This summer, more than 100 preteens gathered for a week they won’t soon forget. Just down the road from Bellevue’s campus at The Grove at Red Oak Lake, students dove into four unforgettable days packed with high-energy games, team challenges, worship, and moments that stirred their hearts.
From water slides to wild relays, there was no shortage of laughter and excitement. But what made this week special was that this year’s theme of “Believe(r)” was woven into every moment. These preteens had endless opportunities to encounter the truths about who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him.
“It’s been great seeing the kids digest the truth we’re pouring into them but also having fun at the same time,” cabin leader Cameron Cook said.
4th and 5th Grade Camp is specifically designed for students in this transitional stage of life—no longer little kids but not quite teenagers, preteens are starting to form their own thoughts, questions, and beliefs. That’s why building a firm foundation in faith during this time is so important.is so important.
“I think younger elementary school kids just take things at face value,” cabin leader Gracie Tignor said. “But in 4th and 5th grade, they start to ask, ‘What do I believe?’ and it’s cool to see Bellevue take that seriously and create space for them to grow in their faith on their own.”
The teaching for the week centered on encouraging students not only to hear God’s Word but also to live it out. Whether in large group sessions or late-night cabin discussions, leaders pointed their students to Jesus again and again.
“Our prayer from the start was that the students would have open hearts,” Gracie said. “We prayed that God would begin stirring in them even before they got to camp.”
And God answered. Through worship, small group conversations, and quiet moments alone with the Lord, the students were presented with what it really means to follow Jesus.
“A question many students had coming into this week was, ‘What is a believer?’” Cameron said. “After this week, now they can leave saying, ‘I know. I am one—and this is how I know.’”
While some campers made professions of faith, Gracie saw how other students took important steps toward spiritual maturity.
“We really wanted our kids to understand, ‘This who a believer is, and my identity is sealed in Christ if I put my faith in Him,’ and if I am a believer, this is how I should be living,” Gracie said.
As the week wrapped up, it was clear that God was at work—softening hearts, growing faith, and helping each student wrestle with the question, “What does it mean to be a believer?” 4th and 5th Grade Camp was more than just a summer memory, it was an opportunity for students to move from simply hearing about faith to living it out as bold, confident followers of Christ.
Learn more about how Bellevue is discipling the next generation at bellevue.org/next-gen.