Next Generation Ministries Building to a Solid Future
News

In 2017, Bishop Farr challenged Next Generation Ministries to host 10,000 campers in its three camping ministries: Ignite Mobile Camp, Infuse Core Camp and Impact Service Camp. Although that goal hasn’t been reached yet, camping ministries are steadily growing, with 4,562 campers during the summer of 2018. Instead of simply focusing on the quantity of campers, NextGen has been intentionally developing strategies in which the quality of camp will be the main priority.

Finding ways to empower students to individually pursue their faith and develop leadership skills to be utilized both in and out of the church requires stepping into the shoes of children, youth and college-age students to discover their personalized views, needs and desires. To accomplish this, NextGen has utilized Orange Strategy (http://www.thinkorange.com) to better understand how kids work, grow and think about God in different stages of life. Using this with other resources, like “A New Kind of Leader” by Reggie Joiner, the future of camp will be strategic, intentional, Christ-centered and still full of fun.
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Camp is a tool to spark a passion to follow Christ in students, but it is not the stopping point. At the 2018 Annual Conference one of the essential priorities identified was to develop 400 missional leaders by the end of next June. These missional leaders are intentionally growing in Christ, are able to identify others, who identify others, who actively practice their faith, and are freed to lead in their community, local church, and beyond. In just three months of camp, 71 potential missional leaders have been identified by staff, directors and counselors.
Although potential missional leaders have been identified at camp they don’t have to wait until next summer to pursue this; students are encouraged to begin their journey to becoming a missional leader now back at their local church. Development of a missional leader can occur through mentor partnerships, specialized learning opportunities and providing leadership opportunities to utilize their gifts.

“My child gets nervous doing new things but felt comfortable at camp since it was at our church, a place where she already feels loved and comfortable. At this age I do not think she would go to a camp if it was somewhere she has never been,” said a parent of a mobile camper at New McKendree UMC.

A volunteer counselor at Quest Camp said, “Children and youth deserve a lot of respect that they don’t always get. The emotions, thoughts and feelings they have are very sincere. For me, opportunities like this are really great chances to work with kids and allow them to express those things and talk about them freely.”
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Finally, in addition to supporting and developing the current models of mobile and overnight camps, NextGen is developing strategies to host its own mobile camp track. This will strengthen relationships and increase involvement with the Conference Office and local churches as well as fill the unique needs of Missouri United Methodist churches. By hosting a mobile camp track there will be opportunities for college-age students to serve in leadership and staff positions (https://www.nextgencamps.org/apply) and for high school students to facilitate camp at their home church.
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