By Aaron E. Ziebarth, Executive Director
Recently while reading the book “Good to Great in God’s Eyes” by Chip Ingram, I saw the significant value of a week-long Christian summer camp experience.
Ingram writes, “Dr. Jack Haskins, a professor at the University of Tennessee, spent 12 years researching the effects of media and how people think. One of his studies attempted to determine the impact of a five-minute radio program that was filled with negative news stories: 17 children blown up on the bus, an earthquake that killed thousands, riots in the streets of a large city, and so on. One group listened to negative programs like this daily, while a control group listened to more positive and uplifting news.
“After evaluating the listeners who were daily exposed to five minutes of bad news, Haskins discovered four discernible effects on them:
- They were more depressed than before;
- They believed the world was a negative place;
- They were less likely to help others; and
- They begin to believe that what they heard would soon to happen to them.
“Simply by receiving and reflecting on the information from the radio program, their perceptions of the world and their outlook on life or adversely affected. Their concept of reality was shaped by their thoughts.”
I wonder how much this increases through social media and other apps?
Jesus tells us, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31b). The power of the Christian summer camp and retreat experience enables children to get out of the routine of life and experience God’s presence in nature with others. God-focused counselors and very passionate speakers give them uplifting truth that can fill them with the hope of Jesus Christ.
But don’t just take my word for it, experience it on your own. Learn more here:
