Great Audio Clips

This is just a reminder that I recorded some fantastic audio clips at the Staff Christmas party.  God definitely got the glory as they explained what camp meant to them.

Rockin' Ministry

It has been really awesome to watch our new part-time intern dive into growing staff and campers.

Through the weekly Bible Study Talissa has helped staff become more faithful in their Bible intake and really connected campers (and campers' friends!) to Scripture for the first time.

Here's part of the story in her own words: I just had to tell you this story about how God is at work!!
The past couple of weeks I have gone to pick up Abby from her house. Only this time when I arrived she asked if she could speak with me outside. She told me that her friend Wendy was an atheist and didn’t feel comfortable coming. I told Abby that day I was just planning on making some sugar cookies and having a short sharing time with staff to tell their favorite verse. After I explained that to Abby she talked with Wendy and they decided to come. I noticed that Wendy seemed really quiet at first. But I talked to them the whole drive to Pekin.
After we made the cookies and went in to the staff room I just prayed that God would touch her heart. I had each of the staff share a verse that they like. We finished up with a game of apples to apples and then parents started coming. After everyone left and we finished cleaning up she asked me for the study book. She said that she really liked it and she learned a lot. I can’t even tell you how overjoyed I was! So I gave her the book and then she asked me about the scripture Anna read from Matthew. Wendy said that it really spoke to her and I showed her where it was and she wrote it down. You could just see her excitement to read the book and learn more. Then on the way home in the car we had a really good discussion about being a consistent witness for Christ. We can’t be one person at church and another person with our friends. Oh it was so good and I just left send all kinds of praises and hallelujahs to God. HE IS AMAZING! Please pray for Wendy and all the girls. I just had to share how I see our wonderful God at work!!!

Great note from a staff member

Some highlights from a note from a summer staff member:

I just wanted to thank all of your for the awesome opportunity to serve at camp this summer.... Working at camp gave me a wonderful opportunity to grow in so many ways.  I was able to make tons of Christian friends I wouldn't have had otherwise, which is something I needed and learning to witness to kids taught me how to witness to other loved ones in my life.  Seeing the lives of children being transformed was such an encouragement to me and I am so thankful that I was able to be a part of that. Thank you for your help every step of the way! Keep doing what you're doing!!

December Newsletter Story: Part-time Internship

We're excited to announce that this fall camp added a new staff position: a part-time paid internship position from September to May.  We wanted to expand the ministry of camp while also providing an opportunity for young adults to work in a ministry and grow in their personal and professional skills.

This position has three major parts: First, the intern will be taking various tasks from the other staff: Cleaning up after the summer, programming for year-round events, helping with hiring and recruiting and planning the summer program are just a few examples of this.
Second, the intern will have a "Big Project" that fits his or her skill set and will help camp better minister to campers, families or staff.
Third, camp is asking the intern to raise part of the funds needed for the position.  While this fundraising focus does help camp, it also gives the intern a chance to learn to do personal fundraising, a skill that we know will benefit them wherever God calls them next.

Our first-ever part-time paid intern is Talissa Shaull.  She served as the female site director at our Pekin camp this past summer.  Her "Big Project" is setting up a mentoring program where female staff can come alongside older girl campers.  She will also be taking the curriculum she is using and adapting it to fit with our summer Tyro program.  The female junior high students who are a part of this program will be encountering Biblical truth through the study "Lies Young Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Dannah Gresh.

Finally, in keeping with the theme of this newsletter: This fall Talissa found out about a camper family whose kitchen stove was no longer working.  Talissa contacted members of her home church for help and within weeks she was helping to deliver a working stove to the family's house. Way to go Talissa!

Meeting Physical Needs

One of our summer staff connected her church with a camper family.

This family needed a new stove and the staff member brought up the need to her congregation.  Within a few weeks the church was delivering a new stove to the families house.

What a blessing!

more disciple-making

I'm so excited to be jumping back in and talking a journey of disciple-making with two former summer staff.  They're both way past where they were the last time we were together (one's married and the other has a full-time teaching job).

My prayer and desire is that 1) Our time together would help us all follow Jesus.  2) That, after a time, they could be turned loose to disciple others in their spheres of influence.

Disciple-making continuing

I got a couple cool emails this week from past staff members who are still rocking the world for Jesus.  Here's some excerpts:

I met for the first time last week with 3 guys from my church. We are meeting Sunday morning at 8:30 at one of the guy's apartment a few blocks from the church (service starts at 10:00). Our first meeting we ate waffles, discussed our recent Bible reading, went over how God's been working in our lives, and prayed for each other. It was pretty informal, not sure yet how much more structure we will add in but I was pleased with our first meeting.

I learned that God really answers prayer even if it takes a while. I've been praying for young guys to rise up and take their faith seriously for some time now and I really hadn't been seeing much fruit....until [recently]. At retreat, 3 basketball players, 1 cross country runner, and 1 frat guy really came spiritually alive and are super eager to be "discipled." these guys have invited friends and we've started meeting on Monday nights to study the books of Timothy. As of last Monday, the group is me and 10 sophomores. Our sessions are very lively and filled with guys asking questions (3 of them have never read these books before!).

Camp Logo

A summer staff story shared a great story with me recently:

He had built a decent friendship with a fellow classmate who didn't know much of anything concerning the Bible, Jesus or the Good News.  But through this friendship the classmate knew that our staff member was a Christian.

At the end of one class his friend noticed the camp logo, both on his bag and another staff member's shirt.  (Two camp staff in the same class!  Hooray!)  His friend asked: "Do you guys go to the same church?"

Using that question, this staff member was able to explain what camp was all about.  Most importantly, he was able to explain the basics of the Gospel message clearly to his friend.  The conversation ended with an open door and invitation for future discussions.

Camper Applications

The last week of the summer one of our staff members led a skill group in which campers could practice being staff members.  One part of this skill group was filling out staff applications.  (They literally filled out our summer staff applications.)  Some of their answers we're actually pretty cool:

In answer to how they became a Christian:

It happened at camp when I was 6. It was with Ashley, one of my favorite counselors.  I was baptized in March of 2011. I could tell that I was closer to Christ after that. And that also made my Grandparents closer to him.

When I was a little girl I went to camp of champions. I always wanted to be a staff member. I didn't know about Jesus so I learned about it and I accepted him in my heart.

In answer to how they have been growing spiritually:

He has drawn me closer to Christ by meeting other Christians and having my mom help me through hard times.


He is teaching me how to not steal and lie.  I lie a lot but he stopped me and I don't do it often. I became closer to God by learning about him in church!

Newsletter Article Sept 2011

At the end of a summer, one question we ask our staff members is How have you grown spiritually through your time at COCUSA?  Their answers to this question are always very encouraging.  This year in particular however, their answers blew me away.  We literally have pages of staff quotes explaining how they saw God working this summer, both at camp and in their own lives.  Here are few highlights:

• “I've become a more confident leader both practically and spiritually. I have learned to work along side fellow believers who have different personalities then myself. I have learned to be more dependent on God and His grace.”
• “I have been extremely motivated to share the gospel with others. Because I share the gospel at least once a week, I feel more confident and open about Christ when I'm with my non Christian friends.”
• “While praying about camp once over the summer God told me that he is calling me to children's ministry. That is what I am going to do in college and after that. Camp helped me come to that decision.” - High School Sophomore
• In addition to these quotes, multiple individuals mentioned that serving at camp was a catalyst that helped them spend increased time reading and studying God’s word each day.

We continue to see Camp playing a very instrumental role in the lives of high school and college students.  We hire them as summer staff members and ask that they provide excellent, God-honoring service to our children and families.  In turn, we see them blessed with a deeper relationship with God, closer fellowship with the body of Christ, and new skills and sharpened gifts to serve God wherever He calls.


We hired 133 young people in 2011, and we're praying God provides at least that many for the summer of 2012.  Would you join me in praying for next summer's staff members? 

11 Weeks Wasn't Enough

The last day of camp three of our female staff made it a point to connect with and spend the evening with about 6 of our older girl campers.

I was ready to go home when camp ended and call it a summer.  It was pretty cool to watch these staff spend another 4 hours with campers... just to build relationships and be a Godly example.

Bible over carpetball

A camper was reading his Bible while waiting in line to play carpetball at East Peoria.

When it came to his turn, a staff member offered him the chance to play, to which he responded:

"No thanks, I'm reading my book."

Family members see the difference

A counselor ran into camper's older cousin.

This cousin told our staff member that the family could tell a definite improvement in behavior when this camper was attending camp.

Family Celebrates the Good News

On the second week of camp a boy at Pekin accepted Christ.  It was so encouraging to see his family celebrate with him over the following weeks.

3 JC Good News

One week 3 junior counselors had the chance to lead the Good News with a group of younger girls.  The site director followed up with the Bridge illustration.  Through this good news presentation a younger girl accepted Christ. 

The Good News is still Good

The Thessalonians at Morton Camp insisted that their counselors share the Good News with them using the wordless book.

On week 9.

That's pretty surprising considering they had heard it multiple times over the course of the summer.  But the good news is still good.

Staff Growth

Our Staff grow and learn throughout the summer too!

One junior counselor was reminded about God's love and sovereignty as she spent time with campers from difficult situations.

A site director saw God use her because while she does not necessarily feel gifted as a leader, she did grow in her confidence and leadership skills throughout the summer.

For a male junior counselor, God used Camp to help him get into God's word more.  He also had the opportunity to share the Good News with campers, something that was very meaningful for him.

Through a "commitment of excellence" made at staff training another counselor improved at daily reading her Bible.

Another counselor grew in his ability to focus on relationships with the campers.  He was even able to pray with many of them.

Staff inspired by campers

A staff member was inspired in unconditional love by one of her campers.

She was able to witness this camper showing kindness to a another child, even though this child had been mean to her previously that day.

Cabin Time Questions

A junior counselor told me that during CEF week she and the counselor were able to use the Cabin Time each day to answer camper's spiritual questions.  They were able to fill this 30 minutes each day solely with questions from the campers.

Progress in Steps

Our staff members are often able to see kids make changes throughout a summer (or even over the course of several summers).

One staff member realized it was a big deal for a camper to understand that sin is a bad thing.

Multiple Pekin staff members commented on an older girl camper who grew throughout the summer.  They could see her spiritual growth and her desire to be a good leader.  This was especially encouraging because some of the full time staff were less than enthusiastic to see this older camper return for this summer... based on how behavior had been previous summers.

A staff member watched an East Peoria boy grow in his self control over the course of the summer.  The camper also asked many deep questions and gave the staff member the opportunity to share personally and honestly about his faith. 

Another staff member has watched an older Pekin boy grow spiritually from summer to summer.  He noticed that as he spends time at camp his desire to learn and read the Bible increases.

In East Peoria a counselor had the same younger girl camper Week 1 and Week 11.  She could tell a difference in this camper's life.  While she wasn't perfect, she complained less and participated more at the end of the summer.

A site director was able to see God at work, even with a difficult junior high volunteer.  This Tyro showed baby steps of growth and it was evident that God had used camp in her life.

Yet another staff member acknowledged that over the course of summers he has been able to develop a mentoring role at camp as the campers grow to respect him and trust him.

Lastly (for now) a site director was so grateful to see a younger boy improve through the summer.  This camper started with no desire to pray.  Now his overall attitude is much improved.  We've seen him move from daily issues at camp to once-a-week issues.

Year-to-year Memory Verses

The last week of the summer our memory verse was the same as the 2010's theme verse.  Many of the returning campers were able to recite the verse from memory for the previous year.

Memory Verse Challenge Accepted

A 6 year old girl participated in our memory verse challenge at the end of the summer.  She was able to recite all 10 memory verses from the summer nearly word perfect.

That's better than I did.

Guatemala is Calling

One of our staff members was doing a lot of praying about potentially spending a semester of her college career in Guatemala.  She was weighing the pros and cons and not sure where she should go.

On the last day of camp at Morton, she was walking a camper to a bathroom.  The hallway that we regularly use there is lined with flags.  While she and the camper were still far off, a flag fell to the floor on its own, without being touched.

While she was waiting on the camper, she prayed: "Ok God, if you want me to go to Guatemala then have that be the flag."

And it was. 

Older Campers praying for counselor

One of our counselors shared a prayer request with her group involving her mom.

The whole group of oldest girls was praying for this staff member's mom... and specifically one of them continued to ask this staff member about her mom several times over the following weeks.

Deep questions from EP campers

One counselor noticed kids at East Peoria regularly asking deep questions.

"How could Adam's sin affect us?"

"What if my mom isn't walking with God?"

Camper using the Bible

A camper at Morton camp received a Bible from us.  He began to bring it with him to everything... even in the midst of dodgeball games.

Each day at Cabin Time at the end of the day he would want to read a passage of scripture out loud to his group.

Naughty but theologically correct

An East Peoria camper, when threatened with a timeout, always responds: "Jesus gives us all a second chance."

Excited about the Bible

While on a field trip I asked a camper how his day was going and if anything exciting had happened.

He responded that on the bus ride to the field trip he got to read from his counselor's Bible.

I followed up with the counselor and he responded that this camper and his friend were so excited to borrow his Bible that they could hardly get in their seats fast enough.  The counselor also noticed other campers joining this first camper in reading the Bible.  

Scripture is exciting!  Pass it on!

We had a staff member that spent the majority of her time at one location.  She openly admitted to not looking forward to visiting another location.  (This could be slightly understandable as she would not know many of the staff or any of the kids.)

But after the week was over she was excited to tell me about specific spiritual conversations she had with two campers.  And she had a good time at the different location as well!

Greater Things Than Me

This was a humbling reminder of John 14:12- I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father.

One Friday I led a devotion during a morning meeting at Pekin camp.  We brainstormed questions and conversation starters to point our conversations with campers toward spiritual things.  One idea from a counselor named Nathan was to point-blank ask: "Have you accepted Christ as your personal savior?" 

That week Nathan had been specifically praying for visible fruit from the summer.  He had also had the previous day of camp off, which gave him more energy and focus on this day.

At the end of the day, I overheard Nathan using that reminder from the meeting to ask a younger camper about his relationship with Jesus.  A longer conversation ensured, and ended with the boy saying that he would like to pray with his mom that evening.

At this point, I was elated and if I had been Nathan, would have commenced with patting myself on the back.  But Nathan made a point to talk to this boys mom, explaining their conversation and the camper's desire to pray with his mom that evening.  Mom was excited and exclaimed "That's why I love this camp."

So here's to staff doing more than I myself would do, but mainly to Jesus working in all of our lives.

Memory Verse Mayhem

Two individuals surprised me by their memory verse knowledge one day in the middle of the summer.

Each week at camp we give a Memory Verse for the campers and staff to memorize.  We normally have a "Memory Verse Challenge" towards the end of the week to encourage everyone in their Scripture memory.  (And by 'encourage' I mean that we get staff members messy if they don't know their memory verses.)

• A camper who is usually not the best at paying attention recited Joshua 1:8 in its entirety and nearly perfectly.  Check out the verse... because I was blown away.
• Male junior counselors are normally not known for their ability to memorize verses.  (In fact, they are usually the ones to get messy... I mean 'encouraged'... )  But on this day I watched a male JC recite nearly all of our memory verses word-perfect.

God's word memorized!  Super!

Stories and Reading

Last week we challenged our East Peoria Campers to retell the Bible story they heard at camp (from the life of Joseph).  Combined together, the campers told 86 individuals outside of camp!  I love to see God's word spreading past Camp of Champions.

The Junior High volunteer I mentioned here started reading the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  One of our directors lent him the book.  It's awesome to see God using relationships to draw a young student to himself.

2011 Week 3 Stories

Sorry for the lack of a creative title.  I've just got a couple of cool God-stories that I've sen happen recently.

1)  There was a good number of East Peoria Campers that stayed for the Oak Grove VBS each evening last week.  We found out that on Sunday one of the families attended the Sunday morning service. We're praying that they can get connected to the body of Christ at Oak Grove!

2)  Our East Peoria site director recently told me of a great conversation with one of our junior high volunteers.  God used that conversation to help this junior high kid understand he should be selective about choosing his friends.  He was realizing that some of his current friends are poor influences on him.  Please pray for this junior high student.

Pray-Car

One of our summer site directors started the summer without a car.  He made it to staff training each day via a patch-work of getting rides and borrowing vehicles.  You could tell it wasn't the ideal situation.  One of his borrowed vehicles had a broken gas gauge and he ran out of fuel on his way to the first day of staff training.

During the first week of camp I told him: "I'm going to pray you get a car to drive."  I encouraged a few other staff members to do the same.

The first day of the second week (less than seven days later) this site director says "Guess what?  I got a car!  Someone from my church called me up and asked if I need a car!"

News Flash: God Answers Prayer.

Week One: The Gospel trumps Dodgeball

Midway through the first week of camp a boy's grandfather was relating the story of his son coming home from camp on the first day.

The grandfather expected the boy to be super excited about all the activities at camp.  Mostly he was expecting to hear about dodgeball.

But instead, this young boy came home sharing about the Good News!  That was his highlight from the first day of camp!

Fasting for Staff

In mid-April I had five staff members join me in fasting and praying for the upcoming summer.  One of the prayer focuses we had for the day was a need for more male counselors.  At the time it looked like we could use another 4 (or more) guy staff members. 

During the day I had the "random" idea to contact a staff member from two summers ago.  (I say "random" because I'm sure God was leading my steps.)  I asked him to pray about being a counselor at camp this summer.


To my surprise, he said he would consider it.  To my even greater surprise... about a week later he agreed to work for COCUSA, even though it meant turning down a better paying job at a construction site for the summer.

Go figure. Prayer works! 

Maybe we should all do it a little more.

Kingdom Connections

Hiring staff is both a terrifying and thrilling time.

Terrifying because we have over 100 staff positions to fill (with the looming deadline of summer camp).

But thrilling because you get to hear about God working in a potential staff member's life: It's very humbling to see God at work when you have nothing to do with it.

• During one interview session I conducted the interviews for four girls who were all from the same youth group.  I left those interviews amazed at how great of a work God had done in those girls through their youth pastor.  Each one of them pointed to this youth pastor and his wife as having a huge positive influence on their spiritual life.  
• One of our returning summer staff members recently shared that he accepted Christ in high school while on a high school retreat at Camp Timber-lee in Wisconsin.  This staff member has had a visible impact on the lives of kids at Camp of Champions, but it wouldn't be possible without the staff from Timber-lee setting up a high school retreat.  Equally important are the volunteers from his local church investing in him.

We're deeply indebted to so many other people and ministries for the work of God that will go on at Camp of Champions this summer.  I'm excited and prayerful that the kingdom connections will continue to grow as the word of God works in hearts.

Intern Feedback

I asked my four 'Night Out Interns' to sum up their experience from this year.

Nathan said: "I don't have a ton to say about what I learned but I'm very glad I did [it] and that God was able to use us."

Heather said: "I really liked the whole experience of being a PNO intern. I believe that I have learned a lot from the experience and I think I will be more prepared in leading children in many situations. I learned to be more bolder when sharing the gospel or any lesson or direction really. I know that God will fully guide me in life and I want to trust him more and more. I also, have learned to communicate better with the staff and kids, in order to get more out of everything, not missing an opportunity God gives."

Shelby said: "The Internship has been a fun experience. I've learned a lot. enough to where I'm not so sure how to explain it in words."

Lukas said: "I loved my experience as an intern, it taught me to roll with the punches of the day, to plan things that I thought were out of this world fun for the kids, and to make idea's come to life. It was great deciding what to teach them about Christ as well, and to see kids from camp that I otherwise would not have been able to see too much of."

Two? I give up. Three? I'm still going.

Last September I started meeting with Friend #1 and Friend #2.  We've met weekly (missing a few weeks hear and there) through the end of 2010 and up to the present.

I was surprised by how much Friend #1, dis-impressed me as we attempted to follow Jesus together.  I just didn't see #1 showing much real fervor to know God.

About two months ago I was ready to jump-ship on Friend #1.  I had had enough of him not doing much, and was ready to find someone who had a desire to grow. Enter Friend #2.

Friend #2 had been there the whole time, but at the same moment I wanted to bail, he fully engaged Friend #1 and got us all to read 'Sexual Detox: A Guide for the Single Guy.'  Friend #2 realized that #1 needed to be challenged in the area of sexual purity.

So thanks to Friend #2, we're all continuing to follow Jesus... together.

March 18th Parents' Night Out

On Friday March 18th we held a Parents' Night Out event at our Pekin camp.  Leading up to the night we had only around 20 or so campers and I had asked my prayer team to pray for additional campers to attend camp.  God answered prayer and we ended up with over 30 kids that registered to come.  Less than 2 hours before the event (and right after I printed off the Sign In sheet) two parents called in and signed up four more children.

Like other Parents' Night Outs this event was planned and pulled off almost entirely by four interns: Lukas, Nathan, Shelby, and Heather.   I always look for feedback after these nights.  And here's what I I received this time.

Question 1) What was the best part about Friday night?   "Most of the kids were avid listeners and really engaged in Lukas' lesson." - Heather  "I think the best part was that there were so many kids there I had never seen before. That showed me that God is still using camp and is continuing to let it grow so that more families can be reached with the Gospel." - Nathan

Question 2) What ONE THING would you want to improve and why?  "I feel like there could be more follow-up on the lesson... I feel like we could do more to really bring the story home." - Nathan

Question 3) Looking ahead to the last PNO, what would you say is the most important thing we can include in that night?  "The wordless book or anything relating to accepting Christ and having a personal relationship with Him. Maybe we could each touch on our spiritual journey." - Heather