Across the continent, Adventist churches and schools are proclaiming the gospel through events and Bible studies — many made possible by Pentecost 2025, a North American Division initiative intended to mobilize church members for evangelism this year through start-up funds, resources and training. But pastors, elders, principals and teachers are not the only local church leaders involved in this widespread evangelistic push.
Numerous summer camp directors and counselors have also plunged into Pentecost 2025, utilizing nearly 5,700 sets of sleekly designed, highly relevant kids’ lessons: the Discovery Mountain Expedition Bible Guides. Created by Voice of Prophecy, these studies feature a compelling continuous story set in Discovery Mountain Camp, a fictional summer camp familiar to fans of VOP’s popular Bible-based audio drama, Discovery Mountain.
The Pentecost 2025 planning committee did not originally intend to include summer camps in their initiative, said Rick Remmers, NAD assistant to the president. Plans shifted when camps expressed interest in joining. Leadership chose to supply them with Bible studies.
The NAD youth and young adult ministries department already had Momentum, a Bible study series for teens, but NAD didn’t have a resource geared toward the majority of summer camp attendees, junior-aged kids. That changed when Remmers spoke with Alex Rodriguez, VOP associate speaker and evangelism director. (The media ministry is one of Pentecost 2025’s official partners.)
Rodriguez recommended Expedition Bible Guides — 14 lessons that not only introduce readers to key doctrines of the Adventist Church but also immerse them in the world of Discovery Mountain, which releases fresh spiritual content each week and reaches hundreds of thousands of young listeners around the globe.
“Expedition Bible Guides are more than just lessons,” Rodriguez expressed. “They’re supported by the Discovery Mountain holistic universe, and with them, we have the opportunity to provide a support system especially for campers who are not Adventist and will not be returning home to Adventist churches or schools.
“Discovery Mountain could become their ‘family,’ ” he continued, “and we hope that the things they learn in these guides and through Discovery Mountain programming will continue sparking a flame in their hearts until the day that the Lord gives them an opportunity to take their place in the army of God. These Bible guides are the only guides I know of that can offer this larger system of belonging.”
When NAD announced their offer to supply camps with kids’ Bible studies, orders poured in. More than 30 camps — some from North Pacific Union — requested Expedition Bible Guide sets, often by the hundreds. With their appealing graphics and solid biblical context, these guides will enable camps to easily infuse their activities with spiritual content, Remmers said. He’s also excited to see how these guides will equip counselors.
“A really neat aspect of this camp Bible study initiative is that the people who will be doing most of the teaching will be Adventist young adults, collegiates and older high school students,” he said. “Being a camp counselor already challenges them in a lot of ways; giving Bible studies will keep nudging them forward spiritually — and it becomes easy when you have a guide like Expedition, which walks you through the process.”
Jean Boonstra, Discovery Mountain executive director and VOP associate speaker, further described how these guides perfectly fit the camp environment.
“Expedition Bible Guides are a wonderful resource for small group study or one-on-one baptismal studies, and the boxed set comes with clear instructions for leaders and students,” she explained. “Each guide begins with a summer camp story — so the context will be meaningful for campers — and that story ends with a cliffhanger, so the student will want to read more. I hope campers grow with God this summer by using these studies.”
Tracy Woods, NAD youth and young adult ministries director, expects each camp to utilize Expedition Bible Guides in a way that blends with their unique operations. Some will use the guides during cabin devotional times, others in Bible study sessions and still others during rest periods and before bedtime.
“There is one thing that all of our 60-plus Adventist camps do well with,” Woods affirmed, “and that is sending campers home with rich spiritual experiences and lifelong memories.”
Jason Johnson, Camp Paxson director in Montana Conference, explained that his counselors will incorporate the Bible lessons into their cabin worships, and each camper will leave with a set.
“These guides give us a way to equip our campers to understand the Bible and grow with God,” he said. “Plus, I love Discovery Mountain. My kids love Discovery Mountain. It’s an awesome program, so I like that the guides connect to the show.”
Johnson is one of many directors planning to send the guides home with campers. That way, any kid who wants to continue studying the Bible will have a resource to read while waiting for additional study arrangements to be made with their local Adventist church.
Another one of these directors is Nestor Osman, Sunset Lake Camp director in Washington Conference.
“Expedition Bible Guides will offer campers a new opportunity to explore the Bible in a way they can understand, even if they have never opened a Bible before,” Osman expressed. “The guides will be available for our counselors to use and for our chaplain’s special study group. We pray that many campers take advantage of this blessing while at camp — and at home.”
The Voice of Prophecy’s Expedition Bible Guides immerse readers in the world of Discovery Mountain, a popular Bible-based audio adventure series started by the media ministry more than eight years ago.
The Discovery Mountain Expedition Bible Guides help kids discover core Bible truths in a warm, accessible way.
Each Bible guide includes a gorgeously illustrated story chapter, an accompanying lesson on a Bible principle, fun activities, a true/false review sheet, and more!
Any young camper is likely to enjoy—and relate to—this Bible guide series’ lively group of campers in Discovery Mountain as they navigate dramatic challenges and friendships during one eventful summer!
The Expedition Bible Guide set includes a clear Leader’s Guide, certificate of achievement, and a Review Sheet answer key.
