Christian camp ministries share a meaningful purpose: helping students explore their faith and supporting the leaders who walk alongside them. Student Life, FUGE, Passion Camp, Word of Life and BigStuf each offer their own approach. The right choice depends on your group's needs, not on finding one camp that is best for everyone.
Before looking at names or prices, agree on what your group needs from the week. Is your priority church-group time, service, recreation, a particular teaching approach or a manageable travel distance? Write down your priorities, then use the same questions for every camp on your shortlist. The programs below are not ranked.
Published by BigStuf. Source review: October 13, 2026. This is a planning guide, not an independent ranking. BigStuf operates separately from the other organizations named here. Confirm each camp's current dates, prices, inclusions and availability directly with its team.
Student Life: a leader-led camp experience
Student Life describes a model where your church's adult leaders lead your students in small groups and participate alongside them. Its Rec Camp combines worship, Bible study, Life Groups and staff-facilitated recreation. The published Rec Camp rate includes lodging, meals, a camp T-shirt, Bible-study materials and programming; other formats and locations need their own inclusion check.
Consider whether your adults want to take an active role in leading Life Groups and participating alongside students. Ask the Student Life team what preparation and support your leaders receive, and how the selected format fits the way your church already works with students.
Helpful planning questions: Which Student Life format and location suits your group? What does the daily schedule look like, and how can your leaders prepare? Check the room arrangements, included meals and full travel cost for your selected week.
Explore Student Life's official program · Read its Rec Camp inclusions
FUGE: recreation and mission-focused options
FUGE offers two distinct experiences. Centrifuge includes recreation, activity tracks and daily Bible study. MFuge adds service in local communities. FUGE describes staff-led Bible study and a package that includes programming, meals and lodging.
If your team wants service to be part of the trip, explore MFuge's published program and ask about the opportunities at your selected location. If recreation and activity tracks are priorities, look at Centrifuge's schedule. Choosing between those formats is a useful first step before comparing dates and travel.
Helpful planning questions: Is service a priority for this trip? Who leads Bible study? Which activities fit your students, and how much time will your own church group spend together?
Review FUGE's official camp formats
Passion Camp: worship and church-group time in Daytona Beach
Passion Camp lists July 12–16, 2027 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Its program includes worship, teaching, Squad Wars and church-group time. The official site offers program-only, program-and-meals, program-and-hotels, and combined packages. Those are different purchases, so compare the package your church would actually book.
Consider how much of the trip your team wants to arrange itself. Review Passion's package options with the people responsible for lodging, meals and transport, then build an estimate for the package your church would actually book. Ask the Passion team to clarify anything that is not covered in the published details.
Helpful planning questions: Which package works for your team? What hotel and meal arrangements will you need? How will your group travel between lodging and sessions, and what places remain available?
Review Passion Camp's official 2027 packages
Word of Life: explore the experience at each campus
Word of Life runs several summer camp programs, including The Island in New York, The Coast in Florida and Jenness Park in California. The Coast is in Hudson, Florida and describes worship, Bible teaching, recreation and counselors from Word of Life Bible Institute.
Start with the campus and program that interests your group rather than treating every Word of Life camp as the same experience. Ask its team how counselors and visiting church leaders work together, and which setting and schedule would suit your students.
Helpful planning questions: Which campus and age range fits your students? How do counselors and church leaders support the week? Check room arrangements, activities, included costs and dates for the program you are considering.
Explore Word of Life's official camp directory · Review The Coast's program
What BigStuf offers your group
At BigStuf, students and the people who lead them share five days of worship, honest teaching, recreation and time with their church group. If your team is looking for a week that brings those experiences together, we would love for you to get to know BigStuf.
- Worship together, then talk with your own group. Large-group sessions and church-group conversation give students time to hear, reflect and process with the leaders who know them.
- Support for your adults, too. Florida registration includes Leader Labs sessions at camp, giving adult leaders time for practical learning alongside the student experience.
- Time to enjoy being together. Recreation and shared camp time sit alongside worship and teaching, with a choice of settings for your group's trip.
BigStuf Florida takes place in Panama City Beach and includes lodging and 10 meals. Groups arrange their own dinner on night four. Review the current location-specific details when building your trip budget.
Helpful planning questions: Does the schedule give your group the balance it needs? What will your adults prepare and supervise? Check the selected location's lodging, activities, meals and travel requirements, just as you would for the other camps on your shortlist.
- BigStuf Florida: Panama City Beach. Camp 2 runs June 18–22, 2027 and registration is open. Camp 1, June 14–18, is sold out. See the Florida experience, current pricing schedule and inclusions.
- BigStuf Midwest: July 7–11, 2027 at Lake Williamson in Carlinville, Illinois. Explore the Midwest setting and current registration details.
- Irresistible Week, powered by BigStuf: July 14–18, 2027 at Camp Tejas in Giddings, Texas. This week is sold out. Review the Texas camp page or explore the available BigStuf camps.
If BigStuf sounds like a fit for your church, start with the available Florida Camp 2 and Midwest weeks. Explore the schedule, inclusions and current pricing, then take the next step when your team is ready.
Explore available BigStuf weeks and register your group · Get to know Leader Labs at camp and all year
Build a complete trip budget for each option
Use the same group size and expense categories for each option. Add student and leader registration, transportation, overnight travel, meals outside the package, optional activities, scholarships and a sensible contingency. Confirm leader discounts and any taxes directly with the relevant camp.
BigStuf's free camp comparison and budget planner lets you enter up to three options and calculate a side-by-side trip estimate. Use the current official information for each camp. The planner does not independently verify your inputs or reserve places.
Choose the experience that supports your ministry
- What should students and leaders carry home from this week?
- Which camp format supports that purpose?
- What preparation and supervision will our adults handle?
- What does each package include, and what remains our responsibility?
- What will families actually pay after travel, extras and support from the church?
- Which dates and available places can our church realistically commit to?
Whether your group chooses BigStuf or another Christian camp, we hope the week supports the work your church is doing all year. Talk with each ministry's team, learn about its approach and choose the experience that fits your students and leaders.
For more help planning, read our Christian summer camp planning guide. For BigStuf's current dates and availability, use the official summer camp overview.
Student Life, FUGE, Passion Camp and Word of Life are names of their respective programs. This guide does not imply affiliation, endorsement or registration through BigStuf for another camp.
