The Mission of Camp Harvest

Camp Harvest is a ministry of Calvary Independent Baptist Church using the unique aspects of a church camp to bring young people to Christ and to strengthen their relationships with God, church, and family. It is a place of decision in the areas of salvation, surrender, and sanctification.

Camp Harvest realizes that the teenage years are vital for the formation of habits and standards that will wean young Christians off the milk of the Word and challenge them to a more mature and fruitful life. Unfortunately, many teens miss out and end up stumbling around in immaturity until much later in life, thereby missing out on God's best for their lives. It is our goal to provide an opportunity for teenagers to avoid this blunder by challenging them to yield to God and His Word. Only after a teenager acknowledges the Bible (not culture) as the key to life will a teenager be able to bridge the gap from adolescence to maturity.

The Philosophy of Camp Harvest

Why send your child to Camp Harvest?

To Break Up the Fallow Ground of the Heart:

Even though a teenage heart is often more tender toward the things of God than some adult hearts, teenagers are targeted more specifically by the world. There is a battle waging for their hearts. As battles are won and lost, teens can become calloused toward God, especially since the world appears easier and more fun. But in the words of Hosea: "Break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD" [Hos. 10:12]. Camp Harvest is a place were teens can separate from the front lines of temptation and allow the Word of God to soften their heart.

To Plant Seeds for Future Harvest:

The world is continually sowing wickedness and sin into the hearts of our young people; ought not we sow the Word of God and Biblical principles into their hearts more? The world plants seeds of lust, pride, and iniquity; what do we plant into the hearts of our young men and women? The Bible gives parents, pastors, and local churches great encouragement. We can win the battle for our youth. Psalm 92:13 says: "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." Camp Harvest endeavors to allow opportunity for the sowing of the Word of God into receptive hearts.

To Reap a Harvest:

Galatians 6:7 says: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." If the Word of God is planted in the young, fertile hearts of our young people, is it wrong to have faith expecting God to take those seeds and produce the leaders of the next generation? Yes, not all fields yield the same size harvest, but all fields do yield. Camp Harvest trusts God to do a work that man could never do through study, preaching, and application of God's Word in the hearts and lives of young people.

To Build Friendships that Edify:

True friendship is having the courage to correct and to stand-by one another. A true friend will encourage (Pr. 27:9, 10) and correct (Pr. 27:17). A true friend will not entice others to sin (Pr. 1:10-16). A true friend is also a friend of God (James 4:4). Although we cannot guarantee that every camper will be such a friend, we can guarantee that you can find such a friend. Camp Harvest staff and counselors seek to be examples of these types of Godly friendships.

To Laugh:

"An unhappy man has an unhappy soul." (Unknown) Often times, much of the world has the idea that to be a Christian is to be unhappy or missing all of the "fun." However, the Bible makes it clear that to be a Christian is the only way to true happiness. Psalm 16:11 tells us: "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." There is much joy, humor, and fun that can be enjoyed by the believer in Christ; Camp Harvest is a place where they can be found.