Principles for the Camp Guide:
Questions and Answers

As a guide you are a manager of people. Being endorsed by your church (or organization) and the camp director gives you a responsibility to live out your role well. Use your title sparingly. Earn your position. Invest in others before you expect them to follow you.

It is through you that Christianity is revealed to the explorer, maybe for the first time. Share yourself. Be yourself. Be transparent. Be honest.

Spend time defining who you are in front of your explorers.
- When you like something and let others know, you have defined yourself in that particular area.
- When you take a stand for justice or mercy you define for those around you what your values are regarding that circumstance.
- If you are on time you indirectly communicate to others that you respect their time.
- If you don’t allow swearing, vulgar language, cursing, or casual misuse of God’s Name, you are explaining how you expect others to speak.

“Values are caught not (necessary) taught.”

You are the ambassador God has sent to your explorer. Be ready to explain, define, illustrate... who God is. Use scripture, nature, your own image to define truth and absolutes. Introduce explorers to God. The manner in which you love God will be the standard for those watching. The way you do devotions, worship, focus and demonstrate attentiveness to God’s word will be the unspoken expectation for everyone in the adventure team. The things you laugh at, the manner in which you play, use your time and money, show respect (or lack of) to authority will also define for others your understanding of God.

Be worthy of trust. Be trusting.

You earn trust. When your honesty is validated, repeatedly, over time, it gives you a credential of being trustworthy.

Trusting others first, before evidence of character, takes a confidence in yourself that would allow for a disconnect. Verified trust leads to loyalty and security in relationship.

Trust is like an adhesive between people.

Be ready to share the good news in you...

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].
2 Timothy 1:7 Amp

The Apostle Paul continues in writing to Timothy. We can apply it directly to our witness:

So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.
2 Timothy 1:8-10 NLT (Emphasis added)

And furthermore Paul communicates to the Thessalonians on the theme of the value of one witnessing to another and the power of God.

Brothers and sisters beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you; for our good news [regarding salvation] came to you not only in word, but also in [its inherent] power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction [on our part]. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your benefit. You became imitators of us and [through us] of the Lord, after you welcomed our message in [a time of] great trouble with the joy supplied by the Holy Spirit; so that you became an example to all the believers in [[the place where you were and beyond]] Macedonia and in Achaia [[at church, at camp, at home, and in the community]].
1 Thessalonians 1: 4-7 Amp
Note: text surrounded by double square brackets is  [[further amplified by the website author]] 

Witness with both actions of pure motives and words that clarify your belief in Scripture. Your actions give validity to your words. Let your explorers hear true words that give glory to God.

Leaders are in submission to authority and law. Leaders have followers with whom they spend time. Let personal transparency communicate your values, ideals, compassion and your living and vital religion.

Leaders take on responsibility.

The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say ‘I.’ And that’s not because they have trained themselves not to say ‘I.’ They don’t think ‘I.’ They think ‘we’; they think ‘team.’ They understand their job is to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don’t sidestep it, but ‘we’ gets the credit…. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done.
— Peter Drucker

Good chess players like to control the middle of the board. Good guides are within arms reach of their explorers. Not to be pals but to be able to be disciplinarians. At a table, sit in the middle rather than at an end. In a meeting, cluster the cabin group to sit in a huddle and you sit in a seat that is near the center rather than sitting people in a long line, or a single row of seats.

Also, in informal settings, to be on friendly, familiar terms, when communicating, position your body so that you are on the same eye level as those with whom you are talking.

Preventing problems is a lot easier than bringing justice after the fact of disruption.
– DGC

On a hike, trail or path, one goes in front, the other goes behind.

During an activity, while you are giving instructions, your co-guide is helping kids stay focused.

During an activity, while you are doing one-on-one, they are with the rest of the explorers continuing the programmed (formal) activity.

At the table, you each sit apart but with the other half of the kids.

Teamwork makes the dream work.
– John C. Maxwell

Emanuel, God with us. Christ came, was born, to be with us, walk with us, talk with us... Before Jesus could choose disciples, do miracles, preach sermons, tell parables, quote and fulfill scripture... he came to be with us. Jesus came to be in our presence. He was present with us. Around the world, Christmas is celebrated to mark this supernatural event.

Then when Jesus went away he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us. So the “with us” continues. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don't go away, the Counselor won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.  John 16:7 WEB

(Job Description) A good guide does this: he is with his kids, she is with her explorers. When guides are present, listening to their explorers, when people are together in communication, relationship building can happen.

Part of what it means to be a leader (a guide) is that someone is following. Guides and explorers need to be in the same proximity so that some leading and following can be going on.

Be with your kids.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.
Matthew 1:23 NKJV

Quick Review: Managing People

Q: Who is the most valuable person to the explorer?
A: You.
Summary: You are the ambassador God has sent to your explorer.

Q: What is one way to build relationship?
A: Get stuck on each other.
Summary: Build trust. Trust is like an adhesive between people.

Q: How do you witness?
A: Give testimony of your faith in Christ boldly, with forthrightness, without trite church vocabulary.
Summary: Be biblical and talk biblical. Walk your talk.

Q: Give a definition of leadership?
A: The process of influencing others to accomplish the mission by providing purpose, direction and motivation.
Summary: Leaders take on responsibility. Transparency communicates your values.

Q: Where should guides sit?
A: In-between their explorers.
Summary: As in chess, control the middle of the active area by being within arms reach of your explorers.

Q: How do you work with your co-guide?
A: Delegate and share responsibility.
Summary: Be in two places working as one to protect, honor, and guide your explorers.

Q: What is the most important attribute of a guide?
A: Presence.
Summary: If you are not with your explorer you are not influencing. Not present is not doing your job.

Go to the next section: Q/A Managing Discipline

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