Zona Camp helps teens take next steps with God

On the last night of Zona Camp, you can’t help but grin.

Hundreds of teens press toward the stage, arms raised, jumping and dancing as they belt out the final songs of Zona Camp.

The worship band Monroe leads the celebration, and for the final songs, the camp pastor Trey VanCamp and his family join in on stage. It’s the culmination of a week of spiritual decisions and moments with God. And it’s worth celebrating.

More than 1,000 people attended Zona Camp this year at California Baptist University (CBU) from June 29 through July 3 in Riverside. Thirty-three churches participated. Of the 730 students, 24 made salvation decisions, 32 recommitted their lives to Christ, 39 responded to a call to ministry and 235 responded for prayer, among other decisions.

Over the course of the week, VanCamp, the lead pastor at Passion Creek Church in Queen Creek, preached around the camp theme Unashamed. From stage, VanCamp shared that he himself attended Zona as a student about 19 years ago.

More than 1,000 people attended Zona Camp at California Baptist University this year, representing 33 churches. (Photo by Nancy Patton)

“The Zona team thinks very intentionally about where our teenagers are at and what do we need to talk about and how do we talk about it,” said Chad Murrell, the Zona Camp director. “Pastor Trey has been talking a lot this year about the shame that students carry and how we hide our sin because of that shame and how we need to be confessional and willing to let the church come alongside us and walk with us to overcome our temptations and our struggles.”

Fifty-six college-aged Zona Crew members made camp possible, setting up and tearing down, running activities and talking with students during response time. To put together that team, Zona partners with Christian Challenge and Southern Baptist state conventions in Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana and Texas.

Students play bubble soccer during free time at Zona Camp. (Photo by Nancy Patton)

During response time, students meet with a member of the Zona Crew or an adult leader of the same gender. Usually, the women pair up quickly, responding to the higher number of girls who come forward. But not this year.

“One of the really amazing things we have seen this year is more guys respond to the gospel, percentage wise than in years past…” said Murrell, who is also the lead pastor at Vista Church. “God is moving in the hearts of our young men right now, and we need to pay attention to the work that’s happening with our young men. And we’re seeing it here at Zona.”

At Zona, students choose from four distinct tracks depending on their interests: Core Experience, Leadership Experience, Mission Experience and Worship Experience.

Addisyn Scheffe, an incoming junior from The Church of Estrella in Goodyear, did the Leadership Experience, where she learned more about how she is uniquely gifted to serve in her church context. Zona also reminded her of the abundance of God’s love.

“The safety of getting to talk to God, talk about God and being able to spend time with like-minded people is an awesome experience,” she said.

In fact, the positive experience she had at camp last year encouraged her to invite multiple friends who she knew were struggling with their faith.

Throughout the week, the college-age Zona Crew serve students, initiate gospel conversations and keep the energy high. (Photo by Christian Challenge AZ)

Zona is a week saturated with conversations about Jesus, away from the distractions and stress of daily life. Something about that atmosphere encourages students to take faith steps, Murrell said.

“In any given year, we want students to come to know Jesus, to receive salvation,” Murrell said. “But we also want them to come to Zona and go back home having a better understanding of how to live for Jesus. Not just get a ticket into heaven, but to live for the kingdom now.”

Johanna Moore is the Arizona Mission Network’s director of communications and the editor of Connect. She is a member of Mountain View Baptist Church in Tucson.