When most college students are headed home after two semesters of studying, some InterVarsity students instead head for chapter camp. A critical part of the InterVarsity school year, some camps take advantage of InterVarsity’s four training centers – Toah Nipi, Cedar Campus, Bear Trap Ranch and Campus by the Sea – while others use retreat centers closer to campus.
Sometimes the name is different. At Toah Nipi in Rindge, New Hampshire, chapter camps are called Summit Camps. At Cedar Campus, in Upper Michigan, they’re called Chapter Focus Weeks. But the purpose is the same, to center in on the coming school year. This is where ordinary students become student leaders.
“The core idea of chapter camp is the Leadership track, where the new leadership team spends a week praying and planning for the next school year,” says Cedar Campus Executive Director Dan Denk. “The staff member walks through this process with the student team. The main components are prayer, in-depth group Bible study, team building, and planning.”
Comments shared by students after the first Focus Week this spring at Cedar Campus included:
“At 5:30 we went to see the sunrise – and God was there.”
“In a nutshell, Jesus made me whole. I’m no longer shattered.”
“My identity was wrapped up in sports. My new focus is on being a follower of Jesus and bringing people to him.”
“The Lord challenged me to not allow fear to rule my life. So this summer I will fill out a staff application.”
“I realized that to completely live in Christ, you can not live negatively.”
“I didn’t grow up Christian at all. Some of my family have called themselves Christian, but their lives were nothing like what I’ve seen here. This is the most real thing I’ve done in my life, and I’m going to go home and tell my family all about it.”
Several years ago Dan Denk put together an Exec Planning Resource Kit for Cedar’s Chapter Focus Weeks. He says that watching the leadership development process is one of the best parts of his job. “I see these young leaders being transformed before my eyes, from young, green, scared students, to a team of confident and competent leaders, still depending on God. They begin to think like leaders, talk like leaders, and lead like leaders. As they pray, seek God’s direction in the Scripture, deal with conflict, grow as a team, and work on planning, they are transformed.”
Jim Lundgren, InterVarsity’s Vice President and director for Collegiate Ministries, says chapter camps are a crucial part of InterVarsity’s ministry. “God is using chapter camps across the country to develop the discipleship of hundreds of our students and staff,” he said. “Couple that with the opportunity the camps give our chapter to build a strong sense of vision and unity for ministry in the coming school year and you have an unbeatable combination.”
Windows Media “trailer” for Cedar Campus Chapter Focus Week by Jeff Jones, Western Michigan University.
Mission Network News reports on Cedar Campus
