5 Things Camp Taught Us About Mentorship

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17

Think back on your childhood. Was there one, or maybe two, people in your life who shaped you, challenged you, and encouraged you in a life-altering way during a difficult season of your life? Maybe it was a teacher, a coach, a family friend, or even a camp counselor who you still remember decades later.

As a parent, there is nothing more impactful  than finding godly Christian mentors for your child to help them navigate a culture and world where social media and advertising amplifies normal teenage emotions, stirs up storms of insecurities and feeds the comparison monster. Our children need more godly voices in their lives reminding them of who they are in Christ now more than ever. When it comes right down to it, there are five major reasons why it is crucial for your child to have a godly mentor.

#1 A Mentor Offers a Fresh Voice that Speaks Wisdom
Let’s face it. How many times have you heard, “Mom, I got it!” Or, “Dad, I know. (insert eye roll) You’ve already told me ten times!” Children can hit a saturation level quickly when it comes to listening to their parents’ voices. There is nothing more important than having a young adult who your child greatly admires speak truth into his or her life. A mentor’s words are often the advice your child hangs onto for years to come. A fresh voice, that is not yours but is in alignment with yours, can be very influential for your child.

#2 A Mentor Gives Your Child a Shining Example of Someone to Emulate
There is a reason parents look long and hard to find college students who will tutor, coach, or care for their child. Most parents want to find a mentor for their child who has a track record of making wise decisions, leading others in a godly manner, and creating positive momentum in their social circles. This is why “hang times” at Pine Cove are so important in shaping the lives of campers. Having a cool college student sit with a camper, one-on-one, for 30 to 60 minutes and talk about life, struggles, fears, or social challenges is powerful. Throughout the week, trust is built and conversations like these that remind the camper of God’s Truths can strengthen and equip the camper like never before. Some Pine Cove campers look back on these conversations many years later and comment on how the counselors’ words stayed with them long after they left camp.

“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

#3 A Mentor Helps Fix Your Child’s Eyes on Christ
Dynamic Christian mentors don’t set themselves up as the person to follow; they want their mentees to become authentic Christ followers. The Pine Cove motto—“Christ-Centered, Others-Focused, Seriously Fun”—is exactly what these mentor-counselors do as they very intentionally help campers fix their eyes on Jesus. Make sure your child’s mentor is pointing your child to Jesus. And they should have some serious fun along the way!

#4 A Mentor Protects Children Against Peer Pressure
Peer pressure can be crushing for any young child or teenager. Having a mentor in their corner who is pouring positive encouragement into their souls, giving them courage to stand tall, and unconditionally supporting them can be a game-changer. A mentor’s words of wisdom can be just enough to help them turn away from the negative pressure and walk down a path that honors the Lord and builds their confidence.

#5 A Mentor Enables Children to Become Strong Leaders
As a parent, you want your children to lead others well. You want them to lead their peers, their siblings, and, eventually, their own families, in ways that bring God glory in every area. Children learn best when they have a role model or mentor that models the desired behavior. There is no better way to learn how to be a leader than to closely watch a mentor lead others. At Pine Cove, for example, 90% of the carefully vetted counselors are products of Christian camping themselves who also benefited from time with godly counselors. It’s like watching a personal leadership tutorial in real time!

Mentors do matter for your children. Camp is a great place for kids to find mentors. Pine Cove intentionally recruits godly college counselors who long to shape children and teenagers in a way that points them to the perfect role model, Jesus Christ.