Camp Highlight - Joshua Molden

Shelley Pearson • Mar 04, 2020
If you knew you could impact young people’s lives for both the foreseeable future and eternity, would you? Joshua Molden, a sophomore at North Dakota State University studying Software Engineering, is doing just that. He works part-time and is involved in several campus ministries, but FCA Camps are a huge part of his life. Joshua attended Sports Camp in Iowa his first two years in high school but was unable to return his last two years due to serious health challenges. He returned as a college huddle leader the past two summers and hopes to return this summer as well. Joshua has been deeply impacted by his camp experience and is intentional about giving back in the ways he was influenced as a camper. 

College Students Modeling a Life for Christ

Sports Camp is centered around sports and faith. Joshua enjoys the sports part of camp, but he loves growing in his walk with Christ during the week of camp. Before his first camp experience he had longed to see others demonstrating how to pursue Christ, and he found that at sports camp. The college athletes and huddle leaders served as mentors who modeled how to live for Christ in everything they did. He remembers one time during when he had some questions about spiritual things. He went to his huddle leader who not only took the time to listen and talk with him but pulled in another huddle leader as well. The fact that two huddle leaders would take the time to sit down with him and invest in his life left a lasting mark on his heart.


Joshua’s huddle leaders consistently challenged Joshua to walk with Christ when he went back home and continued to model how to live like Christ outside of camp. One leader came to visit him in the hospital when he was sick. Others texted him regularly to check in on him and challenge him to keep living for Jesus. They showed him what it looked like to be a man of Christ. Those leaders will never know how deep their impact was on him, but Joshua wants to invest in other young men in the same way his leaders invested in him.

Returning to Camp to Invest in Young People

Joshua has served as a huddle leader twice and plans to return to camp this summer. He said of his experience as a huddle leader, “It’s so awesome!” One of his favorite parts is seeing campers transform throughout the week. They often come just to play their sport, and they keep discussions on the surface level. Throughout the four days of camp, they do improve their skill level, but they also learn how to compete for Christ and go deeper in discussions about God. They often leave camp on fire for the Lord. 


One camper came in struggling with some hard life things. He was shut down, would not make eye contact, and did not engage in conversation. By the third day, he shared his faith story and began to open up to his huddle and leaders. Joshua made sure to get his number and has stayed in touch. This young man has since gone on to Leadership Camp and has become a huddle leader himself. In Joshua’s words, “it has been so cool” to watch him transform in his walk with Jesus and his leadership potential.


Because of how Joshua’s huddle leaders impacted him, He is committed to invest in his campers throughout the year. He loves to pour into his campers and wants to be a consistent figure in their lives who can remind them that it is possible to live for Christ. Joshua says, “Camp shows the radical love of Jesus Christ, and if we can show that love to them and reciprocate it to them, there is true change. I love being able to have kids see that.”
Why Should Kids Go to Camp?
Sports camp is unique for a number of reasons. Campers are focused on training for their sport and going to practices, but at night there is an atmosphere for very deep conversations. “It’s a really safe environment. Campers will hear the gospel and be given the opportunity to know Jesus,” says Joshua. Not only do campers grow in their sports and in their relationships with Christ, but many campers come to camp not knowing anyone but quickly become close to other campers. They establish friendships that they will keep for the rest of their lives, and they will learn to seek those kinds of relationships in the future as well. 
Would You Share in the Impact?

It is clear that Sports Camp has deeply impacted Joshua. He is a young man who loves the Lord and wants to live his life for Jesus Christ. Joshua is not alone. Thousands of campers have gone to FCA Sports Camp over the last several decades and have learned to put God first in all they do. This year’s camp theme is “100%” based on Mark 12:30 which says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Would you help get as many kids to camp this summer as possible? Some ways you can help:

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