HISTORY

Truitt Adair, SIBI Chancellor, participated as a teenager in a young men’s training class where he learned how to publicly read scripture, develop sermon outlines, and preach short lessons. He recognized that learning these skills early in life had an impact on his ministry. He began looking for the right time and personnel to offer a program that would provide an opportunity for the younger generations to learn to preach. In 2016 Truitt, who was at that time President of SIBI, handed Matt Glawe and Jeff Smith a folder containing numerous articles about “Future Preacher Training Camps.” Truitt’s words were, “We need to have one of these of our own!” Matt and Jeff assembled a team of people to start exploring the possibilities, and Jeff recommended the name Camp Apollos. In 2017 Matt spent a week observing the preacher training camp in Lewisville, Texas, which helped greatly with organizing and structuring the camp. Truitt’s charge was taking shape. 

In 2019 Camp Apollos became the newest preacher training tool of Sunset International Bible Institute and began with ten boys in attendance. It was decided that the annual camp session would be scheduled for Tuesday–Friday after Memorial Day each year. Camp Apollos was organized to offer training to young men ages 12–18 through Bible study, devotionals, guest preaching, adult mentoring, and hands-on learning of sermon preparation skills. Meals, lodging, and fun events were to be a part of the camp schedule to encourage fellowship and build new relationships. The four-day camp would conclude with each participant preaching the sermon he had worked to prepare. Charles Speer and Ray Young were the first teachers, along with Nat Cooper, Ed Wharton, Pat Sheaffer, and numerous other SIBI faculty who led quality devotionals and classes for the boys. Robby and Carla Stephens facilitated mealtimes and scheduled activities. 

The 2020 session was cancelled due to the pandemic, so 2021 served as a virtual “restart” to Camp Apollos. A new and improved schedule, a new slate of teachers, and dedicated mentors are just a few of the things that were tweaked for the second year of the camp. In 2022 Camp Apollos was filled to capacity. Also, Camp Apollos inspired the creation of Camp Priscilla, a camp for the Christian development of teenage girls, which held its first session in 2021.

Camp Apollos accomplishes its training of young men through devotionals, the teaching of Bible study skills and homiletics, preaching practice with adult counselors, and fun activities. Each year the campers have an opportunity to learn how to prepare and deliver a different style of sermon including textual, topical, and narrative. Daily activities, meals, and housing are provided on the campus of Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas.   

We recognize the shortage of and the need for biblically balanced gospel preachers. We believe that to fill that need we should be instilling the principles of preaching into the hearts and minds of young boys so that when they grow older, they will be more prepared to “preach the word” and “be ready in season and out of season.”