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BIOGRAPHY
For the last 30 years Kim has enjoyed bringing stories to listeners in an authentic way through conversations with artists, authors and others with their own area of expertise. “I am looking forward to diving into our podcasts as it will allow for connected conversations that balance humor and depth. That is something we can’t do with our radio shows for lack of time as they are music driven. My heart is that we build great conversations and that no matter what the topic, the listener leaves with a helpful takeaway.”
INTERVIEW TOPICS
Spiritual Growth: Connecting the Bible with who we are and living life.
Entertainment: Artists, Authors and Creatives.
Lifestyle: Relationships: Parenting, Family, Marriage, Friends
Health & Wellness: mental health awareness, nutrition advice, healthy living habits
Technology: New gadgets, tech trends, artificial intelligence
CONTACTS
Ryan Long, WBCL Afternoon Co-host & Podcast Producer - ryan@wbcl.org
Welcome to Here's the Takeaway. I'm your host, Kim Bindel. The heart of the podcast is to dive into topics that matter to you and find the nuggets that you can take with you and apply to your own life. Enjoy today's episode.
Kim:Welcome back to Here's the Takeaway Podcast. I'm your host, Kim Bindel. Remembering back when you were a kid or a teen and summer meant that somewhere nestled in the middle of that summer break was camp. It was such a joy, especially when its purpose was all the fun, but also to point you back to Jesus. That is exactly what our guest's camp does. Please welcome to the podcast program director, or if you prefer, the guy helping create life changing moments, from Miracle Camp and Retreat Center in Lawton, Michigan-- Welcome to the podcast, Eric Rupp. Welcome.
Eric:Hey. Thank you, Kim. I'm glad to be here. It's an honor to be on the show.
Kim:Well, I am excited for you. Now has, has camp already started for you as far as the season, or is it a... it is a year round thing. Right? Or is it? Help me with that.
Eric:Yeah. I mean, camp is always ongoing. I mean, outside of major holiday weekends, we have people here pretty much every weekend out of the year. In fact, just right now, we have a church from Fort Wayne. We have the staff from Pine Hills Church here doing a staff retreat as we speak. Later this evening, some of our leadership staff for this summer will be arriving for their training, but our first official summer camp doesn't start until June 7. So somehow we consider this our slow season even though there's people here. The... things definitely ramp up once June rolls around.
Kim:Right. Exactly. And so talk to us about the camp. You know, we're driving up... What is it about the camp for you that has drawn you to it? And why is it so unique and special in the area of just camps in general?
Eric:Yeah. A lot of things I could say. But, Kim, I think one of the things that helps make our ministry powerful and maybe helps it stand the test of time would be, like, the stress and the importance we put on partnering with churches. We recognize that when kids especially come and spend time with us, maybe they're spending a weekend with us over an ice camp winter retreat in January, or maybe we get a whole week with them in the summer, and we realize that's not long enough for true discipleship to happen.
Eric:You know, sometimes God uses these retreat moments for, you know, a speaker or a leader to say something that really connects with the kid, maybe helps them realize an idol or sin that is present in their life that they hadn't ever put language to before. So maybe they learn something about God or make commitment or a decision regarding their faith, But the true test is like, okay. You've realized that at camp. How are you going to deal with that the next, you know, fifty one weeks out of the year? And so we really stress to kids like, hey.
Eric:The things that help you grow at camp, like reading your Bible, talking in your small groups, talking to your leader, those aren't things that just happen at camp, but keep doing those things as you go home. If you don't have a mentor, if you don't have a small group, if there's not a church you're a part of, like, that's probably the biggest thing you could do is is find a community like that. So that's one thing our camp really stresses is partner with the local church, be involved, don't just attend, but serve there, like lean into it. And that's where true discipleship happens, not here at camp, but at home in your church.
Kim:I'm so glad you said that because we've all heard the statement, and I even said it when I was, growing up and going to camp. I wish I could keep this high from camp. I wish, you know, it's a camp high and, you know, just feel so close to the Lord. Not only because of God's nature getting out in it, putting down screens, doing all of that stuff. I'm curious, Eric.
Kim:You obviously have a heart for this. So tell us your personal story of what camp meant to you growing up and why you are where you are right now.
Eric:Yeah. Totally. So camp has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. In fact, both of my parents attended here and served and volunteered in different capacities. So growing up, I remember even as being a four year old, five year old kid, I would tag along with my dad who was a bus driver for our church, and I would just get to ride with him two hours up to camp and then two hours back, four hours on a bus just for like thirty to sixty minutes of being at camp and kind of seeing the excitement of the older kids, like, getting dropped off for their week.
Eric:So even as a young kid, I was just always like, this place is amazing. I can't wait until I'm old enough to come. So back in that time, early two thousands, third grade was the youngest you could come to camp. So that was like the year circled on my calendar. When I'm in third grade, I get to go to camp.
Eric:So that was back in the year 2001, my first summer as a third grader. And I've been coming ever since. Haven't missed the summer since then.
Kim:Wow.
Eric:Middle school, junior high, that that was always the first thing on my calendar, like more than any sports or family vacations. Like, when is my weekend camp gonna happen? Because God used the staff and and my friends there to just speak into my life, help me learn about reading my Bible, asking good questions, all that sort of stuff. And then in high school, a switch kind of flipped. When I was in high school, I signed up for our camp's high school, like, discipleship and service oriented program.
Eric:So you don't just come for one week, but you come for two. And you get to be paired up with one of the cabins and kind of helping assist the cabin leaders and the counselors with different things. You get to help do dishes and running some of the activities, helping us some of the grounds things. And it taught me, like, woah. Camp isn't just about coming here and having fun, but there's actually cool opportunities to serve in really practical ways, but also opportunities to serve other kids by answering questions they have about scripture and teaching them and praying with them.
Eric:And so in high school, that switch flipped where I was like, I don't just love attending here, but I like serving here. So all through college, while I was University, I spent my summers up here at camp serving on staff. And it just so happened around the time I was graduating from Taylor, a position on full time staff opened up. So now from the past, going on thirteen years, my wife and I have served here together. So, yeah, camp has been a part of my life my entire life.
Kim:Okay. So did you guys meet at Taylor or did you meet at camp?
Eric:My wife and I met at camp. We actually we never overlapped at Taylor, just how the timing could have all worked out. But we met at camp, I loved serving here together. And so, yeah, it was something that was near and dear to both of our hearts when when we were getting married and, like, the position opened up. It was just all coming together at the right time, and we were just so thankful for how God lined everything up.
Kim:That's amazing. I love it. A camp romance. And I have to ask. Right.
Kim:Did you guys have, like, the reception or the wedding at the campgrounds? Or did you decide not to do that?
Eric:Yeah. We we ended up getting married at camp. Oh, gosh. Because of other things going on, we had to have our reception off-site. But, we got married.
Eric:We have a beautiful outdoor chapel right by the lake. So camp is where we got engaged here. We got married here. We've had our kids here and raised our family here. So it's just interwoven into our lives.
Kim:Yes. So it's so many different opportunities from littles all the way up to adults as far as serving and also just being a part of camp. So if we were to drive up to Michigan today and, probably be there sometime this afternoon, What would what am I gonna see? What's happening? And maybe it's not today because you guys aren't in full throttle for summer.
Kim:But if it was the middle of summer right now, what well, in the middle of summer, what would it look like if we were to drive up there in the afternoon?
Eric:Yeah. If you were to walk around our campus, you would see, 18 to 20 different cabins, like, living their best life here at camp. So you would see our staff leading kids around maybe to various activities. Maybe you'd see a couple of them sitting circle on some benches by the beach or in a gazebo with their Bibles open. Depending on the time of day you walk by, you'd probably see relationships happening, laughter happening, good conversations happening, through activities, through God's word.
Eric:Like, that's just what normal life looks like here at camp. We we stress a lot of spiritual disciplines and one on one intentional relationships. So, can I I kinda wanna lean into something you said earlier? You said, you know, when kids come to camp, sometimes they've had this sentiment of, like, it's easier to be a Christian when I'm at camp or it's easier to feel closer And to I get it. Like, as someone who grew up, like, that's one of the reasons why I wanted to go back every summer.
Kim:Right.
Eric:Because out of my entire year, that's the one time I knew that I would feel closer to God. Mhmm. And so if you you kinda ask the question, okay, what does a normal day of camp look like? Kids have their Bibles open at least three or four times a day. They are praying together.
Eric:They are confessing sins together, talking about questions surrounding God's word. They are singing songs together. They are with leaders who are trained and excited about, like, seeing them conformed into the image of Jesus. So every conversation they have, every activity they do is surrounded with these Christian values of of encouragement and edification and all these sorts of things. And if you compare that environment to what a normal kid does during the week of July
Kim:when they're
Eric:home on summer break, that might be filled with sports or video games or hanging out at the pool or whatever. No wonder kids feel closer to God when they're at camp. They are just in this awesome Christian community. They're with people who are encouraging them in their faith, and they're just in their Bibles constantly, like exploring what God's word says. No wonder kids feel closer to God when they're at camp.
Eric:And then to me, the beauty is, like, all these things we've described, like, those are all things that kids can do as they go home. So that that's why we stress the importance of keep doing these things when you go home, find a church, find a community in a group like this will help you do these things as well.
Kim:That's so good. That's so good. And you mentioned it, screen time. So I'm assuming that camp rules are there are no screens when you go to camp. Is that true?
Kim:Or is there a little bit in the evening? Or because that's a big question for a lot of parents right now is, are we gonna kind of, you know, take a hiatus from screen time, not making it the evil villain, but, of course, you can't have your face in your Bible when your face is in your screen all the time.
Eric:Yeah. That that is one of our our camp policies, Kim, is we we are electronic free, screen free. And it is pretty fascinating if we ask kids I don't have a hard and fast number for it, but I would say the vast majority of kids, if they were to reflect on it on Friday towards the end of their week of camp, like, they would say they've enjoyed not having their cell phone with them that week. And a number of them even make comments of, you know, they they see how this new routine might even shape their screen use habits as they go home. So that that coincides with one of our values.
Eric:One of our values at camp is purposeful programming. Everything we do has a purpose behind it. So even the things that seem like just fun games or goofy skits or whatever, our staff knows, hey. There's a purpose behind this activity, or there's a purpose behind why we're not using our phones right now. Sometimes the kids in the moment, they view it as just a fun game, but the staff, I love how they can creatively use some of those things to draw out spiritual applications later in the day.
Eric:Like, hey. Remember when we did that activity and you guys were all afraid to do this? Or remember when you tried to do this by yourself and you couldn't? Like, you had to ask for help from somebody else from the cabin. You know, how does that relate to what Paul says here in this letter to the Philippians where, you know, he's talking about how they need to encourage each other and bear each other's burdens in in Galatians.
Eric:You know, all these things, like, it's beautiful how they tie in, and everything we do at camp has a a meaningful purpose behind it.
Kim:That is so fantastic because that's you. That's you contributing that as the program director. So as speaking let's talk about parents for a little bit because we all have, you know, I'm a mama bear for sure. And we have parents who are wanting to make sure that all goes well as as much as possible. You know, these will be be scraped every once in a while and all of that stuff.
Kim:But, what would you say to a parent who's getting ready to send their, first time camper to camp? What are some things that parents can do to not only help the camper, but to help you as a camp staff to, be well prepared? And even when there's a little bit of, tears shed for missing home for the you know, being away from home, how is that handled, and what are some things that you can suggest to parents?
Eric:Yeah. So I mean, couple of practical things, Kim. I would say I've talked with some parents over the years who have found it so helpful to visit camp at some point before dropping their kid off and leaving them solo for a couple days. We we do offer a couple of family camps throughout the year. In fact, even just this past weekend, we do a weekend every May that we call work and worship, where families can come up and kinda do a a lightly programmed weekend of camp, but it's all structured around helping us get flower beds cleaned up or buildings painted, sticks cleaned up, and families can come up and serve together.
Eric:And as a way to say thank you to all the kids who work so hard, we open up some of the activities, and it just gives parents a chance to enjoy the grounds with their kids for a weekend.
Kim:Mhmm.
Eric:Whether that's our work and worship in May or maybe a family camp over Labor Day. I think that can be a helpful first step, especially for younger kids or kids who are maybe prone to homesickness.
Kim:Right.
Eric:Like, come up with mom and dad at some point. And then for kids who are still hesitant, for for younger kids especially, we offer a half week option. So for those younger kids who a week is just a long time
Kim:away from
Eric:home, you can sign up for a half week. So it's a little bit shorter. Other than that, I would I would just encourage parents to trust us and maybe realize, like, for students or kids who are especially scared or nervous, can you view this as an opportunity for growth? Yes. Can you see this as like an opportunity for them to conquer fear, to grow in some of their independence?
Eric:And just know that our staff are trained, like, for homesickness and caring for that sort of stuff. We have pretty rigorous state guidelines we have to comply by in terms of background checks and safety rules, making sure that no camper is ever one on one with an adult. We have a rule of three that we strictly enforce. We have medical staff we're required to have on-site to help in case of emergencies. So I can't ensure that no accidents would ever happen, but we take our staff training really seriously.
Eric:Like I said, our leadership staff thrive today. They'll be here for three weeks before campers arrive so that they can be ready to go to respond to whatever emotional, physical, spiritual needs that kids might have.
Kim:Well, that's comforting. And what a blessing to be able to do it try it out with parents, you know, just to make sure everybody knows, hey. We went with you. You're good. You can do this.
Kim:I love, the idea of pulling out, courage to to be able to do things that they haven't done or do hard things. So that's cool. Yeah. So let's talk about that's that's great. And I think that's gonna be really helpful to parents.
Kim:Let's talk about teens right now because no other time in history has it been, in my opinion, and in a lot of other people's opinion too, so difficult on teenagers. They have so many things to, overcome that a lot of us did not have to worry about. We did those many of us didn't have to worry about the Internet and bullying and other things. Just being depressed too. What is it about camp that really feeds into a teenager's life and all the things that they're facing?
Kim:Just, you know, their own bodies changing and just going through this unique part of their life. How does camp serve them and teach them to grow?
Eric:Oh my goodness. How long do I have the answer?
Kim:Go for it.
Eric:It'll it'll be hard to keep this one concise. Mean, I and if you talk to, you know, 12 different kids or 12 different teenagers who've been to our camp, you might get 12 different answers on on how God has used a camp experience. So like I said, I'll try and keep my answer brief. I mean, part of it, we we have to realize there is power in the word of God. As you think about kids who are here for an entire week, as much as we'd wanna say, oh, that being in nature was life giving or trying new activities, like help them make new friends, like all those things help.
Eric:But when I just I look around camp and I see how much multiple times per day kids are in the word, there is so much truth, so much wisdom, like, found there that kids have a chance to be reminded of where their true identity is. And that's just life shaping and life forming. On a practical sense as well, kinda like I've said, I I love how these some of these campers get a chance to be just in a group of people with adult mentors who care for them and love them no matter what. And for some teenagers, like, they don't get a lot of that at home, or maybe they don't get that much in their schools. So they feel like they are picked on or kind of boxed in because everybody at their school, everybody in their hometown kinda knows who they are, already has the labels put on them of we know where you fit.
Eric:We know who your friends are. We know what your social status is. And at camp, there's almost a freedom and an ability to reinvent yourself a little bit because you're around people who don't have those preconceived notions. You're with leaders who aren't gonna be judging you for, you know, what clothes you show up in or who your parents are or what part of town you live in. Like, these people don't know any of that stuff.
Eric:So you are free to just be yourself. And I just think camp has such such an encouraging positive foundation to the community. Like, that's what some kids really lean into. Mhmm. The friendships they form there go beyond just a week of camp.
Eric:And maybe that's even one way that technology works for us is kids can remain connected with friends they form at camp easier than ever before. So I agree with you. Technology is not evil. We actually we can use it to help. We can help kids stay connected, to their cabin leaders, to friends after camp, and that's a really beautiful thing, that the conversations that start here don't have to end here.
Kim:Yes. That is beautifully said. So let's move up to college students. You mentioned earlier that you are a Taylor alum, and, I know that you've spoken at Taylor and that there are students that, come from Taylor like you did and, like your wife did who spend their summer. They decide I am committing my summer to being a part of this ministry week after week pouring into kiddos' lives.
Kim:What are some of the things that you've noticed that have come from that, not only from your personal experience, but year after year, college students investing in themselves and investing in others?
Eric:Yeah. I love how the college students who work here gain so much experience in learning how to lead and learning what it looks like to lead through serving. Right? That's what Jesus says of what why he came. He says, the son of man did become to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Eric:And that's the call that our staff have. Hey. Every week, there are gonna be 10 or 12 kids in your cabin, and your job this week is not to serve yourself and look to your own interests, but look to the interests of these 10 kids. Like, what does it look like to know them each individually, to shepherd them? You just learn so much how to care for people through doing the group devos, through having one on one conversations with every kid.
Eric:Like, I'm just blown away at how much our staff are. I mean, they embody Jesus even as they clean up messes that kids make. Right? Like, you like, we could very easily say, hey. You made that mess.
Eric:You deserve to clean that up. But that's the posture our staff take is I love you so much. I'm gonna clean up the mess that you made. Right? And and we could share some crazy stories.
Eric:You know? A kid who gets an upset stomach in the middle of the night, throws it in the bathroom. Yeah. Like, they don't call me freaking out saying, Eric, I need you to come clean up this vomit. I hear about it at breakfast the next morning.
Eric:They told me the story and said, yeah. I cleaned up, you know, the mess they made. And it's just amazing the the things that they do and how well they love these kids. And even just developing the ability to kind of recognize like, hey, that that camper doesn't seem quite the same as they did yesterday. Maybe I need to have a conversation with them and see if see if something's going on, see if something happened that's making them homesick or upset.
Eric:And just the opportunities, those conversations can open up for these staff to point these campers to Jesus and remind them of the hope they have in him. It's it's just amazing. The leadership skills, like the the team that these staff are responsible to lead, the kids they lead, I think it forms people just as well for the workplace as any college class can or any other So internship I think that's one of been one of the joys of being in this role for over a decade now is just seeing some of our best staff go on from camp to serve in really powerful ways in their churches, in their workplaces. And a lot of them would just come back and say, thank you. Thank you.
Eric:Thank you for how camp formed me, taught me resiliency, taught me leadership. It's just amazing to see how God uses camp, not just for the campers, but for the staff that come through here.
Kim:Well, of course. And if it's a bonus that you find your life mate at camp, how cool is Alright, Eric? Let's have a little fun, Eric. Let's do, camp rapid fire. Are you ready for this?
Eric:Okay.
Kim:Alright. I'm ready. Best camp food?
Eric:I love our chicken sandwiches.
Kim:Nice. Okay. Most underrated camp activity?
Eric:I would maybe say archery.
Kim:Okay. Alright. Canoe or zipline?
Eric:I would do the zipline.
Kim:Okay. Campfire
Eric:drive that
Kim:way. Right. Campfire or cabin games?
Eric:I would choose a campfire.
Kim:Okay. Once
Eric:If they included s'mores.
Kim:Yes. Of course. We can't do it without it. Right? One smell that instantly reminds you of camp.
Eric:Man, I gotta say the campfire. Like, when it is pretty fun in evening when you walk around and you smell this Mhmm. Smell the fire. Yes. You know kids are having good conversations.
Eric:That's awesome.
Kim:Okay. Funniest counselor stereotype.
Eric:Oh, man. I just like I'm always blown away at our staff who dress the craziest and always operate at, like, a 110% energy. Okay. They're just yelling at every game. Like, I don't understand how their voice lasts through an entire summer.
Kim:It's great.
Eric:That's the best. Like, the kids latch onto that and, like, love it so much. Our our staff are the best.
Kim:Alright. Least glamorous part of camp ministry. I think you just mentioned it a minute ago.
Eric:Cleaning up after Cleaning a sick bodily fluids.
Kim:Right? Got it. Alright. If adults went to camp exactly like kids do, what would surprise them the most?
Eric:They would definitely be surprised at how tired they get. Okay. Yeah. Because hear that from our adult leaders all the time. Adult leaders who accompany kids, like, it's like 9PM, and they're like, is it bedtime yet?
Eric:Like, why is the schedule doing like, why are we gonna be up till 11:00 or midnight? And, yeah, they they power through and do well, but, yeah, we're reminded we're not teenagers anymore.
Kim:Oh, yeah. Yeah. I can we wake up at 10:00 in the morning and go to bed nine? Yes. That would be great.
Kim:Oh, man, Eric. I am so excited about the good work that you are doing, and thank you so much for sharing, about you and your team. Is it too late if a parent is thinking, I should have got him signed up a couple of months ago? Is it too late for people to join in during summer camp with you, or do they need to kinda maybe more consider a church gathering, when the when the schedule's freed up, or are you guys pretty full right now?
Eric:Yeah. It it's not too late depending on the week. We have a couple of weeks that are full, but a lot of our weeks still have availability. So if you go to miraclecamp.com, you can sign up there. And part of our heart as a ministry is we never want finances to be the thing that stands in the way.
Eric:So we have scholarship funds that are available as well as I know a lot of churches will work with families who wanna send kids to camp and also help make funds available. So any family who's considering sending a kid, let us know, and we'd love to see you here and help you find a way to come.
Kim:Oh, that sounds so exciting. And what was the other thing you were talking about? A retreat. Can businesses or churches create retreats and you helped design that? Or how does that work?
Eric:Yeah. Yeah. Totally. Any any church, like a religious group or even nonreligious groups, schools, businesses can reach out to us for different retreats. We have a a button to fill out a form on our website.
Eric:If you let us know approximately how many people you wanna bring, what the goal of your retreat is, and maybe, like, a couple of dates you have in mind, at least send that form to us and we can get the ball rolling on a conversation and see if we can find a time to host you all here.
Kim:Alright. And give it the give us that contact info one more time.
Eric:Yeah. W w w dot miracle camp dot com. And we're at Miracle Camp located in Lawton, Michigan.
Kim:Awesome. Thank you, Eric Ruff. We appreciate you from Miracle Camp and Retreat Center. Thanks for spending the time today.
Eric:Hey. You're very welcome. I appreciate the invite.
Kim:Thanks for being here. Hope you have a beautiful day and let's go to camp. Hope that you enjoyed today's episode of Here's The Takeaway. I'm your host, Kim Bindel. Please give this episode a like or a thumbs up and share with your friends.
Kim:Also, don't forget to follow this podcast for more great content when the next episode drops. We'll see you next time.