
What Can You Expect?
At Student Life Camp, we empower your leaders to lead your students through every moment of the week—so your year-long discipleship doesn’t miss a beat.
Read more below about what we provide, what the schedule looks like, and our exciting program elements!
What We Provide
- Morning and Evening Worship Services
- Small Group Material
- Exciting Daily Activities
- Meals & Lodging
- Training for Your Volunteers
- And so much more!
CAMP AT A GLANCE
Please note: This is a quick overview of the camp experience. Your event-specific schedule will be available on the prep center on February 15th
FIRST DAY
- Check-In & Orientation
- Dinner
- Opening Worship Session
- Life Groups
- Church Group Gathering
FULL CAMP DAYS
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Morning Quiet Time
- Morning and Evening Worship Sessions
- Recreation, Connect, & Flex Time
- Morning and Evening Life Groups
- Morning and Evening Church Group Gathering Times
LAST DAY
- Pack Up & Breakfast
- Closing Session
- Head Home
We’re Ready to Serve You.
Our Program Elements
Worship
Morning and evening worship gatherings are the heartbeat of the week. Together students lift their voices, focus on God’s Word, and are challenged toward growth by the camp pastor. These moments are intentionally designed to meet students right where they are and create space for God to powerfully move in their hearts.
Life Groups
Life Group is where the message becomes personal. After every worship gathering, students gather in Life Groups led by their own leaders from their church. This is a place to slow down, open God’s Word, and process what they’ve heard. Leaders will be given resources before and during camp to prep for guiding honest discussions. Students will discover how they can apply and live out what they’ve learned.
Rec
Rec is where Life Groups rally together in high-energy competition for the Rec Cup. Every game is thoughtfully designed so that every squad has a real chance to win, making it just as strategic as it is fun. It’s loud, competitive, and full of unforgettable moments as students cheer each other on and discover the power of being part of a team.
Connect
Connect is where your Life Groups will have the chance to connect and deepen relationships. Through fun, creative challenges, students laugh, make memories, and work together in ways that help them feel known and build real trust. Every activity is intentionally designed so every student can participate and belong. Because when walls come down and relationships grow stronger, Life Groups grow beyond friendship and into a family.
Flex Time
During Flex Time, Life Groups get to choose which activities around campus they want to jump into. Ride on the waterslides, jump on the giant blob, go on the zipline—the list is endless! It’s your time to be able to hang out with your students without an agenda. Since every camp location is different, Flex options will change from place to place—check your camp details to learn more about activities.
Church Group Time
Every morning and evening, your church will get space to be together. During the morning, you’ll set the tone for the day with a devotional and encourage students in their quiet times before worship. In the evening after Life Groups, you’ll gather again to share highlights from the message, lead a bigger discussion, and lead your students how you want to in this time. These gatherings lead to your church feeling unified and connected throughout the week.
Life Group Leader Meeting
Each morning your adult volunteers will gather for a focused time of training and encouragement designed just for them. This meeting equips leaders with practical tools to guide meaningful conversations, navigate program elements with confidence, and care for students with intentionality. More than just a briefing, it’s a daily investment in developing stronger, more effective leaders who are prepared to make a lasting impact in their Life Groups.
Church Group Leader Meeting
Each evening, church group leaders and student pastors gather for a meaningful time of connection before worship. This meeting creates space to share stories from the day, celebrate what God is doing, and pray together as a community. It’s also an opportunity to engage directly with the camp pastor and worship band—asking questions, gaining insight, and preparing for the night ahead.
Why Churches Love Student Life
FAQ’S
REC CAMP
What is Rec Camp like?
Rec Camp includes engaging worship from experienced worship leaders, learning through sound biblical teaching and Bible study, community in Life Groups, and fun at recreation!
What is included in the cost of Rec Camp?
The cost per person includes meals, lodging, a camp T-shirt, Bible study material, and all Student Life programming. Things like the Student Life Store and snack shops/vending machines (availability varies by campus) are not included.
Some locations have rooms with queen, king, double beds, and/or sleeper sofas. At these locations, we book these rooms to max occupancy to keep the cost per person as low as possible, which means each pillow gets assigned to a person. A room with 2 queen beds sleeps 4 people. A room with 2 queen beds and a sleeper sofa sleeps 6 people.
At our locations that have large bunk house accommodations, depending on the size of your group, you will likely share a cabin with other groups.
Click HERE to find your camp location details and review the SLEEP section of your camp location for more information.
Can half of my group do Mission Camp and the other half do Rec Camp?
Of course! You are free to separate your middle and high school this way, or you can allow students to choose the experience that most excites them. We will work with you to meet your group’s needs. Each group will need their own adult leaders with them, and your groups would be listed under two separate registrations.
What will adult leaders do at Rec Camp?
Your adult leaders will be the all-stars of camp. They will disciple your students during Life Group, cheer them on at Recreation, help enforce lights out so you’re all ready to go for the next day, and more! A Life Group Leadership Meeting is held each morning (with lots of coffee) to help your leaders prepare and pray together.
What will Student Pastors do at Rec Camp?
Student Life camps are designed to free Student Pastors from a lot of responsibility so that they can spend time building relationships with their students. Each evening there will be a Student Pastor Gathering before the worship service for prayer and fellowship. We believe that Student Pastors having flexibility while at camp is an extremely important aspect of Student Life Camp.
Can we leave camp to do things with our group during free time?
We do not recommend leaving campus due to a limited block of free time in the afternoons. Many of our campuses have free time options on campus like a pool, basketball court, snack shops, as well as other location specific options. Check out the “Event Details” on our Find A Camp page for more information.
STUDENT LIFE CAMP
What are the goals of Student Life Camps?
We have numerous goals for our events, but ultimately, our goals involve life change happening in students, adults, and in us. In Scripture, every time someone spent time with Jesus, he or she went away changed. We hope each person leaves this experience changed. Not because of technical effects, engaging content, or even meeting new people, but because we have been with Jesus.
Can any denomination attend Student Life Camp?
Student Life is a multi-denominational, evangelical ministry serving the local church and we invite like-minded gospel-centered churches to join us at camp. We suggest that all churches review Our Beliefs so they can best determine if Student Life is a good fit for their group.
Why do you not hire staff to teach the Bible studies?
We believe it’s important for adults from the local church to be involved in what happens at camp. After all, they go home with the students.
What is a Life Group?
A Life Group is about 8-12 students coming together under the leadership of adult leaders from your church. A Life Group’s purpose is to learn about Jesus through Bible study, prayer and group-bonding activities so they can continue to disciple and invest in your students’ spiritual growth back home.
What ages can attend Student Life Camp?
Our programming is designed for students who have completed 6th-12th grade. If your group is younger, you may want to check out Student Life Kids Camp.
What is the adult to student ratio?
We request you bring one adult for every five students at all of our camp styles: Rec, Mission, Beach, and Smokies.
Are my students allowed to bring their medication to camp?
If you have students who will be on medication prescribed by a doctor while they are at camp, we highly encourage the group leader or an adult from the group to be the one to carry and administer that medication to the student.
Any over-the-counter medications should also be carried and administered by the group leader or an adult in the group.
For any questions or accommodations that need to be met in regards to medication at camp, please reach out to [email protected]
FINANCIAL
Deposits
- A $125-per-person non-refundable deposit ($50 for Beach Camps and Program Only at Smokies) is required to be paid on or before January 31st. Any new or additional reservations made after this date will require an immediate $125 non-refundable deposit per person. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable after this date.
Cancellations and Decreasing Your Numbers
- January 31: Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable for drops made after January 31. Any new or additional reservations made after this date will require an immediate $125 non-refundable deposit per person. ($50 for Beach Camps and Program Only at Smokies)
- May 1: An additional $75 drop fee will be incurred for each decreased person after May 1. ($50 for Beach Camps and Program Only at Smokies) When you decrease your registration, previous deposit payments made cannot be applied or transferred toward your final balance due.
- 14 Days Out: An official registration number will be established for your group 14 days before Student Life Camp begins (35 days for Smokies). We will use your official registration number to calculate your final balance because of our commitment to camp locations.
- If you decrease your number or cancel inside 14 days before your event begins (35 days for Smokies), you will be responsible for the full balance. All FINAL BALANCE money is non-refundable and non-transferable inside 14 days of the event (35 days for Smokies). We regret that we cannot refund or transfer your payment after this time.
Final Payment
- Your Final Balance is due in the Student Life office no later than 14 days before your camp begins (35 days for Smokies).
- An official registration number will be established for your group 14 days before your camp begins (35 days for Smokies). We will use your official registration number to make commitments to the camp locations and to calculate your final balance.
- If the final balance due is not paid by 14 days before camp (35 days for Smokies), your group will be charged a one-time $75 late fee.
- All FINAL BALANCE money is non-refundable and non-transferable after 14 days before camp (35 days for Smokies). We regret that we cannot refund or transfer your payment after this time.
Weather, Health, and National Disaster Cancellation Policy
We are always committed to hosting planned camps and events as scheduled. Simultaneously, your group’s safety is our priority. If circumstances beyond the control of either party including dangerous weather conditions or national disaster make hosting a planned event illegal, impossible, or irresponsible and we cancel the event, we will refund your deposits and final balance, if they have been paid. If you cancel your registration on your own, we will not be able to refund your deposits.
Sales Tax
Lifeway is required to collect sales tax for events held in Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky and Virginia. The sales tax charge will be added to the final balance on your camp confirmation statement. For churches traveling from out of state, you must send Lifeway a sales tax exemption for the state in which the event is held to have these taxes removed. Churches may obtain the proper documentation from the state’s Department of Taxation or Department of Revenue where available (Arkansas does not provide churches with exemption status). State tax exemption forms are to be scanned and emailed to [email protected].
Max Occupancy Policy
Some locations have rooms with queen, king, double beds, and/or sleeper sofas. At these locations, we book these rooms to max occupancy to keep the cost per person as low as possible, which means each pillow gets assigned to a person. A room with 2 queen beds sleeps 4 people. A room with 2 queen beds and a sleeper sofa sleeps 6 people.
At our locations that have large bunk house accommodations, depending on the size of your group, you will likely share a cabin with other groups.
Click HERE to find your camp location details and review the SLEEP section of your camp location for more information.
REGISTRATION
Securing space for your group
- Securing reservations is as simple as signing up online or calling our office at 800-718-2267.
- After you have registered, we will send you a confirmation email (add [email protected] to your contacts so you don’t miss important emails!) and welcome kit that will help get your students excited about camp.
- Deposits are not required to secure space for your group until January 31st.
It’s after the January 31st deposit deadline. Can I still register for camp?
YES! You can always register for camp (as long as space is available for a particular location). Any new or additional reservations made after January 31st will require an immediate $125 non-refundable deposit per person. ($50 for Beach and Program Only at the Smokies)
DEADLINES
BEFORE JANUARY 31
You may reserve your spot at camp any time before January 31st with no deposit.
JANUARY 31
A $125-per-person non-refundable deposit ($50 for Beach Camps and Program Only at Smokies) is required to be paid on or before January 31st. Any new or additional reservations made after this date will require an immediate $125 non-refundable deposit per person. ($50 for Beach Camps and Program Only at Smokies) All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable after this date.
MAY 1 DROP FEE
An additional $75 late drop fee will be incurred for each decreased person after May 1st. When you decrease your registration, previous deposit payments made cannot be applied or transferred toward final balance due.
14 DAYS BEFORE CAMP (35 DAYS BEFORE SMOKIES)
- Final balance must be received by this time. This money is non-refundable and non-transferable after 14 days before camp. If the final balance due is not paid by this time, your group will be charged a one-time $75 late fee.
- Church Agreement is due.
- Participant forms and Participant List are due.



