One of the activities I knew I would get to do when I accepted the call to be a youth minister was that I would get to go to camp. I was both filled with joy and trepidation — both feelings mixing like water and oil.

I can remember going to a church camp when I was in the fifth or sixth grade. I had a blast. I remember going to sixth grade camp with my school back when such things were done — again, I had a blast.

There are two camps, however, that made the biggest impression on me. The first was a camp I volunteered to be a counselor at when I was 17 years old. It was between my junior and senior years of high school and I was already doing a lot of ministry for the church and school I attended.

Anyway, the call came down that they needed counselors for kids who came from the inner city. The big problem with missing fathers and male authority figures is not a recent thing — this was back in 1981.

How hard could it be?, I remember saying to myself, and so I signed up. All of my friends had something else to do that week so I ended up not knowing another soul at this camp.

It was the longest week in my life. It was in late June so my birthday came and went that week and trying to get 13 fifth graders to do your bidding is like trying to herd cats.

The impression I took away impacted me for a long time to come. I would actually put on my resumes that I was comfortable ministering to ages 14 and up. I wanted nothing to do with small kids — to use a King James word — they were anathema to me.

The other camp that left a lasting impression on me was boot camp. If you have ever gone you know what I mean.

Camp is on my mind because I will be taking a group of junior highers to camp next week. I have high hopes that this camp will take the bad taste out of my mouth and that my kids will have the time of their lives.

There is so much more to do these days and some of the activities I have been really wanting to try – like paintball. Yeah — they got paintball at camp. They also have a ropes course and rock wall climbing and all sorts of water stuff. Along with the activities will come an opportunity for the young men and women to possibly have that first encounter with the lover of their souls — Jesus Christ.

And yes, I am not so old or old-minded that I don’t believe that some may also get in that first kiss, too. Sure, public displays of affection are forbidden but when has that ever stopped anything in any generation?

If they do get me on the ropes course it might feel like I’m back in basic training. I think I need to be about 100 pounds lighter in order to do justice for that one. Of course it could have something to do with a fear of heights and the strength and age of the ropes. As far as the rock wall is concerned, I think I will need the incentive of a wild, hungry animal chasing me in order for me to do it — otherwise why would a big guy need to do such a thing?

Regardless of the activities that I enjoy or not, I do know that I want to be there for them and participate with them. Part of the tragedy for the millennial generation is that parents and authority figures are so busy that the kids rarely get a chance to interact and “play” with adults. For some they have no idea that adults like to play in the water and play shoot-em up just like they do.

I’ll let you all know how it went in a couple of weeks.

Dr. Matt Price is a minister, author and columnist. E-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it