Summer Volunteering
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Leadership Development
One of the Four Purposes of God’s Mountain is to develop Christian leadership. We believe this can and should happen for all people and all age groups, from our Day Campers all the way through adults. Leadership doesn’t look the same for everyone or for all situations, and leadership certainly doesn’t only mean talking in front of a large group or being “in charge.”
One of the biggest facets of our ministry is using training, supervision, discipline and practical experience to develop leadership and ministry skills in teens and college-age young people through our summer volunteer and internship programs.
Who can serve in summer leadership at God’s Mountain?
Teens ages 14+ who love Jesus, are passionate about sharing the Gospel of Jesus and are looking for an opportunity to serve are invited to attend our Leadership Training camp at the start of each summer. Attending this week of camp does not guarantee that you will be asked to serve. In addition to personal references, we will use the Leadership Training week to get to know you, see how you interact with peers and pay attention to instruction, and hear about what the Lord is doing in your life. Based on all of that as well as other factors, we will ask some to return to serve at camp that summer.
What happens at Leadership Training camp?
The Leadership Training week consists of a mix of seminar-style training, small group discussion and hands-on, practical opportunities to develop the skills needed to excel in front-lines, face-to-face ministry. The goal is that this week would be of great use to young people whether or not they ever serve at God’s Mountain. There will also be time for fun and fellowship, worship, applicable teaching from Scripture and service projects.
The importance of personal testimonies
One thing we greatly value is sharing what God has done and is doing in our lives. During Leadership Training, we will help you learn how to most effectively share your story of how you met Jesus and how the Lord has impacted your life. There will be practical training about how sharing your story might be different to a 6 year-old day camper than a junior high student or adult. There will also be opportunities to share your testimony in small group or large group settings. While we do not require everyone to share in front of a large group, talking about the Bible and sharing what God has done in your life is an essential skill for all believers and is integral to how we do ministry.
I’m a parent and I’m concerned about leaving my child in the care of a teenager. How does this work?
We certainly understand these concerns. Over many years we have found this to be an effective way of doing ministry to children for the following reasons:
If you have further questions regarding the training and supervision of our summer volunteers, please contact our Program Director, Josiah Hager, at [email protected]
&
Leadership Development
One of the Four Purposes of God’s Mountain is to develop Christian leadership. We believe this can and should happen for all people and all age groups, from our Day Campers all the way through adults. Leadership doesn’t look the same for everyone or for all situations, and leadership certainly doesn’t only mean talking in front of a large group or being “in charge.”
One of the biggest facets of our ministry is using training, supervision, discipline and practical experience to develop leadership and ministry skills in teens and college-age young people through our summer volunteer and internship programs.
Who can serve in summer leadership at God’s Mountain?
Teens ages 14+ who love Jesus, are passionate about sharing the Gospel of Jesus and are looking for an opportunity to serve are invited to attend our Leadership Training camp at the start of each summer. Attending this week of camp does not guarantee that you will be asked to serve. In addition to personal references, we will use the Leadership Training week to get to know you, see how you interact with peers and pay attention to instruction, and hear about what the Lord is doing in your life. Based on all of that as well as other factors, we will ask some to return to serve at camp that summer.
What happens at Leadership Training camp?
The Leadership Training week consists of a mix of seminar-style training, small group discussion and hands-on, practical opportunities to develop the skills needed to excel in front-lines, face-to-face ministry. The goal is that this week would be of great use to young people whether or not they ever serve at God’s Mountain. There will also be time for fun and fellowship, worship, applicable teaching from Scripture and service projects.
The importance of personal testimonies
One thing we greatly value is sharing what God has done and is doing in our lives. During Leadership Training, we will help you learn how to most effectively share your story of how you met Jesus and how the Lord has impacted your life. There will be practical training about how sharing your story might be different to a 6 year-old day camper than a junior high student or adult. There will also be opportunities to share your testimony in small group or large group settings. While we do not require everyone to share in front of a large group, talking about the Bible and sharing what God has done in your life is an essential skill for all believers and is integral to how we do ministry.
I’m a parent and I’m concerned about leaving my child in the care of a teenager. How does this work?
We certainly understand these concerns. Over many years we have found this to be an effective way of doing ministry to children for the following reasons:
- High expectations. We believe teens are often underestimated in life and in ministry and often live up only to the low expectations given them. We demand and expect the best from our leadership in decision making, attentiveness, diligence and overall camper care. We do not “lower” these expectations due to age or lack of experience — the 15 year-olds who volunteer are held to the same standards as the college-age young people who serve our older campers. We turn away many young people of all ages who desire to serve and we do not hesitate to remove anyone who does not consistently live up to these expectations.
- Layers of leadership. Campers are put in a cabin with 2 (sometimes 3) leaders. Two cabins make what we call a “Village” under the leadership of one of our interns — college-age young people who spend the whole summer serving with us. They get to know all campers in their Village and supervise the leaders in the cabin. These “Village Leaders” are supervised by our Program Coordinators, who serve under our Program Director, who serves under our Executive Directors, who are guided by our Board of Directors. These layers are constantly interacting day-by-day and hour-by-hour, comparing notes and working together to serve our campers. It’s also important to note that cabin leaders are totally focused on the dynamics of their cabin — they do not run activities like crafts, they do not lifeguard, etc — their role is to care for and focus on the campers in their care, with supervision and assistance at every step throughout the day.
If you have further questions regarding the training and supervision of our summer volunteers, please contact our Program Director, Josiah Hager, at [email protected]