So you said yes.
You’re going to BigStuf as a leader. Maybe you’re a youth pastor. Maybe you’re a small group leader. Maybe you’re a volunteer who just loves showing up for students.
If this is your first time, you might be wondering:
What exactly am I walking into?
Here’s what your week will actually look like.
Day 1: The Bus Ride + First Session
Morning / Travel
Whether your trip is an hour or twelve, camp starts on the bus. You’ll start building connection before you ever see the beach. Expect music, snacks, nervous energy, and early bonding.
Your job?
Be present. Learn names. Set the tone.
Arrival + Check-In
You’ll check into your rooms, get your bearings, and meet your group in the lobby before heading into your first session.
Evening Session 1
High energy. Big room. Worship. Teaching.
Your role is simple but powerful:
Sit with your students. Engage. Model what it looks like to lean in.
After session, you’ll gather your small group and process the message together. This is where leadership begins to feel real.
Days 2–4: The Rhythm of Camp
These days follow a steady rhythm, and once you settle in, it becomes second nature.
Morning
Leader Labs
Before the day ramps up, you’ll have the opportunity to attend Leader Labs. These are short, focused sessions created just for you. Encouragement. Perspective. Practical tools.
You’re not just here to pour out. You’ll be poured into too.
Morning Session
You’ll sit with your students in the main session. Worship. Teaching. High engagement.
Watch their faces. Pay attention. You’ll start noticing who is leaning in and who might need extra conversation later.
Midday
Small Group Time
This is where your leadership really matters.
You’ll walk through guided questions based on the message. Some conversations will be light. Some may go deeper than you expected.
You don’t have to have perfect answers.
You just have to create space.
Free Time
Beach. Volleyball. Spikeball. Pool. Basketball. Students hanging out with guitars in the sand.
Your role shifts here. You’re present. You’re relational. You’re aware. You’re building trust in the in-between moments.
Sometimes the most meaningful conversations happen walking back from the beach, not in a circle of chairs.
Evening
Dinner + Reset
Students head back to rooms, shower, change, and get ready for night session. This is often when smaller conversations begin.
Evening Session
Energy ramps up again. Worship often hits deeper by night three or four. Messages build on each other.
You may see breakthrough moments. You may see students wrestling quietly. Both matter.
Late Night + Room Time
This is when you’re the steady presence.
You’ll manage curfew, debrief the day, maybe answer hard questions, maybe just laugh until everyone is exhausted.
It’s leadership in its rawest form.
Day 5: The Bus Ride Home Feels Different
The final morning feels lighter and heavier at the same time.
Students are tired. But something has shifted.
You’ll eat one last meal together, pack up, and get back on the bus.
The ride home is reflective. Quieter. Fuller.
This is when you start realizing what God has been doing all week.
What You Actually Need to Know
You don’t need to be the most charismatic leader.
You don’t need to have every theological answer.
You don’t need to manufacture moments.
Your job is to:
- Be present
- Ask good questions
- Create safe space
- Model authenticity
- Pray
BigStuf provides the environment.
God brings the growth.
You show up consistently.
And that consistency might be the very thing a student remembers years from now.
