Pastor Kellan's Stories

Recently a team comprising of Carolyn, Sherrie, and myself took a handful of students to Seaside. I have a friend and a former college who works as a worship pastor at a church called North Cost Family Fellowship. His wife is the Children’s director, and they are combining their power to run a VBS for the students there. Last year we took four students to help and this year we brought ten. We took some of my favorite students. I know that in theory as a Youth Pastor we’re not supposed to have favorites, but look, it is what it is. So, we crammed all of our things into a few cars including a van that was made when Nixon was president and drove for half a day. Once there the smell of the sea wafted over the church campus and we unloaded and made ourselves at home in a tiny kids classroom on the second story of the church building. That first night we barely slept on air-mattresses and cots and awoke early the next day to be a part of the happenings of the church’s Sunday service.   I...

It occurs to me that not everyone has been to a summer camp as a Jr High leader. This can be a tough role and should you find yourself in this situation I thought I’d prepare a few helpful survival tips to get you through. #1) Forget about sleep. You won’t get enough, your students won’t get enough, and that’s just the way it is. Chances are that someone in your room will snore loud enough to make you regret your life choices when it’s 3 am and you can feel the vibrations from their nasal cavity through the floorboards, but it won’t matter. #2) Camp is not about you. It’s not about whatever baggage you bring, the mood you’re in, or how dumb you think the games are. It’s for the students and the quicker you are to realize that you need to be doing everything possible to make sure your students are having a good time, the faster you’ll actually be enjoying yourself. Make a fool out of yourself, lose your voice, and go down the slip-and-slide even when it’s too cold outside. Your students...