JEFFERSON CITY – The Pathway checked in with several Baptist associations this summer to see how things are going with their summer camps. Directors of Missions (DOMs) said they are seeing an uptick in attendance, participation and decisions for Christ. Most reported increases in attendance from previous years and many campers being saved.
Daniel Gibson, MBC Next Gen Consultant, reported earlier in the summer that Super Summer camps at Hannibal-LaGrange University and Southwest Baptist University saw 1,100 students attend and 100 decisions for Christ. This is more than double previous year Super Summer attendance. Gibson said they are considering expanding camp opportunities next summer.
The Fellowship Baptist Association in Warsaw reported 85 youth and 80 children in their two weeks of summer camps. Randy Festervand, DOM, said there were six campers saved in the camps. Asked why have summer camps, he said “We do it to give kids a chance to get out of the world and get closer to God.”
He also said it is an opportunity to develop new leadership in the churches and association. He mentioned Hannah and Phillip Orick, who led their children’s camp the last two years. Festervand said they are growing leaders, and they love camps. In fact, he said, they met and got engaged at Baptist Ridge, the campground their association operates near Warsaw.

CHILLICOTHE – Campers at Grand Oaks Baptist Assembly fish from the camp lake during an association camp this summer. (Contributed photo by Grand Oaks Assembly)
He heard some good things from the campers also. One boy, about age 16, told him, “Sign me up for every camp. I can’t wait for next year.” Festervand said this young man received Christ as Savior during the week of camp.
At Mineral Area Baptist Association, Bob Curtis said 22 campers were saved in their camps this summer. They hold a boys, girls and a youth camp at Bates Creek Baptist Camp, near Potosi. It is co-owned by Mineral Area and Jefferson Baptist Associations. Curtis said they prefer to have the children separated as boys and girls so as to focus more on the gospel and less on attention to the other campers. The teen camp is co-ed.
“Camps build unity among our churches,” Curtis said. “The volunteers come from all of our churches to help. Even churches that do not have many children help with camper scholarships. Some of these churches do bring kids from their communities, and it gives them an opportunity to reach out to those families.”
Barry Pfister, interim DOM at Mt. Salem-Wyaconda Baptist Association, was still unpacking from a week of camp when contacted by The Pathway. He said they had a great week but he was a little freaked out by a black snake that crawled into his cabin the last day of camp. He was able to remove it with a stick! It was a harmless snake, but still not welcome in his cabin.
Pfister said they are tweaking their camp schedules, and they rise to begin their day at 7 AM and after flagpoles, breakfast and devotions they have Bible study and missions class. Then they work on a project called “The Box” which is kind of like a scavenger hunt and becomes a display which helps the campers tell the story of their Bible theme for the week. They use Camp Inlow near Philadelphia, which is owned by Bethel Baptist Association.
The Grand Oaks Baptist Assembly in Chillicothe is managed by Brad and Erin Fields. There are eight associations who send campers to the facility in northern Missouri. When contacted, Fields was having lunch with the Linn-Livingston and Thousand Hills Baptist Association youth camp. Tyler Evans was leading the camp.
Fields said he grew up going to camps and made decisions for Christ at them. “Camps are something that stick with you for life,” he said. His wife, Erin, grew up on the Grand Oaks campus as her father and mother managed Grand Oaks. She said as a teenage girl she dreamed someday she would be married and manage the camp. So she and Brad now are raising their three children in the manager’s home in the center of the Grand Oaks camp.
Kirk Baker, the DOM at Spring River Baptist Association in Joplin reported 160 children in their camps with seven decisions. Many of the larger churches in their association send their children and teens to other camps in Arkansas and other places, but the smaller churches tend to send campers to the association camps. “It’s a place to cooperate together to do ministry, and that’s what Southern Baptists are about,” he said.
Tri-County Baptist Association, Ozark, reported 192 campers in two camps, held simultaneously at Baptist Hill campground in Mt. Vernon. They had eight salvations according to association ministry assistant, Debbie Hartwell. She said seven associations in southwest Missouri use the Baptist Hill facility.
Daniel Gibson, the MBC Next Gen strategist kind of summed up the value of associational and state convention camping opportunities as he said, “Camps are a time for students to hear the Word over and over. Youth groups have time to solidify as a group. There is a missional culture (provided at the camp). And the students hear the gospel.