Four-Fold Philosophy and Honor Code

At camp, we belive that God is the reason for the work that we do and that we work for His glory when doing this camp job. As a way to honor what the Lord has called us to do at Greystone, we have two different philosophies that we live by during the summer: the Four-Fold Philosophy and the Honor Code.

Four-Fold Philosophy

We believe that Luke 2:52 gives us an outline for personal growth. This growth happens best when we work at it…every day! Camp provides the perfect place to grow, and we structure our days to this end.

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” -Luke 2:52

Mental Growth: Wisdom

  • Positive Attitude: Mental growth at camp focuses on developing a positive attitude toward all circumstances. No matter what happens, there is always a positive way to see that circumstance.
  • Goal Setting: Goal setting is definitely part of mental growth! By writing down your goals (for the day, for the week, for the summer), you take a step towards accomplishing what you want in your life. We suggest you carefully consider what you want to accomplish in your program, with your campers, with your fellow staffers, and with the Lord this summer.
  • Curiosity: Camp is the perfect place to be curious! Creation is full of wonder and delight - all of the details work together to glorify God and are therefore worthy of note. A simple “did you know” can lead to really great conversations and make mental growth a part of every day.

Physical Growth: Stature

Our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God Almighty. They must be properly cared for and properly respected…this is the foundation of physical growth.

  • Eat Well: We provide great food at camp and this is for a purpose. Wholesome food, made with simple ingredients and eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables allows our bodies to work better!
  • Sleep Well: We need 8-10 hours of sleep every day, especially at camp! Deprive yourself of needed sleep and you will feel worse over time. Plenty of sleep is a big part of your body working well, a fact you will discover at camp if you don’t know it already!
  • Exercise: The average camper puts in about 5 miles of walking every day, just going from class to class. Getting exercise on a regular basis makes your body feel better…you might have to schedule time to get this done, but we encourage you to do so!
  • Self Image: Girls often struggle with self image, some quite literally hating the way they look. God did not make a mistake when he made us to look the way we look. We encourage the girls to change the way they assess beauty…to see themselves as Fearfully and Wonderfully made.

Spiritual Growth: Favor with God

Our stand for Christ is probably one of the big reasons you chose to work here. It is what we are known for in the camping world, so spiritual growth should be a major component of your time here this summer. We build in many opportunities for spiritual growth; some require no effort on your part except a willing heart and others will require you to do something. We encourage you to work at this most important aspect of growth…it will probably be your most cherished “take-away” from camp.

We provide (and you participate in):

  • Prayer at every meal, Morning Assembly, and Evening Program
  • Scripture-based devotion every Morning Assembly
  • Scripture-based cabin devotions every night led by you
  • Your own Bible (we will give you one if you need one)
  • A Christ-centered community

Campers deeply appreciate the Spiritual growth they experience at Greystone. This growth arises from their whole hearted participation in the process. You will experience the same thing, but it will arise not only from “quiet time” but from days filled with loving service. We pour ourselves out in love, just as Christ did in His ministry on earth. And just like Christ, we will become tired. You will benefit greatly from the occasional early morning prayer time on your porch or late night prayer time by the lake. We suggest you do this if you get the chance…God speaks in such moments!

Social Growth: Favor with (wo)man

Social Growth (making friends) is what we specialize in accomplishing at camp. We make more new friends in a week at camp than in a year elsewhere; and not just any kind of friend! These are often friends for life - friendships that pass the test of time because they are real.

Without the distractions of the world, we talk to each other face to face. Our talk is often just “fun” but sometimes very meaningful as well…we call these DMC’s (Deep Meaningful Conversations). We arrange times to talk (a good time is while eating a treat from Candy Shoppe; we call these “Shoppe Dates”) and we talk throughout the day (in the cabin, during meals, walking to class, waiting for programs, watching the sunset). We encourage you to work at talking this summer and to invest in the lives of other people, both camper and counselor.

Reach out to people you would not normally talk to (every person you will see at camp is going to be an interesting person to know) and see what happens. Expect to make some really great friends of all ages this summer!

Honor Code

We introduced the Honor Code in 2021 and have since woven it into all parts of camp life. We talk about the different aspects of the code as a whole, and in cabin groups, looking at how to live it out in age-specific ways. While no one will be able to live it out perfectly, the Honor Code gives us a standard to strive for as we all grow and show grace to each other.

“I commit to showing kindness, seeing the good, and taking ownership of what I do. This is how I will have fun, make friends, and glorify God both in this place and in the world.”

While we have been encouraging these characteristics and instilling them into what we believe for many years, the Honor Code gives our campers a toolkit so that they can take what they learn and put it into practice both at camp and at home. We want our Greystone community to be one of positivity and support where girls gain confidence and feel safe. This Honor Code is the hands and feet of what girls will live out in their day to day interactions at Greystone.