Creating Intentional Moments in Your Ministry

Creating Intentional Moments in Your Ministry

By: Anna VanBlaricum and Henry Dutton 

CentriKid is the crossroad of phenomenal fun and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Campers experience countless fun, small moments at camp, with these moments coming together to create a big spiritual impact. However, this opportunity for impact doesn’t happen haphazardly or by chance. Our CentriKid team spends hours planning, equipping, and training our staff to create intentional moments at camp by connecting activities to God’s Word. Two great resources in the CentriKid toolbox are our Spiritual Roadmap and the The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me. 

Spiritual Roadmap 

CentriKid has a plan for biblical content for every part of the day. Beginning with Time Alone with God, campers independently read the Bible while being introduced to a daily spiritual theme. Afterward, campers participate in a high-energy worship service where camp pastors lay the groundwork for biblical content that CentriKid (CK) staff will reiterate throughout the day. Biblical truth gets further unpacked in Bible study, recreation, and track times. CK staff connect all these activities to God’s Word through a devo or “debrief.” A debrief helps campers to connect experiences to the Bible and apply truth to their lives. As the day comes to a close, campers experience a focused worship service that wraps up everything they have learned. Camp pastors use scripture and visual props each night to nudge campers towards making connections and remembering concepts. Finally, church group leaders discuss application points with kids in their groups.  

Try it out! The next time you are planning an event, retreat, or camp for kids in your ministry, spend time in advance mapping out all the big concepts you want kids to grasp and the biblical content they will encounter. Make an intentional, big picture plan that will translate to all the small moments. (Or, better yet, come to CentriKid, and let us take care of all the planning!) 

The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me Booklet  

CentriKid staff are trained to use The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me resources when presenting the gospel at camp. These resources provide a framework for gospel conversations using the following big concepts: God rules, we sinned, God provided, Jesus gives, and we respond. 

In Bible study, CK staff reference a poster and discuss the major tenets of the gospel. In worship, camp pastors present the gospel using this same framework. During response time, we provide a gospel booklet with detailed explanations, Scripture, and guided questions. These booklets equip adults and staff as they lead kids in important gospel conversations. By utilizing these consistent resources throughout the day, campers see, hear, and experience a consistent message. This gives them the opportunity to really think, reflect, and contemplate their response. 

Try it out! Consider using consistent resources in your ministry to present the gospel. Equip small group leaders, large group teachers, and volunteers to work within the same framework so that kids will routinely encounter clear, consistent gospel truth and teaching from God’s Word. 

Fun Fact: The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me resources were originally created by the CentriKid team for use at camp, and were later adopted by The Gospel Project, VBS, and other incredible Lifeway Kids resources. You can purchase copies of the gospel booklets from Lifeway.com, or by clicking here.

Every moment at CentriKid is biblical, intentional, and gospel-focused. We encourage you to begin or continue thinking through your ministry with the same level of intentionality. 

We would love to partner with you for a week of gospel-focused fun at one of our camp locations this summer! Check out http://centrikid.com/ for more information!