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Why We're Getting Rid of Winter Camp (And What We're Doing Instead)

Our students love winter camp.

They love getting away, spending time with friends, participating in activities, and making memories. In fact, when we surveyed our middle school students, they rated their winter camp experience a remarkable 9.8 out of 10.

So naturally, we're getting rid of it.

Sounds crazy, right?

In a recent episode of Beyond the Youth Room, Ryne and Keith discussed why one youth ministry is rethinking its traditional winter camp model, what they're planning instead, and why other youth pastors might want to reconsider the effectiveness of their own retreats.

The decision wasn't driven by a bad camp experience. Quite the opposite. For years, winter camp had been a highlight of the ministry calendar.

But sometimes the hardest ministry decisions aren't about eliminating things that aren't working.

They're about evaluating whether something good is still the most effective way to accomplish your mission.

When a Great Camp Stops Meeting Your Ministry's Needs

For nearly 15 years, Ryne's youth ministry attended winter camp at River Valley Ranch in Maryland.

The camp provided an incredible experience: quality lodging, great food, engaging speakers, worship, and activities ranging from horseback riding and ziplining to competitive dodgeball tournaments.

Most importantly, the gospel was clearly presented every year.

The students loved it, and the ministry continued returning.

But when Ryne began reviewing student feedback, he noticed something interesting.

Middle school students rated the experience 9.8 out of 10, while high school students gave it a 7.5.

A 7.5 is still a positive rating, but the difference raised an important question.

Were older students simply growing tired of the same experience year after year?

For students who had attended multiple times, the weekend had become predictable. They knew the activities, the schedule, and what to expect.

More importantly, Ryne began questioning whether the spiritual focus of the camp was still aligned with the needs of his students.

The camp was largely evangelistic in nature, which was excellent for introducing students to Jesus.

But the ministry wasn't bringing many students who didn't already attend church.

They were taking students who were already involved in the youth ministry to an event primarily designed around evangelism.

That disconnect led to a bigger question:

Are we continuing this event because it's the most effective thing for our students, or simply because we've always done it?

The Growing Challenges of Traditional Overnight Camps

Ryne and Keith identified several challenges that youth ministries should consider when evaluating overnight retreats.

1. Cost Can Create a Barrier to Evangelism

Winter camp was costing families approximately $250 per student for a single weekend.

Even with efforts to reduce costs, transportation, lodging, meals, and programming made the event expensive.

For families already connected to the church, that investment might feel worthwhile.

But what about a parent whose child has never attended youth group?

Are they likely to spend $250 to send their student away for a weekend with people they barely know?

For many families, the answer may be no.

This creates a challenge for youth ministries that hope to use camps as an evangelistic opportunity.

If the cost prevents students who don't know Christ from attending, we need to consider whether there's a more accessible way to accomplish the same goal.

2. Overnight Events Require a High Level of Trust

Cost isn't the only barrier.

Keith pointed out that churches are ministering in a culture where many families have significant questions or concerns about religious institutions.

Asking parents to send their children away overnight requires a considerable level of trust, especially when they don't have an established relationship with the church.

Even with appropriate safety policies and procedures, parents may be hesitant.

A student might be interested in attending an event with friends, but their parents may not be comfortable committing to an overnight retreat.

A local event where students return home each evening can help remove that barrier.

3. Pre-Programmed Camps Limit Flexibility

Pre-programmed camps can be a tremendous blessing, particularly for smaller youth ministries that don't have the staff or resources to organize their own events.

They provide facilities, meals, activities, speakers, and worship without requiring youth pastors to coordinate every detail.

But they also come with limitations.

You may not have control over the theme, speaker, teaching emphasis, or overall schedule.

And while those elements might be excellent, they may not align perfectly with the specific spiritual needs of your students.

For Ryne's ministry, this became another reason to consider a different approach.

A Different Approach: The Middle School Student Summit

Instead of continuing the traditional overnight winter camp for middle school students, Ryne's ministry is experimenting with a new model: a Middle School Student Summit.

The idea is to maintain the excitement and spiritual focus of camp while making the experience more accessible, affordable, and intentional.

Rather than traveling to a retreat center, students will participate in a weekend event hosted locally.

The ministry is testing the new format with middle school students first, while high school students will continue attending their traditional winter camp for now.

Here's what the new experience is designed to look like.

Friday: Worship, Community, and Fun

Students will arrive Friday evening for a time of hanging out, worship, games, and fellowship.

The event will conclude around 10 p.m., allowing students to return home for the night.

They'll still experience the excitement of a special weekend gathering, but without requiring families to commit to an overnight stay.

Saturday: A Full Day of Activities and Discipleship

Saturday will include a full schedule of worship sessions, small groups, games, and activities.

The ministry plans to provide catered meals, inflatables, and opportunities for students to enjoy time with their friends.

But the event isn't simply about entertainment.

By controlling the schedule, leaders can intentionally create opportunities for meaningful spiritual conversations and discipleship.

Instead of relying entirely on a pre-programmed camp experience, they can design the weekend around their own ministry's goals.

Sunday: Connecting Students and Families to the Church

Perhaps the most exciting part of the new model is how it connects students to the ongoing life of the local church.

On Sunday morning, students will be encouraged to attend worship together, with parents invited to join them.

This gives families an opportunity to experience the church firsthand.

Then, rather than canceling the regular Sunday evening youth gathering, the ministry will invite summit participants to attend.

This creates a natural next step for students who enjoyed the event but aren't already involved in youth group.

Instead of attending a retreat and disappearing afterward, students are immediately introduced to the ministry's regular rhythm.

The goal isn't just to create an unforgettable weekend. It's to help students develop lasting connections to the local church.

From $250 to $39 Per Student

One of the most significant changes is the cost.

By eliminating overnight lodging and charter bus transportation, the ministry plans to reduce registration from approximately $250 to just $39 per student.

That's a substantial difference for families.

It also changes how students might invite their friends.

Asking someone to spend $250 on an overnight church retreat is a big commitment.

Inviting a friend to a $39 weekend event filled with activities, meals, and time together is a much easier invitation.

And the ministry can still provide scholarships for students who need financial assistance.

Ryne explained that transportation alone had accounted for approximately $6,000 in the previous budget.

Instead of spending that money on charter buses, those funds can now be redirected toward programming, meals, activities, and teaching.

The ministry isn't necessarily spending less on reaching students.

It's reallocating resources to make the event accessible to more students.

Using Student Leaders to Multiply Discipleship

Another advantage of separating the middle school and high school events is the opportunity to involve high school students in leadership.

Ryne's ministry has approximately 25 trained high school students who can help lead small groups and disciple younger students.

With the new summit format, those students can serve throughout the weekend.

Color-coded lanyards will help middle school students connect with their leaders and small groups.

The ministry also plans to incorporate intentional conversations throughout the event, giving leaders opportunities to ask questions about students' faith and spiritual backgrounds.

This approach creates more opportunities for meaningful discipleship than a typical retreat schedule might allow.

It also reinforces an important principle: Students aren't just participants in ministry. They can be equipped to minister to one another.

Should Your Youth Ministry Rethink Winter Camp?

Ryne and Keith aren't suggesting that every youth ministry should eliminate winter camp.

In fact, both believe camps can be incredibly effective environments for spiritual growth.

For some ministries, an overnight retreat may still be the best option.

For others, a local conference, student summit, or weekend event might create greater opportunities for evangelism and discipleship.

The point isn't that one model is universally better than another.

The point is that youth pastors should regularly evaluate whether their programs are accomplishing their intended purpose.

Here are a few questions worth asking:

• Who are we trying to reach? Are our events primarily serving students already connected to the church, or are we creating opportunities for new students to participate?
• What barriers are preventing students from attending? Consider cost, transportation, scheduling, and parental trust.
• Are our events aligned with our discipleship goals? Does the spiritual programming address the needs of our students?
• Are we measuring effectiveness or simply enjoyment? Positive feedback matters, but spiritual fruit matters more.
• Could our resources be used more strategically? Are there ways to redirect spending toward reaching and discipling more students?
• What happens after the event? Are we connecting students to ongoing relationships and opportunities for spiritual growth?

These questions apply to more than winter camp.

They can help youth pastors evaluate summer camps, retreats, conferences, outreach events, and even weekly programs.

Don't Build Your Ministry Around What Students Want

One of the most important takeaways from the conversation was a challenge to youth pastors:

Don't base your ministry decisions solely on what students enjoy. Base them on what's most effective for the kingdom of God.

Of course, we want students to have fun.

We want them to love youth group, build friendships, and make memories.

But enjoyment alone isn't the goal of youth ministry.

Our calling is to make disciples who follow Jesus and help others do the same.

Sometimes that means continuing traditions that are producing meaningful spiritual fruit.

Other times, it means having the courage to change something students love because there's a more effective way to reach them.

For Ryne's ministry, that means experimenting with a student summit that lowers financial barriers, increases opportunities for discipleship, involves student leaders, and creates natural connections to the local church.

Will it work better than winter camp?

That's what they're hoping to discover.

And that willingness to evaluate, experiment, and adjust is something every youth pastor can learn from.

Free Resources for Your Youth Ministry

Whether you're planning a camp, organizing a retreat, or looking for ways to strengthen evangelism and discipleship, Generation Unashamed Ministries offers free resources to help.

Join our free youth ministry community to access customizable camp response cards, ministry templates, and practical tools from other youth pastors.

You can also explore our free evangelism challenges, designed to equip students to share the gospel with their friends.

Visit Generation Unashamed Ministries to explore our resources and connect with other youth ministry leaders.