Leaders Page

Useful Camping Links

Leading a God Camping group is easy, and anyone can do it. However, it does require a commitment to the task and a desire to help men live for God. Also, leaders should have some experience in camping. Leadership turns can be rotated as well as shared. You will need to do the following for a successful God Camping ministry event:

1.    Seek GOD for help, favor, and direction, as well as for Him to move in the hearts of those He wants to attend. 

2.    Explain the purpose and goals of the God Camping event to your church leadership and ask for their permission to promote the event at their church. Direct them to the God Camping website for more information. 

3.    Keep your groups small. We suggest 15 or fewer and the same gender.

4.    Look for potential leaders and mentor them to lead future God Camping events.

5.    Plan the details of your event well and ahead of time.

Your First Meeting

Plan your first organizational meeting. Consider booking three hours, but often, you will find that you can accomplish it all in much less time. Consider gathering in a round table style at a church or home. At this meeting:

• Welcome everyone as they arrive.
• At the first gathering, leaders will introduce themselves and outline the evening. Then, have a general introduction of campers -- 3 minutes or less for each. Have them share why they are there.
• Pass around a signup form for each person's name, address, phone number, email address, and emergency contact information. Email each participant a copy of this list. 
• Brief the participants on the book to be ordered and read. Explain that each camper is to read one chapter per week on their own and be prepared to discuss around the God Camping campfire during the once a month campout. 
• Include ordering info and instructions to secure the book that will be read and encourage everyone to bring a notebook and be ready to discuss the assigned book. 
• Explain the needed help and assignments listed below. Everyone in this group gets a camping job.

Camping Locations and Group Growth

As a leader and as your group grows, always be on the lookout to encourage someone else to begin leading another group. We suggest you do not charge a fee for the campout as many of the public lands you may be camping on will require you to go through a government fee permit process. In many places in the USA with little public land, you will be restricted to using official public group campgrounds. But, many of these campgrounds have group areas that can be utilized for a fee. In this case, you may need to ask for small group donations to cover these costs, or your church may be willing to pay for them. Another option is that you may know a landowner in the church who will allow the use of their land for this activity. 

If you have chosen a book to read, have men personally purchase this book for themselves. This will make things easier for the leaders. Links to Amazon can be provided by group email.

Meals

Instead of collecting funds and buying food for everyone, have everyone bring their own meals and drinks. If someone in the group wishes to provide and cook the meals, you can also do this. Otherwise, your meals can be as simple as buying a fast-food meal on the way and eating at camp. Canned or dehydrated camping meals are also easy options. Consider providing a campfire dessert. Easy desserts are individually packaged pies, cakes, smores, and so on.

 Breakfast should be as simple as boiling water and pour-over meals that each camper can do.  If you choose, breakfast is also an easy meal to provide for all: pastries and coffee. 

Assignments

Again, we recommend asking for help from your group to make your God Camping activity successful. This also gets people involved and working together right away. Consider the following assignments that are given out at your first planning meeting: Record these assignments. 

·  Who is bringing coffee and making it?

·  Who is bringing donuts, muffins, and scones?

·  Who will be the First Aid person? They must bring a quality first aid kit.

·  Who will bring fire starter, tinder, wood and be responsible for fire safety?

·  Who is/are the location scout(s) looking for future camping locations?

·  Who will be responsible for the dessert assignment?

·  Who will be the note-keeper for assignments, group emails, and other communications? 

·  Who will be presenting a devotional lesson? Leaders assume this duty if no one volunteers.

·  Who will be responsible as helpers and greeters and for assisting in setting up tents and parking?

·  Who will be leading prayers? Leaders assume this task when no one else does.

·  At the end of the campout, all are to participate in trash patrol and site cleanup

• The Campfire Assignment:  Gathering around a campfire is a critical part of God Camping. As mentioned above, assign a participant the "fire starter" job. This person should have some knowledge in this area. They would be responsible for:
•   Knowing current campfire regulations.
• Bringing or gathering firewood and appropriate starting fluid.
• Starting and maintaining a fire.
• Making sure the fire is dead out upon leaving the campsite.

Reminder on gear and food

It's good to remind your group this is not about the gear and food as long as the basics are covered. These basics include food, water, appropriate weather clothing, shelter, first aid, camp chair and a sleeping system. Remind them again that a comfortable camp chair is required. Camping equipment suggestions and food can be emailed to everyone in the group before your campout. 

See our links page for recommendations.

·   Camping equipment – keep it simple

·  Meals – keep them simple. 

·  Meals can be as simple as buying extra fast food on the way or dehydrated meals. 

·  This event is not about equipment and meals.

Sample campout schedule:

First Day:

Leaders arrive early, usually in the early afternoon of the first day. Weekends work best.

·  Welcome and greet.

·  Greeters help participants set up their camp and get settled in.

·  Gather around a fire at a specific time.

·  Share the event plan and schedule.

·  Designate the bathroom area if not in a developed campground.

·  Schedule individual food prep and dessert times. 

·  Eat together at a specific time around the fire.

·  Come together at an assigned time for book discussions, all at a fire.

·  Dessert-eating campfire time usually works best after the campfire discussion.

·   Short Devotional

·  Reminder for next day: personal morning quiet time, other activities, and times.

·  Close in prayer.

·  Optional campfire time. Everyone is on their own. 

Next Day

·  Give everyone time for their personal quiet time.

·  Gather around the fire at a specific assigned morning time and a group devotional.

·  Breakfast time (will coffee and donuts be provided, or will participants bring their own?)

·  Re-gather at a particular time.

·  Consider a group pre-determined group activity that fits your particular group.

·  Gather together for closing discussion, debriefing, and prayer. 

·  Make new assignments and announce the location for the next gathering. Email assignments to the group afterward. Often, it's best to keep the same assignments in place. 

·  Break camp. Leaders leave last.

·  Leader debrief.