Who We Are

Camp Deer Run is a Christian Youth Camp located in East Texas. We are devoted to providing young people with a place where they can get outside, have fun, and experience God,
pure & simple.

Our Mission

Camp Deer Run exists to provide a camping experience where God is seen, His love felt and lives are transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

Isolation in God’s creation allows Camp Deer Run to provide a unique environment that is ideal for children to see God in His creation. Our program fosters the development of strong peer and mentor relationships as kids and staff play together, learn together, and encourage each other.

Our campers experience God’s love as they are taught, mentored, and encouraged by our college-aged staff members. God uses these young staff members in powerful ways as they seek to live out the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “follow me as I follow Christ.”

As our campers have fun, develop real friendships, and find role models among our staff, a deep desire to know God is born or remembered. Bible lessons become interesting and relatable because they’re being taught by young people that they can relate to. 

Through traditions, fun, and an energetic and hard working staff, God makes a powerful impact. Our mission is to provide this unique experience so that lives may be changed and so that God may be glorified in our efforts.

What We Believe

About God and the Bible

We believe the Bible is the only infallible, divinely inspired Word of God.

Isaiah 40:8; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21; Romans 10:17

We believe there is one God, who exists eternally in three persons as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:19

We believe in God the father, the creator of all things. He is infinite and perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love.

Matthew 26:28; Luke 1:26–38; John 1:1–14; 10:31–38; 20:1–31; Acts 1:1–11; 1 Corinthians 15:1–8;  2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:22, 5:23; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 1:3–5, 2:5–18; 4:15;  1 Peter 2:24;  Revelation 19:11–16, 22:7–21

We believe Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God.

John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 1:18-31; 3:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Colossians 2:6-10; 2 Peter 1:11

We believe in the Holy Spirit as a Helper and Comforter sent by God.

John 14:15–21; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18; Romans 8:1–11

About Sin, Forgiveness, and Salvation

We believe that all humans are separated from God by sin and are in need of salvation.

Romans 3:23; 6:23

We believe that salvation is available to everyone through Jesus Christ.

John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 6:23; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 4:8-9, 2 Timothy 2:10, 4:6-8; Hebrews 5:9; James 1:12; 1 John 5:11; Jude 20-21; Revelation 22:12-14

We believe that to receive God’s gift of salvation we must place our faith in Jesus, repent from our sinful way of life, confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and be baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 10:32; Acts 2:38; 8:35-38, 17:30, 22:16; Romans 10:8-13; Galatians 3:26-27

About Christian Living

We believe that those who have accepted salvation through Jesus have been cleansed from their sins and are called to live pure and holy lives.

Romans 12; Galatians 5:13-26; Ephesians 2:1-7; Colossians 3:1-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 3:12-14, 10:19-25; James 1:19-26; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 4:1-19, Titus 2:11-13

We believe that we are called to be evangelistic, personal ministers and are commanded by God to teach, both by word and example, God’s love, forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, and how to live an obedient, pure, and holy life as taught in the Bible.

Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:14-15; 2 Corinthians 5:20; 1 Timothy 4:12-13; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Titus 2:6-8; Hebrews 10:23-25; 1 Peter 3:15-16; 1 Peter 2:9-12

Meet the Team

Meet our year round staff and board members, and be sure to say hi when you see us at Camp!

FULL TIME STAFF

Ty Ford

Camp Director

Morgan Ohrmundt

Director of Internal Operations

Cain Langhoff

Director of Development

Ryan Terry

Communications Manager

Zach Speer

Facilities Manager

Campbell Barnett

Office Manager

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lindsay Shuttlesworth

President

Emily Hartsell

Vice President

Randy McDonald

Secretary

Martin Tucker

Treasurer

Joe David Bowers

Board Member

Mary Brown

Board Member

Zack Pruett

Board Member

Clay Spencer

Board Member

Clint Spencer

Board Member

Jay Spencer

Board Member

ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Camp Deer Run advisory council is made up of professionals from many various fields who generously provide expertise in their respective fields to assist the Board of Directors and Camp Director in the planning and operation of Camp Deer Run.

Left to Right: Monica Siklosi, Maryn Hemphill, Jenny Rebolledo, Sarah Smith, Cameron Hartsell, Natalie Childress, Craig Schenkel, Jason Graham, Cole Allen, Christian Ross, Matt Wickes. Not pictured: Stacy Means, Kyle Jones, Drayton Hoffman, Caleb Panter, Andy Garner, Adam Panter, Amy Tyndell

EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMS

Check out our overnight camps, day camps, and retreats to experience God at Camp Deer Run,
pure & simple.

Day Camp

PeeWee day camp is for our youngest campers. Partner with us to help your children establish a foundation in Christ while having the best week of their summer!

Explore Day Camp

Overnight Camp

Get outside, make friends, and experience God, pure and simple. At our overnight camps, kids unplug from the world and experience old-school, authentic childhood.

Explore Overnight Camp

Retreats

Join us for a Camp Deer Run retreat during the school year or rent our facilities for your own event or retreat. Our retreat program includes options for the whole family!

Explore Retreats

Day 1 - God Comes First

SCRIPTURE:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-6


DEVOTIONAL:

This is a verse that we hear often. It’s a common memory verse. It’s the basis for countless worship songs and hymns. It strikes at the core of all Christian faith and life. These words come from Moses, as He speaks to the Israelites before their entry into the Promised Land. Behind them, there has been a long journey – from slavery to freedom a promise of a land of their own that is very good. But along that journey there has been temptation, and the Israelites have time and time again lost sight of their covenant with God and forgotten the salvation that He delivered to them. Because of that, they spent 40 years wandering in the desert instead of going straight to the new homeland that God had promised.


It’s a lesson to all of us that when we lose sight of God, when we forget about Him and His Word, when our focus drifts away from Him, we end up wandering in a desert instead of enjoying the good things He intended for us.


At Camp Deer Run, we leave behind many of the things in our day to day lives that distract us from God. We leave behind the phones, the TVs, the social media, the stress of school or work, the trials and struggles that we carry with us. When you step through the gates as your session begins, you can leave all of it behind you and just focus on God, pure and simple.
When we set those burdens down, and remove all the distractions that are keeping us from seeing God clearly and putting Him first in our lives, we come closer to Him, we grow deeper in our relationship with Him, we feel His love. And when we know His love for us and understand that we are His beloved children, our love for Him grows too.


But Camp doesn’t have some kind of magic forcefield around it that makes you leave your worries at the door. It’s definitely easier at Camp to leave those things behind. There’s so much fun to be had, so much nature to enjoy, and so many friends to surround you. But at the end of the day, it’s still up to you to let go of the things that distract you from God and to put Him first. Sometimes that’s hard to do, and sometimes it takes a little while to figure it out. That’s ok!


As you prepare for Camp, we just want you to know that God wants to have a relationship with you. God knows you. God loves you. And He wants you to keep your focus on Him, because He doesn’t want you to be lost in the desert. He wants to lead you to the Promised Land!

 

DISCUSSION:


What are some of the things that make it hardest for you to focus on God at home?


Can you leave that behind when you go to Camp? How?


Camp Deer Run is all about seeing God in everything, not just worship or Bible lessons, but in the games and activities and friends and fun. How do you keep your focus on God in all of these different situations?