different types of Young Life ministry.


You know those moments when someone is intentional with wanting to meet you for coffee and just hear about your life? That’s a "one-on-one."

That same special feeling and the same intentionality are what a one-on-one is like at camp, or any other time, with our Young Life kids and friends. It is a gift. A gift of intimacy, generosity, and care in the holiest of ways.

To begin, we thoughtfully pray and think through a kid’s context and where we see the Gospel story intersecting their story. We sit down and generously care for them through thoughtful questions and sharing our own story.

Theology

There is a great Young Life resource on the basics of “Sharing the Gospel One on One”.

This document offers great theology and the whys of a one-on-one. This is just as true for Capernaum as for traditional kids. But we may need to think about this a bit differently with Capernaum friends or for any traditional kid who learns uniquely or who may have experienced life in drastic ways.

Daily or Weekly

Also, most Young Life camp weeks have a specific day of the week scheduled for one-on-ones. But with kids who learn or process uniquely a one-on-one may need to be part of every day. With the kid to leader ratio in Capernaum this should be possible. For certain kids, especially kids who have experienced trauma or simply process and learn differently, a one-on-one can be the most likely entry point for the gospel - more than anything else they experience all week.

Listening

The whole camp week is designed for sharing the Gospel. It is important to allow our middle and high school friends to respond to what they are hearing, experiencing and feeling in their own way. So having questions, visuals, word cards, a device may be essential to them responding. They have listened and participated in most things the camp week has had to offer. A one-on-one is their turn to respond in whatever way is most comfortable for them and it is our chance to listen or learn how to respond and share the Gospel in their context.

So what are some ways to prepare for one-on-one times while at camp with a kid who processes or learns differently?

Prior to Camp Week
  • Have trip leader connect with speaker and get scripture stories that will be shared from up front.
  • Meet with your team and decide which leaders will be doing one-on-ones with specific kids while at camp.
  • Collect information from your team experiences, family members/guardians or teachers on the best way to communicate with each kid/friend and find out the best way they can communicate with you. Do they use a device? Do you need word or picture cards to point at? Do you need to walk or have a gadget to maximize their attention? Etc.

During Camp Week
  • Pay attention to where the talks are intersecting with what you know about your kid/friend.
  • Pay attention to the “experience” you are having during the week that may help process talk content.
  • Tell kids early in week that their leader will be spending one-on-one time with them sometime during the week. Perhaps say this in a variety of ways so kids understand what is coming is a positive experience.
  • Ask questions about what they are hearing about Jesus to glean understanding.
  • Ask about what life experience they may have had that may complicate or get in the way of what they are hearing. Let them know in their way that they were heard.
  • Contextualize all of that with them in their way.
  • It may be helpful to ask “yes” and “no” questions around their processing of the gospel.

Post Camp
  • Following up with an additional one-on-one time is key upon returning home. Often when kids/friends get in the comfort of their own environment processing is easier but it is also important to bridge camp learning to home in a concrete way.
  • Notice what you learned about God and your kid/friend in the one on one process. Thank God. Replicate it for life. We all need to be known in this most intimate of ways.

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The Secret “Blue Book” Is Finally No Longer a Secret

June 24, 2016, 9:47 am
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If you’ve ever talked to someone who has a “Blue Book,” they probably told you, “Sorry, you can’t really get these—and I’m not giving you mine.”

The Blue Book is one of the most well-kept secrets in Young Life.

Some people have them, most people don’t. And nobody knows how to get one.

How do you know you’ve seen one of these unicorns? Well, it’s blue and has a little cross on the front.

My dad’s actually the guy who created it.

And for the past...I dunno, 15 years (most of my life), I’ve had random people I don’t know Facebooking and emailing me saying, “Hey…how do I get one of those Blue Books? Can you get me one?”

My cut and paste response: “Here’s my dad’s email address. Have a nice day.”

Don’t get me wrong though—I totally get it. People love it because it’s not just a devotional. Each week is organized by the season of life you’re in, and for every season of life, there’s about 20-30 of the best quotes from the best Christian books ever written on the topic.

But none of us thought it’d get as huge as it did.

Actually, it started as a little booklet he gave to his youth group leaders when he was a Youth Pastor in Knoxville.

The name “Blue Book” is just what everyone started calling it when he first shared it.

Then people started emailing him, saying, “Hey, my friend has this and I’d like to get one. Can you send me one too?”

Then lots more people started emailing.

Soon enough, thousands of people were asking for them.

Only problem is, they were expensive to ship. The only way you could get one was by directly emailing Jim Branch and saying “Hey, will you PLEEEEAAASE send me some blue books?”

And still, thousands of people wanted them. But the shipping just made it too difficult.

So here’s the big news (if you’ve been looking for one you’ll be excited):

After 15 years (as of June 21) this book has finally made its way to Amazon, and now it’s widely available. In fact, as of this writing, it’s the #2 bestseller in the Christian Devotionals category.

Of course, I may be biased since I’m his son and all…but I honestly think this is one of the most powerful resources anyone can have in their library. It’s led me and thousands of others into deeper intimacy with Christ, and continues to have a huge impact today.

Since the book came out, I’ve gotten 4 messages like the one pictured here.

This one has a brand new cover (sturdier, don’t worry), as well as 10,000 words worth of brand new stuff Jim wrote in this new version. 

When he found out I was writing this, he wanted me to deliver this message:

“I never imagined in a million years it could be helpful to so many people. It’s really humbling and overwhelming. It’s always been a bit of a spiritual journal of the themes that God has led me through on my own journey with him. To see others benefiting from it is amazing.”

I’m so thankful that my dad’s spiritual walk has impacted so many people. I’m also really thankful he’s my dad. 

-Tim Branch

Buy "The Blue Book" here: The Blue Book: A Devotional Guide for Every Season of Your Life 


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