Staff Application Reference Form

 Leadership Training Opportunities for Summer Camp                                                                                                       

Ponderosa Bible Camp offers a 3-Phase Servant-Leadership Training Program for it's summer staff.

Summer 2012 Training Dates and Camp Dates

Staff Training Camp for TEAM Members & SALT Members will be held for 3-days only, May 31-June 2.
Counselor Training will be held May 31 thru June 9.

The first day for campers will be June 10. The last day of summer camp will be July 13.
See below to begin your application process!

One important message Jesus wanted his disciples to understand is that in God’s kingdom leaders are servants.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45 (NIV)

Servant leadership requires us to surrender our will for God’s will. It requires confession and seeking God’s power to transform us with His servant heart.

Unselfish servant leadership refuses to rest on the inherent power of a position and desires to empower and release others for ministry. Servant leadership focuses on the needs and growth of those being led, not the needs of those who are leading.

Qualities such as kindness, forgiveness, patience, love and self control should be evident through any Christian's life and especially in those that aspire to lead. Although there are many Christian qualities that should set apart any Christian from his or her secular counterpart, there is one particular quality that Jesus manifested with grace and dignity. Ironically, the most powerful man who ever lived became the most humble, servant leader of all. Reminding us of this uncommon leadership quality of Jesus, Philippians 2 encompasses what it really means to exhibit true servant leadership.

A servant leader is born out of authentic, Christian humility and is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:13 states, "...it is God which works in you both to will and do of His good pleasure." God is the only One who can enable truly successful Christian leadership and He is the only One Who can make it possible for us to deny ourselves in order to appropriate the leader's quality of humility. Unfortunately, today's fast-paced, self-oriented world does not value the timeless quality of humility and can misinterpret it for weakness. 

The Scriptural word for meekness, which is a counterpart to humility, is translated to mean "power under control." The strongest Person Who ever lived manifested the most powerful leadership skills through the quality of humility. May all those who aspire to true servant leadership look to the One Who is the true model for all leaders! "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:8,5)

Phase 1 is our TEAM Member program for those age 14 and older.  "TEAM" stands for Teens Excited About Ministry

Our mission for the TEAM Member program is to train and equip high school students to be effective servant leaders.  In doing so we hope that students will see the importance of developing a good work ethic and a great attitude about the opportunity of serving others.  This program will seek to build good character within every TEAM Member and promote teamwork.

This program seeks to accomplish this mission by not only training, but by giving students various tasks, which allow them to serve.  TEAM Members will be given the responsibility of serving our staff and campers.  Students will be trained how to accomplish tasks well and in a timely manner.  TEAM Members will be responsible for setting up each meal, serving the meals, cleaning up following each meal, helping keep grounds and facilities clean, and helping in daily activities.  Our staff will spend time each day teaching our TEAM Members from a curriculum centered around servant-leadership. 

The TEAM Member Program is open to qualified Christian high school students 14 years old and older.  This is NOT a paid position but the rewards are endless!  Students are required to attend our Staff Training Camp.  We will also assign TEAM Members a minimum of 1 week of camp to come back and serve.  Camp begins on Sunday afternoon and campers leave on Friday mornings.  TEAM Member duties are complete Friday around lunch.  The available weeks of camps are listed on the Summer Camp Info page.  If you have any questions please contact the office.

Phase 2 is our SALT Program for mature students who have completed 11th or 12th Grade.  "SALT" stands for Students Acquiring Leadership Training

Our mission for the SALT Program is to train and equip students how to be a spiritual leader.  We want to give students the opportunity to exercise this training by allowing them to lead in many areas at camp.  It is our hope that many of our TEAM Members will be into the SALT Program.  During Staff Training Camp we will focus on each member's SHAPE and how God has created them. 

We seek to accomplish this mission by first taking a personalized look at each member's personality type and spiritual gifts during Staff Training Camp.  We will also train them how to help lead in their cabins and how to work with campers.  When serving at camp we will have daily Bible studies on spiritual leadership curriculum.  SALT members will also be given opportunities each day to lead in areas such as our Team Building Low-Ropes Course, Archery, Riflery, Canoeing, a variety of games, and activities.  We will also spend one-on-one time evaluating the progress of each SALT member.   This program is designed to focus on training high-school students what it means to be a spiritual leader.

The SALT Program is open to mature Christian high-school students who have completed 11th or 12th grade.  (Students who have completed 10th grade will be considered if we do not have enough 11th & 12th graders.) Everyone who is accepted will attend our Staff Training Camp.  Then SALT members will return for two(2) 1-week camp sessions.  Campers arrive on Sundays and will leave on Friday mornings.  We host 5 weeks of camp in addition to Staff Training Camp.  The dates of summer camp are listed on the summer camp info page.  We will first seek to fill positions from past TEAM Members.  After this, we will then review applications and invite qualified students to join this program.  If you are accepted into this program you will be paid $50 per week you work (accept Staff Training Camp).  If you have further questions please feel free to contact our office.

Phase 3 is the Camp Counselor Position - Open to spiritually mature College-Age Students

The Counselor position is the third of our leadership training program.  All counselors are given a leadership role over everyone within their cabin, which will be 9 campers, a TEAM Member, and a SALT Member.  Counselors are responsible for mobilizing campers throughout the day, escorting them from one activity to another.  Counselors have the unique responsibility of investing in the campers lives throughout each week.  We encourage counselors to spend time with each camper within their cabin, in hopes of building a relationship that will allow them to share Christ.

It is our hope that our future Counselors will have served as both a TEAM Member and a SALT Member.  This will allow them to grow in servanthood and as a spiritual leader.  After gaining the knowledge of these two programs, we hope that the counselors will be better equipped to be a more effective leader within their cabin.

In order to apply for the Counselor position you must have finished at least one year or more of college and must be available for Staff Training Camp and all 5 weeks of camp.  Finally, you must love working with children in a camping environment.  Counselors must be physically fit and able to participate in long days with lots of physical outdoor activities in the summer heat. Counselors will also be required to swim with their campers.  (If you consider yourself a non-swimmer please do not apply for the Counselor position.)

Counselors will be paid $200 a week in addition to room and board.  We also allow Counselors to raise summer missionary support (up to and additional $2,000) in addition to what we pay.  If you are interested or have any questions, please feel free to contact Jeff Nelson, Executive Director.

 Other Summer Staff Positions

Certified Lifeguard - Same qualifications as a Camp Counselor plus Lifeguard certification.  If you are not currently a Certified Lifeguard but are interested in this position.  Lifeguard training and certification is available during Staff Training Camp.  (You must be able to pass a rigorous swimming and life-saving test and have the physical strength to rescue a drowning adult.)

How To Apply:

Our NEW Online Application process is the way to go!  We have a new Online Registration/Application process through a website called Ultra Camp, a company who has been in the business of helping camps manage their campers and staff for over 11 years!

You will create an account username and password, Once you enter your contact information it will be saved in our system year after year! Which is great for returning staff!  If you are under the age of 18 you will need to create an account for your family and list your parents and siblings as part of your account.  It will be the same account that your parents will use to register you or your siblings for camp sessions.   All the information you enter into your account can be updated by you at any time!  Your information will be stored safely and securely on our site.  Your information will not be sold or shared with anyone else, we promise!

For Staff Applications, create an account and then click on the Document Center over on the left and complete your application form.  Don't worry if you can't complete the form in one sitting just scroll down to the bottom and click the button that says "I am not done I will come back later", your info will be saved for you to complete at your convenience!  We know this will make many of you happy! So, get started! We are looking forward to receiving your application!

Click here to create your account and begin your Online Registration

 

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Ponderosa Student Ministries is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization
Ponderosa Student Ministries is an affiliate of Children's Bible Ministries with locations from South FL to VA
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