Associational Children’s Camp Decision Service Guide
Life changing spiritual decisions are the main reason for Associational Children’s Camp. A team effort is necessary to provide the best possible assistance to all who respond to the invitations at ACC. The Camp Pastor will deliver a clear message of God’s invitation and volunteers will serve as Encouragers and Pastor Advisors. There will be no invitation at the first worship service of each camp. Training for Encouragers and Pastor Advisors will be provided immediately following the first worship service of camp. Each child who responds to an invitation and completes decision counseling should be greeted by a sponsor from their cabin to escort them safely and rejoice with them in their life changing spiritual decision.
Encouragers
Encouragers may be responsible adults from any cabin. Each church is asked to provide at least one Encourager. Personal Commitment Guides will be provided for use by the Encouragers with each child responding to the invitation. It is vital that Encouragers fill in all information on the tear off portion of the Personal Commitment Guide. This information will be returned to the church for continued follow-up with the child.
Encouragers have responsibility for helping the child come to a clear understanding of the nature of his or her decision. This is accomplished by listening to the child, sharing Scripture, offering needed explanations, and prayer. If unforeseen issues arise requiring more than simple guidance in completing a spiritual commitment, please take the child to a Pastor Advisor for more in-depth assistance.
When the child has prayed and expressed their personal commitment the Encourager will mark the decision and tear off the portion of the Personal Commitment Guide containing the child’s information. Give the Personal Commitment Guide to the child and take the child along with the personal information to a Pastor Advisor. Hand the tear off portion to the Pastor Advisor and introduce the child. Remain with the child, but allow the child to interact directly with the Pastor Advisor. Following their discussion with the Pastor Advisor, help the child locate someone from their cabin so they can return safely to their church cabin.
Pastor Advisors
Pastor Advisors may be a Pastor, Staff Member or a spiritually mature adult from any cabin. Pastor Advisors will make their way to the front of the Tabernacle as children are responding to the Invitation. Pastor Advisors will assist children in following the directions given from the platform as they move to the counseling areas. Pastor Advisors assist in pairing up children with an Encourager. Pastor Advisors need to be alert to needs of both children and Encouragers throughout the counseling time. Encouragers will bring the child to a Pastor Advisor when they have completed their decision counseling or when the Encourager needs assistance with a more complicated issue. When there is special situation the Pastor Advisor may need to take over talking with the boy or girl about their individual difficulty. When the Encourager has been able to assist the child with a spiritual decision the Pastor Advisor will ask the child to express in their own words the decisions they have just made. Pastor Advisors will encourage and pray with the children. This is a time to rejoice with the child about a life changing spiritual decision and provide them with some “next steps” i.e. tell an adult in their cabin, baptism, daily devotion time and prayer. Pastor Advisor will also be responsible for double-checking the written information. It is essential that the child’s name, name of the church, and the cabin number all be clearly indicated on the tear off portion. These tear off portions will be returned to each church so every child can have appropriate follow up from their own church sponsors and Pastor.