NewLifeNewsFA2025

CEO CORNER

Why Do Kids Need Camp?

In The Anxious Generation , Jonathan Haidt argues that the spread of smartphones, social media, and overprotective parenting has led to a “rewiring” of childhood and a rise in mental illness. My three takeaways from this book; kids need less screen time, they need to get outside, and they need time away from parents to explore. Those three things are camp!

This world is increasingly dominated by screens, structured schedules, youth travel sports, social media, high academic expectations, and the highest historic rates of anxiety in children. Overnight summer camp offers a refreshing and necessary escape for kids. Kids Need Camp! Camp is more than just a place to roast marshmallows and play gamesovernight camp is an immersive experience that can foster independence, social development, confidence, and grit, as well as spiritual transformation.

For parents wondering whether it’s worth sending your children away for a week of summer camp, the benefits of overnight camp really make a compelling case. Campers have the opportunity to develop independence and responsibility, build social skills and friendships, gain confidence through new experiences,

disconnect from technology, foster a love for creation, grow in resilience and adaptability, create lifelong memories, and have focused time in the Bible with peers and great counselors.

Less Screen Time

Campers don’t have phones or computers - no screen time! Without their tech, kids engage more deeply with the people and world around them. They learn to be present without a screen. Campers are constantly outside at New Life Ranch! In a time when many kids spend little time outdoors, camp not only benefits their physical health, but also promotes mindfulness of our amazing Creator.

Get Outside

Time Away From Parents

In a fun, safe, and loving environment away from their parents, campers have the opportunity to become more independent and develop responsibility in a low-risk setting.

Obviously, I believe in camp and think that your kid should come for a week or two each summer. Don’t just listen to me, though, hear from this camper’s parent too:

“He attended camp previously and came home completely lit up with joy, confidence, and a renewed excitement for his faith. The experience made a lasting impression on him—not just because of the fun and adventure, but because of the spiritual growth and meaningful connections he made with both peers and leaders. He still talks about the worship nights, the devotions, and the lessons he learned that helped him draw closer to God. As a parent, it was a blessing to see how much the camp environment nurtured his heart and character. I could see the impact it had on his attitude, his prayers, and the way he interacted with others. I’m incredibly thankful for a place like New Life Ranch - a place where kids are not only safe and active, but spiritually poured into.”

I hope to see you at checkin summer 2026, because now more than ever, kids truly need camp. :)

TOM GRANEY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

A Breath of Fresh Camp

Would you believe it if we told you that getting kids to spend more time outside is not a modern problem? In fact, parents have been struggling to get their kids outside for 150 years. Well, that’s at least when someone decided to do something about it - and thus began the creation of summer camps in America.

In 1877, Reverend William Parsons, from New York City, moved to Sherman, Pennsylvania, to pastor a rural

congregation. Savoring life in the country, Parsons said he “couldn’t shake the feeling that poor children he had ministered to in New York City should experience the beautiful countryside.” So, in his first summer in Sherman, he arranged for 60 poor tenement children from New York to have a two-week country stay with members of his congregation.

Parsons said it was a way to “redeem spiritually innocent and physically feeble children.” It was so successful that Parsons established the “Fresh Air Fund” - maybe the first camp scholarship fundraiser - to help children living in tenements in New York spend time in the country. Eleven years later, in 1888, the Fresh Air Fund was sending over 10,000 children per year to host families in hundreds of towns across New England. Parson’s idea spawned the Fresh Air Movement, a movement to get kids out of the polluted city air and into the fresh air of the countryside. The Fresh Air Movement inspired the creation of hundreds of summer camps in New England around the turn of the 20th century.

Isn’t it interesting that children’s time outdoors was a concern 150 years ago?

We think of “screen time” as a modern roadblock that keeps kids from the Great Outdoors, but this is not a new problem. No matter the century, summer camp remains a powerful response to that concern.

JASON WILKIE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Camp Kids Need

Sunday night, my daughter was yelling at me, “I am NOT going to camp tomorrow!” At six years old, it was to be her first camp experience away from mom and dad, and the nerves were real. Somehow, she woke up Monday morning willing to give it a try. As we pulled into camp, she recognized the car behind us as her best friend’s, and the anxiety that had been building up released a little. She got out of the car, waved at me, and walked off with her counselor.

I’ll be honest—I was nervous throughout the day. Would she eat lunch? Would she try any activities? Would she make any friends? Would I get a phone call to come pick her up? The call never came, and later that afternoon I went to pick her up. Into my car hopped a happy, sun-kissed girl, bursting to tell me about how much she loved the giant swing on the ropes course.

The rest of the week went much smoother. Each day she had more confidence in returning to camp, and I had more confidence in her, too. When she played at home, she would sing worship songs to herself, songs she had learned while at camp. By Friday, she couldn’t believe camp was already over. It had been a life-changing week for both me and my daughter.

That’s the power of camp.

Kids need camp. The adventure, the play, the relationships, the hands-on learning and experience—each piece contributes to growth in ways that can’t be manufactured anywhere else. In today’s world, children are busier than ever. Their schedules are filled with school, sports, and technology. Good things, no doubt. And yet many still long for something deeper: a place to belong, to grow, and to simply be themselves. Camp offers that space. It’s more than a program— it’s an environment designed to nurture growth, joy, and faith.

At camp, children learn independence in a safe and supportive environment. Away from parents, they are encouraged to make decisions, try new things, and navigate challenges on their own. These small steps—whether the literal first steps out of the car, tackling the ropes course, or participating in a cabin skit—build confidence that lasts long after camp ends. For many kids, camp is the first time they feel trusted to manage themselves, and that freedom is both empowering and transformative.

Independence Belonging

Camp also nurtures friendships and a sense of belonging. In cabins and group activities, kids meet peers from different backgrounds

and learn to live, play, and problem-solve together. The bonds formed through shared adventures often become lifelong friendships. The camp community shows kids what it feels like to be accepted just as they are—an experience that every child craves but doesn’t always find in daily life.

Camp is more than a program- it’s an environment designed to nurture growth, joy, and faith.

Another reason camp is vital is the chance to unplug from screens and rediscover the joy of real-world play. Surrounded by nature and guided by creative activities, children explore, imagine, and experience life in a way that fosters curiosity and wonder. Whether it’s stargazing, learning to canoe, or crafting with their hands, camp provides simple joys that are increasingly rare in daily life. This kind of play is not just fun— it is formative, helping children develop imagination, problem-solving skills, and resilience.

Unplugged Fun Development

Most importantly, camp teaches faith, character, and life skills in ways that feel

natural and lasting. Trust, teamwork, empathy, leadership, resilience—these are not abstract lessons but lived experiences as children hear Bible stories, share cabins, work toward common goals, and celebrate each other’s successes. In this environment, kids discover what it means to contribute to something bigger than themselves. For Christian camps like New Life Ranch, this growth is rooted in spiritual formation— campers experience worship, prayer, and Bible study in a setting that feels alive and personal. Seeds of faith planted at camp often grow for years to come.

A Gift for Parents, Too!

But camp doesn’t just benefit kids. Camp benefits the parents, too. For many parents, dropping off a child at camp is an act of courage—releasing them into the care of others and trusting they’ll be safe, happy, and cared for. And yet, what parents gain is priceless:

• Peace of mind knowing their child is in a safe, nurturing environment.

• Time to rest and reset while their child is away.

• Joy in watching growth when their child returns more confident, independent, and mature.

• Partnership in faith and character development, as camp reinforces the lessons and beliefs parents want to instill.

In many ways, camp comes alongside parents as a partner, much like the church does. It reinforces a family’s faith and values, provides mentors who model integrity and kindness, and gives children opportunities for safe adventure and meaningful challenge. Parents often see their children come home, not only with new stories to share, but also with new strengths and perspectives that enrich the whole family.

Rediscover the joy of realworld play.

Shaping the Whole Family

My daughter’s first camp experience was a growing experience -for both of us. As she grew in confidence and independence throughout the week, it sparked joy and pride in me, as well as gratitude toward camp for partnering with me in her development. Ultimately, camp serves the whole family. It gives kids a place to stretch and thrive, and it gives parents the joy of seeing their children discover who they are meant to be as children of God. Camp is not just a summer activity; it is an essential experience that shapes confidence, character, faith, and connection in ways that last a lifetime.

AMELIA ABBOTT CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER

“To praise Him more.” “To lean on Him more.” “Letting Him take my worry.” “Giving Him my life and never turning back.” “To read my Bible more and actually try to understand it.”

These are a few of the camper answers when we asked what decisions they made at camp during Summer 2025. The raw authenticity of these words is inspiring, isn’t it?

One of my favorite things to read was a camper who discovered they “figured out why I’m following Him.” These camper comments perfectly illustrate my “why” — seeing God work through the ministry at New Life Ranch to proclaim Jesus and equip people for ministry… why? Because God is in the business of changing lives. These camper goals and decisions remind me that the relationship with Jesus isn’t about doing more, but about knowing Him more.

The Summer 2025 theme, “& They Follow,” provided an opportunity for

campers to explore what it means to know and follow Jesus, as well as discover why following Jesus makes a difference. Campers explored the theme verse, John 10:27: “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.” This verse can speak to us at every age and stage of life. Isn’t it amazing to realize that God, the Creator of the Universe, knows us ? We spent time learning what it means to hear God and be known by Him, as well as what it looks like to follow Him through the stories of others who have followed Him in Scripture. We don’t have to be perfect to follow Jesus; we just need to be willing to listen and respond.

New Life Ranch served around 5,000 kids this summer through a variety of programs from Day Camp and Family

Camp to the newly-launched Camp Howdy, as well as Junior and Senior Camp and Leadership Development programs. This became a place to build new friendships, step out and try new things, dig deeper into the Bible, pray and worship together, and make some hilariously awesome camp memories that last a lifetime. One camper said he learned “to not be afraid to talk about my struggles!” I’m thankful God allowed us to create the kind of experience where kids would share, pray, and learn together.

Campers also talked about learning that their relationship with God can be genuine and not forced, that He heals our brokenness, and what it means that He is our shepherd. Reading through the camper comments reminds me how God talks to us each uniquely. Ever been in

a church service and gotten something out of it that is totally different from the person sitting right next to you? God is so personal — He takes us each wherever we are and is so patient in the ways He teaches. I am hopeful that kids came away from their summer camp experience realizing that following Jesus is not about making a single statement or decision, but about living a life of authentic transformation.

But New Life Ranch is not just about serving the campers — we love investing in the lives of our summer staffers . Building an authentic Christian community together, growing in our faith, learning to lean on God in order to lead well, and also learning to rest in the middle of the summer chaos — we want summer to be a time where we strengthen and equip these staffers to live a life devoted to following Jesus.

Leadership Development summer staff adopted the language of “leading from the overflow.” Isn’t that a great picture for us? When leaders experience Scripture as a deep well for their own souls, and not simply as a tool for teaching others, then leadership becomes less about making perfect decisions and more about discerning where God is moving and making decisions that align with His plans. We desire to create a summer experience for staffers that allows them

to experience how living in a meaningful relationship with Jesus leads to a purposeful life for the Kingdom. Ministry to our staff is just as important as our ministry to the campers.

I’m thankful for the ways God works at New Life Ranch each and every year. I don’t think what God is doing at New Life Ranch is because we chose a great location to build the camp or made perfect decisions every single step of the way. We don’t. But God just keeps showing up! He keeps using these Sites and our gifts to further His Kingdom.

I was recently helping with some wedding plans and realized that the goal in a wedding is often to pull off the “Perfect Day.” What are the chances of that?! Pretty slim. Planning for summer camp can feel like that, too — let’s plan for a perfect summer!! But the true goal isn’t a perfect summer. The goal is to partner with God to have a deeply rewarding, one of a kind, bigger-thanany-one-person experience where people are introduced to Jesus, have opportunities to practice their faith, and learn truth. That’s a reasonable goal. And we feel that’s what Summer 2025 turned out to be in the end.

Thank for being a part of it all!